PAGE SIX
BjfeK
JSI Mi
By S. S. Vi
CHAPTER XII | v
When Liang1 had gone out, Vance 1sent
Gamble for Hilda Lake. A> soonj!
as she entered the library, Vance in- j p
formed her that Wrede was dead. j c
She looke<l at him a moment, lifted f
her eyebrows, shrugged slightly, and. t
said: It is no great loss to the e
world." ; a
'Furthermore,' Vance went on, "1,1
believe that Mr. Wrede murdered!
your uncles and attempted the lifejc
of Mr. Grassi." j V
"1 would not be in. the least sur- t;
prised," Die young woman commented f ii
coldly. I have suspected all along'
that he murdered Uncle Archer but tT
could not quite see how he accom- t h
plished it. Have you learned his mo-; b
dus operandi"."' j ii
Vance shook his head. S tl
"No, Miss Lake." he admitted.! si
That s a parr of me problem still to j
be solved." j i\
But why," she asked, "should he
kill Uncle Brisbane" Uncle Brisbane!
was his ally." j $
"Thats' another phase of the problem
that must "be worked out. There;
was an error a miscalculation- p
soi a viier1-." ,]
"T can understand," Hilda Lake re
marked, "why he should attempt Mr. r
Giassi's life. Mr. Wrede was intense
lv jealous of Mr Grassi." ; e
"All clever, scheming: men with av r
sense of their own inferiority." said cl
Vance, "are inclined toward intense:
jealousy. . . But there's a partial- p
iar thought that has entered my mind
this evening:, and I shall ask you about
it. Tell me. Miss Lake, what reason u
would Brisbane have had for killing: ,,
Archer?"
Vance's question amazed me, and ; h
when I glanced at Markham and;"
Heath, T saw that they, too, were j n
startled. But Hilda Lake accepted it r.
as if it had been the most casual and e
"Oh. various reasons." she answered
calmly. There was a deep antago- a
nism between the two. UncJe Brisbane 1<
had many ideas and many ambitions, 1
but'he was always handicapped by the u
fact that Uncle Archer controlled all t
the money. There was, therefore, the v
money motive. Again. Uncle Bris- <!
lid not fee! that Uncle Archer
ha.I treated me fairiv. and he was i.
quite anxious for nic- to marry Mr. v
VViede. Uncle Archer, as you know, j
was violently opposed to the mar- )
riage " ! c
"And you, Miss Lake?" I
"Ohs" she returned offhandedly, "1 v
thought the ir.arriage might be ra- 1
ther a good thing. Mr. Wrede was a t
comforting kind of sou! who wouldn't
have bothered me in the slightest s
and T was tremendously riV-sirous of f
escaping from this queer household. 1
? iviicw <ii. rug iauiu), mil, ag lung iw ;
they didn't interfere with me? " t
Perhaps," suggested Vance, "the 1
arrival of Mr. Grassi changed your
mind a bit?" [1
For the first time during my ac- i
qu&intance with Hilda hake, I noticed \
a soft, feminine expression, come into j
her eyes. She glanced down as it em- ;
barrassed. \
Perhaps, as you say," she replied j
in a low voice, "the arrival of Mi*. !
Grassi changed my mind." s
Vance stood up. ;
"I hope, Miss I_ake," lie ??5u. ; lnat ]
you will both be very happy," i
We dined at Vance's apartment that i
night. Both Vance and Markham; j
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rerc troubled, for the case had not vv
ou a, satisfactory ending - there were
iiany things that had been left unex- ai
dained: there were many links in the
hain of evidence which had not been s<
ound. But before the night was over p
here were no longer any mysteries: ju
ach step in this monstrous crime,ju
nd each pei*plexing and contradic-1
orv factor, had been clar ified. : r<
The final elucidation of the mystery' ji
ante in a most unexpected manner. ja
Ve were sitting in Vance's library. ja
alking. after dinner. Vance smoked!
rt doleful silence for a while. 1 ?
"It's dashed mystifvin'," he mut-|cj
ered. "What I can't understand is ^
ow Archer got upstairs after he had
con stabbed in the library- There's
ttlc doubt, after Liang's story, that m
tie bloody work was done downtairs."
Tin not so sure you're right aboutij
:iat, Vance," submitted Markham
If your theory is correct, you must ^
jgicaily admit the proposition that a p|
ead man walked upstairs."
Vance inclined his head.
I realize that. ' he said thoughtful-j ^
i- Then he leapt to his feet and stood
of ore Markham. tense and animated. (?
A dead man waiked upstairs," he: -r
epeated in a strained, hushed voice. I
That's it: That's the answer to ev-1^
rythtng. . . . Yes. Markham."? -he i.j
odded with curious significance?"a K,,
cad man waiked unstairs:"
Markham looked up at lun? with y
enovolent concern. ^
"Come, come, Vance." he said, in a
indly, paternal tone. "This cose has gj
psc-t you. Take a good nightcap and *
o to bed?'
