Indianapolis Times, Volume 38, Number 117, Indianapolis, Marion County, 21 August 1926 — Page 8

PAGE 8

“The VANITY CASE” A Tale of Mystery and Love

By CAROLYN WELLS

BEGIN’ HERE TODAY In Harbor Gardens, Lons Island, in bungalow. lived PERRY ILLATH and his wife, MYRA. They wereentertaining as house guests: LAWRKNOfi iN.VIAN, a distant relative of Myra's and. aside from Perry, her only heir, and BUNNY MOORE, young, vivacious, go den-haired, an old friend of Myra's. r \ Perry, an artist, was a candidate for Preßidene.v of the Country Club. The oilier leading candidate was SAM ANDERSON. Perry s wife was beautiful, but cold and sarcastic. She never used rouge, never wore colors. She collected rare bits of glass, and her latest was a whisky bottle which aroused her husband to scorn. Myra, provoked at a growing intimacy between Perry and Bunny, announces she has made her will in favor of Inman. cutting Perry off. That night she quarrels with her husband and alludes mysteriously to his •'secret.” That night. Heath, stealing downstairs, surprises his wife with Inman and orders 111" latter out of the house by morning. The next morning Myra s body Is discovered in the studio. Candles are burning at her head and feet. She is made up with rouge and dressed in gay colors. HERRICK, the butler, discovers near he body a card marked. "The Work of Perry Heath.'' The doctor, when he comes, finds the death blow was struck with Myra s cherished whisky bottle. The coroner conducts an examination, and it develops that Perry Heath has disappeared during the night, ill spite of the fact that windows and doors had been locked on the inside. Detective Mott asks Bunny if she was the first, to go upstairs the night of the murder. \es. tvhyf ' asks Bunny. NOW GO OX WITH THE STORY The sudden question was in a rather impertinent tone, but was accompanied by an innocent and enchanting smile that made Detective Mott sit up and take notice. He had his own opinion of young women who tried to cajole or bewitch a detective, and he immediately began to watch his step. "Why, because I want to know all about when you last saw Mrs. Heath alive.” “That was the time," Bunny spoke softly. “I said good night—l think —or, perhaps I didn’t, we’re not very punctilious about such things, and I went up to my room and shut the door, and I didn’t hear anybody else come upstairs at all.” "And you didn’t leave your room again, last night?” Bunny paled and her big blue eyes stared Vat tho detective. "W—what do you mean?” she said, with a gasp and a little catch in her voice. Mott looked at her. Could it be that this lovely child had some knowledge, guilty or otherwise, that she was keeping back? "It doesn't seem to be an abstruse question,’’ Mott smiled kindly at her. "I only asked If you left your bedroom again after you went in and the door.” j’Why, no—no, of course I didn’t!" "Then you knew nothing of the tragedy until you came downstairs this morning?” " I knew before I came down, because Carter, Mrs. Heath’s maid, came to my room and told me." "I see. And did Caiter tell you the details of Mrs. Heat! 's appearance? How her face was painted and how there were candles at her head and feet?” "No —she didn’t tell me that —” Bunny looked vaguely at Mott, her lovely eyes clouding with tears as she glanced toward the beautiful still figures on the floor. "Then you were shocked afresh when you came downstairs and saw ihe —the scene that you did see?” "Yes—oh, yes.” "You gazed at the strangely paintb<J face ” -“Yes.” Bunny’s eyes looked straight into the detective’s own. . “You saw the crimson scarf draped n.Qross the body?” "Yes.” w "You saw the card about Mr. Heath's work?” "Yes.” “You saw the candles burning at her head and feet, almost as if in a church?” “Yes.” Bunny looked rapt now, and then, as the detective ceased his questions she burst into a flood of helpless tears, and blindly took the handkerchief Barry silently offered. "Miss Moore," Mott seemed to ignore her sudden breakdown, “please answer this with candor. Was there any ill feeling, to your knowledge, between Mr. Heath and his wife?” "No,” and Bunny ceased crying, and faced the detective with all her old insouciance and independence. "Most certainly not! They were one of the most devoted couples I ever knew." "There was no difference of ’opinun.—l mean on a vital subject?" "No, nothing special or definite. Except, perhaps, that Mr. Heath did not sympathize in Mrs. Heath’s fancy for collecting .old glass.” "That would scarcely be sufficient reason for him to attack her with

