Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Tht BarawjtU Ptople-S^ntinel. Bthw>||. 8/C. Thuraday, April 8, 1937 £ THE GARDEN MURDER CASE by S. S. VAN DINE -r - CHAPTER VII—Continued —11— • *Oh, Markham—my dear Mark- lam!” Vance shook kis head sadly. “However ... As you any. There h something back of the lady’s his trionics. She has ideas. But she’s circuitous. And she wants us to be Ike those Chinese gods who can't proceed except in a straight line. Had But let’s try makin’ a turn. The situation is something like this: An ■nhappy lady slips out through the ftotler’s. pantry and presents herself on the roof-garden, hopin’ to^attract our attention. Having succeeded, she informs us that she has proved conclusively that a certain Mr. Kroon has done away with Swift be cause of amorous jealousy. The la dy herself, let us assume, is the spumed and not the spurner. She resents it. She has a temper and is vengeful—and she comes to the roof here for the sole purpose of convincing us that Kroon is guilty.” “But her story is plausible enough,” said Markham aggressive ly. ‘‘Why try to find hidden mean ings in obvious facts? Kroon could have done it. And your psychologi cal theory regarding the woman's motives eliminates him entirely.” “It doesn’t eliminate him at all. R merely tends to jnvolve the lady in a rather unpleasant bit Of chican ery. The fact is, her little drama here on the roof may prove most illuminatin’.” Vance stretched his legs out be fore him and sank deeper into his chair. “Curious situation. Y’ know, Markham, Kroon deserted the party about fifteen or twenty minutes be fore the big race—legal matters to attend to for a maiden aunt, he ex plained—and he didn’t appear again anti! after I had phoned you. As sumed immediately that Swift had shot himself. Doubt inspired me to converse with the elevator boy. I learned that Kroon had not gone down or up in the elevator since his arrival here early in the afternoon M “What’s that!” Markham ex claimed. “That’s more than sus picious—taken with what we have Jest heard from this Miss Weather- “I dare say.” Vance was unim pressed. ‘The legal mind at work. But from my gropin’ amateur point of view, I’d *ant more—oh, much ■tore. However,”—Vance rose and Mditated a moment—‘Til admit that a bit of lovin' communion with Mr. Kroon is definitely indicated.” He turned to Heath. “Send the chap- pie up. will you. Sergeant?” Heath nodded and started toward the door. “And Sergeant.” Vance halted Mm; “you might question the ele vator boy and find out if there is any one else in the building whom Kroon is in the habit of callng on. If co, follow it up with a few discreet laquines ” Heath vanished down the stairs, end a minute or so later Kroon saun tered into the study with the air of a man who is bored and not a little annoyed “1 suppose I’m in for some more tricky questions,” he commented. After glancing about him. Kroon sat down leisurely at one end of the davenport. The man's manner, I could see, infuriated Markham, who leaned forward and asked in sold anger: “Have you any urgent reasons for ebjecting to give us what assistance you can in our investigation of this murder?” Kroon raised his eyebrows. “None whatever,” he said with calm superiority. “I might even be able to tell you who shot Woody.” “That's most interestin’,” mur mured Vance, studying the man in differently. "But we'd much rath er find out for ourselves, don’t y* know.” Kroon shrugged maliciously and maid nothing. “When you deserted the party this afternoon, Mr. Kroon,” Vance went on. “you gratuitously informed us that you were headed for a legal conference of some kind with a maiden aunt. Would you object to giving us, merely as a matter of record, the name and address of your aunt, and the nature of j^he legal documents?” “I most certainly would object,” returned Kroon coolly. “I fail to see why you should be interested in my family affairs.” Markham swung round toward the man. “That’s for us to decide,” he snapped. “Do you intend to answer Mr. Vance’s question?” Kroon shook his head. “I do not! I regard that question as incompetent, irrelevant, and im material. Also frivolous.” “Yes, yes.” Vance smiled at Markham. “It could be, don’t y’ know. However, let it pass, Mark ham. Present status: Name and address of maiden aun^, unknown; nature of legal documents, un known; reason for the gentleman’s reticence, also unknown.” Markham resentfully mumbled a few unintelligible words and re sumed smoking his cigar while Vance continued the interrogation. “I say, Mr. Kroon, would you also consider it irrelevant—and the rest •f the legal verbiage—if I asked you by what means you departed and returned to the Garden apartment?” Kroon appeared highly amused. “I'd consider it irrelevant, yes; hot since there is only one sane way 1 could have gone and come back. Copjrifht S. S. ,Van Diaa WNU Scrvict I’m perfectly willing to confess to you that I took a taxicab to and from my.aunt’s.” - Vance gazed up at the ceiling as he smoked. “Suppose,” he said, “that the ele vator boy should deny that he took you either down or up in the car since your first arrival here this afternoon. What would you say ? ” “I’d say that he