| Show t I 1 I I The KENNEL MURDER CASE CASEBy By S. S S. S Van Dine I Copyright b by W. W 1 H. H I. I Wright SYNOPSIS Philo Vance Vines crime eipert spert gates cat th the supposed suicide of Archer Co Co With District Attorney Markham B. B goes eoe o to Coca Cae hou house They The find And Wred Wreda a friend of 01 Coea Coe there thera also so Ora a guest The door of the death chamber li Is bolted from the In- In rids Ide ald They force lore It Co Coe I li Is seated a revolver In his bl right hand and a bullet bullet bul bul- let hole bole In la his bli temple Markham think It I In is suicide Vance says It le la murder Medical Examiner declare Co Co had been dead for lor hours houra when hen the It bullet entered his hll heRd head A wound mad b by a dagger li le found on the body bool and there thre li Is proof that Co Coe Co w. w was ws-s lull fully folly dressed when he was wai tabbed The Investigators rind and a wounded Mounded terrier In a room of the lb Co Coe home bout Vance declares the animal ani ani- mat mal will wilt prove an Important connecting connect connect- log ing- link Co Coe Cae Archers Archeri brother broth r er I I. I believed to ha have left for lor Chicago th the previous afternoon but hie hla dead bod body U la discovered In a closet In th the Co Coe Co home Vane Vance Interrogates the tha Chih Chinee Chi Chi- nee Its co cook COk k Ulna Liang Brisbane died from froma ft a stab etab In th the back ai as In Archer Archeri male Vane Vanoe searching arching Brisbane coat finds Byrd waxed waud thread attached to a bent pin Din ln and a darning needle D By manipulating lating th the string th the th bent pin and anI th the darning need needle I. I Vane Vance bolt bolts Archer Coo Coe door floor from th the outside Vance Vane lInd th the owner of 01 a dog doC Wrede had owned n and given elyen away awa and anI determines that th the animal uttered suffered treatment Ill at t Wrede Wrede's hanl hand handa Ors Oruel ai Is Ii stabbed tabbed He JI e says sayi he b. did not net see eee e his hi mysterious assailant who cam came In at night Vane Vance pets et ti out with th the Scottie Scott to determine th the tb dogs doc ownership 1 CHAPTER IX Continued IX-Continued Continued k 13 13 Wrede had bad remained Indoors all alt day and bad had telephoned to Markham twice and offered to give fire In whatever assistance assistance assist assist- ance pace he be could Hilda Lake had bad gone out about ton ten o'clock in 10 the morning dressed In 10 sports ports clothes When Heath had bad asked her where she was Ill going she had bad told him nonchalantly that she abe was going to take a drive In 10 the country The den window slit had bad been gone rone brer nr carefully for fingerprints but Without results A general routine Investigation In In- had been put In operation b by the sergeant but aside from this nothing had bad been done f The case has bas me bogged Markham Mark- Mark Markham ham barn complained sadly at dinner that night bight I see no 00 way out of the al situa tua- tua 1 lion tion Even If it we knew who committed the crimes we couldn't show bow how they were accomplished unless accomplished unless the guilty I person himself chose choso to tell lell us And rind that attack on Grass Grassl Instead of helping us us It has only put us deeper depper Into the well And theres there's nothing to take hold of All the ordinary avenues of Df Investigation are closed Heaven knows there are are enough people who might have done It and It-and and there are enough motives mothes for a en murders Sad sad sad sighed Vance My heart bloods bleeds for you dont don't y know v Still theres there's some simple explanation It Its It's a deucedly complicated puzzle a puzzle a with apparently meaningless meaning It less words nut Hut once we have the key letter tetter the rest of ot It will fall Into place And the key kel letter may be the I Im I'm hopin for the best besL You might con confide de In me the exact condition condl condi lion tion of the Coe domicile tonight Theres little to confide Markham told him Heath has hag done the usual things and gone home f c lion ever hes he's left two men on 00 guard one lIoe In to the street and one at the rear 5 of Df the house bouse Grassl Crass has bas remained In io iol l' l Ms Itts room alt all day Heaths day Heaths Heath's last report i to me was that the gentleman had bad gone tone to bed The lock on his door by bythe bythe the way wal has been fixed flied so 80 hell he'll probably I ably Uve live the night through Miss Lake came In just as the sergeant ergeant was goRy go- go Ing By Ry y the way she took the news newl of stabbing rather bard hard bard 1 Vance looked up quickly I say aay that's most e The Chinaman did not leave the house house bouse Markham continued and told 11 Heath he be preferred to remain until the guilty person had bad been brought to I Justice 1 I J 1 do hope he be hasn't too long to walt wait Vance sighed Rut nut Its It's Just as asI aswell I well If It Liang stays with us u. I 1 feel feell l' l that hes he's going to be most helpful to tous tous us anon And you Markham old I dear ilear what have you been doing Milk Investigations I l suppose suppose and and committees committees commit commit- tees of eminent citizens who wish to toI uplift the drama drama and and