SYNOPSIS Philo Vance, famous detective, and John F. X. Markham, district attorney for New York county are dining In Vance's apart. ment when Vance receives an anonymous telephone message informing him of a “dis turbing psychological tension at Professor Epbriam Garden's apartment’ advising that he read up on radio-active sodium, consult a passage in the Aeneid and coun seling that "“"Equanimity is essential.’ Pro- fessor Garden is famous in chemical re. search. The message, decoded by Vance, reminds him that Professor Garden's son Floyd and his puny cousin, Woode Swift, are addicted to horse-racing. Vance says that “Equanimity” is a horse running next day in the Rivermont handicap. Vance is convinced that the message was sent by Dr, Siefert, the Gardens’ family physician. He arranges to have lunch next day at the Gardens’ penthouse. Vance is greeted by Floyd Garden and meets Lowe Hammle, an elderly follower of horse racing. Floyd ex. presses concern over Swift's queer actions. Mrs. Garden, supposedly ill, comes down- stairs and places a $100 bet on a horse. Gathered around an elaborate loud speaker service, listening to the racing are Cecil Kroon, Madge Weatherby and Zalia Graem, who bet varying amounts on the race. There is tension under the surface galety. Zalia and Swift are not on speaking terms. Kreon leaves to keep an appointment be- fore the race starts. Miss Beeton, a nurse, and Vance bet on "Azure Star." Swift reck- lessly bets $10,000 on “Equanimity’ and goes to the roof garden to hear the results, Floyd follows Swift, remaining away from the group several minutes. Zalia goes to the den to answer a Soon after the announcement that Star’ wins, the guests hear a Vance finds Swift dead, shot head with a revolver nearby He Swift has been murdered. the police, he finds the door of a vault ajar, Kroon returns and is sharply questioned by Vance, who finds he had not left the bulld- ing. the stairway and prevent Mrs Zalia from viewing Swift s body. says CHAPTER 1V-—Continued ee “Garden,” he began, ‘‘there are a few things that I'd like to have torney and the police arrive.” He at the desk, facing Garden. “Anything I can do to help,” den mumbled, lighting his pipe “A few necess'ry questions, don't ¥' know,” Vance went on. probably want me to take a hand in the investigations, since I was a tressin’ tragedy.” “lI hope he does,” turned. “It's a damnable and I'd like to see the axe fall, matter whom it might behead.’ His pipe was giving him trouble. “By the way, Vance,” he went on quiet- ly, “how did you happen to come here today? I've asked you so often to join our racing seance—and you pick the one day when the roof blows off the place.” Vance kept his eyes for a moment. “The fact is,” he said at length, “‘I got an anonymous telephone mes- sage last night, vaguely outlining the situation here and mentioning Equanimity.”’ Garden jerked himself up to keen- er attention. “The devil you say!” claimed. ‘That's a queer one or woman?" “Oh, it was a man," plied casually. Garden pursed his lips and, Garden re- affair, no he ex- Man Vance re- after ly: “Well, anyway, I'm damned glad you did come . . What can I tell you that might be of help? Any- thing you want, old man.” “First of all, then,” asked Vance, “did you recognize the revolver? I saw you looking at it rather appre- hensively when we came out on the roof.” Garden frowned, tion: “Yes! I did recognize it, Vance. It belongs to the old gentleman—"' “Your father?" Garden nodded grimly. “He's had it for years. the first place, probably hasn't the slightest idea how touse it . . ."” “By the by,” Vance put in, “what time does your father generally re- turn home from the university?” “Why—why—" Garden hesitated and then continued: ‘‘on Saturdays noon--rarely after three. Gives But,”” he added, ‘‘father’s very erratic . . ."” His voice trailed off nervously. on his cigarette: he was watching in a soft tone: “What's on your mind?—Unless, of course, you have good reason for not wanting to tell me.” Garden took a long breath and room and back. “The truth is, Vance,” ne said, enport, the pater is this afternoon. As soon as I came downstairs after Woody's death, I called him to give him the news. I thought he'd want to get here as soor as possible in the cir- cumstances. But I was told that he'd locked up the laboratory and left the university about two o'clock.” CHAPTER V I could not understand the man’s puzzled Vance as well. Vance en- deavored to put him at his ease. “It really doesn’t matter,” he said, as if dismissing the subject. : : : i i —1 by S.S. VAN DINE Copyright S. 8. Van Dine WNU Service “It may be just as well that your father doesn't learn of the tragedy till later."”” He smoked for a moment, “But to get back to the revolver: where was it usually kept?” “In the center drawer of the desk upstairs,” Garden told him prompt- ly. “And was the fact generally known to the other members of the household, or to Swift himself?" Garden nodded. ‘Oh, yes. There was no secret about it. We often joked with the old gentleman about his ‘arsenal.’ *’ “And the revolver was always loaded?”’ “So far as I know, yes." “And was there an extra supply of cartridges?”’ “As to that, I cannot say,’ Gar- den answered: “but I don't think " §0. “And here's a very important question, Garden,’ Vance went on. ‘“How many of the people that are today could possibly have known that your father kept this loaded revolver in his desk? Now, think carefully before answering.” Garden meditated for several mo- ments. He looked off into space and | puffed steadily on his pipe. “l am trying to remember,” he said reminiscently, *‘just who was here the day Zalia came upon the gun—"" { “What day was that?" Vance cut in sharply. i “It was about three months ago," Garden explained. “You see, we used to have the telephone set-up connected upstairs in the study. But | some of the western races came in so late that it began to interfere routine when he came home from the uni- versity. So we moved the parapher- nalia down into the drawing room. As a matter of fact, it was more convenient; and the mater didn't object—in fact, she rather enjoyed it—"' “But what happened on this par- ticular day?” insisted Vance. “Well, we were all upstairs in the study, going through the whole silly racing rigmarole that you witnessed this afternoon, when Zalia Graem, who always sat at the old gentle- man's desk, began opening the drawers, looking piece of scratch paper on which to figure the mutuels. She finally opened the center drawer and saw the revolv- | er. She brought it out with a flour- ish and, laughing like a silly school- girl, pointed it around the room. | I reprimanded her—rather rudely, | I'm afraid—and ordered her to put | the revolver back in its place, as it was loaded-—and just then a race | came over the amplifier, and the episode was ended.” “Most interestin’,” murmured Vance. “And can you recall how many of those present today were likewise present at Miss Graem's | little entr'acte?”’ "] rath there, Vance si oh ed “A bit futile—eh, what? No pos- sible elimination along that line.” Garden looked up, startled. “Elimination? I don’t understand. | We were all downstairs here this afternoon except Kroon — and he was out—when the shot was fired. At this moment there was a slight | commotion in the hallway. It soun- | ed as if a scuffle of some kind was | for a er think they were all | voice mingled with the calm but determined tones of the nurse, There, just out i ! Weatherby and Miss Beeton. The | nurse had a firm hold on the other | woman ‘and was calmly arguing | with her. As Vance stepped toward | them, Miss Weatherby turned to | face him and drew herself up arro- | gantly, “What's the meaning of this?” | she demanded. *‘Must I be mauled by a menial because I wish to go upstairs?” ‘“Miss Beeton has orders that no | one is to go upstairs,” Vance said sternly. “And I was unaware that she is a menial.” “But why can’t I go upstairs?” the woman asked with dramatic em- phasis. “I want to see poor Woody. Death is so beautiful; and I was very fond of Woody. By whose pray, am 1 being denied this last communion with the de- parted?” “By my orders,” Vance told her coldy. “Furthermore, this particu- lar death is far from beautiful, I And the police will be will be permitted to disturb any- thing upstairs.” “Then why,” she demanded with histrionic indignation, “was this— this woman’'—she glanced with ex- aggerated contempt at the nurse ‘coming down the stairs herself when I came into the hall?" Vance made no attempt to hide a smile of amusement. “I'm sure I don’t know. 1 may ask her later. But she happens to be under instructi from me to let no one go aa. Will you be so good, Miss Weatherby,” he add- ed, almost harshly, ““as to return to the drawing room and remain The woman glared superciliously at the nurse, and then, with a toss of the head, archway. The nurse, obviously embar. rassed, turned to resume her post, but Vance stopped her. “Were you upstairs, Miss Bee- ton?" he asked in a kindly tone. She was standing very erect, her face slightly flushed. She looked Vance frankly and firmly in the eye and slowly shook her head. “lI haven't left my post, Mr, Vance,” she said quietly. “I un- derstand my duty.” Vance returned her gaze for a moment, and then bowed his head slightly. “Thank you, Miss said. He came back into the den, and closing the door, addressed Garden again, ‘Now that we have disposed tem- porarily of the theatrical queen,” —he smiled somberly—‘‘suppose we continue with our little chat.” Garden chuckled mildly and be- gan repacking his pipe. “Queer girl, Madge; always act- ing like a tragedienne—but I don’t think she's ever really been on the stage.” “You heard her tell me she was particularly fond of Swift,” re- marked Vance. ‘Just what did she mean by that?" Garden shrugged. ‘Nothing at all, if you ask me. She didn't know that Woody was on earth, so to speak. But dead, Woody becomes a dramatic possibility.” “Yes, yes — quite,” murmured Vance. ‘Which reminds me: what was the tiff between Swift and Miss Graem about? I noticed your little strode toward the Beeton,” he noon."’ Garden became serious. “lI haven't been able to figure that situation out myself. Woody was pretty deep in the new-mown hay as far as Zalia Went. Hovered round her all the time, and took all her good - natured bantering without a murmur. Then, sudden- ly, the embryonic love affair—or whatever tt was—went sour. Ob- It may have been a new flame on Woody's part—I rather imagine it was something of the kind. As for Zalia, she was never serious about it anyway. And I have an idea that Woody wanted that extra twen- ty thousand today for some reason connected with Zalia . " Garden stopped speaking abruptly and slapped his thigh. “By George! 1 wouldn't be surprised if that hard- bitten little gambler had Woody down because he was com- paratively hard up. You can't tell about these girls today. They're as practical as the devil himself.” Vance nodded thoughtfully. “Your observations rather fit with while ago. She, too, wanted to go upstairs to see Swift. Gave as her excuse the fact that she felt she was to blame for the whole sordid business." Garden grinned, “Well, there you are." Then he remarked judicially: “But you can about women.’ Vance smoked in si- Then he went “There's another matter in con- nection with Swift which you might be able to clear up for me. Could you suggest any reason why, when “1 wonder." Miss Beeton this afternoon, would enjoy murdering me?” ‘1 saw that too,” Garden nodded. “lI can't say much. Woody was always a weak cerned. It took little to make him think he'd fallen in love. have become nurse-—he'd been seeing her around here for the past few months. now that you mention it, he's been more or less friendly with me and ignored him entirely. this for Woody: about Miss Beeton, his taste is im- proving. She's an unusual girl— different , . ." Vance nodded his head slowly and gazed with peculiar concentra tion out the window. “Yes,” he murmured. ‘Quite dif- ferent.” Then, as if bringing him- self back from some alien train of thought, he crushed out his ciga- rette and leaned forward. ‘“‘How- ever, we'll drop speculation for the moment . . Suppose you tell me something about the vault upstairs.” Garden glanced up in evidént sur- prise. *““There’s nothing to tell about that old catch-all. It's neither mysteri- ous nor formidable. And it's really not a vault at all. Several years ago the pater found that he had ac- cumulated a lot of private papers and experimental data that he didn’t want casual callers messing in. So he had this fire-proof storeroom built to house these scientific treasures of his. The vault, as you call it, was built as much for mere privacy as for actual safe-keeping. It's just a very small room with shelves around the walls.” “Has everyone in the house ac- cess to it?" asked Vance. “Anyone so inclined,” Garden. “But who in the name of Heaven, would want to go in there?” “Really, ¥' know, I haven't the groggiest notion,” Vance returned, “except that I found the door to it unlatched when 1 was coming downstairs a little while ago.” (TO BE CONTINUED) RE modern cottons putting on high-style airs! Their emer- gence from the humble housefrock tells as fascinating a story as any Cinderella romance might Cottons are certainly going places and doing things in the way they never ventured to do before. This spirit of cottons to do and to dare is especially true in regard prints which are flaunting a glory and glamor that is taking them mto the swankiest go. As pretentiously fashioned as designers are now turning out cot ton costumes for both day and eve- ning wear, you feel smartly dressed in them no matter the place, the time or the company you are in. It's cottons such as were dis- played at a style clinic held in the Merchandise Mart of Chicago re- cently (three of which are here pictured) that cause one to become to ace-high point of enthusiasm. Attractive cotton fashions of the type pictured avail able in department stores and spe- cialty shops the country over give the perfect answer to women seek- ing maximum style at minimum outlay A stunning dress, as shown to the right in the group, holds no terrors for a limited budget for it is any- thing but costly even though it does give its wearer an air of high-brow chic. ous thing about this season's hand- some cottons, they are inexpensive although they have all the voguish details you would expect of much higher priced modes. In the gown referred to you see how dramatical- ly splashy cotton prints have into the 1937 scene. The graceful black scroll patterning boldly contrasts vividly colorful flo- rals. A girlish round collar and short pufl sleeves are style details. The gypsy repeating leading colors in the print adds the final “touch that tells.” A bright green felt hat with grosgrain ribbon trim colorfully tops this cos- tume. important girdle sash A peasant print and the ghetti trim are combined in dress shown to the left to interpret style at its best. The print is in peasant blues, greens and yellows on a russet background ground and for the modish lacing on the waist is in multi colors. The skirt is flared as fashion now demands. The hat has a square high and the rim is bound in grosgrain Royal crimson tion colors) and navy blue on a white background of cloky pique presents a stunning color study for the gown centered in the group Because the print is a vividly color- ful widely spaced bold floral it reg- isters definitely 1837. This ensemble features a jacket with puffed sleeves and paneled down the back to cor- respond with the panel in the dress which is sleeveless and collarless A new Gaucho style felt hat in- spired by South America gives a nonchalant tou ich which is most in- triguing. Ad table knots hold the hat under the chin. When you go cotton-print shopping don't forget that the bigger, fhe You can go to any extreme and still not be found guilty of exceeding the speed limit so far as the colors and designs of the new cottons are con- cerned. There is a decided trend toward bold stripes and plaids. Then too, fancy turns to East Indian and oriental print designs. These are particularly smart for the now-so- popular house coats and for sports frocks. © Western Newspaper Union, new spa- the crown (echoing corona- VOGUISH SILK NET By CHERIE NICHOLAS HERE figs Figged Fiiiietagit & 2 | FASHIONS CALLING FOR GREAT YARDAGE By CHERIE NICHOLAS The present dramatic fashions calling for great yardage as en- dorsed by leading designers give fabrics a larger share of the fashion spotlight than in many seasons. “Ballerina’’ skirts of layers and lay- ers of stiff sheer silks, attached to long fitted bodices of silk net, silk tulles and silk marquisette show the inspiration of the recent Degas ex- skirted evening gowns sometimes use forty yards of silk. Schiaparelli's ballet waltz dress with short skirt over stiff petticoats, the soubrette silhouette which caused such a sensation at the openings, is frequently interpreted in silk net, also in printed silk. Cotton Laces Are Just the Thing for Daytime Frocks Cotton laces, fashion forecasters declare, are going to be prominent among the daytime frocks worn this spring and summer. Street-length dresses made of lace in the many tailored styles are just the thing for the perfect combination of Ask Me Another @ © Bell Syndicate. A General Quiz WNU Service, 1. Hon many languages and 2. What state has contributed 3. In what year was a perform- given at the foot 4. Who guards the White House? 5. Who wrote the “Comedie Hu maine’? 6. What was a bireme? 7. Of what musical instrument was the clavichord a forerunner? 8. Who were the Jacobites? 9. Of what country was Cather- de Medici queen? 10. In what country is Mecca? 11. In what war was James Clin- 12. How many sovereigns have Answers 1. Dr. Frank H. Vizetelly says that there are six thousand seven hundred and sixty named tongues and systems of writing in the world. 2. New York has contributed the most United States Supreme court justices, 10 3. In 1912 an impressive open- air production of the opera was given there The Whit poiice cludes a captain, a ’ three sergeants and 43 policemen. There are also 10 Secret Service men 5. This is the title of an uncom- pleted series of nearly a hundred novels by Bala « designed to give a panoramic picture of the man- ners and wi of the time. He began the work in 1828, adopting the general title in 1842. 6. An ancient galley ha banks of oars 7. The piano. 8. Adherents of James II or his line 9. France 10. Arabia. 11. The Revolution. 12. Thirty-seven sovereigns have been crowned in the abbey, and 25 queens consort—all of the kings and queens since William the Con- queror. Eighteen sovereigns and 14 queens are buried there. Little Red Schoolhouses There are 13854 little red schoolhouses dn? the nation's countryside. One - room affairs, they represent 57 per cent of all American school buildings and for the most part teach good old- fashioned American education with the three R's as the basis. — Literary Digest. e House has its own force of 48 p This in- Hern ant aeulenant ving two Guaranteed fo kill 25¢, 33¢ and 6of at your druggists. (yd) ELE LL AR That's Respect A man can differ from us in his he thinks a lot of us. CONSTIPATED After Her First Baby Only the sparkling speeches should be long-—about one in 10,000. i bi h f i 1
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers