The Washington herald., 1916-10-08

locking It's heavy door behind him.
Florence was alone, in the dark-a
prisoner. She cried for help. a No
answer came.
vanya Tosca was alone IN her
pretty fat. She was waiting for
Pierre La Rue, who had hidden her
TO expect him. Already he was late,
and the woman was nervously won
dering why. Then came a ring at
the outer door of the apartment
With a smile Of eager welcome she
ran to the door and flung it open.
On the threshold stood Harold STAN
ley.
You'll forgive this intrusion, won't
you, Miss Tosca? ?" asked Harold, as
he entered the fat and went with her
into the living room. "I stopped here
on my way from Riverdale to tho
ONCE because wanted a rather i'm
portant talk with you"
"Of course" assented Vanya, easily,
as she seated herself on a rug-covered
divan and motioned him to q chair
facing her. And you may smoke IL
you Like. Do you care for drink?"
mo, thank you," declined Stanley,
adding: "I realized-and so do the
police-that the murder of Truxton
Lambert in your fat has thrown an
unpleasant light on you. So has the
KIDNAPPING of Miss Montrose from
Clayton's apartment while you were
there. People are beginning to speak
Of you as a woman of mystery
That sort of thing does you great
harm. It is no affair OF mine of
course. And II you resent my ques-
tions I've nothing further to say.
But IL you care to clear yourself"
Perhaps" she began, talking
slowly, as though to stretch the mar
rative to the greatest possible length,
perhaps you will understand me
better, Mr.. Stanley, II I go back a
little and tell you something of my
earlier life. It will help explain what
followed. You see, I was a Russian
peasant girl. Mr. parents were very
poor. But my girIhood was happy.
For I knew nothing better. Then,
when I was 1S-one day In the forest
Il met Pierre La Rue"
As she was speaking the great
framed picture on the opposite wall
slowly swung outward, as though on
hinges. In the aperture behind it
appeared the face Of Pierre La Rue.
Then the picture swung shut again.
Stanley noticed that Vanya had
ceased speaking. Her voice had
traiIed away into nothingness. Her
wide eyes were fixed and CLASSY.
ak a. Il
rectly behind Harold
+ + =
She did not move nor speak. And
he saw, with amaze, that she was in
a hypnotic trance. He saw more.
In the wide pupil of her eye, as in a
tiny mirror, he saw the perfect re-
Election of a mans face. The bearded
and CHASTITY face Of a man with
hypnotically glowing eyes.
Harold" cried a girls voice Just
behind the wondering Stanley.
He whirled about. The picture was
swinging outward from the wall. In
the opening behind it, stood Florence
Montrose.
'T came here with Mr.. Parrish to
find a secret passageway," she ex-
planned, land was locked in. I fol-
lowed a flight of stairs in the wall
and at last I touched something that
felt like canvas. / pushed and It
opened. And saw you and Miss
Miss Tosca. What in the world are
you doing here? And what Is the
matter with her?
She Is In some kind of stupor,"
said Harold, uncomfortably; adding:
Look at her eyes. Look close. What
do you seer"
''Why-Why it's the reflection of a
face-a mans face" she answered.
staring more closely; then exclaim-
ing in horror: sit is the face Of the
man who killed your father"
Nor shouted Harold, increduIous.
do you suppose could forget it2"
she demanded, trembling. TT is the
murderer's face. I would swear to
that"
'Quicki" he ordered, "Give me that
camera. You say it has microscopic
lens. Quicki''
Before she could guess his intent.
Stanley had opened and adjusted the
camera Gauging his distance, he
took a time-exposure photograph of
the image in yanya's staring eye.
"She is coming back to her senses,s
reported Florence, who had been
seeking to revive vanya- ..she-