Interviews with I I aldermen about all Markham conj conI con con- j I feared What would you have hate suggested sug sug- seated rested 7 7 L Really neally Markham I hadn't a sug sug- suggestion today Vance leaned back In 10 r t 1 his chair nut Hut tomorrow tomorrow- t r Youre so 80 helpful and satisfying I I Markham snapped napped CHAPTER X The Scotties Scottie's Trail Tran I At nine o'clock the following mornIng morn morn- Ing lag Vance called at the offices of the American I Kennel ennel club and explained f to the secretary Mr Perry li It Rice nice the nature of the Information he sought fought Mr Rice Ulce Introduced us to Mrs Irs I Del Iel el tempo the head of the show de de- de- de Mrs Del Campo Carapo when Mr Ulce explained to her what Vance ance wanted anted II found round the marked markell Englewood catalogue Turning to the Scottish ter ter- terrier rier tIlt she ran her finger down tx tI Ira IRI Puppy entries until sin sin- mo n t o KIP 01 ninnor ninner of r th the class The owners owner's name W was l given as Julius Tullus and the name of the dog Itself as Miss MacTavish Then Theo followed the A. A K I C. C Stud nook Book nume number num oum ber bee and the date of birth November hirth-November November 20 of ot the preceding year The sire of the bitch was given as Champion Autocrat and the dam as Lovelace The breeder was Henry D D. D Busby Vance made a note of these data and expressed his hi admiration for Cor the A. A K C C. system When we arrived at the district attorneys attorney's attorneys attorney's attorneys attorney's at at- torney's office offee on 00 the fourth floor of the Criminal Courts building Markham Mark Mark- ham was In to conference with Sergeant Heath the district attorneys attorney's secretary ushered us Immediately Into Markhams Markham's private office Things are ar moving Vance sat down and took out his cigarette caseI caseI case cue I hue have Just come from the American Kennel club and ha have ve discovered a abit abit abit bit of most Information The wounded Scottie Markham belongs belongs be be- longs to none other than Julius Illg lug And who might he be be e Vance Vancel And why docs does the fac fact Interest you 7 I have hue met lies lie's a member of the Crestview Country club dub and he has hu a large country estate at it Mount where he spends his entire time living what he Imagines to tobe tobe tobe be the life Ilfe of a country gentleman gentleman- Heath sat forward In 10 his chairIt chair It was the Crestview Country club at it Mount Vernon he Interjected where Miss Lake ake and Grass went to a dance Wednesday night And that's not oot all Sergeant Vance sprawled luxuriously In his chair and took a deep Inhalation frig Illg knew Archer Coe pretty well Several years ago Inherited from an ao aunt a very floe fine collection of early earll Chinese paintings mady nady of which Coe bought from himat him at it a preposterously low price Is something of a gay bird the sporting type of man and mao and knew nothing of the value of the paintings After he had sold them to Coe he learned earned from Crom a dealer that the they were very cry valuable and there was conse- conse quent talk In 10 certain New York art circles to the effect that O Coe e had put over ver a shrewd and somewhat unethical deal leal on as 81 is I know took the matter cp up with Coe Joe but without any success and there here has haa been a certain amount of bad ad blood between them ever since was a major In the World war and Is a hotheaded sort of ot ota oft a t chap Markham beat bent a nervous tattoo on the he desk Well where does that get us he asked Are you Implying that bottom came down from Mount Vernon with his dog and murdered Coe I Good Lord no not nol I Vance made a slight gesture of annoyance Im not oot anything I am merely re- re portia my DIY findings Rut I must con con- less ess that I find the relationship between between be- be tween the Scottie and Major bottom and Archer Coe a bit antis satis- I am motoring Immediately to Mount Vernon where I hope to have bue polite and serious serious and and I 1 trust Ulu Intercourse Intercourse with the major concerning Miss MacTavish Would you IOU care to hear the result of ot my social endeavors 7 Ill In be here all afternoon Markham Mark Mark- ham lam answered glumly It was a pleasant drive to Mount Vernon Pernon in 10 the brisk October air We had iad little difficulty In finding the Illg- Illg estate anI and we were ere lucky enough nough to find the major sitting on the he big colonial front porch He lie welcomed Vance effusively and Invited us to sit down and have a highball To what wha t do de I 1 owe the honor of this thus call all sir He lIe spoke with hospitable good nature I r P p i really delighted You Vou should come ener Id d be Ie charmed Vance ance sat down beside reside a small glass table Rut nut today tOllay i Major d' d ye see I hopped out here hereon herein in on a little matter of business The truth is Is Im I'm dashed Interested In Ini ina a i Scottie bitch belonging to you you you- you Miss Miss who MacTavIsh-who who was shown at Ingle lingle- wood At the mention of the dogs dog's name gave ga a loud cough pushed his chair back with a scraping scrap ing log sound and glanced over his shoulder shoulder shout der to the open window leading Into the