The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1938-07-21
kA' kiIDAIAP MURDER Gr|
- :sss.s 81 SIS. Van Dine ..ss..-

into chair.
1.-THE baby winged me- Heath
said with an effort. MY gun jam
med" &
He had barely finished speaking
when we heard repeated ringing
near US. t-
"By love, a telephone!" comment
ed Vance. ssNow we'll have to find
the instrument"
"The things right here on the
MANTLE" TO said.
"You'd better let me answer It
Mr.. Vance. You're too refined" He
picked up the receiver with his left
hand.
"What d. you want?" he asked,
in a gruff, officious tone. There was
short pause. ooh, yeah? Ok,
70 ahead" A longer pause followed,
as Heath listened. Don't know
nothing about it," he shot back, in a
heavy, resentful voice. Then he
added: "You got the wrong num-
ber.n And he slammed down the
receiver.
"Who was it, do you know. Ser
geant?" Vance spoke quietly as he
lighted cigarette.
Heath turned slowly and looked
at Vance. His eyes were narrowed,
and there was an expression OF awe
on his face as he answered.
"Sure know" he said significant
ly. He shook his head as if he did
not trust himself to speak. There
amt no mistaking that voice."
''Well, who was it, Sergeant?"
"It was. he began. and then he
was suddenly aware of my presence
in the room. Mother O God!" he
breathed. 'I don't have to tell you
Mr.. Vance. You knew this morn
ing"
Vance looked at the Sergeant a
moment and shook his head.
"Y' know" he said, in a curiously
repressed voice, 81 don't have to tell
you Mr.. Vance. You knew this morn
ing"
Vance loked at the Sergeant
moment and shook his head.
"Y' know" he said, in a curiously
repressed voice, Il was almost hop
ing I was wrong. I hate to think
=" He came suddenly forward to
Heath who had fallen back weak
ly. against the mantle and was
blindly reaching for the wall, in an
effort to hold himself upright. Vance
put his arm around Heath and led
him to chair.
"Here, Sergeant" he said in a
kindly tone, handing him an etched
silver flask, "take drink of this
and don't be sissy"
Heath inverted the flask to his
lips. Then he handed it back to
Vance. That's potent juice" he
said, standing up and pushing Vance
away from him. Lets get going"
"Right-o, Sergeant. We've only
begun" AS he spoke he walked
toward the rear door and stepped
over the dead man, into the next
room. Heath and were at his
heels.
We were in small box-like room,
without windows. Opposite us,
against the wall, stood a narrow
army cot. Vance rushed forward
and leaned over the cot. The mo-
tionless form of a woman lay
stretched out on it. Despite her
disheveled hair and her deathly pal
lor, recognized Madelaine Renting.
Strips of adhesive tape bound her
lips together, and both her arms
were tied securely with pieces Of
heavy clothes-line to the iron rods
at either side of the cot.
Vance dexterously removed the,
tape from her mouth, and the wo-
man sucked in deep breath, as II
she had been partly suffocated.
Vance busted himself with the
cruel cords binding her wrists. When
he had released them he laid his
ear against her heart for moment
and poured a. little bit of<cognac
from his flask btween her lips. She
swallowed autom tica1ly and
coughed. Then Vance lifted her in
his arms and started from the room.
4 preceded him as he carried his
inert burden down the dingy stair
way.
-"We must get her to a~hoSpita1 at
once, .Van," he said when we had
reached the lower hallway.
The Chinaman still lay where we
had left him, on the floor against the
wall.
"Drag him up to that pipe in the
corner, Mr.. Van Dine" the Sergeant
told me in a strained voice. My
arm is sorta numb"
moved the limp form of the Chi
naman until his head came in con-