Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1937-05-13
THE GARDEN MURDER CASE
by S. S. VAN DINE
Copyright S. S. Van Dina
WNU Service


Copyright S. S. Van Dine
WNU Service
cit may be just as well that your
father doesn't learn of the tragedy
till later" He smoked for a moment.
"But to get back to the revolver:
where was it usually kept?"
I'm the center drawer of the desk
upstairs" Garden told him prompt
ly.
"And was the fact generally
known to the other members of the
household, or to Swift HIMSELF"
Garden nodded. ooh, yes. There
was no secret about it. We often
joked with the old gentleman about
his arsenal"
"And the revolver was always
loaded?"
$50 far as I know, yes"
"And was there an extra supply
Of cartridges?"
"As to that, l cannot say" Gar
den answered: "but I don't think
So"
"And here's a very important
question, Garden" Vance went on.
"How many Of the people that are
here today could possibly have
known that your father kept this
loaded revolver in his desk? Now,
think carefully before answering"
Garden meditated for several mo-
ments. He looked off into space and
pulled steadily on his pipe.
II am trying to remember" he
said reminiscently, 'just who was
here the day Zalia came upon the
gun"
"What day was that?" Vance cut
in sharply.
'It was about three months ago."
Garden explained. "You see, we
used to have the telephone set-up
connected upstairs in the study. But
some of the western races came in
so late that it began to interfere
with the old gentleman's routine
when he came home from the uni
versity. So we moved the parapher-
malta down into the drawing room.
AS q matter of fact, it was more
convenient; and the mater didn't
object-in fact, she rather enjoyed
it"
"But what happened on this par
ticular day." insisted Vance.
"Well, we were all upstairs in the
study, going through the whole silly
racing rigmarole that you witnessed
this afternoon, when Zalia Graem,
who always sat at the old gentle
mans desk, began opening the
drawers, looking for a piece of
scratch paper on which to figure
the mutuels. She finally opened the
center drawer and saw the revolv-
er. She brought it out with a -four
ish and, laughing like a silly school
girl, pointed it around the room.
I reprimanded her-rather rudely,
I'm afraid-and ordered her to put
the revolver back in its place, as
it was loaded-and just then a race
came over the amplifer, and the
episode was ended"
"Most interestin'," murmured
Vance. "And can you recall how
many Of those present today were
likewise present at Miss Graem's
little entr'acte?"
II rather think they were all
there, if my memory is correct"
Vance sighed.
IA bit futile-eh, what? No pos
sible elimination along that line"
Garden looked up, startled.
ILLUMINATION? I don't understand.
We we're all downstairs here this
afternoon except Kroon - and he
was out-when the shot was fired"
At this moment there was a slight
commotion in the hallway. 1t sound
ed as if a scuff1e of some kind was
in process, and a shrill, protesting
voice mingled with the calm but
determined tones of the nurse.
Vance went Immediately to the door
and threw it open. There, just out
side the den door, only a short dis
lance from the stairway, were Miss
Weatherby and Miss Beeton. The
nurse had a firm hold on the other
woman and was calmly arguing
with her. AS Vance stepped toward
them, Miss Weatherby turned to
face him and drew herself up AFRO
gant1y.
whats the meaning Of this?"
she demanded. "Must I be mauled
by a mental because I wish to 60
upstairs?"
Miss Beeton has orders that no
one. is to 60 upstairs" Vance said
sternly. "And I was unaware that
she is a menial."
"But why can't l 60 upstairs?"
the woman asked with dramatic en-
phasis. II want to see poor Woody.
Death is so beautiful; and I was
very fond of Woody. BY whose
orders, pray, am I being denied
this last communion with the de.
parted?" I"
"By my ORDERS" Vance told he1
colby. Furthermore, this particu.
lar death is far from beautiful, ]
assure you. And the police will be
here any minute. Until then no one
will be permitted to disturb any.