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Zurich Herald, 1938-08-11, Page 211:4 iyYi,'.74..w M4 :4::+1 14:147,44 2:14 X @war+7404 4:4.:.407 '.4. ...X.14:0102.14,P.. !�O .Y.:+14X. +'A41M1.20I} I' I )*f ►• , ki Kidnap by 14 el • '4+S. S. Van Dine g ur er. Case 4. P10 « 14A loXsexese*teted7m4atieee eeee. eeeteTeteTeYeYsYeYeYeniaTiesesYY a"teateYa7e:4YeY eTseeYsee Synopsis During the night Kaspar Kent - ling was kidnapped. Philo Vance, with District Attorney Markham go to the Kenting home there to meet Sergeant Heath of the Homi- cide Bureau, Kenyon Kenting and Mrs. Kenting, the brother and wife of the kidnapped man. Present also is Eldridge Fleel, the Kenting family attorney. The first evi- dence casts some doubt as to the genuineness off the crime. Vance examines Weems, the Kenting but- ler. CHAPTER IV "I'm beginning to see what you mean, Vance," said Markham. "Just a moment, Markham, old. dear. "If it had been Kaspar that Mrs. Kenting heard at six o'clock, be would hardly have had time, be- fore he scooted off at his wife's knock, to collect his comb and toothbrush and pyjamas. Why should the chappie have bothered to take them, in the first place? True, they are things he could well make use of on his hypothetical' jaunt for the purpose of getting hold of brother Kenyon's lucre, but he would hardly go to that trouble on so vital and all-import- ant a venture,—the toilet articles would be far too trivial and could easily be bought wherever he vas going, if he was finicky about such details. "Carryin' the supposition a bit forrader, he would have realized that the absence of these necess'ry articles would be highly suspicious and would point too obviously to the impression he would have wished to avoid—namely, his own wilful participation in the attempt to extort the fifty thousand dol- lars. I'd say, y' know, that these items for the gentleman's toilet were collected and taken away— in order to give just that im -ares- erj eee by the eeft-footed per eiff card by ears. Kenting, . . X70, no, Markham. The comb and the toothbrush and the pajamas and the shoes are only textural de- tails." "Well, what do you think hap- pened?" Markham asked in a sub- dued, worried tone. Till Three A.M. "Really, I don't know." Vance studied the tip of his cigarette with concern. "We do know, however, that Kaspar had an en- gagement last night which kept him out until three this morning; and that upon his return here he telephoned to someone and then changed to street clothes. It might therefore be assumed that he made some appointment to be kept between three and six and saw no necessity of going to bed in the interval. This would also account for the leisurely chang- ing of his attire; and it is highly possible he went quietly out through the front door when he fared forth to keep his early - morning rendezvous. Assumin' that this theory is correct, I'd say further that he expected to return anon, for he left all the lights on." "Even so," — Markham drew himself up with a slight show of annoyance—"why do you take it for granted that Kaspar Kenting is already dead?" "I don't take it for granted." Vance, too, drew himself up and spoke somewhat vigorously. "I said merely that I feared the Johnnie is already dead. Why ar- gue about the case, when, as yet, there is so little evidence to go on? . . . Let's dawdle about a bit longer and learn snore about things." found sweetening my morning cereal with BEE mVE Syrup aids p�#V digestions hhsuo No. 33—' "Learn what, and about what things?" Markham ahnost barked. "Really, if we knew, Markham, we wouldn't have to learn, would we? But Kenyon Kenting, I ween, harbors a number of fruitful items. .And ,then there's your friend, Mr. Pleel, the trusted Justinian of the Kenting house- hold. And Mrs. Keating herself might cast a few more rays of light into the darkness. And let's not overlook old Mrs. Kalloway— Mrs. Kenting's mother, y'know — who I think lives here. Excep- tional old dowager. I met her once or twice before she became an in- valid. Arid it could be that even the butler Weem would be willin' to spin a yarn or two," Footprints "All right;" Markham acquies- ced, "What is it you wish to focus your prodigious powers on first?" "My word, such flattery!" ex- claimed Vance, "I haven't a sin- gle prodigious power—I'm a mere broken reed. But I simply. can't bear not to inspect that ladder." We followed the Sergeant through the ponderous front door, down the stone steps, and across the flagstones. "Don't come too close," he ad- monished us with a solemn air. "There are footprints at the bot- tom of the ladder and we gotta for Cap Jerym's plaster