"No. no, Markham. Vance cut in,
is eyes staring straight ahead. st
Thats* just what happened the other D(
ight. Archer Coe already a dead q
lan? walked upstairs. And?what's
ven more terrible. Markham?he tc
luiV"L know ne was cieaur ^
Vance turned quickly and went to t-t
. set of thick quarto volumes on the
iwer r.heif of one of his bookcases. (j1
1c van his finger along the i>o'?ks
nti) he came to volume "E." He tj
urned the pages and found what he n.
ens looking for. Then he glaficcd (i;
!own the column of fine type. n!
"Listen, Markhan he said. "Here A
s a historical case of a dead person
'.diking." He read from the oncyelo- f(
edia: ' 'Elizabeth < AnVolIe Eugenie). ,j
.837-1898, consort of Francis Joseph,
miperor of Austria, a daughter of luke
Maximilian Joseph of Bavaria,
vas born on the 2-lth of December,
L937, at Lake Standing. ..." He
urned the page. "Hut here's the passage
regarding her death: Elizabeth
ipent much of her time traveling
hrough Europe and at the palace she
lad built, in Corfu. On the 10th of
September, IS9S, she was walking
hrough the streets of Geneva with
ler entourage, from her hotel to the
itearner, when on anarchist, named
jUigi Luccher.i. ran suddenly into the
oadway and stabbed her in the back,
yith a shoemaker's awl. The police
minediatcly pounced upon the man
ujcl were about to drag him away,
vhen tne empress stayed them and
?ave the order that they should recase
him. "He has not injured me,"
me ??in, arm i wisn. on tnis occasion,
to forgive him." She continued
icr walk to the steamer", which was
nore than half a mile distant, and
nade a farewell speech to her subjects
from the deck. She then reCE
OORD j
pifitf
Jl 6-Ft. Length
/ON COVERED
3AKEUTE PLUG
*dware and
]ompany
ATAUGA DEMOCRAT?EVER^
red to her cabin and !av down. Sev- 1
til hours later she was found dead. I
uccliem had actually stabbed her c
ithout her being aware of it. and \
ic had died hours later of an inter- l
il hemorrhage. This crime was the \
rial misfortune which came to the |:
ustrian emperor, and all Europe _
as aroused to a state of intense in- i c
gnation.V* | d
Vance closed the book and threw,
to one side. t
"Now do you see what I mean, i
arkham ?" he asked. A dead per >n
often does strange things with- \
it knowing he is dead. Do you recall j c
hat Doctor Doremus said: 'An in-'j
'rnal hemorrhage' That's the whole it
orv?that's the kev to everything:., -
hat's how Archer could have been j >
tiled in the library and still have! j
alked upstairs." jl
Markhum stood up and walked back : \
ml forth across the room. :<
"Good C d!" His words were i
jarcely audible. "So that's the ex-1,
la nation! No wonder we couldn't j j
uderstand the things that happened j \
tere that night. Unbelievable!"
Vance had sunk bock into his chair, i
?laxed. He took a deep inspiration, j
ke a man who had suddenly found r
friendly settlement in the midst of ]
hostile jungle. i
"Really, Markham." he said with a i
ight upward glance, taking out his c
garette case. "I'll never forgive you
>r this never! It was you who ;
lessed the solution. And I knew It i
1 the time, but I couldn't correlate ]
y knowledge."
Markham came to a sudden halt. *
"What do you mean bv saying that; *
guessed the solution?"
"Didn't you say." asked Vance mild- j1
'. "that the only way one could-ex-p
lain the circumstances was by the
ssumption that a dead man walked
pslahii? . . No. Markham. I am
ire 1 shall never forgive you." ;
Markham sat down and muttered i
disgusted oath, lie smoked a while
l silence.
"The internal hemorrhage explains :
lany things." he admitted finally. !
But I still don't understand Rrisme*s
death, and the bolted door." ]
"And yet. d* ye see." returned ;<
ance, "it ail fits in perfectly, now
tal we have the key."
He lay back in his chair and | <
retched his legs. He took several l
jffs on his cigarette and half closed
s eyes. i?
"I think, Markham, T tan reconruct
the amazin' and oontradict'ry I i
jcurrences that took place in the j:
oe domicile last Wednesday nigra, i
. 1 doubt if Wredc actually planned
> murder Archer Goe that nieht. The:
lea, had no doubt been in his mind J
>r a long time, for he had obviously
iken the precaution of securing a
uplicate key to the spring lock on
ic rear door But I have a feelin'
int. he wished only to argue various
latters out with Archer last Werinesay
night before actually resorting to
nirder. It's obvious that he called or i
i cher that night and tried to con
ince him that he would be the per- \
?ct mate for Hilda Lake. Archer!
