Vernonia eagle., May 21, 1937, Image 11

VERNONIA EAGLE, VERNONIA. OREGON
»
Tlie Garden Murder €ase
Dy S. S. Van Dine
,
S
CHAPTER IX—Continued
—11—
A change came over the girl. She
relaxed, as if from a sudden at-
tack of weakness. She did not take
her eyes from Vance, and appeared
to be appraising him and deciding
what course to follow.
Before she managed to speak
Heath stamped up the passageway
and opened the study door. He car­
ried a woman's black-and-white
tweed top-coat over his arm. He
cocked an eyebrow at Vance and
nodded triumphantly.
"I take it. Sergeant,” Vance
drawled, “your quest has been suc­
cessful. You may speak out.” He
turned to Zalia Graem and ex­
plained: “Sergeant Heath has been
searching for the gun that fired the
second shot.”
The girl became suddenly ani­
mated and leaned forward attentive­
ly-
“After going over the roof and the
stairs and the hall of the apartment,
I thought I’d look through the wraps
hanging in the hall closet,” said
Heath. "The gun was in the pocket
of this.” He threw the coat on the
davenport and took a .38 gun-metal
revolver from his pocket. He broke
it and showed it to Vance and Mark­
ham. “Full of blanks—and one of
’em has been discharged.”
“Very good, Sergeant,” Vance
complimented him. “Whose coat is
this, by the by?”
“I don’t know yet, Mr. Vance; but
I'm going to find out pronto.”
Zalia Graem had risen and come
forward.
“I can tell you whose coat that
is," she said. “It belongs to Miss
Beeton, the nurse. I saw her wear­
ing it yesterday.”
"Thanks awfully for the identifi­
cation,” returned Vance, his eyes
resting dreamily on her.
"All right.”
She focused her
gaze on Vance again. “Lemmy Mer­
rit, one of the various scions of the
horsy aristocracy that infests our
eastern seaboard, asked me to drive
out to Sands Point with him for the
polo game tomorrow. I thought I
might dig up some more exciting
engagement and told him to call
me here this afternoon at half-past
three for a final yes or no. I pur­
posely stipulated that time, so I
wouldn't miss the running of the
Handicap. As you know, he didn’t
call till after four, with excuses
about not having been able to get
to a telephone. I tried to get rid
of him in a hurry, but he was per­
sistent — the only virtue he pos­
sesses, so far as I know. I left him
dangling on the wire when I came
out to listen to the race, and then
went back for a farewell and have-
a-nice-time-without-me. Just as I
hung up I heard what sounded like
a shot and came to the door, to find
everyone hurrying along the hall.
An idea went through my head that
maybe Woody had shot himself—
that’s why I went mid-Victorian and
almost passed out when I saw him.
That’s everything.”
Vance rose and bowed.
“Thanks for your ultimate candor.
Miss Graem. I’m deuced sorry I
had to torture you to obtain it And
please ignore the nightmares you
accused me of manufacturing.”
The girl frowned as her intense
gaze rested on Vance.
“I wonder if you don’t really know
more about this affair than you pre­
tend.”
“My dear Miss Graem! I do not
pretend to know anything about it.”
Vance went to the door and held it
open for her. “You may go now,
but we shall probably want to see
you again tomorrow, and I just ask
for your promise that you will stay
at home where you will be avail­
able.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll be at home.”
As she went out, Miss Beeton was
coming up the passageway toward
the study. The two women passed
each other without speaking.
“I'm sorry to trouble you, Mr.
Vance,” the nurse apologized, “but
Doctor Siefert has just arrived and
and asked me to inform you that
Copyright S. S. Van Dine
WNU Service
he wished very much to see you as
soon as possible. Mr. Garden,” she
added, “has told him about Mr.
Swift’s death.”
At the moment her gaze fell on
the tweed coat, and a slight puzzled
frown lined her forehead. Before
she could speak Vance said:
“The sergeant brought your coat
up here. He didn’t know whose it
was. We were looking for some­
thing.” Then he added quickly:
“Please tell Doctor Siefert that 1
will be very glad to see him at once.
And ask him if he will be good
enough to come here to the study.”
Miss Beeton nodded and went out
When Garden had left us Vance
sat smoking and staring at the ceil­
ing. I knew from the droop of his
eyelids that he was disturbed.
“Deuced queer,” -ie muttered
again.
“For Heaven’s sake, Vance,”
Markham commented irritably.
“It’s entirely possible Garden
wasn't watching the stairs as close­
ly as he imagines.”
“Yes. Oh, yes.” Vance nodded
vaguely. “Everyone worried. None
on the alert Normal mechanisms
not functioning. Still, the stairs are
visible half way up the hall, and
the hall itself isn’t very spacious
CHAPTER X
“It’s quite possible Hammle went
down the main stairs from the ter­
race, wishing, perhaps, to avoid the
others.”
“He hadn’t his hat up here with
him,” Vance returned without look­
ing up. "He would have had to enter
the front hall and pass Garden to
get it. No point in such silly ma­
neuvers . . . But it isn’t Hammle
I’m thinking of. It’s Miss Beeton.
