Imperial Valley press., 1937-05-02
FIVE STAR FICTION gyJefersom BarelayeLayne
Are
TheMysteries
Of Far East!

ment at the radio station in
formed us that the script had been
purchased from none other than
Yam Chu, the well-known dealer
in Oriental antiques"
But l still don't see," the scowl-
ing sergeant interrupted once
more. where that is leading us.
Someone killed McElwain for his
little statue, and yet the doggone
thing was in his hand when he
was found dead. If what you say
is true, Henderson, we have a case
of murder without robbery on our
hands"
Almost right, but not quite,
Johnson" Mat said. This is not
a case of murder without robbery,
but robbery without murder. You
see, the Buddha l found clutched
in his hand was a very good inn
tation of the original relic. The
real one is-or rather was-in the
possession of Van Chu, who placed
the duplicate in the dead mans
hand in order to make his crime
seemingly more perfect. Our
friend, Chang Ling, recovered the
priceless miniature through some
clever Oriental subterfuge.
coupled with bit of sleight-of
hand and a healthy Chinese up
percut."
A smile broke through the hith-
~ erto angry features of Ser
geant Johnson. ''I'll have to hand
it to you, Henderson, for figuring
things out. Guess I'd better go and
pick up this guy Yam Chu on a
murder charge. That'll complete
your puzzle picture, won't it"
Mat Henderson rose slowly, his
eyes still riveted on the jig-saw
puzzle before him. He pointed to
the nearly completed pattern of
hideous statue from which some
two or three pieces were still
missing.
Sergeant Johnson" he said,
you will find Yam Chu securely
trussed in the rear of his shop, all
ready for delivery into your cap
able hands. But l wouldn't advise
you to charge him with murder
What are you trying to hand
me now? Say, have you gone
nuts ? Why should Mac have swal-
lowed poison with all the dough
he had?"
HE didn't swallow it, my dear
fellow. This is how he was poi
soned." And he took a small silk
lined case from the hand of Chang
Ling. He opened it and before the
amazed eyes of Chief Morris and
Sergeant Johnson lay a tiny sta
tuette with single, evilly gleam-
ing eye.
AT approximately 4:15, Yan
Chu broke into the mystery dra-
ma and from the library closet
spoke into his microphone: The
one-eyed Buddha has escaped. The
miracle has happened. The one
eyed Buddha has walked through
the walls of steel The old man
became panicky, rushed into the
library and opened his burglar
proof wall safe. That is exactly
what Yam Chu had been waiting
for. Not being versed in the art of
safe-cracking, he had devised this
method of making his hated rival
collector open the safe himself.
And here comes the end of this
strange drama. If you observe this
antique statuette closely, you will
find a hidden spring which re-
leases poisoned needle. McEl-
vain never knew of the existence
of this fiendish device. He lifted
the little statue from its case and
clutched it SO gingerly upon find
ing it safe that the hidden spring
was released. Hence the tiny pir
prick in the palm of the deao
mans hand which you gentlemen
of the police had so carelessly
overlooked.
1T was a simple matter for Var
Chu to substitute the clever imita.
ton for the original relic and tc
depart the way he had come
through the library window ano
across the low patio wall. And sc
you see. Sergeant Johnson, tech.
nically Yam Chu did not kill Rob.
ert McElwain, although-indirect.
ly-he most assuredly caused his
death by means of the ingenious
plot represented by this jig-sau
puzzle"
He pointed at the puzzle pic.
ture once more. You see. Ser.
geant. there is only one piece
missing now. And the name OF
that piece is Yam Chu. Shall I &c
get him for you?"
Like heck you WILL" the ser.
geant retorted hotly. You ought
to leave something in this case
to me-"
This time you're right, John.
son. Mat Henderson replied
And to show you that harbor
no i'll feelings against you. I am
going to make you a present OF
this puzzle. prefer the more diff.
ficult ones"