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one of her own old bottles," Mott said, gravely. “No( of course not,” returned Bunny. CHAPTER IX The Harbor Country Club was over on the Park side, but its members included many of the Gardens people as well. A few of the less active spirits habnobbid on the porch and smoked, as they somewhat conservatively discussed the Heath tragedy. Yet few of the exaggerated accounts cbukl be much worse than the true statements of the awful occurrence. “Where Is Perry Heath?” was the question urged even more frequently than "Who killed Myra?” Arthur Black, one of the solid men of the club, declared that it was impossible that the murderer should be other than the husband. . "The Heaths were by no means turtle doves,” was the way he put it. "And, even recognizing the rights of the dead to nil nisi bonum, our Myra was a saint in look only.” "She sure looked like one, though,” said Wallace Forbes, an artist from the Gardens, whose bungalow-studio was not far from the Heaths' own. "Too pale and wan for my taste,” remarked Sam Anderson, who was a true representative of the Park type. Smiling, bald-headed and with a missing eye-tooth, he gave the impression of being more interested in women ot the earth, earthy, than in tne Myra Heath sort. But he was a prominent clubman, and was ab'Out to run for president. “The disappearance of Heath clinches your election, Anderson,” Black declared, but the other answered : “I’m not keen to be elected. And, anywajy Heath will come back, —he must. To my mind, his absence is no indication at all that he killed his wife. Why should he? Maybe, as you say, Black, the pair were not exactly lovey-dovey, but few married people are, nowadays. Yet it doesn’t lead to murder. You’ll have to find a bigger motive than mere incompatibility before I’ll believe that Heath killed his wife. What about that young chap, her cousin, or whatever he is?” "Larry Inn<Hn?"*said Forbes. "Y.es, he's her cousin,—a distant one, I think. But why should he murder her?” "He’s her heir,” put in Black, who always knew all about everybody’s business affairs. “There's motive; but, on the other hand, I’ve heard he was in love ttfith the pale goddess." "Did you hear that when they found her, dead, she was all rouged and made up,--eyebrows pencilled and all?”—this from Anderson,'who was a bit of a gossip. “Yes, and besides that, there was a >, ed sash tied, around her," Black asserted. 1 "And Candles burning at her head and feet.” A1 Cunningham, who just then joined the group, said; "I’m going to the inquest this afternoon. Wonder if Heath will be back for it?” "You speak as if he had Just stepped out on an errand,” Black objected. “Why, man, he is the criminal,—the murderer,—and he made his getawey. He’ll never come back.” “Do you know Heath?” demanded Forbes of Anderson. "Not intimately at all, hut I know him slightly. I’tc seen him here at the club never been to his house.” “Then you don’t really know him. He’s not a man of fierce passions or angry impulses. If he sensed trouble from Inman’s attentions to Mrs. Heath, he wouldn’t kill either of them, he’d put the young man out of his house and merely shake his finger at his wife. I live over there, you know, and I’m acquainted with the whole bunch. There’s a baby down there, who’s about as pert a little parcel as often comes. Name of Bunny, and I believe she’s somewhat gone on Perry herself.” "Oh, well, then there’s your motive,” Cunningham cried. “Intense natured artist, tired of his marble Galatea of a wife, turns to baby doll for relief. Falls desperately in love with the kid, and decides that the line of least resistah\>* x is to put Friend Wife out of t'\ ‘ way. Does so, and skips. He won’t upturn—but the little girl will follow at the proper time.” "Maybe,” said Black, ‘ but I’m not going to the inquest. Sit all afternoon in a hot, stuffy place, only to have the thing adjourned, or, at most, to hear an open verdict.” “I’ mnot going, either,” Anderson stated. “Oh, if I do, I’ll just look in for a moment, and stick to the back of the room, so I can get out easily. Coroners are fearfully long-winded. And we’ll get the whole proceedings from the papers. The New York papers will feature this, as it's really a bizarre case.” Meanwhile the Heath home was In a turmoil.

The police were In charge. Both Bunny and Larry, as well as the servants were forbidden to leave the place. The body of Myra, still In Its beautiful hut strange condition, lay where it was found, and must remain there until viewed by the coroner’s jury. The studio was guarded by a policeman who sat just outside the closed door. The lounge was full of bustling people, who, with more or less authority, fussed around inquisitively. Mrs. Prentiss, presuming on her Importance as the nearest neighbor, came over, with a face appropriately long and a manner appropriately, solemn, to offer help of any sort in her power. Bunny refused to see her at first, but on a more Insistent message th£ girl went reluctantly from her room downstairs to greet the caller. Her blue eyes showed traces of tears, and her lips quivered as she .came toward Mrs. Prentiss. And for once, the girl failed to show an alert Interest at the sight of a strange and good-looking young man. For Todhunter Buck had accompanledahls aunt, partly as escort, but more fcom a desire to see Bunny herself he disappointed. He told qj] thg—sgol. that she was

OUT OUR WAY—By WILLIAMS

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the loveliest girl fie had ever seen and was the one girl in the world for him, and many such decisions and assevaratlons. / Bunny acknowledged his introduction with absent-rrftnded politeness and asked them to come with her to a small morning room back of the dining room, whers they could talk in more seclusion. “Who is hei*e? Who is looking after you?” demanded Mrs. Prentiss, with her usual brusqueness. “Nobody,” said Bunny, “I am all alone. I’d go home, but the police won’t let me. 1 haven’t sent word to my people about this yet—of course, they’ll see it when It gets Into the papers—but it’s all so terrible—so awful —that I couldn't firing to write about it, and I just eoffldn’t telephone!” “No, no, of course not, my dear. But you can’t stay here alone — haven’t you heard a word from Mr. Heath?” “Not a word.” Bunny’s face turned rosy-pink, but her voice was calm and steady. ”1 can’t imagine where he went or what's keeping him away.” "Who is in charge here?” “That’s, what everybody asks. Why, nobody’s in charge, exactly. Mr. Inman is, in some ways, and of course, the servants keep the house running just as usual. I see a few of Myra’s friends, but not all of them— I Just can’t!” “Os course, you can’t*” put in Toddy Buck, with real smpathy. “It oughtn't to be expected of you.” “You must come over and stay with me.” Mrs. Prentiss ordained,

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and her nephew’s heart leaped for joy. “Oh, no, I can’t do thffit,” Bunny said. "The police won’t let me leave this house; and when they do, I shall, of course, go straight home. “And, too, I think, I must look over Myra’s things a little. There's no one else to do it, and a woman ought to go over her desk and —Jnd such things." “Yes, yes—of course," Mrs. Prentiss spoke a little vaguely. “But my house is open to you, my dear, and I’m sure when you think it over, you will see it would be wise for you to come over there.” “I expect Mr. Heath home at any minute,” Bunny said. ”1 shan’t make any plans until he com^s.” “But he may not come . at all,” Mrs. Prentiss began, an/ stopped suddenly as she saw the grief and ror on Bunny’s face. And unable to bear up any longer BUnny put her head down on the kind-hearted woman’s shoulder and cried softly. (To Be Continued) SEEK 11l .MANE GATHERING Indianapolis delegates to . the 1927 convention of the American Humane Association at Portland, Ore., next week, will conduct a vigorous movement to obtain next year's gathering here, Henry T. Davis, manager of the convention bureau of the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, said today. National officers are said to be well disposed to Indian- ' apolis as a convention city, -

SALESMAN SAM—By SWAN

BOOTS AND fIER BUDDIES—By MARTIN

FRECKLES AND HIS FREEINDS—By BLOSSER

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON This Study Deals With the Ten Commandments

The International Uniform Sunday School Lc*on for Aug. 22. The Trn Commandment*! Dull™, to God. Exod. uoa-n. By Wm. E. Gilroy, D. I>. Ldito*. of The C&ngregationalist This lesson and the lesson following deal with the ten commandments. The first four in this lesson are grouped under the heading, "Duties to God,” and the last six in the next lesson under the heading, ‘VDuties to Man.” This is an arbitrary and not very wise division and distinction. The more one inquires into the matter tho more one will realize that there are no duties to God that do not involve duties to man, nor are there duties to man that do not involve duties to God. The ten commandments constitute the greatest social and legal code in the history of mankind. Probably no in the same space have been more influential in determining laws and social standards. How are we to think of these commandments? Are they binding In every sense upon the Christian conscience and upor the modern world? How literally are they to be inters preted’.' Mohammedanism, for instance, has interpreted one commandment so literally as to prevent the rise among Mohammedans of any art of sculpture. Certain sects of Protestants reacted so strongly against forms of worship in which images and pictures had any place

that they fumed from these and Insisted upon the greatest plainness and simplicity of their places of worship. Was their action necessarily in accordance with the commandment? Or is that spirit of worship sound which lays much stress upon forms and symbols? How. About Sunday? Perhaps one might raise a question regarding the fourth commandment, especially here in America, where Sunday has become almost like any other day. Where it is not pre-eminently a day of labor it is in many communities and for many people pre-eminently a day of pleasure. In this last matter we have reacted very strongly from the strict practice of an earlier day—a practice that was very much related to the formalism of Sabbath observance in the time of Jesus himself, and which he seemed to rebuke in it-minding his disciples that “the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath.” We raise these questions not in any spirit of notation or mere speculation. They must, In fact, be faced by one who would understand the relationship of the commandments bo the New festament and tc Christian liberty. It must be remembered that the commandments stand as a part of the general Mosaic law. not set apart In such a way as to say, "These things must

OUR BOARDING HOUSE—By AHERN

be obeyed, but other things are not so important.” The Christian does not feel called upon to fulfill all the requirements of the Jewish law. Is he then directly under obligations to fulfill these commandments? To this last question we give an unqualified “yes,” though it is to be added that the Christian's duty is to obey these commandments in the light of Christian knowledge and Christian liberty. They are not formal principles to be observed merely according to the ,letter. But they are, as Paul suggested, living principles to be written upon the tablets of the heart. ✓ Inherently Sound Two things may be said. First, that these ten commandments stand out particularly from the general Mosaic law inasmuch as they are represented f as being written upon tablets by the finger of god. They had a special place in the religion of Israel as they have had a special place in the life of the world. In the second place they depend for their* validity, not upon some external authority; they are vindicated in the school of life itsolf as principles inherently sbund and sacred. It is this that makes them Godgiven and godly. They are a part of the world of human blessings that God has made. They indicate the relationships that must exist between

AUG. 21, 1926

man and man and between man and God if man would attain to true and wholesome living. Can any one fail to recognize that much of the curse upon our modern life arises directly from the failure of men to perceive the truth of these commandments and to apply that truth in their lives? The* trouble with modern life is not only that there is no Sabbath, no sacred day, but for too many people there is no sacredness in life itself; nothing Is holy and yet all of great living is established on the sense of holiness, the worth of the soul, the worth of man himself as a spiritual being made in the image and likeness of his Creator, reaching out to that Creator In aspiration and faith. That Is religion in its deepest essence'! and where religion springing from this essential attitude of holiness lacking man is at a low ebb and society is in a precarious state. When we speak of Christian liberty we must remember the words of Jesus that He came “not to destroy but to fulfill.” The only modification of these commandments that Christianity approves is that which gives them larger, freer and truer expression In the lives and relationships of men. LEATHER COATS Leather topcoats in dull blues, greens, wHies and browns are sure to be poptfcu for country wear, or for college sports. They are being mads of soft leather and luxuriously lined.