Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1937-08-19

story of being struck on the head
and forced into the vault, she did
not know that MIR. Hammle had
been in the garden observing every
one who came and went in the
passageway. And she was alone in
the corridor at the time of the sup
posed attack. Miss Graem, to be
sure, had just passed her and gone
downstairs; and the nurse counted
on that fact to make her story
sound plausible, hoping, of course,
that it would produce the effect she
was striving for-that is, to make it
appear that Miss Graem had at
tackled her."
Vance smoked in silence for mo-
ment.
GAS for the radioactive sodium,
doctor, Miss Beeton had been adj
ministering it to Mrs. Garden, con-
tent with having her die slowly Of
it's cumulative effects. But Mrs.
Gardens threat to erase her sons
name from her will necessitated
immediate action, and the resource
full girl decided on an overdose OF
the barbital last night. She fore
saw, of course, that this death could
easily be construed as an accident
or as another suicide. AS it hap
pened, however, things were even
more propitious for her, for the
events of last night merely cast
further suspicion on Miss Graem.
"From the first I realized how
difficult, if not impossible, it would
be to prove the case against Miss
Beeton; and during the entire in
vestigation I was seeking some
means of trapping her. With that
end in view, I mounted the parapet
last night in her presence, hoping
that it might suggest to her shrewd
and cruel mind possible means Of
removing me from her path, if she
became convinced that I had
guessed too much. My plan to trap
her was, after all, simple one. I
asked you all to come here this
evening, not as suspects, but to fill
the necessity roles in my drama"
Vance sighed deeply before con-
tinuing.
IT arranged with Sergeant Heath
to equip the post at the far end of
the garden with strong steel wire
such as is used in theaters for fly
ing and levitation acts. This wire
was to be just long enough to reach
as far as the height Of the balcony
on this floor. And to it was at
tached the usual spring catch which
fastens to the leather equipment
worn by the performer. This equip
ment consists of a heavy cowhide
vest resembling in shape and cut
the old Ferris waist worn by young
girls in pre-Victorian days, and
even later. This afternoon Sergeant
Heath brought such leather vest
or what is technically known in
theatrical circles as flying cor
set'-to my apartment, and put it
on before came here.
''This waistcoat, or corset" he
said, ''is worn under the actors
costume; and in my case I put on
loose tweed suit today so that
the slightly protruding rings in front
would not be noticeable.
WllSll IOOh I11SS oSSIOll up-
stairs with me, I led her out into
the garden and confronted her with
her guilt. While she was protest
ing, I mounted the parapet, stand
ing there with my back to her,
ostensibly looking out over the city,
as I had done last evening. In the
semi-darkness I snapped the wire
to the rings on the front of my
leather vest without her seeing me
do so. She came very close to me
as she talked, but for minute or
so I was afraid she would not take
advantage of the situation. Then,
in the middle of one of her sem
fences, she lurched toward me with
both hands outstretched, and the
impact sent me over the parapet.
It was a simple matter to swing
myself over the balcony railing.
had arranged for the drawing-room
door to be unattached, and I merely
disconnected the suspension wire,
walked in, and appeared in the hall
way. When Miss Beeton learned
that I had witnesses to her act, as
well as photograph of it, she
realized that the game was up"
THE END