had lost his mem ory—or was lying.” “Yes, of course. The obvious re tort. Quite.” Vance’s eyes moved slowly to the man on the davenport. ‘You will probably have the oppor tunity of saying just that on the wit ness stand.” Kroon’s eyes narrowed and his free reddened. Before he could speak, Vance went on. “And you may also have the op portunity of officially giving or with holding your aunt’s name and ad dress. The fact is, you may find yourself in the most distressin’ need of an alibi.” Kroon sank back on the davenport with a supercilious smile. “You’re very amusing,” he com mented lightly. “What next? If you’ll ask me a reasonable ques tion, I’ll be only too happy to an swer.” “Well, let’s see where we stand.” Vance suppressed an amused smile. ‘You left the apartment at approx imately a quarter to four, took the elevator downstairs and then a taxi, A Settlement Was Reached. went to your aunt's to fusr a bit with legal documents, drove back in a taxi, and took the elevator upstairs. Bein’ gone a little over half an hour. During your absence Swift was shot. Is that correct?” “Yes.” Kroon was curt. “But how do you account for the fact that when I met you in the hall on your return, you seemed miracu lously cognizant of the details of Swift's passing?” “We’ve been over that, too. I knew nothing about it. You told me Swift was dead, and I merely surmised the rest.” “Yes—quite. No crime in accu rate surmisals. Deuced queer co incidence, however. Taken with oth er facts. As likely as a five-horse win parlay. Extr’ordin’ry.” “I’m listening with great inter est.” Kroon had again assumed his air of superiority. “Why don’t you stop beating about the bush?”- “Worth-while suggestion.” Vance crushed out his cigarette and got up. “What I was leadin’ up to was the fact that someone has def initely accused you of murdering Swift.” Kroon started, and his face went pale. After a few moments he forced a harsh gutteral noise in tended for a laugh. “And who, may I ask, has ac cused me?” ‘.‘Miss Madge Weatherby.” One corner of Kroon’s mouth went up in a sneer of hatred., “She would! And she probably told you that it was a crime of pas sion—caused by an uncontrollable jealousy.” “Just that,” nodded Vance. “It seems you have been forcing your unwelcome attentions upon her, with dire threats; whereas, all the time, she was madly enamored of Mr. Swift. And so, when the strain became too great, you eliminated your rival.” “Well, I’ll be damned!” Kroon thrust his hands deep into his pock ets. “I see what you’re driving at. Why didn't you tell me this in the first place?” “Waitin’ for the final odds,” Vance returned. “You hadn’t laid your bet. But now that I’ve told you, do you care to give us the name and address of your maiden aunt and the nature of the legal documents you had to sign?” “That’s all nonsense,” Kroon spluttered. “I don’t need an alibi. When the time comes—” CHAPTER Vm At this moment Heath appeared at the door, and walking directly to Vance, handed him a page torn from his note-book, on which were several lines of handwriting. not Vance read the note rapidly aa Kroon looked on with malignant re sentment. Then he folded the papet •no slipped it Into his pocket. “When the time comes . . ./• he murmured. "Yes—quite.” He raised his eyes lazily to Kroon. “Aa you say. When the time comes. The time has now Kroon.” The man stiffened, Wit apeak. “Do you, by any chance,” Vance continued, “know a lady named Stella Fruemon? Has a snug little apartment on the seventeenth floor of this building—only two floors be**' low. Says you were visitin’ her around four o’clock today. Left her at exactly four-fifteen. Which might account for your not using the ele vator. Also for your reluctance to give us your aunt’s name and ad dress. Might account for other things as well . . . Do you care to revise your story?” Kroon appeared to be thinking fast. He walked nervously up and down the study floor. “Puzzlin’ and interestin’ situa tion,” Vance went on. “Gentleman leaves this apartment at—let’s say —ten minutes to four. Family doc uments to sign. Doesn’t enter the elevator. Appears in apartment two floors below within a few minutes— been a regular visitor there. Re mains till 4:15. Then d2parts. Shows up again in this apartment at half-past four. In the meantime, Swift is shot through the head— exact time unknown. Gentleman Is apparently familiar with various details of the shooting. Refuses to give information regarding his whereabouts during his absence. A lady accuses him of the murder, and demonstrates how he could have accomplished it. Also kindly supplies the motive. Fifteen min utes of gentleman’s absence—name ly, from 4:15 to 4:30—unaccounted for.” Vance drew on his cigarette. “I say, Mr. Kroon, any sugges tions?” Kroon came to a sudden halt and swung about. He sucked in a deep noisy breath and made a despairing gesture. "All right, here’s the story. Take it or leave it. I’ve been mixed up with Stella Fruemon for the past year. She’s nothing but a gold-dig ger and blackmailer. Madge Weath erby got on to it She’s the jealous member of this combination—not me. And she cared about as much for Woode Swift as I did. Anyway, I got involved