house The man seemed deeply perturbed and his tone of voice and his lits manner when he be answered struck me as most peculiar pecullar Yes yes of course he be blustered rising and walking toward the front steps J I 1 rarely go to dog shows any anymore more By ny the way wal Mr Vance I want waat to show you my roses rose And he walked down the stairs toward a small ro rose e garden at the right Vance lifted his eyebrows eyebrow In mild astonishment and followed his host When we were out of hearing of the house the major placed his hand on Vances Vance's shoulder and spoke confidentially fly Py gad sir I I 1 hope tny my wife didn't bear hear that tha t question of yours She's generally In the drawing room during the mornings and the windows were open lie Ile appeared troubled Yes Yea sir It would be most annoying If It she heard It I t didn't mean to be Impo Impo- lite sir sir sir-no no sir by gad I but I-but but you startled me for a moment A most trying and delicate situation He lie put his head a little closer to Vance Where did you hear of that little bitch of mine were mine were you at the Englewood Englewood Englewood Engle- Engle wood show and 7 and why should you IOU be Interested 7 He lie glanced again over his shoulder toward the porch George GeorgeI I I hope your lour question didn't reach my ml wife's ears ears Vance looked at the man mao quizzically Come come Major he said pleas pleas- antly antsy It really cant can't be so serious I was not at Englewood and I never Dever saw law Miss MacTavIsh until the day before yesterday The tact fact of the matter matter matter mat mat- ter Is Major your little bitch Is now In io my apartment In 10 New York You dont don't say Io In I-In In your lour apartment apartment apart apart- ment menU seemed vastly astonished How did she get there there there- I dont don't understand at all This Is le most peculiar Mr Vance Pray enlighten me me But nut she Is your dog Is she not oot Major Vance asked quietly Well well the well the fact tact Is that to-that that thatIs Is to say say say- was spluttering spluttering spluttering with embarrassment Yes Yes yes I suppose you would say that I am the technical owner of her nut But I 1 haven't seen her for over six months You see Mr Vance Its It's this way way- way way-I way I gave Miss MacTavish away to toa toa toa a friend of mine mine mine-a a very verI dear friend y r y understand understand-In In New York Ah Ah breathed Vance looking up at atthe atthe atthe the cerulean sky skI And who Major might this friend be began to splutter again with an added show of Indig indig- nation By gad Mr Vance I I 1 cant can't see- see really I cant can't see see what what possible concern concern con coo cern that Is of any ono r a I Jl L r W She Always Gets Cete Under My Feet When Im I'm Serving and of course the recipient It was a purely private transaction I I might say a personal transaction transaction- Major Vance Interrupted brusquely brusque brusque- ly 1 I am not prying Into your private affairs nut But a rather serious matter matler has arisen anI and It will be lie much better for Cor you to confide In me than to have havethe havethe havethe the district attorney summon you to his office little eyes ys opened very wide and he fumbled tumbled with the ashes In his pipe The fact Is Is Mr Vance I have a avery avery avery very dear friend In New v York York York-a a ayoung young woman woman woman-a a very charming young woman I might say say lay Its JIs like this Mr Vance I come cometo cometo cometo to the city quite often often orten-cn on business y y l' understand understand and and enjoy a night club and the theater now nolY and then and and and- you know how It Is Is J I dont don't care to togo togo togo go alone and Mrs has no Interest In such frivolous things things- Pray fray dont don't make apologies Major Vance put In What did you say the young ladys lady's name was Miss Doris Dla and field field and and a very fine young woman she Is Comes of an excellent family family- And It II was Miss to whom you gave the dog dOl sir six months ago hats right But Hut Im I'm most anxious to keep the matter a secret You see Mr Vance a nee I wouldn't care to have Mrs Irs know v of It It as she might not understand exactly Im lm sure she wouldn't Vance murmured mur mur- And I quite sympathize with your predicament And where does Miss Delafield live Major Majorr At the Belle Relle elle Maison apartments at 00 90 West Seventy first street Vances Vance's eyes flickered very slightly as 81 he took out a cigarette and lighted It II slowly That the small apartment house bouse Just across the vacant lot from Archer Coes Coe's residence Isn't It right The fact Is Mr Vance ance I 1 was calling on 00 Miss eld the very night he was murdered Indeed Major I That's most Inter estin Vance leaned over o and snapped off a dead lest leaf from m one Of the Talisman Tails Talis man maa bushes Uy Ity 1 the b by Major he went on In an offhand tone little Miss was found In the Coe house the next morning a rather vicious wound across her head The majors major's pipe fell feU from his mouth to the lawn and was Ignored nored He Ile stared at Vance like ute a man mao transfixed trans tran fixed and the blood went from his bis hi face I I really I really Are you you sure sureT surer be he |