I don’t like it . . ." He got up
slowly and took out another cigar­
ette. "She’s not the kind of girl that
would neglect taking my message
to Siefert immediately, unless for
a very good reason.”
“A number of things might have
happened—”
“Yes, of course. That’s just it
Too many things have happened
here today already.” Vance went
to the north window and looked out
into the garden. Then he returned
to the center of the room and stood
for a moment in tense meditation.
“As you say, Markham.” His voice
was barely audible. “Something
may have happened. . . .” Sud­
denly he threw his cigarette into
an ash tray and turned on his heel.
"Oh, my word! I wonder . . . Come
Sergeant. We'll have to make a
search—immediately.”
He opened the door quickly and
started down the halt We followed
him with vague apprehension, not
knowing what was on his mind and
with no anticipation of what was
to follow. Vance peered out through
the garden door. Then he turned
back, shaking his head.
"No, it couldn’t have been there.
We would have been able to see.”
His eyes moved inquiringly up and
down the hall, and after a moment
a strange, startled look came into
them. “It could be!” he exclaimed.
“Oh, my aunt! Damnable things are
happening here. Wait a second.”
He rapidly retraced his steps to
the vault door. Grasping the knob,
he rattled it violently; but the door
was now locked. Taking the key
from its nail, he inserted it hur­
riedly into the lock. As he opened
the heavy door a crack, a pungent,
penetrating odor assailed my nos­
tril». Vance quickly drew back.
"Out into the air!” he called over
his shoulder, in our direction. “All
of you!”
Instinctively we made for the door
to the garden.
Vance held one hand over his nose
and mouth and pushed the vault
door further inward. Heavy amber­
colored fumes drifted out into the
hall, and I felt a stifling, choking
sensation. Vance staggered back a
step, but kept his hand on the door­
knob.
“Miss Beeton! Miss Beeton!” he
called. There was no response and
I saw Vance put his head down and
move forward into the dense fumes
that were emanating from the open
door. He sank to his knees on the
threshold and leaned forward into
the vault. The next moment he had
straightened up and was dragging
the limp body of the nurse out into
the passageway.
As soon as the girl was out of
the vault. Vance took her up in his
arms and carried her unsteadily
out into the garden, where he placed
her gently on the wicker settee. His
face was deathly pale; his eyes
were watering; and he had difficulty
with his breathing. When he had re­
leased the girl, he leaned heavily
There was a soft knock, and
Vance turned from the window. He
was confronted by Garden, who had
opened the study door without wait­
ing for a summons.
"Sorry, Vance,” Garden apolo­
gized, “but Doc Siefert is down­
stairs and says he’d like to see you,
if convenient, before he goes.”
Vance looked at the man a mo­
ment and frowned.
“Miss Beeton informed me of the
fact a few minutes ago. I asked
her. to tell the doctor I would be
glad to see him at once. I can't
understand his sending you also.
Didn’t the nurse give him the mes­
sage?”
“I’m afraid not. I know Siefert
sent Miss Beeton up here, and I
assumed, as I imagine Siefert did,
that you had detained her.” He
looked round the room with a puz­
zled expression. “The fact, is I
thought she was still up here.”
"You mean she hasn’t returned
downstairs?” Vance asked.
“No, she hasn’t come down yet.”
Vance took a step forward.
“Are you sure of that, Garden?”
“Yes, very sure.” Garden nod­
ded vigorously. "I’ve been in the
front hall, near the foot of the stairs,
ever since Doc Siefert arrived.”
“Did you see any of the others
come down?”
“Why, yes,” Garden told him.
“Kroon came down and went out.
I Heard What Sounded Like a
Shot.
And then Madge Weatherby. And
shortly after the nurse had gone up
with Siefert's message to you, Zalia
came down and hurried away. But
that's alL And, as I say. I’ve been
down there in the front hall all the
time.”
“What about Hammle?”
“Hammle? No, I haven't seen
anything of him. I thought he was
still here with you.”
"That's deuced queer.” Vance
moved slowly to a chair and sat
down with a perplexed frown. “It’s
possible you missed him. However,
it doesn't matter. Ask the doctor
to come up, will you?”
She shook her head vaguely, and
against one of the iron posts which
supported the awning. He opened there was a dazed look in her eyes.
“I’m afraid I can’t tell you very
his mouth wide and sucked the fresh
much. It all happened so un­
air into his lungs.
The nurse was gasping stertor- expectedly—so suddenly. All I know
ously and clutching her throat Al­ is that when I went to tell Doctor
though her breast was rising and Siefert he might come upstairs, I
falling convulsively, her whole body was struck on the head from behind,
just as I passed the garden door.
was limp and lifeless.
At that moment Doctor Siefert The blow didn't render me entirely
stepped through the garden door, a unconscious, but it stunned me so
look of amazement on his face. He that I was unaware of anything or
had all the outward appearance of anybody around me. Then I felt
the type of medical man Vance had myself being caught from behind,
described to us the night before. turned about, and forced back up
He was about sixty, conservatively the passageway and into the vault.
but modishly attired, and with a I have a faint recollection of the
bearing studiously dignified and door being shut upon me, although
I wasn’t sufficiently rational to pro­
self-sufficient.
