Show I o 0 0 TImm o. o 0 CO t I II UW ff OE T- T v w 1 nl iv N fy U y S SVAN DINE LINE AUTHOR HOR TIlt THE I THE STORY THUS FAR It was vas the Jewel case that puzzled Vance It was as found in the apartment apart apart- ment merit not nol jar far from th the tho strangled body of ot Margaret Odell Odeil the thO The case looked as if IC someone had first tried to open it Jt with a n. poker and then had succeeded sue sue- in opening it Jt with a chisel Vance Markham's Markhams friend and a ft student of of- crime psychology thinks It It most moat peculiar CHAPTER VI Deputy Inspector Conrail Conrad Brenner Brenner Bren Bren- ner nez- was one of ot that small army of oC obscure ure but highly capable experts who aro are connected with the New NewYork NewYork NewYork York police department and who are constantly being consulted on abstruse technical problems I but ut whose names and achievements rarely ge get into the public prints Ills His specialty was locks Jocks and burglars burglars' burglars burglars' burglars burglars' bur bur- tools and I doubt if it even among those exhaustively p painstaking pains pains- taking crImInologIsts of the University University Uni Uni- of Lau anne there was a amore amore amore more accurate reader of ot the evIdential evidential evi evI- signs left by the Implements implements impie- impie ments of ot housebreakers In appearance appearance ap ap- and bearing ho he was like a withered little mUe cottage professor His Ills black suit was old- old fashioned in cut and ho wore a avery avery avery very high stiff collar with a narrow black string tic tie Ills His rimmed gold spectacles s were so thick that the pupils In his eyes gave the ImpressIon impression impression im Im- im- im of at acute poisonIng poison poison- ing tog S When Heath had spoken to him he ho merely stood staring with a a. sort of oC detached expectancy ho he seemed seamed utterly unaware that there was any anyone one else in the room Tho The sergeant evidently familiar with the little mans man's idiosyncrasies of manner did not wait walt for tor a response but started at once for the bedroom bedroom bed bed- room S This way please Professor Protessor he ho directed cajolingly ly going to the dressing table and picking up the Jewel case Take a a. squint at this and tell me what you see Inspector Brenner followed Heath without looking lookIng- to right or left lett and taking th the jewel case went silently to the window and began to examine it Vance whose whoso Interest in interest In In- terest seemed suddenly to be re reawakened reawakened reawakened re- re awakened came forward and stood watching him For or fully five minutes minifies the little expert inspected the case holding It within a few inches of 01 his myopIc myopic myopic my my- eyes Then he lifted his glance to Heath and winked several times Umes rapidly Two instruments were used in opening this ibIs case His voice olce was small and hIgh pitched high pitched but there was in it an undeniable quality of authority One bent the lid and made several fractures on the baked enamel The Tho other others was I ij J should say a n. steel chisel of ot some flome kind and was used to break the lock Jock The Tho first Instrument which was I blunt was employed amateurishly at the wrong angle anglo of or leverage and the effort resulted only in twisting the overhang overhang- of ot the lid But tho the steer chisel was inserted with a t knowledge of the correct point of or where a n. minimum of ot leverage would produce the tho countering countering countering count count- ering st stress ss necessary to displace the tle A professional job suggested Heath Highly so answered tho the In Inspector inspector In- In again blinking bUnkIng That IsI is isto isto to sa say tho forcing of the lock Jock was I professional And I would even go o so 80 far tar as to advance the tho opinion that the instrument used was one especially constructed for such il illegal u- u legal purposes Could this have havo done to Job Heath held out the poker The Th other looked at it closely and turned it over several times It might have been the Instrument Instrument ment mont that bent the cover but It was not the one used for prying open the lock This poker is Js cast iron and would have snapped under any great pressure whereas this box is of cold rolled rotted gauge eighteen steel plate with an nn inset cylinder pin In tumbler lock taging a trio key The leverage force torce necessary noces- noces sary to distort the flange sufficiently sufficient sufficient- ly Jy to lift tho the lid could have been made only by a steel chisel Well that's that Heath seemed I well satisfied with Inspector Brenner's Brenners Brenners Brenner's Bren Bren- ners ner's conclusion Ill rn send the boy down to you 30 Professor ProCessor an J you youcan youcan can let me know what else you find out S Ill Til take it along if It you OU havo have no objection And the little man tucked it under his arm and shuffled out without another word Heath grinned at Markham Queer bird He happy unless unless un un- less hes he's measuring jimmy marks markson on doors and windows and things He lIe couldn't wait walt till I sent him tho box Hell He'll hold old it lovingly on his lap Jap all aU the way down Cown own In the subway like a mother with a baby Vanco Vance was still standing near the dressing table gazing perplexedly Into space Markham he lie said the condition condition condition con con- of ot that jewel case cuo is positively positively positively astounding Its It's unreasonable unreasonable unreason unreason- able illogical illogIcal It compU- compU cate the situation most damnably That steel box simply couldn't have havo been open by a profession sion slon burglar and yet dont don't donty y know It actually was Before Markham could reply a JI satisfied grunt from Captain DuboIs Dubols attracted our attention 4 Ive ve got something for you rou Sergeant Sergeant Ser Ser- geant he announced We Ve moved expectantly into tho the living room Dubois Dubols was bending over tho tIm end of the tho library table almost directly behind the place where Margaret Odell's body had b been en found He took out an which was wall like Uke a 4 very small hand bellows I and blew a a. fine light yellow powder I evenly over about a square foot toot of ol tho the polished rose wood surface of at the tho table top Then he gently blew away the tho surplus powder and there appeared the impression of 01 a a. human human hu hu- hu man hand distinctly Uy registered in saffron The bulb of ot the tho thumb and each fleshy hummock between tho the joints of ot the tho fingers and around the palm stood out like tiny Uny circular Islands All An the papillary ridges s were clearly clear clear- ly Jy discernible The photographer then hooked his camera to a 4 peculiar peculiar pe pe- pe- pe culiar adjustable tripod and carefully carefully care care- fully focusing his lens Ieni took two flashlight pictures of the hand mark This ought to do Dubois Dubols was as pleased with his find Its Us the right hand hand hand-a a clear print print and and the guy who made it was VAS standing right behind the dame And U its it's tho the newest print In the place What about this box Heath UN-th pointed to the black document boxon boxon box on m the table near the overturned o lamp amp lamp Not ot A a. mark wiped mark wiped clean DuboIs Dubols began belan put putting tin away his paraphernalia I I 1 say nay Captain Dubols DuboIs Interrupted Interrupted Inter Inter- Vance did you take taka a n. good look ook at tho tIm inside door knob of oC that clothespress 1 The man swung about abruptly and SIlO gave Vance Vanco a a. glowering look People aint in tho habit of ot handling the tho Inside knobs of closet doors They open and shut closets from the tho outside Vance raised his eyebrows in simulated astonishment Do they now really really Fancy Fancy that Still dont don't y know SCone if SC one were Inside the closet one couldn't read the outside knob The people I know dont don't shut themselves in clothes closets Dubois Dubois' Dubols' Dubols Du Du- Du- Du bois bols' tone tono was ponderously liar ear castle castic You Tou positively amaze me declared de de- de dared Vance All tho the I know are addicted to the tho habit a habit a sort of ot daily pastime dont don't y y know Ma Markham always diplomatic In- In What Idea have you OU about that closet Vance Alas i wish I J had one was the tho dolorous answer anser Its because I cant can't for tor the life Ufo of ot me mr make mako sense o of of Its neat and orderly appearance appearance appearance ap ap- ap- ap that Im I'm so interested in iU it Really neally y kno khow it should havo o been artistically looted Heath was not entirely free freo from the same vague misgivings that were disturbing Vance for he turned to Dubois Dubols and said MId You might go 0 over to the knob Captain As this gentleman says Kays theres there's something fun funny condition ot of that clo lo Dubois Dubols silent lent and Imd at stir r tho use closet door Ant and yellow powder over the tb 1 When ho he had blown th tb tides away awny ho he bent his magnifying gla glass s. s up and anti look of 11 ill natural Theres Theros fresh tresh print right he ho grudgingly and unless unions Im I'm made mado by the came hand t th tho table Doth Both thumb thumb- ulner loops and anti th the theare I Iare It are both whorl patterns rete lete he ho ordered th pt pW r mako make some somo shots of or tIM thi J When this had bad b bees en ta 1 bols bolli Bellamy and the r left us Ull A few moments la lat t interchange o of ot sani tor Moran loran also depart door ho passed two white uniform of intern come to take away the theTo theTo theTo To Bo Do tU SIt It Is an fth f l th the tho nineteen years carl he ha with the New ew department he bad erred frred lo to by his ordinates alike a the tb |