The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1938-07-07

GA damned good riddance!'
Vance's announcement left galloway
unruffled. 81 was hoping he wouldn't
come back"
"He won't" interjected Markham
laconically, staring at the youth with
Enthusiastically disguised.
Markham's secretary came again
through the leather door, just be-
fore galloway reached it, and an
nounced Kenyon Renting,
AS Renting stepped into the Of
flee it was obvious that he was in
a perturbed state Of mind. Going
to Markham's desk, he dejectedly
placed an envelope before the Dis
trict Attorney.
"That came N the second mail this
morning, to my Office" he said, con-
trolling his exciter1ent with consid-
cradle effort. cts another one OF
those damn notes.
"And Fleel got similar one in
the same mail-at his office. He
phoned me about it, just as l was
leaving to come here. He sound
ed very much upset and said he
would meet me here shortly and
bring his own note with him."
When Markham had finished his
perusal of the note he picked up
the envelope and handed them to
Vance.
l Vance, with his monocle already
adjusted, took the note and the en-
velope with suppressed eagerness,
glancing first at the envelope ana
then at the single sheet of paper. !,
The note read:
You did not obey instructions.
You called in the police. We
saw everything. That is why
we took his wife. If you fail us
again, the same thing will hap
pen to her that happened to him.
This is your last warning. Have
the $4,000 ready at five o'clock
today (Friday). You will get
instructions at that time. And
if you notify the police this time =
it is no dice.
For signature there was the in
terlocking-squares symbol that had
come to have such sinister por-
tent for us ALL
"What shall I do-what shall |
do?" Renting asked, glancing dis
tractedly from Vance to the DIS
trict Attorney and back again.
Really, y'know," said Vance IN a
kindly tone, 'you can't do anything
at present You must wait for the
forthcoming instructions. And then
there's Mr.. Fleels Billet-dOux which
we hope to see anon. :,
"By the by, Mr.. Renting, l don
suppose you heard the shots that
were fired at Mr.. Fleel shortly after
you left your brothers house last
night?" =,
"No. I didn't" Renting seemed
greatly perturbed. Il was fright
fully shocked on hearing about 1t
this morning. When I left you last
night was lucky enough to catch
taxicab just as I reached the corn
err. and I went directly home"
Renting considered the matter for
minute; then he looked up sharply
with a frightened expression.
perhaps those shots were inten-
ded for me! -"
ooh. no. no-nothing like that,
Vance assured him. ''I'm quite sure
the shots were not intended for you,
sir The fact is, I am not convinced
that the shots were intended even
for Mr.. Fleel."
ssWhat do you mean by that?"
Before Vance could answer, buzz
ger sounded on MarkhamAs desk.
Markham had barely given instruc-
tons that Fleel be sent in when the
lawyer Joined us. He, too, looked
pale and drawn and showed unmis-
taxable traces of lack of rest,-he
appeared to have lots much of his
earlier self-confdence.
Flee1 moved toward the District
Attorneys desk. II brought the note
1 received in the mail this morning, y
he said, fumbling in his pocket
'Theres no reason whatever why ]
should be getting anything like this
unless the kidnappers imagine
that control all the Renting money
and have it on deposit"
Fleel had drawn an envelope from
his inside coat pocket and held it
out to Markham. AS he did so his
eyes fell on the note that Renting
had brought and which lay on the
District Attorneys desk.
"Do you mind if ! take look at
this?" he asked.
go right ahead" answered Mark
ham as he opened the envelope Fleel
had given him.
The note that Fleel turned over
to Markham was not as long as the