Lsagreed - ar.d disagreed violently. (
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{ THURSDAY?BOONE, N. C.
riiat was no doubt the argument thai
Jang overheard. I imagine that tht
iebace reached the point where blows
vere struck. The poker was quitt
tandy. don't v* know, and Wrede
vith his tremendous sense of person
il inferiority, would naturally react
or some outsidet agent to help him
>ve?* the top. He snatched the pokei
in.i shi'ipk Archer over the head.
"Archer fell forward against the
able, upsetting it and fracturing his
ib. VVrede was in a quandary. Bui
igain his sense of inferiority invades
lim. He looked round the root*
juickly. saw the dagger in the cabi
jet, took it out and, as Archer lay 01
he floor, drove it into his back. . .
The deed was done. He had vindicates
limself in a physical way, and ha<
-t-moved all obstacles from his path
fie believed he was alone in the tious*
,vith Archer; but stiii there was ih<
juestiqn of a suspect. Into his shrewi
jraiu flashed the thought of Liang
vhom he had always suspected of be
ir.g more than a servant. He figure*
:nat if he left the Chinese dagge
.vhere it would be found in the li
brary, Liang would be the logical sus
pect He threw the dagger into th
Ttr.g yao vase. But he threw it in to*
bard. It broke the vase arid agaii
VVrede was in a quand'ry. He picket
ip the dagger and placed it in th"
jther vase on the table. Then he gath
?red up the fragments of the Tin}
van, carried them through the kit
ihc-n and placed them in the garbagi
pail on the rear porch. The poker h
lad thrown back or. the hearth. Am
le left the house through the rea
mtranee, passed behind the hedge i;
Lhe vacant lot, unlatched the gate a
:hc rear of his apartment house, am
.vent to his rooms.
"So far, so good." said Markhan
'But what of Brisbane?"
"Brisbane? Ah, yes. He was a
unexpected element. But Wrede kne>
nothing about it. ... As I see H
\farkham, Brisbane naa planned t
sot rid of Archer that same nigh'
His trip to Crioago was merely
blind. With his knowledge of crim
tiokgy and his shrewd technical brai
he had worked out a perfectly log
?al means of doing away with hi
brother and having the crime appea
ft suicide. Naturally he chose Wednc;
lay night when he knew Archer woul
be alone in the house. He e3tablishe
bis alibi by having Gamble make re:
prvatiojns on the 5:15 train to CSiica
go His plan was to go back to th
house and take a later train. It \va
an excellent idea, and it was alnsog
detection proof. And he did come bac
to the house. Markhani; with the def
nite intention of killing Archerv ; ; j
"Still, I don't see
Oh, it's all quite simple,' Vane
went on. "But before Brisbane n
turned that night, strange and ut
canny things happened. The plot b<
came, cluttered with complication
and Brisbane, instead of creating
perfect crime, walked into a plot inor
diabolical than the one he himself ha
conceived. . . ."
Vance moved in his chair.
"This is what had happened in th
meantime: Archer, recovering froj
AahiaN;
V
v
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first find out what its reput;
at results it has given in th
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him know how many tons c
Royster Field Tested Fertilize
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FIELD TESTED FE
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; tHo blow of the poker, and not realiz- ; e<
k ins that he had also been stabbed, i tl
? went upstairs to his bedroom. The! a
> shades were up, and Wrede. from his; e<
. own apartment, could see him across\ t]
the vacant lot. . . . No one will everj ii
i know what thoughts went on in Coe's j t]
t mind at this time. But obviously he h
was Incensed at Wrede. and he prob- d
ably sat down to write him a letter j g
' forbidding him ever to put foot in the h
t hniisp strain. He beean to feel tired? i ii
: perhaps the blood had commenced to j _
1 choke his lungs. The pen fell from j
i his fingers. He made an effort to pre-!
- pare himself for bed. He took off his h
1 coat and waistcoat and hung them! f.
. carefully in the closet. Then he put w
1 on his dressing gown, buttoned it,'
1 and tied the belt about him. He walk-; 1
e ~ "
l- ?swmr*w
NORTH Ci
FARM
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SATISFACTION AT
by tisi
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THEY HAVE PF
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st test for
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ULTS. C. See your Royster agent an
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U* V- . V"**
#<071 J?
UTILIZERS \
IP AN Y, NORFOLK, VIROINI
I
MARCH 28, 1935
tl to the windows and pulled down
be shades That act took practically
11 of his remaining vitality. He start- .
1 to get his bedroom slippers, but
re black mist of death was drifting
i upon him. He thought it fatiguebe
result, perhaps, of the blow Wrede
ad struck him over the head. He sat
own in iiis easy chair. But he never
ot up. Markham. He never changed
i3 shoes. As he sat there the final
levitable fog stifled him! . .
KOTICE
This la to notify all persons that
enceforward T will not be responsible
or anv indebtedness incurred by my
rife, Levie Hartley.
T. W. HARTLEY.
Joono Route 1. ltp
\ROLINA
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