The Washington herald., 1916-09-24

silenced his subordinate's amazed
queries with q gesture and said i'm
peratively:
Come and help me search thi6
fat"
With the dumfounded Award fol-
lowing, Parrish led the way down the
hall toward. the dining-room at the
rear. At the dtning-room threshold
he halted.
There at full length lay Vanya
Tosca. Around her white throat
showed faint marks Of the finger
necklace" so familiar to the police.
At Awards cry of amazement
Stanley and the policeman came run
ming down the hall.
The Crimson Stain"' exclaimed
Stanley in horror as he saw the tell
tale bruises; but the marks are
much fainter than ever I've seen
them"
Award was chahng the uncon-
scious woman's hands Parrish flung
a glassful OF ice water into her face.
Slowly Vanya began to revive. STAN
ley lifted glass Of spirits to her lips.
She slipped the fiery liquid, then shiv-
cred and sat upright
"What's-what's happened7" she
murmured.
That's what we're here to ask
you,' answered Parrish roughly.
What do you know about all this?
Como, now, speak up!"
Il came in here to-to get some
cigarets for Mr.. Clayton and Mr..
Lambert" she murmured incoher-
entity. They were calling on me.
came in here. And-and somebody
crept up behind me and caught me by
the throat I-oh. don't remember
anything after that except that I
could not breathe"
The Crimson Stain!" cried Award
in triumph, that's it. He tried to
strangle her. Then Clayton and
Lambert get to quarreling in the uv-
ing room, and the shot scared this
Crimson Stain murderer away before
he could finish his work. That's it,"
Come back to the living room, all
OF you!' ordered Parrish. Help the
lady along with US. Well go over the
ground there once more"
Back theJ trooped to the scene Of
the shooting, the rear Of the nat be-
ing thus left vacant. And along the
vacated hallway ran Tanner. He
halted at closet door, stopped, gath
cred the half-suffocRted Florence up
in his arms and sped back TO the
kitchen with her
Quick" whispered La Rue, who
awaited him there. Get her out of
this. Take her TO your own place and
finish the business there. 1t isn't
safe to do it here. I didn't count on
the front window being open and the
shot being located so quickly Van
ya's explained the rest. But 1he
couldn't explain Florence Montrose's
body being found here"
Tanner, shifting his limp burden In
his arms, bounded down the stairs.
As he reached the side entrance he
tore away the enveloping coat. Flor
ence lay very still, her eyes shut, as
he half-carried, half supported her to
the waiting cab. Tanner could have
sworn she was unconscious.
on started the taxi at Tanners
word OF command. Eastward it sped
until, at an avenue, it was mOmen-
tarily checked by 4 crowd OF trafic.
And in that moment the cab door
few open. Tanner turned, an instant
too late to catch Florence as she
sprang to the ground.
He leaped out in pursuit, then drew
back. For the girl was hurrying to-
ward a traffic policeman. Tanner
shouted to the chauffeur: and the
taxi wheeled about ana set off at top
speed down a side street.
When Robert Clayton was finally
reused he seemed like q man in
dream. He could give no clear ac-
count Of himself; nor did he realize
at all what had happened. Stanley
took him home, again promising that
the artist should appear in court
when he was well enough.
Then Harold. leaving Award on
guard at Clayton's studio, went to
his office. On his return, early in the
evening, Award was still waiting In
front Of the building.
Stanley glanced upward to see II
there were light in Clayton's win
dow. AS he did 80. he saw a human
figure silhoUetted against the night
Sky-the figure of a man who stood
swaTng on the high parapet of the
building, as il about to dive into the
street below.
Without a word. Stanley rushed up
stairs toward the roof Award fol-
lowed; but, not divining Harold's pur-
pose, ran into Claytons top floor
studio. Then, presently, finding STAN
ley had gone to the room, he, too,
clambered up through the open scut-
tie at the end of the topmost hallway.
Stanley, gaining the roof, beheld
Clayton, still swaying perilousIy on
the parapet edge as II trying to
nerve himself for the leap. He hurled
himself forward and seized the artist
just as the latter launched himself
into space
With a mighty heave Stanley
dragged Clayton back to safety. Clay
ton, like a man newly aroused from
sleep, stood blinking uncertainty at
him. Before either OF them could
speak, Award joined them. Clutch
ing the artist by the shoulder, the
plain clothes man said:
You are under arrest for the MUIR
der of Truxton Lambert"
Under arrest?" stammered Clay
ton DULY. "I?'
What does this mean?" asked
Harold in the same breath.
What does this mean ?" echoed N-
ward. 1T means he's the man 'Te
want. Take a look at this note I
Just found on his studio table"
Stanley glanced at the half scoet
of paper. BY the uncertain ngh; Ae
read: