Newspapers / The Elkin Tribune (Elkin, … / March 31, 1938, edition 1 / Page 8
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KIDNAP MURMUR lIS.S.Van Dine SEVENTH INSTALMENT SYNOPSIS During the night Kaspar Kent ing was kidnapped. Philo Vance, with District Attorney Markham go to the Kenting home there to meet Sergeant Heath of the Ho micide Bureau, Kenyon Kenting and Mrs. Kenting, the brother and wife of the kidnapped man. Pres ent also is Eldridge Fleel, the Kenting family attorney. The first evidence casts some doubt as to the genuineness of the crime. Vance examines Weems the Kent ing butler. Further search shows that Kaspar probably did not go down the ladder found outside the house. Vance re-examines Ken yon Kenting first, then Mrs. Ken ting's mother, Mrs. Falloway apd her son Fraim. He learns little but notes an undercurrent of hos tility among these members of the strange inhabitants of the' Purple House. Vance decides to question ftorter Quaggy, last known com panion of the missing Kenyon. Quaggy, defensive, reveals noth ing but Vance notes a pair of black opals on his desk. Two sim ilar Jewels were missing from Kenting's room. When we were back in the car and headed downtown, Vance said: "By the by, Markham, there were two rather amazin' black opals on the desk In Quaggy's apartment. Noticed them as I was going out." "You think they came from the Kenting collection?" "It's possible." Vance nodded slowly. "The collection was quite deficient in black opals when I gazed upon it. The few remainin' specimens were quite inferior." The next morning, shortly be fore ten o'clock, Markham tele phoned Vance at his apartment, and I answered. "Tell Vance." came the. District Attorney's peremptory voice, "I think he'd better come down to my office at once. Fleel is here, and I'll keep him engaged till Vance gets here." We arrived at Markham 's of fice a half-hour later. After casual greetings Mark ham announced: "The instructions promised in the ransom note have been re ceived. A note came in Mr. Fleel's mall this morning and he brought it directly to me." He picked up the small sheet of before him and held it out to Vance. It was a piece of ruled note-paper, folded twice. The quality was of a very cheap, coarse nature. The writing on it was in pencil, in an obviously dis guised handwriting. "I say, let's see the envelope," Vance requested. The postmark showed that the note had passed through the post office the previous afternoon at five o'clock from the Westchester Station. "And where might the West chester Station be?" asked Vance. "I had it looked up as soon as Mr. Fleel showed me the note," responded Markham. "It's in the upper Bronx." "As a matter of fact, it's in the toughest district in New York in which to trace any one by a post mark." Vance adjusted his monocle and read the pencil-scrawled com munication carefully. It ran: Sir: I no you and famly have money and unless 50 thousand $ is placed in hole of oke tree 200 foot west of Southeast corner of old resi voire in central park thurs day at leven oclock at nite we will kill Casper Kenton. This is finel. If you tell police deel Is off and we will no it. We are watching every move you make. The ominous message was sign ed with interlocking squares made with brush strokes. "No more original than the first communication," commented Vance dryly. "And it strikes me, oft-hand, that the person who worded this threatening epistle is not as unschooled as he would have us believe . . ." He 'looked up at the lawyer, who was watching him intently. "Just what are your ideas on the situation, Mr. Fleel?" "Personally," the man said, "I am willing to leave the whole matter to Mr. Markham here, and his advisors. I—l don't know ex actly what to say—l'd rather not Offer any suggestions. The ran som demands can't possibly be met out of the estate, as what Operates oa «nd DC [jo SCHICK Electric Razors Turner Drug- Co. ElLin, & C. funds were entrusted to me are largely in long-term bonds. How ever, I feel sure that Mr. Kenyon Kenting will be able to get the necessary amount together and take care of the situation—lf that is his wish." "Does he know of this note?" "Not yet," Fleel said, "unless he, too. received a copy. I brought this one immediately to Mr. Markham. But my opinion is that Kenyon should know about it, and it was my intention to go to the Kenting house from here and inform Kenyon of this new devel opment. I'll do nothing, however, without the consent of Mr. Mark ham." "Mr. Fleel," Markham said slowly, "I think you should go to Kenyon Kenting at once, and tell him the exact circumstances." "I'm glad you feel that way, Mr. Markham," the lawyer said. "I quite agree with you both," murmured Vance. "Only, I would ask you, Mr. Fleel. to remain at the Kenting house until Mr. Markham and I arrive there. We will be joining you very soon." "I'll wait," mumbled Fleel as he passed through the swinging leather door out to the reception room. "Well, Vance, what do you think?" Markham asked. "So many things," Vance told him, "that I couldn't begin to enumerate them. All probably frivolous and worthless." " "Well, to be more specific, what do you think of that note you have there?" "Quite authentic oh, quite," Vance returned * without hesita tion. Hasty business is afoot. A bit too precipitate for my liking, however. But there's no overlook ing the earnestness of the re quest." "The Instructions seem some what vague." "No. Oh, no. Markham. On the contrary. Quite explicit. I know the tree well. Romantic lovers leave billets-doux there. No diffi culties In that quarter. Quiet spot. However, It could be adequately covered by the police. I wonder." "This situation upsets me," Markham rumbled at length. "The newspapers were full of it this morning as you may have noticed." "I must get some action. This new note changes the whole complexion of things." "Tut, tut." Vance's admonition was almost frivolous. "Really y' know, it changes nothing. It was precisely what I was waitin' for." "Well," snapped Markham, "now that you have it, what do you intend to do?" "Why, I intend to go to the Purple House," Vance said calm ly. I'm not