Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-09-17
CHAPTER H..

The first step taken by Harold Stan
Ley toward tracing the man who had
murdered his father was the quadru-
Dling Of the reward the New York
Examiner had offered for solution
OF the Crimson Stain Mystery.
Taking his slain fathers place at tho
head of the Examiner, Harold directed
the campaign in person, spending thou
sands of dollars weekly in search OF
the murderer In calmly business
like fashion the young man was seek
ing 10 fulfill his oath to bring to JUS
tce the man who had killed his father
Thanks to him. there was no man
or woman or child in New York who
did not know that the killers eyes
were tingcd with a deep red stain and
that his fingers were long. slender and
abnormally strong.
These were the only absolute facts
which. Stanley had gained. And ne
made the most of them until II was
actually unsafe for any man with
hloodshot eyes to walk abroad in the
streets lest he be arrested on sus-
picion.
Pierre La Rue at first listened with
amusement TO the echoes Of the hue
and-cry, decming himself as safe as
fox In a den. He laughed at Par
rishs impotent fury over the cam
paisn Sneeringly he soothed the
lowers
But as tho hunt increased in fervor
even La Rue began to grow nervous.
And he sent out call for certain of
his chosen lieutenants to meet him
one night at the Crimson Stain den.
To the Council came vanya Tosca.
Tanner and the Masked Demon.
lierre nodded carelessly in response
70 their half-cringing valuations as
he entered the big. bare room. Then
he spoke briefly and TO the point
When / put the finger necklace on
,l"rome stanley" he said ut was the
hrst time ! had given that ornament
10 any one except for money. ! did
!, TO stop The noise his paper was
ma King about US. But his son is twice
as noisy And the police may blunder
~ on US some dag, IL he Keeps on.
;" he must go. That's decided"
lie looked across to where Vanya
r"Sca sat
L told YOU TO meet Robert CLAW
ton he said. because Clayton is
%oung Stanley's chum and goes often
Ia the studio Did you meet him?"
Meet him. echoed Nanya with an
amused little laugh ~ most surely
o!d went to him last week to ask
he just the type he wanted for
'Delilah painting he is at work on
Tor the academy. He engaged me the
niinute he saw me- ! met Harold stan
Icy there the other day. too"
Good. vouchsafed Pierre. Ibid you
make Clayton fan in love with Won
ar told YOU to?''
THAT was the very easiest bit OF
work you ever assigned me TO-" she
laughed He is a susceptible boy
And before the end of the first sitting
tie was staring AT me like sick calf
Then you can bring him over?"
The confident smile faded from
Nanya's too-red lips
NO. she said in .chagrin: Il can't"
can't" raped Pierre. "why not ~
He isn't that sort-our sort" she
Well, if we can't bring him over
He'll have To go UNDER Do YOU know
"hen STANLEY visits him?"
i know when he is going to-" she
mace ready answer. He is to be there
AT O'Clock tomorrow afternoon
Good approved Pierre, one more
adding; You are certainc"
Yes answered Vanya. IT went to-
gay TO DR. Montrose for more-for
Yes. ! know. Wello"
AS / came downstairs from the
laboratory / heard Florence Montrose
taking on the veranda with Harold
STANLEY and Clayton. She was asking
CLAYTON TO paint her portrait as n sur.
prise for her fathers birthday ney,
month She is to have the tirst sii [.
ting at o'clock tomorrow M c,,y
tons studio And Harold Stanley is
coming to see the portrait started. He
said he'd surely be there at g."
And III see that the Montrose
chauiteur gets her there fifteen minutes
late said La Rue
Robert Clayton's studio was ON III.
top floor of the old ia shioned PARK
fdEe studio Building Here. early tho
next afternoon, the artist was busilv
arranging his easel and his model
chair with view TO the best light eff
lec,s' ana was sorting some brushes
ana mixing several tube-colors on a
palette, He glanced up in expectation
as the studio door opened. But as he
saw Fanya Toscas supple figure
framed in the doorway. his look Of
expectancy changed to a slight frowu
uf annoyance.
Noting his change of expression.
room. asking timidly:
Aren't you glad to see me- Am 7
too late. or anything"
TOO late?' he repeated why, you're
not due here at all to-day. Your sit
ting is for o'clock morrow"
on. She cried. in childlikc disap-
pointment; thcn--"Is she prettier than
I ann"
she is-she is different" he evaded
she is small and slender. with hic
dark eyes and masses of dark hair
and
Then she Is prcttier than am"
pouted Nanya. her rich voice breaking
Ana you'd rather paint her than me-
Nonsense" Clayton reassurcd her
NO one on earth is prrttier than you
Nanya But this is portrait | have
q commission to paint"
IF you'd rather spend this beauti-
iul afternoon painting a silly portrait
than TO go on with our 'Dclilah' pic
ture," she fared Indignantly, "why, go
ahead and do it, But after this you
can get some other girl to pose for
your 'Delilah.' I'm not coming back
Accustomed. though, he was to the
vagarics OF his temperamental mod
els. Clayton was amazed by this petu-
liant outburst Before he could pro.
test. Nanya had 1ounced out of III;
room, slamminr the door loudly be-
hind her.
In the half-lit hall she paused he.
side the crouching figure of a man.
Ready" she whispered Hell
probably follow me out here to beg
me not to he angry