Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1937-04-29
CHAPTER III-Continued

His face was grim as he moved rap
idly toward the archway. I followed
him, and just behind came Gar
den. AS I turned into the hallway
I saw the others in the drawing
room get up and move forward.
AS we hurried down the hall Zalia
Graem opened the den door.
what was that?" she asked, her
frightened eyes staring at us.
eve don't know yet" Vance told
her.
In the bedroom door, at the lower
end of the hall, stood the nurse,
with look of inquiring concern on
her otherwise placid face.
"You'd better come along, Miss
Beeton," Vance said, as he started
up the stairs two at time. "You
may be needed"
Vance swung into the upper corri-
dor and stopped momentarily at the
door on the right, which led out
upon the roof. This door was still
propped open, and after hasty
preliminary survey through it, he
stepped quickly out into the garden.
The sight that met our eyes was
not wholly unexpected. There, in
the low chair which he had pointed
out to us earlier that afternoon, sat
Woode Swift, slumped down, with
his head thrown back at an I'M
natural angle against the rattan
head-rest, and his legs straight out
before him. He still wore the ear
phone. His eyes were open and
staring; his lips were slightly part
ed; and his thick glasses were tilted
forward on his nose.
In his right temple was small
ugly hole beneath which two or
three drops of already coagulating
blood had formed. His right arm
hung limp over the side of the chair,
and on the colored thing just under
his hand lay small pearl-handled
revolver.
Vance Immediately approached
the motionless figure, and the rest
OF us crowded about him. Zalia
Graen, who had forced her way
forward and was now standing be-
side Vance, swayed suddenly and
caught at his arm. Her face had
gone pale, and her eyes appeared
glazed. Vance turned quickly and,
putting his arm about her, half led
and half carried her to large wick
er divan nearby. He made beck
oning motion of his head to Miss
Beeton.
Look after her for moment"
he requested. "And keep her head
down." Then he returned to Swift.
Every one please keep back" he
ordered. ''No one is to touch him."
He took out his monocle and adj
justed it carefully. Then he leaned
over the crumpled figure in the
chair. He cautiously scrutinized the
wound, the top of the head, and the
tilted glasses. When this examina-
ton was over he knelt down on
the thing and seemed to be search
ing for something. Apparently he
did not find what he sought, for he
stood up with a discouraged frown
and faced the others.
Dead" he announced, in an un-
wontedly sombre tone. 'I'm taking
charge of things temporarily
Zalia Graem had risen from the
divan, and the nurse was supporting
her with show of tenderness.
"Please, Miss Beeton," he said,
stake the young lady downstairs
Immediately" Then he added, "I'm
sure she'll be all right. in few
minutes"
The nurse nodded, put her arm
firmly about Miss Graem, and led
her into the passageway.
Vance waited until the two young
women were gone: then he turned
to the others. "You will all be so
good as to 60 downstairs and re-
main there until further orders"
"But what are you going to do,
Mr.. Vance?" asked Mrs. Garden in
a frightened tone. "We must keep
this thing as quiet as possible
My poor Woodyl"
"I'm afraid, madam, we shall not
be able to keep it quiet at ALL"
Vance spoke with earnest sig
nificance. ''My first duty will be to
telephone the district attorney and
the homicide bureau"