psychic, but something tells me we shall find a hand pointln' to our future activities when we arrive there." "Well, if that's your idea," de manded Markham, "why didn't you go with Fleel?" "Merely wished to give him suf ficient time to break the news to the others and to discuss the mat ter with brother Kenyon. Nothing like letting every one know the details of the case. We'll get for rader that way," At the Kenting residence we found Kenyon Kenting, Fleel, young Falloway, and Porter Quaggy assembled in the drawing room. "Did you bring the note with you. gentlemen?" Kenting asked immediately, with frightened eagerness. "Fleel told me just what's in it, but I'd like to see the message itself." Vance nodded and took the note from his pocket, placing It on the small desk near him. Kenting. without a word, took the folded piece of paper from its envelope, and read it careful ly. "What do you think should be done about it?" Markham asked him. "Personally, I'm not Inclined to have you meet that demand just yet." Kenting shook his head In per turbed silence. At last he said: "I'd always feel guilty and sel fish if I did anything else. If I didn't comply with this request and anything should really hap pen to Kaspar—" "But I've no idea exactly how I'm going to raise that much money—and at such short notice. It'll pretty well break me, even if I can manage to get it together." "I can help contribute to the fund." offered Quaggy, in a hard tone. j "And I'd like to do something, too," put In Fleel, "but, as you know, my personal funds are pret ty well depleted at this time. As a trustee of the Kenting estate I couldn't use ttfat money for such a purpose without a court order. And I couldn't get one in such a limited time." Fraim Falloway stood back against the wall, listening Intent ly. "Why don't you let it go?" he* suggested with malicious querul ousness. "Kaspar's not worth that much money to any one, if you ask me. And how do you know you're going to save his life any way?" "Shut up Fraim!" snapped Kenting. ' Young Falloway shrugged in differently. "I say, Mr, Fleel," put in Vance, "Just what would be the fhianclal standing of Mrs. Kenting in the hypothetical case that Kaspar THE ELKIN TRIBUNE, ELKIN. NORTH CAROLINA Renting should die? Would she benefit by his demise —that is, to Whom would Kaspar Kenting's share in the estate go?" "To his wife," answered Fleel. "Sure," said Fraim Falloway sulkily, "my sister gets everything and there are no strings attached to it. Kaspar has never done the right thing by Sis, anyway, and it's about time she was coming in for something. That's why I say it's rank nonsense to give up all this money to get Kaspar back. Nobody here thinks he's worth fifty cents, if they'll be frank." "A sweet and lovable point of view," murmured Vance. "I sup pose your sister is very lenient with you whenever possible?" It was Kenyon Kenting who answered. "That's it exactly, Mr. Vance. She's the kind that would sacri fice everything for her brother and her mother. .That's natural, perhaps. But, after all, Kaspar is my brother and I think something ought to be done about it, even on the mere chance it may save him, if it does take practically every cent I've got in the world. But I'm willing to go through with it, if you gentlemen and the police will agree to keep entirely , out of it, until I have found out what I can do without any, offi cial assistance which might frighten off the kidnapers." "You see, I discussed the point with Mr. Fleel just before you gentlemen arrived. We are agreed that the police should allow me a clear field in handling this mat ter in exact accordance with the instructions in the note. "I can understand your atti tude in the matter. Mr. Kenting," he said reassuringly. "And there fore,"—he made a suave gesture —"the decision on that point must rest solely with you. The police will turn their backs, as it were, for the time being, if that is wha* you wish." F1 nodded his approval of Ma .ham's words. "I think," Vance began, "both of you gentlemen are in error, and lam definitely opposed to the withdrawal of the authorities, even temporarily, at this time in such /a vital situation. It would amount to the compounding of a felony. Moreover, the reference in the note regarding the police is, I believe, merely an attempt at intimidation. I can see no valid reason why the police should not be permitted a certain discreet activity in the matter." • "You may be right, Mr. Vance." IKTkffllVewnup/leMdfon METER M^fd /111 v^^Hff fl a "- arol,n, nwney saver in Frigidaire History! H c » "" H "*iy ll —Ht JH •It took Frigidaire to do it! To bring you this amaz §|Hp| '"•' S tt-H{AR-TME PDA H ing 1938 refrigerator that slashes current cost dttptr HlUfttfgl T W *ti'ng cost tha S " Ve#u Pto2s* 00F! than ever before! Keeps food safer/ Makes ice cheaper ; Ve ° ono P er - than you can buy it! Runs trouble-free year after year! THyiP * ill II j I cofd fa And PROVES it all right in our store-before you buy! rf®i li lunrnT II I II m °tor ?nchid V jf 1 current, but on food, ice, upkeep. With its sensational 0 l|| 1H 10Q 1 jf\ I 11 Service expense V h >f Prote crioi e pj fy * ei »fed! 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Brendle & Son (X V. Marion, W. C. Meyers Elkin, N. C. Cmtchfield, N. C. Windsor Cross Roads, N. C. hysterically: "It's Kaspar, {Cas par. Kaspart He's no good any way, and he's the only one that gets a break around here. Nobody thinks of any one else but Kas par . . ." His voice was high n'tched and ended in a scream. "Shut up, you ninny," ordered Kenting. "What are you doing down here, anyway? Go on up to your room." "Well, what's the decision, gen tlemen?" asked Markham, in a calm, quiet tone. "Are we to go ahead on the basis of your paying the ransom alone, or shall I turn Thursday. March 31. 1938 the case over to the Police De partment to handle as they see fit?" Kenting stood up and took a deep breath. Continued Next lame Patronize Tribune advertisers.
The Elkin Tribune (Elkin, N.C.)
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March 31, 1938, edition 1
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