The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1935-02-21


"Black sealskin, leather lined, with
rounded corners and the initials b.
c. in gold letters on one end"
Vance turned back to Heath.
"Can you check on that in the par
eel room at the station, Sergeant ?
It's important"
Sure / can" He beckoned Snitkin
with jerk of the head. "Got the
dope?"
The detective grinned.
I'll, yes" he rumbled. "A cinch."
"Then hop to it," ordered Heath.
"And phone me pronto. :. Make it
snappy."
Snitkin disappeared.
"Where do you think Brisbane Coe
fits into this AFFAIR."" Markham asked
Vance.
81 don't know-I'm not sure" He
spoke quietly, witout turning. "But
many strange things happened here
last night. Certain plans went awry.
Event overlapped one another. Moth
ing happened on schedule"
"But Brisbane Coe," persisted
Markham.
Vance turned slowly back to the
room.
"There has always been bad blood
between Archer and Brisbane, for
some reason. I've never understood it.
~. BY the by, maybe Miss Lake
could enlighten US while we're wait
ing for Snitkin's call. II say,
Gamble; ask the young lady to be
good enough to join US here"
The butler went out, and five min
utes later Hilda Lake came swinging
into the room.
"Sorry to have kept you waiting
and all the usual amenities" she said,
sitting down and crossing her knees;
"but I hadn't quite finished doffing
my golf togs when the far-from adj
mirable Crichton summoned me. Any
way, / should be furious with you.
Why was I denied my mullins and
tea?"
Vance apologized.
"We've been using Gamble a bit
mullins to Miss Lakes quarters" The
man, who had been standing in the
door, bowed and disappeared; and
Vance turned pleasantly back to Miss
Lake. "By the time your breakfast
is ready we will let you return to
your rooms" Then he added with a
serious mien. "There are a few ques-
lions we'd like you to answer. What
was the cause of the animosity be-
tween Archer and Brisbane Coe?"
ooh, that!" A cynical smile curled
her lips. "Money-nothing else. Old
Major Coe left everything to Uncle
Archer. Uncle Brisbane had only an
allowance Uncle Archer should
die. Then the money was to go to
him. The situation naturally irked
him, and he got pretty nasty about it
at time. 1t amused me no end,-I was
in the same predicament. The fact
is, I've often been tempted to make
an alliance with Uncle Brisbane for
the purpose of numbering Uncle
Archer. Together we could have got
away with it, don't you think p"
"I'm sure you could-even alone.
And now some one has killed Uncle
Archer for YOU"
"I'm sure it's my reward for vir-
tue" Though her tone was hard,
there was an undercurrent of bitter
passion in it. Cor perhaps" she add
ed, "Uncle Brisbane went ahead on
his own"
"That might bear looking into"
smiled Vance. "The only difficulty is
that Gamble tells us Mr.. Brisbane
hoped to Chicago at five-thirty- last
evening""
"That doesn't mean anything.
Uncle Brisbane has dabbled enough
in criminology to prepare a perfect
alibi in the event he himself contem-
plated f1utter in crime"
"What takes him on these periodi-
cal trips to Chicago?" Vance asked.
Hilda Lake shrugged.
Heaven knows. He never men,
toned the matter to me and / never
asked" She leaned forward. perhaps
it's lady!" she exclaimed in taunt-
ing tone. eff he told anyone, that
person was Uncle Archer. And I'm
afraid it's too late to get any infor-
nation from that quarter now"
eyes, bit too late," agreed Vance.
"But let us suppose that after Mr..