The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1938-06-09

he went across the room and into
the bathroom. This room too was
brightly lit. He glanced at the
long metal cord hanging from the
electric fixture, and with his hand
tested the weight of the painted
glass cylindrical ornament attached
to the end of the chain. He released
it and watched it swing back and
forth. He looked into the tumbler
which stood. on the wide rim of the
wash-bowl and, setting it down
again, examined the washbowl it
self, and around the edges. He then
bent over the soap dish.
what in the name of Cod"
Markham began irritably.
''Tut, tut, my dear fellow" Vance
interrupted, turning to him with a
contemplative look. 81 was merely
attemptin' to ascertain at just what
time the lady departed. !. would
surmise, don't " know, that it was
round ten o'clock this evening"
Vance pointed with his cigarette
to the pull-chain of the electric fix
ture overhead. It was still swing
ing back and forth like pendulum.
when / came into the bathroom"
Vance explained, lyon polished
brass chain was at rest-oh, quite
and I opined that its movement,
with that heavy and abominable
solid glass cylinder to control it,
would discernibly continue, once
it was pulled and released, for at
least an hour. And it's just half
past eleven now. :. Moreover, the
glass here is quite dry, showing that
it has not been used for an hour or
two. Also, there's not drop of
water, either in the washbowl or on
the edge; and certain number OF
drops and little dampness always
remain after the washbowl has been
used.
"And I cannot imagine Mrs. Kent
ing, with her habit of remaining
up late, performing her nightly
toilet as early as these matters
would indicate. And yet the light
was on in the bathroom and there
is a certain amount of evidence that
she had been powdering her nose
and spraying herself with perfume
some time during the evening. Nor
over my dear Markham there are
indications of haste in the perform
ance of these feminine rites, for she
did not put the perfume atomizer
back where it belongs, nor did she
stop to retrieve the power puff from
where it had. fallen1o the floor.
"And all of these little details
taken in connection with the open
latch and the unthrown bolt and the
missing key in the hall door lead
me-rather vaguely and shakily.
admit-to the theory that she had
a rendezvous elsewhere, for which
she was wee bit late, at some time
around the far-from- witching hour
ten o'clock"
Call right" Markham said. "But
what follows from all that?"
Without answering the question
Vance turned. to Heath.
"What time, Sergeant" he asked,
s'did you notify Fleel and Kenyon
Renting about the arrangements for
tonight?"
"Oh,-I should say" Heath
thought moment. Round six
O'Clock. Maybe little after"
"And where did you find these
gentlemen"
''Well, I called Fleel at his home
and he wasn't there. But left word
for him and he called me back in a
little while. But I didn't think to
ask him where he was. And Kent
ing was here"
Vance again addressed Heath.
''I'm afraid, Sergeant, your fin
ger-print men and your photograph
ers and your busy boys from the
Homicide Bureau are going to draw
a blank here
ct still want to know" persisted
Markham, what all this timetable
hocus-pocus means"
cit means deviltry, Markham. It
means something damnable. I don't
at all like it.
"But we can't just sit back" said