With a great effort Vance drew test or even to realize what had
himself erect.
happened. But I was conscious of
“Hurry, doctor,” he called. “It’s the fact that inside the vault there
was a frightful suffocating smell.”
bromin gas.”
Siefert came rapidly forward,
“Yes. Not a pleasant experience.
moved the girl’s body into a more But it could have been much
worse.” Vance spoke in a low voice
and smiled gravely down at the
girl. “There’s a bad bruise on the
back of your head. That too might
have been worse, but the starched
band of your cap probably saved
you from more serious Injury.”
The girl had got to her feet and
stood swaying a little as she stead­
ied herself against Vance.
“I really feel all right now.” She
looked at Vance wistfully. “And I
have you to thank—haven’t I?”
Siefert spoke gruffly. “A few
more minutes of that bromin gas
would have proved fatal. Whoever
found you and got you out here
did so just in time.”
The girl had not taken her eyes
from Vance.
“How did you happen to find me
so soon?” she asked him.
“Belated reasoning,” h e an­
swered. “I should have found you
several minutes before—the mo­
ment I learned that you had not
returned downstairs. But at first it
was difficult to realize that anything
serious could have happened t o
you.”
“I can't understand it even now,”
the girl said with a bewildered air.
"Neither can I — entirely,” re­
It Was Part of a Broken Vial.
turned Vance. “But perhaps I can
comfortable position and opened the learn something more.”
collar of her uniform.
Going quickly to a pitcher o f
“Nothing but the air can help water Heath had brought, he dipped
her,” he said, as he moved one end his handkerchief into it. Pressing
of the settee around so that it faced the handkerchief against his face,
the cool breeze from the riv­ he disappeared into the passageway.
er. “How are you feeling, Vance?” A minute or so later he returned. In
Vance was dabbing his eyes with his hand he held a jagged piece of
a handkerchief. He blinked once or thin curved glass, about three
twice and smiled faintly.
inches long.
“I’m quite all right.” He went
It was part of a broken vial, and
to the settee and looked down at the still clinging to it was a small paper
girl for a moment “A close call,” label on which was printed the sym­
he murmured.
bol "Br.”
Siefert inclined his head gravely.
"I found this on the tiled floor,
At this moment Hammle came in the far corner of the vault It
strutting up briskly from a remote was just beneath one of the racks
corner of the garden.
which holds Professor Garden’s as­
"Good God!” he exclaimed. sortment of chemicals. There’s an
“What’s the matter?”
empty space in the rack, but this
Vance turned to the man in angry vial of bromin couldn’t have fallen
surprise.
to the floor accidentally. It could
“Well, well,” he greeted him. only have been taken out delib­
"The roll call is complete. I'll erately and broken at the right mo­
tell you later what’s the matter. ment.” He handed the fragment of
Or perhaps you will be able to tell glass to Heath.
me. Wait over there.” And he
“Take this, Sergeant, and have
jerked his head in the direction of a
it gone over carefully for finger­
chair nearby.
prints. But if, as I suspect, the
“I wish I'd taken the earlier train
same person that killed Swift han­
to Long Island.” Hammle muttered. dled it, I doubt if there will be any
“It might have been better, don't telltale marks on it. However . . .”
y’know,” murmured Vance, turning
“This was a dastardly thing,
away from him.
Vance,” Siefert burst out, his eyes
The nurse’s strangled coughing flashing.
had abated somewhat. Her breath­
“Yes. All of that, doctor. So was
ing was deeper and more regular, Swift’s murder . . . How are you
and the gasping had partly subsided. feeling now. Miss Beeton?”
Before long she struggled to sit up.
“A little shaky,” she answered
Siefert helped her.
with a weak smile. “But nothing
“Breathe as deeply and rapidly as
more.” She was leaning against one
you can,” he said. "It’s air you end of the settee.
need.”
“Then we’ll carry on, what?"
The girl made an effort to follow
“Of course,” she returned in a low
Instructions, p n e hand braced voice.
against the back of the settee, and
Floyd Garden stepped out from
the other resting on Vance's arm.
the hallway at this moment He
A few minutes late she was able
coughed.
to speak, but with considerable dif­
“What’s this beastly odor In the
ficulty.
hall?” he asked. “It's gotten down­
“I feel—better now. Except for
stairs. Is anything wrong?"
the burning — in my nose and
“Not now. No,” Vance returned.
throat”
“A little bromin gas a few minutes
“What happened?" she asked.
“We don’t know yet” Vance re­ ago; but the air will be clear in
turned her gaze with obvious dis­ a little while. No casualties. Every
tress. “We only know that you were one doing well . . . Did you want
poisoned with bromin gas in the to see me?”
vault where Swift was shot We were
Garden looked round at the group
hoping that you could tell us about on the roof with a puzzled air.
it yourself."
(TO BE CONTINUED)