with Stella Fruemon. It came to a show-down, and I had to pay through the nose. To avoid scandal for my family, of .course. At any rate, we each got our law yers, and a settlement was reached. She finally named a stiff figure and agreed to sign a geneflal release from all claims. In the circum stances, I had no alternative. Four o’clock today was the time set for the completion of the transaction. My lawyer and hers were to be at her apartment. The certified check and the papers were ready. So I went down there a little before four to clean up the whole dirty busi ness. And I cleaned it up and got out. I had walked down the two flights of stairs to her apart ment, and at 4:15. when the hold-up was over, I walked back up the stairs.” Kroon took a deep breath and frowned. “I was so furious—and relieved— that I kept on walking without real izing where I was going. When I opened the door which I thought led into the public hallway outside the Garden apartment. I found I was on the terrace of the roof. When I saw where I was I thought I’d come through the garden and go down the stairway there. It was really the natural thing to do . . .” “You knew about the gate lead ing into the garden, then?” “I’ve known about.it for years. Everybody who’s been up here knows about it. Anything wrong with my knowing about the gate?” “No. Quite natural. And so, you opened the gate and entered the garden?” “Yes.” “And that would be between a quarter after four and twenty min utes after four?” “I wasn’t holding a stop-watch on myself, but I guess that’s close enough . . . When I entered the garden I saw Swift slumped down in his chair. His position struck me as funny, but I paid no attention to it until I spoke to him and got no answer. Then I approached and saw the revolver lying on the tiles, and the hole in his head. It gave me a hell of a shpcl^ I can tell you, and I started to run downstairs to give the alarm. But I realized it' would look bad for me. There I was, alone on the roof with a dead man IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL UNOAY I chool Lesson By REV. HAROLD L. LUNDQUIST. Dean at Um Moody BIblo InatituU of • Waatem AROUND >h. HOUSE Items of Interest the Housewife of Chicago. Nawapapar Union. Lesson for April 11 come, Mr! THE 8D1 0F ADAM AND EVE LESSON TEXT—GeneaU 3:1^5. GOLDEN TEXT—Tha soul that alnneth, it shall die. Ezek. 18:4. PRIMARY TOPIC—In tha Garden oi Eden. JUNIOR TOPIC—Trying to Hide From God. INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC— What Sin la and Does. YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC— The Consequences of Sin. “Ah, yes. Discretion.. So you played safe. Can’t say that I blame you entirely—if your chronology is accurate. So, I take it, you re-en tered the public stairway and came down to the front door of the Gar den apartment.” “That’s just what I did.” “By and by, during the brief time you were on the roof, or even often you returned to the stairway, did you hear a shot?” Kroon thought a moment. (TO BE CONTINUED) Second Co-Ed School Guilford college, in North Caroli na, was tha second coeducational school in tha United Statos. “One of the curiosities of the Brit ish Museum is a brick from the walls of ancient Babylon which bears the imprint of one of Baby lon’s mighty kings. Right over the center of the royal seal is deeply impressed the footprint of a ‘pariah’ dog which apparently trod upon it when it was soft and plastic. Ixmg ► ages have passed; the king’s su perscription is visible but defaced; the footprint of the dog is clear and sharply defined. “Human nature is like that brick. . . Man originally was made in the image of God, but over the royal beauty of the Divine likeness there has boen superimposed the dirty disfigurement of the Devil’s imprint” (D. E. Hart-Davies). Last Sunday we saw the heavens and earth, the animals, yes, the en tire creation crowned by man him self, as it had come from the hand of God— “and behold it was very good” (1:31). But, sadly enough, it did not long remain so, for sin which had already entered the uni verse soon found its way into the world. God created Adam in his own likeness and image, gave him “a helpmeet unto him,’’ and placed him in perfect surroundings. He gave him congenial employment, and above all the inestimable privi lege of fellowship wiih Him. But because man was not a mere automaton—a toy in the hands of a superior being—God gave him the power of moral choice, the oppor tunity to exercise his God-given per sonality in making that choice. Obe dience is the underlying moral prin ciple of the universe. Today we go with Eve and Adam into that cataclysmic experience which we call “the Fall of Man.” for as we read in Romans S:12. “by one man sin entered into the world, and death by am; to death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” I. Temptation (w. 1-9). Satan is not a cloven-hoofed mon strosity with a forked tail and a trident in his hand. No, indeed, he is more subtle then anything in creation. We retd that he is “trans formed into an angel of light” (II Cor. 11:14). His approach in our day is as smooth, and cultured as It was in the garden of Eden. An example is the insidious liquor ad vertising of our day. Another is his use of the man who stands be hind the pulpit or sits in the profes sor’s chair and destroys the Chris tian faith of young men and women. Note the five steps in the fall of man: 1. Listening to a slander against God (Satan lied about God). 2. Doubting God’s Word and love (If we trust God we will obey him). 3. Looking at that which God has forbidden (The eye will betray us unless we guard it). 4. Lusting after what God had prohibited (Compare Genesis 3:6 with I John 2:6). 5. Disobedience to God’s com mand. II. Sin (v. 6). Sin is deliberate transgression, not a natural weakness, nor a ne cessity. It showed itself in its true light when it at once reached out and dragged down another. We do not sin alone for very long. III. Consequences (vv. 7-15, also 16-19). 1. The serpent is cursed. 2. Sin, death and condemnation enter the world. 3. Sorrow is linked with mother hood.. 4. Responsibility and headship Is given to man. 5. The ground is cursed and tne burden of labor introduced. IV. Redemption (v. 15). Here we have the first promise of redemption, and the scarlet thread of redemptive truth thus runs from this point at’the Bible’s beginning to its very last chapter. Even in judging the first Adam for his sin God promises the coming of the second Adam who is to redeem the race. You are in the family of the first Adam by natural birth; have you entered the family of the second Adam by supernatural re birth? (I Cor. 15:21, 22, 45.) Cooking Vegetables — A small piece of butter .dded to the water in which vegetables are to be cooked will prevent ‘hem from joiling over. — • • • Boiling Cabbage — When you cook cabbage, put a small hand ful of breadcrumbs tied in muslin Into the pan. The bread absorbs all the bittet juices and makes the vegetable more digestible. • • * Washing Embroidery — Do not wring embroidery after washing. Press out as much moisture as possible between the folds of a towel, then spread on a towel or blotter dry, face up. * • • Sausage and Fried Apples — Pan broil the required number of small sausages or cakes of sau sage meat and as soon as the fat collects, add as many halved, cored and unpeeled apples as re- Enchanting Gifts of Lacy Crochet Pattern 1345 A chance at rare beauty—genu ine luxury—is yours in this lovely crocheted lace cloth! Just a 6 inch medallion crocheted in string forms it—you’ll have a quantity of them together in no time. And what lovely gifts you can make of them—chair sets, scarf*, pil lows, buffet sets are but a few suggestions. They cost you next to nothing and are something that will last and be cherished in definitely. Pattern 1345 contains directions fdr making the medal lion and joining it to make various articles; illustrations of it and of all stitches used; material re quirements. Send IS cents in stamps or coins (coins preferred) for this nattem to The Sewing Circls Needlecraft Dept . 82 Eigtuh Ave . New York. I N Y. Writs plainly pattern number, your name and address quired, first dipping them in flour to which a little sugar has been added. Saute slowly until soft and browned. Place on a serving dish, with two small sausages on each half. • • • Worn Socks — Children very of ten get enormous holes in the heels of their socks. This is often due to the lining of the shoe which has worn rough. If the ragged bits are cut off and the inside of the shoe covered with adhesive tape, many a large “hole” will be pre vented. r- * • • Flavoring Gravy — Half milk and half water makes the best colored and best flavored gravy. • • • Baking Potatoes — Before put ting potatoes in the bakinj stand them in boiling water for a few minutes, then drain on a clean cloth. They will cook more quickly and taste better. * * * Making a Footstool — Do you know that you can make unique footstools out of the single spring seats of an old automobile? Cover the old seat with upholstery and attach castors at the four corners. This will give you a comfortable seat or footstool for your summer cottage. • • • Suede Shoes — Rain spots can be' removed from suede shoes by nibbing with fine emery board. WNU Service. INSIST ON GENUINE 0-CEDAR Don’t take chances! Use only genuine O-Cedar Polish — favorite of housekeepers the world over for 30 years. O-Cedar protects and Tax That’s Collected Someone wants to tax sin. Well, isn’t it taxed* MOROLINE-, ssoa wniii Niaouuu juiv I [ LAMOl JARS StAMP/Oi j Employing Character A good character when estab lished should not be rested in as an end, but only employed as a means of doing still further good. —Atterbury. Punishment That Hardens If punishment makes not the will supple, it hardens the offender.— Locke. To Have Friendship The only way to have a friend is to be one.—Emerson. ItXTURED ■ . this famous southern SPECIAL-BLEND in the bright red Jewel carton • Cakes are more delicate, pastry and biscuits flakier and more delicious when you use this finer shortening! For Jewel is a Special-Bind of vegetable fat with other bland cooking fats. Actual tests prove that it atoms faster and makes more lender baked foods PREFERRED TO THE COSTLIEST SHORTENINGS LIFE’S LIKE THAT By Fred Neher 44' Well, nosey . . . what Is R??!”