GARDE MURDER CHAPTER VIII—Continued ee De “By George! I did hear some- thing, now that you put it that way. I thought nothing of it at the time, since Woody was already dead. But just as I re-entered the stairway there was an explosion of some kind outside. I thought it was a car back-firing down in the street, and paid no attention to it.” “That's very interestin’ . . . Vance's eyes drifted off into space. “I wonder But to continue your tale. You say you left the roof immediately and came downstairs. But there were at least ten min- utes from the time you left the gar- den to the time I encountered you entering the apartment at the front door. How and where did you spend these ten intervening minutes?" “I stayed on the landing of the stairs and smoked a couple of ciga- rettes. I was trying to pull myself together.” Heath stood up quickly, one hand in his outside coat pocket, and thrust out his jaw belligerently to- ward the agitated Kroon. smoke?” he barked. The man looked at the Sergeant in bewilderment, and then said: “I rettes. What about it?” Heath drew his hand from his pocket and looked at which he held on his palm. addressed Vance. here. ing when I came up from dame’'s apartment.” demanded of Vance. ated courtesy. ‘You have done very well by yourself this afternoon, Mr. Kroon. more.” word. “A good story,” Markham com- mented dryly when Kroon had gone. “Yes, yes. Good. But reluc- tant.” Vance appeared disturbed. “Do you believe it?" “My dear Markham, I keep an open mind, neither believin’ nor dis- believin' . . . Prayin’ for facts. But no facts yet. Drama everywhere, but no substance.” following and protesting vigorously. It was obvious that Miss Weatherby one could interfere with her. “What's the meaning of this?” she demanded imperiously. “You're letting Cecil Kroon go, after what I've told you? And I'—she indicat- ture—*I am being held here, a pris- oner.” “The fact is, Miss Weatherby,” said Vance, returning to his chair, “Mr. Kroon explained his brief ab- sence this afternoon lucidly and with impellin’ logic. It seems that he was doing nothing more repre- hensible than conferring with Miss Stella Fruemon and a brace of at- torneys.”” “Ah!” The woman's eyes glared with venom. “Quite so. He was breaking off with the lady for ever and ever.” “Is that the truth?’’ Miss Weath- erby straightened in her chair. “Yes, yes. No subterfuge. Kroon said you were jealous of Stella. Thought I'd relieve your mind.” “Why didn’t he tell me, then?” “There’s always the possibility you didn't give him a chance.” The woman nodded vigorously. “Yes, that's right. I wouldn't speak to him when he returned here this afternoon.” “Care to revamp your original theory?” asked Vance. “Or do you still think that Kroon is the culprit?” “II really don’t know now,” the woman answered hesitantly, “When I last spoke to you I was terribly upset. . . . Maybe it was all my imagination.” Vance looked at the woman quizzi- cally. “Since you're not so sure that Kroon did the deed, have you any other suggestions?” There was a tense silence. Miss Weatherby's face seemed to con- tract: She drew in her lips. “Yes!” she exploded, leaning to- ward Vance with a new enthusiasm. “It was Zalia Graem who killed Woody! She had the motive, as you call it. She's capable of such things, too. There was something between her and Woody. Then she chucked him over. He didn't have enough money to suit her. You saw the today.” “Have you any idea as to how asked quietly, ‘She was out of the drawing-room long enough, wasn't she?” “Poignant question. Situation very mysterious.” Vance rose slow- ly and bowed to the woman. “Thanks awfully — we're most grateful. And we shall not hold you prisoner any longer." When she had gone Markham grinned sourly. “The lady is well equipped with suspects. What do you make of this new accusation?” Vance was frowning, “Animosity shunted from Mon- sieur Kroon to La Graem. Yes. Queer situation. Logically speakin’, this new accusation is more reason- able than her first. It has its points « + « If only I could get that dis- connected buzzer out of my mind. It must fit somewhere . And that second shot—the one we all heard.” Vance again moved to the buzzer and inspected it with care. “No indications of a mechanism." “It could have been removed be- fore the repair man arrived,” the- orized Markham without enthusi- asm, “Yes, another possibility. I had thought of that too. But the oppor- tunity was lacking. I came in here immediately after I had found the johnnie shot . . ."” He took the cig- arette from his lips and straight- ened up. “By Jove! Someone might have slipped in here when we all dashed upstairs after the shot. Re- mote chance, though.” “Does the buzzer connect with any other room besides the den?” asked Markham. Vance shook his head. “No. That's the only connection.” “Didn't you say there was some- one in the den at the time you heard this shot?" Vance's gaze swept past Mark- ham. “Yes. Zalia Graem was there. Ostensibly telephonin’.”” His voice, I thought, was a little bitter. “We might get more information from the young woman herself,” Markham put in sarcastically. “Oh, yes. Quite. Obvious pro- But I have a few queries to put to Garden first. Pavin' the He Sank Limply Into a Chair. way, as it were. I say, Sergeant, Garden came into the room un- easily and looking slightly haggard. “What a mess!” he sighed, sink- ing dismally into a chair. “Any light on the case?” “A few fitful illuminations,” Vance told him. “By the by, it seems that your guests walk in and out the front door without the form- ality of ringing or being an- nounced.” “Oh, yes. But only when we're playing the races. Much more con- venient, Saves annoyance and in- terruptions.”’ “And another thing: when Miss Graem was phoning in the den and you suggested that she tell the gentleman to call back later, did you actually know that it was a man she was talking to?” Garden opened his eyes in mild surprise, “Why, no. I was merely ragging her. Hadn't the faintest idea. But, if it makes any difference, I'm sure Sneed could give you the informa- tion, if Miss Graem won't. Sneed answered the phone, you know.” “It's of no importance.” Vance brushed the matter aside. “It might interest you to know, how- ever, that the buzzer in this room failed to function because someone had carefully disconnected the wires." “The devil you say!” “Oh, yes. Quite.” Vance fixed Garden with a significant look. ““This buzzer, if I understand it cor- rectly, is operated only from the den, and when we heard the Miss Graem was in the den. cidentally, the shot we all was not the shot that killed The fatal shot had been least five minutes before that. THE CENTRE REPO “Only that Miss Graem had a grudge of some kind against Swift and detested him thoroughly, and that, at the supposed time of his de- mise, Miss Graem was absent from the drawing-room. Doubts that she was in the den phoning all the time. Thinks she was up here, busily engaged in murder.” Garden drew rapidly on his pipe and seemed to be thinking. “Do you yourself regard Miss Graem as capable of a cold-blooded, skillfully planned murder?” Garden pursed = his lips frowned. “Damn it, Vance! I can’t answer that question. Frankly, I don’t know who is and who isn’t capable of murder. The younger set today are all bored to death, intolerant of ev- ery restraint, living beyond their means, digging up scandal, seeking sensations of every type. Zalia is little different from the rest, as far as I can see. She always seems to be stepping on the gas and exceed- ing the speed limits. How far she would actually go, I'm not prepared to say. Who is, for that matter? It may be merely a big circus parade with her, or it may be fundamental -—a violent reaction from respecta- bility.” “A vivid, and though not a sweet, character sketch,’ murmured Vance. “One might say offhand that you are rather fond of her but don't approve.” Garden laughed awkwardly. “lI can't say that I dislike Zalia. her. I know I don’t. impenetrable wall around her. She's which. As to her status in this present situation . . . know. her. Zalia has staggered me a plain it. asked me about father's revolver, with it in this very room. Well, Vance, my blood went cold at the time, There was something in the way she did it, and in the tone of her voice, that made me actually fear that she was fully capable of shooting up the party. I was re- lieved when she put the gun back and shut the drawer . . . All I can say,” he added, “is that I don’t wholly understand her.” **No., Of course not. wholly understand another person. erything. Not a comfortin’ thought . «+ » Thanks awfully for the recital of your fears and for a while, won't you?" freely on being dismissed, and with ward the door. after him. I wish to ask you about.” Garden waited politely. “Why,” asked Vance, blowing a ribbon of smoke toward the ceiling, Equanimity?" CHAPTER IX The man gave a start, and his jaw dropped. He barely rescued his pipe from falling to the floor. “You didn't place it, know,” lect the wager, even if Equanimity had won. And in the circumstances, had you placed it, you would now be Swift is no longer able to settle.” “God Almighty, stop it, Vance!” Garden exploded. He sank limply into a chair. “How do you know I didn’t place Woode's bet?” Vance regarded the man with searching eyes. “No bookie would take a bet of that size five minutes before post time. He couldn't absorb it.” “But Hannix-—"' “Don’t make a Wall-Street finan- cler of Hannix for my benefit,” Vance admonished quietly, “And another thing: I happened to be sit- ting in a strategic position near your table when you pretended to place Swift's bet. You very deftly pulled the cord taut over the plunger of the telephone when you picked up the receiver. You were talking in- to a dead phone.” Garden capitulated. “All right, Vance,” he said. *1 didn't place the bet. But if you think, for one moment, that I had any suspicion that Woody was going to be shot his afternoon, you're wrong.” “My dear fellow!” Vance sighed with annoyance. “I'm not thinkin’. Higher intelligence not at work at the moment. Mind a blank. Only tryin’ to add up a few figures. Ten thousand dollars is a big item. It changes our total—eh, what? , . . But you haven't told me why you didn’t place the bet.” Garden rose angrily. “l didn’t want him to lose the money,” he asserted aggressively. “l knew what it would mean to him.” “Yes, yes. The Good Samaritan. Very touchin’. But suppose Equa- nimity had won, and yeur cousin had survived—what about the pay- off?” (TO BE CONTINUED) RTER, CENTRE HALL, PA. Ask Me Another & A General Quiz © Bell Syndicate. ~WNU Service, Quaker State when we were Arst engaged!” J 1. Where was the first session of the United States Supreme court held, and how many justices were present? 2, Are the authorized version and the King James Bible the same? 3. What animal is the fastest runner? 4. How big is the standard par- achute? 5. When was the federal income tax first imposed? 6. What state has furnished more Presidents than any other? 7. How many counties in the state of Delaware? 8. How many kinds of time in use in the world? GO FARTHER BEFORE YOU NEED A QUART 1. The first session of the United States Supreme court was held in the Royal Exchange in New York, February 1, 1790, with three of the six justices present. 2. They are. The King James Bible became known as the au- | thorized version, probably be- | cause it bore the line “appointed | | to be read in churches” on the | title page. 3. The cheetah in short distance runs. It can run down a deer or | antelope for a short distance. | | Always adding oil? Then make the “First Quart” test. It's easy. Just drain and refill with Quaker State, Note the mileage. You'll find you go farther before you have to add the first quart. That's because there's an “extra quart of lubrication in every gallon.”’ The rewil price is 35¢ per quart. Quaker State Oil Refining Corp., Oil City, Pa. 4. The standard airplane para- | chute has a spread of 24 feet when {| open. 5. In the year 10186. 6. Virginia. 7. There are but three counties in the state of Delaware. 8. 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Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers