The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1935-03-07
CHAPTER v
'sNeedles and Pins"


ther notice.
While we were waiting for the med
ical examiner, there ensued brief
discussion concerning the blood on the
piece of porcelain and Liang's pos
sible relationship to the events pre-
ceding the double murder. But Vance
was evidently as much in the dark
as the rest of us; and there was little
to be done until we had Doctor Dore-
mus report.
Burke came to the door and beck
oned to Heath.
"Say, Sergeant" he reported from
the corner ofhis mouth, "that Chink
just went upstairs. Right with you ?"
Heath looked sour, and shot Vance
an angry look.
"Now, what's the idea? ?" he bawled.
Gamble entered the hall from the
dining room at this moment, and
Vance addressed him.
"What is LANG doing upstairs ?"
The butler seemed perturbed at
Eance's tone, and replied with apollo
Sgetic obsequiousness:
81 told him to fetch Miss Lakes
tray, and tidy up her quarters. =.
Shouldn't l have done it, sir? You
told me to proceed with my duties.
Vance scrutinized the man closely.
"When he returns keep him down.
stairs" he said. "And you'd better
stay here yourself"
Gamble bowed and returned to the
dining room; and a moment later
Doctor Doremus arrived.
Heath went briskly out of the room
and down the corridor to the closet.
We were close behind him when he
opened the door. Doremus, straight
way assuming professional air knelt
body.
"Dead," he announced.
Heath simulated establishment.
Honest, is he dead? And me think
sunni"
Doremus snorted.
"Take hold of his shoulders" And
he and the sergeant carried the body
into the library and placed it on the
davenport.
"Could you tell us, Doctor" Vance
asked, (which of the two victims died
srst?"
= Doremus, who had been testing the
movability of the dead mans head
and limbs, glanced at his watch.
"That's easy" he said. "The one
upstairs. The advance of rigor mortis
in the two bodies is practically the
same. This one might be slightly fur
ther along; but it's been nearly four
hours since l went over the other fell
low. Therefore, I'd say that this one
died anywhere from two to three
hours later. Say eight o'clock for the
one upstairs and about ten o'clock
for this one."
He proceeded with his examination.
After while he Strengthened up and
frowned at Markham.
"You know what killed this guy?
A stab in the back! -. Same like
the fellow upstairs. And almost in
the same place."
"And the weapon?"
"The same. A sharp, narrow, four
cornered instrument. Only, in this
case, the hemorrhage was external. A
. lot of blood lost"
"Died instantly, take it," remark
ed Vance
"Yep." The doctor nodded. "Must
have fallen in his tracks"
Vance picked up the bloodstained
sat and waistcoat of the dead man,
md inspected them.
"And this time the stab was through
the clothes he was wearing" he COM
mented. "a minor point, but worth
verifying. ;. I say, Doctor; any
/ indications of struggle ?"
"Nope. Not sign. He got it in
the back when he wasn't expecting it.
Startled him for a split second prob
/ ably-look at that expression!-and
then he curled up and passed out.
/ Doubt if he even saw the fellow that
did him in. Quick, smooth business"
"Devilish business" amended Mark
I ham.
"Oh, well, Pm no moralist," Dore-
mus confessed. "I'm a doctor. They
re too many people in the world any
way" He began filling in a printed
blank. Here's your removal order,
Sergeant" He began filling in