The Coolidge examiner., 1935-02-08


ham murmured
Yes. it's curious" Vance agreed.
And damunble. But once we trace
the dogs ownership. we may know
something pertinent That little
Scoitic Is no mere pet shop CON.
panion Far from r. she'd make
trouble IN the ring for some % our
leading winners know a little
about Scoitles. Markham. and
have an idea she's got both Iapries-
ton and Ornay blood IN her"
That's all very Markham
vas annoyed by vance's technical.
liics-"but what do those things
mean to anyone but a breedeF1 I
can't see that they get US any
where"
"Oh. bat they do smiled Vance.
They get US much forrader. The
breeding 90 certain blood lines In
this country Is known 10 every seri.
Gus dog fancler. And a bitch like
this one Is the result OF years of In
tensiFe breeding. Furthermore.
she's In perfect show condition
now: and the chances are that
dog as good As this one has been
shown. And whenever a dog ls
shown. another set Of facts Is put
on record
Huh !" Heath was unimpresSed
But even II you did nnd the own
er OF this mut. where would you
bel The owner might simply say.
oh. thank you. kind sir. The little
devil ran away last Thursday"
Vance smiled.
so be might. Sergeant. But well.
bred dogs don't follow strangers
into unknown houses Moreover.
dogs as good as this one are not
generally permitted to roam the
streets unattended. There's some
thing particularly strange about
that dogs presence In this house
last night II had the explana.
ton. I'd know Infinitely more about
the murderer. Until we have fur
ther data. we must assume that he
vlcionsly injured the Scottie-
probably 10 keep her qulet--"
What Vance was going 10 say
further was interrupted by a noise
Of footsteps and voices In the low
er front hall. A moment later. three
plaIn-clothes men and two uni
formed officers from the local pre-
clnct station claitered into the
room.
Il have taken charge OF the
case" Markham told them. Were
handling II from headquarters. but
we'n want two men TO guard the
house"
Certainly. sir" A heavy set.
gray-halred man saluted. and
turned TO the uniformed officers.
-You. Hanlon and Rlordan. stay
here. Mr. Markham1l give you or
ders."
The three plaln-clothes men had
scarcely departed when the finger
print experts-Captain Dubois and
Detective Bellamy arrived. with
the official photographer. Peter
Quackenbush. Under Heath's or
ders. they went Systematically
about their work.
What | want 10 know" the ser
geant told them. ''ls who locked
those windows and turned on the
lights In this room. And | want to
know who went outa this room
Inst"
Vance beckoned Heath TO one
side.
Il can throw some light into the
gloom OF your uncertainties, Ser
geant," he said. "Coe himself
locked the windows and pulled
down the shades: and he also
switched on the lights. But I'll ad.
NIT I'm In a Stygian darkness as TO
who was the last person TO handle
the doorknob."
Heath called to Captain Dubois.
Say, Cap; take the right thumb
print OF the body on the bed, and
see II you can check Il with the
prints on the window-catches and
the light switch"
Dubois went to the bed. A few
minutes later he returned with a
piece OF cardboard on which was
an Ink impression OF Goes thumb.
'You had the right dope, Ser
geant," he said ~It looks Ike the
guy on the bed locked this window"
He then went through the same
process Of minute comparison with
the catches on the other windows.
When he was through he came to
Heath.
"All the same-as far as | can
see. Two OF the lockplates are
blurred, but they seem to match"
Now, Cap" said Heath. try the
switch and the doorknob."
Dubois went TO the switch and,
after sprinkling powder over 1T,
blew upon It gently and studied 1t
through his glass.
Same here" he nodded. 81 can't
~