save 'em casts." "Well, well," smiled Vance. "Maybe you'll permit me to come as near as Captain Jerynn will have to go to perform his sculpture?" "Sure." Heath grinned. "Look at this one, Mr. Vance," • —and the Sergeant pointed to an impression in the border of the hedge within a foot of where the ladder stood. "i,iy word!!" exclaimed Vance. Again taking out his monocle he adjusted it carefully and, kneeling (Own On the lawn, inspected the imprint, "You know, sir, we was lucky," Heath asserted. "It drizzled most of yesterday afternon, and around about eight o'clock last night it got to raining pretty hard, though it did clear up before midnight" No Heel Mark Vance's entire interest seemed to be centered on the footprint he was inspecting. At length he murmured without turning'. "Rath- er small footprint here — eh, what?" "I'll say it is," agreed Heath. "Miglita been a dame. And it looks like it was made with flat slippers of some kind. There's no heel mark." "No, no heel mark," • agreed Vance abstractedly. "But really, y' know, I should- n't say the print was made by a slipper—unless, of course, you wish to call a sandal a slipper." "Is that it, Mr. Vance?" The Sergeant was half contemptuous and half interested. "Yes, yes; rather plain," Vance returned in a low voice. "Not an ordin'ry sandal, either, A Chinese sandal I'd say. Slightly turned -up tip." "A Chinese sandal?" "More than likely, don't y' know." "I suppose you'll be telling us next that this whole case is just another Tong war." Heath evi- dently did not deem Vance's con- clusion worthy of serious consid- eration. Vance stepped past Heath and grasped the ladder with both hands., "Look out, sir:" cautioned Heath angrily. "You'll rnake fin- ger -prints on that ladder." Vance relaxed his hold on the ladder momentarily, and turned to Heath with an amused smile. "I'll at least give Dubois and Bellamy something to work on," he said lightly. "I fear there won't be any other finger -prints on this irrelevant exhibit. And it will be rather difficult to pin the crime on me. I've an unimpeach- able alibi. Sittin.' at home with. Van Dine here, and readin' a bed- time story from Boccaccio," A Slight Figure . Heath was spluttering. Before he could answer, Vance turned, grasped the ladder again, and lifts ed it so that its base was clear of the ground, Then he set it down several inches to the right, Before the Sergeant could pro- test Vance has thrown his cigar- ette carelessly away and was move ing quickly up the ladder, rung by rung. When he' was about three-quarters of the way up he stopped and made his way down, Again he lifted the ladder and moved it still farther to the right. There he went a second time on his knees and inspected the new imprints which the two uprights of the ladder had made in the ground, "Sergeant," Vance told him seriously, "the imprints I just made when I mounted the ladder are o:f practically the sante depth as the ieriprints made by the lad- der last night, Do you see the significance of the results of that little test of mine?" "It means several other things, And don't stew so horribly about your beloved hypothetical Linger- prints. Imprimis, it means that two Wren were not on the ladder at the same time last night—or, rather, this morning, Secondly, it means that whoever was on that ladder was a very slight person - who could not have weighed over 120 or 130 pounds, Thirdly, it means that Mr; Kaspar Keating was not kidnapped via yon open window at all." "Yes, sir. But where does that get us?" Chinamen Perhaps "The findings, as it were," con- tinued Vance, "taken in eonnee- tion with tlfe footprints, seem to tell us that a Chinese gentleman of small statue was the only per- son who used this ladder. Pure supposition, of course, Sergeant; but I rather opine that -e-" "Yes, yes," Markham inter- rupted, "You see some connection between these footprints and the more -or -less Chinese signature on . that ransome note." "Oh, quite — quite,"agreed Vance. "You show amazin' persp- Rural Residents ewe Advantages That the City Dweller Does Not Possess Nevertheless It's Better To Be Born In Town, Statistics Show ,The United States public health service points out that a big city is the safest place to spend the first year of life. "An infant," said Harold 1?. Dorn, Government statistician who has harvested a set of figures on country life versus city life, "is more likely to die before complet- ing the first year if born to par- ents in rural areas." Better For The First Year He said that the city baby lived under better sanitary and medical conditions, but that after the first year the nation's sick and death rates told another story. He add- ed: "Regardless of the way in which ill health is measured, rural residents possess definite advant- ages over urban residents," Crochet Lace Tea Cloth -4/22' _,\213 MAYFAIR. NO. 213 This smart peasant crochet lace insertion will make your linen cloth rich in beauty and lend a festive air to any occasion. It is charm- ing in white and beautiful when worked out in color. You will be able to find many uses for the crochet lace to enhance other household articles. The pattern contains crochet instructions without abbreviations, detail charts of stitches. used and instructions for finishing cloth. Send 15 cents for this pattern to Mayfair Needlework Dept., 421 Wilson Buildings, Toronto. icacity. That's precisely what I was thinkin'." "Arty other ideas, Vance?" Markham demanded somewhat peevishly. "Oh, no—not a thing, old dear." Vance cast a meditative glance back at the ladder and at the trimmed privet hedge behind it, which ran the full length of the house. He stood motionless for a moment and squinted. The Missing Comb "I say, Markham," he comment- ed in a low voice; "there's some- thing shining there in the hedge." As he spoke he moved quickly to a point just at the left of where the ladder now stood. Reaching forward with both hands, he separated the dense foliage and leaned over. as if Reeking' sone- thing. "Ah! , . . My word:" As Vance separated the foliage still farther, I saw a silver -backed dressing comb wedged between two closely forked branches of the privet. "You think that's Kaspar IKent- ing's missink comb?" asked .Mark- ham quickly,-. "It could" be, of course," nod- ded Vance. "What do you think about it?" "Oh, I'm not thinkin', Mark- . ham." Vance started toward the gate. "I'm utterly exhausted. Let's stagger back into the Kent- ing domicile." As we entered the front door, Mrs. Renting, Kenyon Kenting, and Flecl were just descending the stairs, Vance approached them and asked. "Do any of you happen to know anything about that ladder • in the yard?" "I never saw it before this morning," Mrs. Kenting answered slowly, hi a deadened voice. "Nor I," added her brother-in- law." "You're quite sure, Mrs, Kent- ing," pursued Vance, "the 'ladder deeehtt belong here?" "Tin quite sure it doesn't be- long here," she said in the same muffled tone of voice," "Most curious," murmured Vance. He reached in his pocket, brought out the comb he had foiled le the privet hedge, and held it nut to the wnmaw, "By the way, Mrs. Kenting, is this, by any chance, your hus- band's comb?" What About Your Brother? "Yes, yes!" she exclaimed al- most inaudibly. "That's Kaspar's comb. Where did you find it, Mr. Vance—and what does it mean?" "I found it in the privet hedge just beneath his window," Vance told her. "But I don't know yet what it means, Mrs. Henting." Before the woman could ask further questions Vance turned quickly to Kenyon Kenting and said: "We should like to have a chat with you, Mr. Kenting. Where cen we go ?" The pian Iooked around as if slightly dazed and undecided. "I think the den might be the best place," he said, Kenyon Keating followed us in- to the den and, closing the door, stepped to a large leather arm- chair, and sat down uneasily. "I will be very glad to tell you anything I know," he assured us. Then he added, "But I'in afraid I can be of little help," "That, of course, remains to be seen," murmured Vance. "First of all, we wish to know just what the financial arrangement is be- tween you and your brother. I understand that when your father died the estate was all left at your disposal, and that whatever mon• - ey Kaspar Kenting should receive would he snb ert ti your discre- tion." "That is: quite right. Fleet, how- ever, was appointed the custodian, so: to speak, of the estate, And I wish to assure you that not only have I maintained this house for Kaspar, but have given him even more money than I thought was good for him." "When was the last tune you saw your brother?" WHEN IN TORONTO SEE CASA LOMA `lir :tIetmy Pellntt million dollar Cos- tle.-on-'.ire-Itfl1, Sp,arlinaa Road, Tor- onto, 'flour's tour tht•o. t :Lytle, tow- er, tunnel, stables, art t;+xllerios, and coronation room Spealal exhibits and souvenirs, SOC "The Pall or Nine- veh," (the Icing and his wives), painted by order of late Tihnneror Joseph of Austria --pias 23 life else figures on a cainvas, 28 feet x 13 Net, and the Vimy -Memorial, Open 10 till 3 par. Adults, 25c—(1 fad Vocabulary Larger Than Shakespeare's Average College Student Today Knows 176,000 Words— The Great Dramatist Used Only 15,000 To 20,000 Dr, Robert Seashore, Associate Professor of Psychology at the Northwestern University, said recently that the average Ameri- can college student has a much larger vocabulary than the 15,000 words with which he is credited. Most students can recognize 02,- 000 root words and 114,000 "de- rived" words, making a total of 176,000, which seems an extreme- ly extensive vocabulary, especial- ly when we realize that Shakes- peare dict not use more than frbn 15,000 to 20,000 words, and Mil= ton half that number. The highly educated English- man uses more than 4,000 differ- ent words to express himself, and most of them rub along excellent- ly on about 400. Our language contains about 400,000 words and is the most expressive on earth, but many of them are technical or used only in certain trades and professions. Twins Are Linked By Strange onds It's One of Nature's Mysteries That Twins Oftentimes Do And Think The Same Things The miracles of twin affinities have recently been augmented by an amazing case recorded in Bel- fast. The twins were men, aged 41, one of whom was admitted to hos- pital apparently suffering from a, severe internal ulcer. On the next day his brother, bis opposite • in physique, entered the very same hospital with a similar com- plaint! Coincidence, you say. But this is by no means an isolated"incid- ent. Same Operation Twins named Merger were last year operated on, in Illinois, for appendicitis at the same time. Recently twins, unknown to each other, fixed the sante date for their weddings, and were married simultaneously in Liver- pool and Blackburn, England, It is not unusual for identical twins even to have the same dreams or nightmares, though the dreamers may be miles apart at the time. At a dinner party it's consider- ed proper for engaged couples to sit together but customary for married pairs to separate — life is like that! "The day before yesterday." "And did your brother bring up the subject of finances on Mon- day?" (CONTINUED NEXT ISSUE) Dentists recommend Wrigfleyisa Gum as an aid to strong, healthy teeth, cleanses them of food par- ticles, massages the gums. Aidsdi- gcstion, relieves stuffy feeling after meals. Helps keep you healthy! 'fake some home for the children too— they will love ill ssse Salty Water Halts Heat Exhaustion Five Grains of Salt Added to a Glass of Water Are A Great Help In Hot Weather. ;♦lost people are aware of the symptoms of heat exhaustion. They are general depression, headache, dizziness, nausea, diarrhoea and stomach distress. In the severer. forms muscle cramps occur as well and as a result of a suggestion by J. B. S. Haldane, eminent English physiologist, a group of mine work-,.., ers were induced to try salty wat er. ,The results were magical. There were no further attacks of cramps and much less complaint of fatigue than formerly. ' The objection to this fora: of ,a treatment is the salty testa. This has been overcome by the teee of 5 - grain salt tablets to which, as a further improvement, 5•graius of dextrose are added. In the Journal of Industrial Hy- giene for December 1931, are given some interesting data on the bene- fits of salt taken in tablet form by workers in a large steel plant. There were some 3500 men at work in the plant, In the summer of the year '1927, heat cramps were res- ponsible for the loss of 43 working days 'among this group. The use of salt was begun in the following year with the result that only nine days were lost. In 1929 the loss was but 4 days and in 1930 none. The means of prevention of the ill effects of heat exhaustion are simple. Ordinarily the use of 5 grains of salt with each drink of water is ample. Try it! Tie Up Soap The elusive cake of soap that often turns a shower bath into a game of bide -and -seek can be kept in plain sight by a length of thick cotton cording, the kind dress- makers use: Bore a hole in the soap with an ice pick or some such sharp in- strument, and insert a good long piece of the cording. Fasten the ends securely. The soap can then be worn necklace -fashion while you are doing your lathering, and anchored onto the faucets while you are rinsing off the suds. ..,; 00 a.. New LwPrc prestone ERE'S your big oppor- tunity to save money on tires. Go to ' your local. Firestone Dealer and ask him for the new low-priced Firestone Standard. It's a first class tire in every respect. —made of high quality ma- terials to Firestone standards of quality and fully guaran- teed. It gives you everything you need—safety, long mile.{ age, dependable, carefree service—all at thrifty prices. Drive in to the Firestone Dealer's today and see this remarkable tire --the greatest Firestone ever built atthese low prices.