The Coolidge examiner., 1935-02-15

get broken Why. sir. should he
hang Il over the chalFf"
Less noisy. perhaps. than chuck
lng IL Into a brass umbrella holder.
Markham was leaning over tbs
desk scowling At Vance.
what do you mean by ihat5- hs
demanded.
Vance lifted his eyes slowly and
let them rest on the district al
;orncy.
Il opine, my dear Markham" h.
said slowly. that brother Brisbane
I didn't want anyone 10 hear hin
when he returned here last night
Tie started Tor Chicago on a nigh;
when be knew no one but Archer
would - home. And then he missed
his frnln--to speak euphemistlcally
lie returned 10 the house-wish bis
stick. And here's his stick
but 10 Brisbane And Archer-the
sole occupant of this cultured domi.
cIle las; nlght-has gone 90 his
Maker In most outlandish fashion
Good Cd. vance, Markham
sank back in his chair "You don't
mean that Brisbane-T"
tut. tut There you 90 jumping
at conclusions again Vance
began walking up and down. his
hands sunk deep ln his coat pock.
cts Il can understand Brlsbane's
presence here last night he mur.
INJURED as n 70 himself. "bui can't
understand the presence OF his stick
here this morning. It's very curious
1t doesn't ~ into the picture.
Even II be had not taken the Lake
Shore Limited 10 Chicago. there
were other trains later on"
"ilow do you know the bird didn't
take another train--that II. suppos-
Ing he'd missed the Lake Shore
LlmliedT'
~By the stick IN the lower hail.
Sergeant"
Couldn't n guy forget his stick y
"Not Brisbane Coe-and certainly
not In the circumstances. :"
"whnt clrcumsiAncesT- cut IN
Markham.
That's what | don't know exact
iy." Vance made a wry face. ~But I
begin 20 see a method In all this
seeming madness; and that stick
downstairs stands out Ike some ter.
ribie and accusing error.
lie stopped abruptly. and sudden
ly swinging about. went toward the
door.
-I'n be back In n minute. There's
a possibility. -" lie passed swift.
ly into the hall
Presently be returned 10 the
room. smoking absiracIedly. His
face was crestfallen.
Hes not there" be announced.
Il thought Brisbane might be In his
room. But the shades are up; and
the bed hasn't been slept In: and
the lights are out" He sat down
wearily. "His rooms empty"
The sergeant planted himself in
front OF Vance.
look here. Mr. Vance. even II he
did miss the Lake Shore Limited.
he's probably on bis way 10 Chi.
cago. Anybody might forget a stick.
His suitcase ainr here"
Vance leaped 10 his feet.
The suiicase-that's III What
would he have done with the suit.
case II he had not taken the early
train and had intended TO 20 on to
Chicago later -
He'd have checked II In the sta.
ton. wouldn't hef"
"Exactlyl" Vance wheeled TO
Gamble. Describe that suitcase"
1T was just an ordinary case,
sir" the man replied In a dared
tone. BLACK sealskin. leather lined,
with rounded corners and the ini.
tials b. c. In gold letters over one
end"
Vance turned back TO Heath.
Can you check on that In the
parcel. room at the station, Ser
geant7 It's important"
Sure l can" He beckoned SnIt-
kin with a jerk OF the head "Goi
the doper
The detective grinned
H. yes" he rumbled. "A
clnch."
Then hop TO H." ordered Heath.
And phone me pronto. Make
It snappy."
Snitkin disappeared.
Where do you think Brisbane
Zoe fits into this AFFAIR." Markham
asked Vance.
Il don't know-Pm not sure. But
many strange things happened here
last night. Certain plans went
awry. Events overlapped one an
other. Nothing happened on sched-
ule."
But Brisbane Coe," persisted
Markham.
There has always been bad
blood between Archer and Bris-
baae, for some reason I've never