White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1937-07-29
She shook her head vaguely. and

LuSIG WAS d uaZtO 4OUA III uSI Eyes,
I'm afraid can't tell you very
much. It all happened so UNI
expectedly-so suddenly. All know
is that when I went to tell Doctor
Siefert he might come upstairs, 7
was struck on the head from behind,
just as passed the garden door.
The blow didn't render me entirely
unconscious, but it stunned me so
that I was unaware Of anything or
anybody around me. Then / felt
myself being caught from behind,
turned about, and forced back up
the passageway and into the vault.
! have faint recollection Of the
door being shut upon me, although
I wasn't sufficiently rational to pro-
test or even to realize what had
happened. But I was conscious Of
the fact that inside the vault there
was a frightful suffocating smell"
Eyes. Not a pleasant experience.
But it could have been much
worse" Vance spoke in a low voice
and smiled gravely down at the
girl There's bad bruise on the
back Of your head. That too might
have been worse, but the starched
band OF your cap probably saved
you from more serious injury"
The girl had got to her feet and
stood swaying little as she stead
led herself against Vance.
II really feel all right now" She
looked at Vance wistfully. "And I
have you to thank-haven't II"
Siefert spoke gruffly. "A few
more minutes Of that bromin gas
would have proved fatal. Whoever
found you and got you out here
did so just in time"
The girl had not taken her eyes
from Vance.
Elbow did you happen to find me
so soon?" she asked him.
Debated reasoning" he an
swered. II should have found you
several minutes before-the mo-
ment learned that you had not
returned downstairs. But at first it
was difficult to realize that anything
serious could have happened to
YOU"
II can't understand it even now"
the girl said with bewildered air.
Neither can - entirely" re-
turned Vance. "But perhaps I can
learn something more"
Going quickly to a pitcher Of
water Heath had brought, he dipped
his handkerchief into it. Pressing
the handkerchief against his face,
he disappeared into the passageway.
A minute or so later he returned. In
his hand he held a jagged piece Of
thin curved glass, about three
inches long.
It was part Of broken vial, and
still clinging to it was a small paper
label on which was printed the SYM
boil 'Br."
II found this on the tiled floor,
in the far corner Of the vault. It
was just beneath one of the racks
which holds Professor Gardens as
sortment Of chemicals. There's an
empty space in the rack, but this
vial Of bronain couldn't have fallen
to the floor accidentally. It could
only have been taken out DELHI
erately and broken at the right mo-
ment." He handed the fragment Of
glass to Heath.
'tTake this, Sergeant, and have
it gone over carefully for finger
prints. But If, as I suspect, the
same person that killed Swift han
died 1t, doubt IL there will be any
telltale marks on it. However -
''This was dastardly thing,
Vance," Siefert burst out, his eyes
flashing.
eyes. All Of that, doctor. So was
Swift's murder How are you
feeling now, Miss Beeton?"
IA little shaky," she answered
with q weak smile. '.But nothing
~ AVN Cha x,,o - 1oaS,s&.. - - ~ I'D 49,