The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1922-03-19
Begin Here Today.

Begin Here Today.
The report of revolver, follow
ed by hurrying footsteps on the
stairs, causes Detective Barry and
his friend. Professor Semyonov, to
rush from the latter's rooms on
the fifth floor of a New York
apartment house. They discover
that beautiful Miriam Vane, SO
ciety portrait painter, has been
murdered IL, her studio apartment
on the third floor. Ladd, a young
artist on the second floor, Girls
void, a bachelor on the fourth,
and Patricia Shaw a writer on the
18th, deny having heard the shot.
iswold states that Ladd had been
friendly with Miss Vane. This.
Ladd denies.
GO ON WITH THE STORY
well, p" Gordon Ladd moistened his
lips and spoke slowly. weighing each
work with care Il let myself in at
tho entrance with my house key and
had reached the door Of my apart
ment outside here when glanclng up
the stairs l caught a glimpse of Mrs
Vane in the hall above, just outside
her own door.
AZ | had not seen her in several
days went halfway up the stairs
and greeted her, with the half.inform.
ed intention of paying her short
call il it were not too late, but she
said that she was too buy and must
work upon portrait, or words TO
that effect. SO | bade her goodnight
ment, let myself in and closed the
door.
II seemed almost the next moment,
as [ have stated that the commotion
arose, and as no one else seemed
likely to reply TO that banging on the
entrance door | went down and adj
mittcd the policeman We heard
voices and saw lights coming from
Mrs. Vane's apartment and went up
together, but | had heard no shot
and of-eeurc had no suspicion Of the
truth. THAT is why it floored me so
when-Twhen saw the body"
1t was only at the conclusion of his
long explanation that the young man
faltered and into his eyes there came
again that swift. fleeting look Of
sheer. stark horror which Barry had
noted earlier, when he had collapsed
at the discovery Of the murder.
"Mr. Ladd, h3 recommended
suavely. How was Mrs. Vane
dressed when you saw her in the
landing above? The same as when
her body was found?"
Z, "Of ocursc," The artist stared
did you see anyone else in the
halIawsy or on the stairs, either
above or below"
\ mo one" The reply was decisive
but the pause before it came was
fraction too long and Barry seized
upon it,
"Then. Mr.. Ladd, what in YOU
estimation was the reason for Mrs.
Vane's presence out there in the pub
lie hall? Did she offer any explana.
tions?"
Certainly not. and thought
nothing Of itr' Ladd replied hotly. 1T
is q ridiculously trivial notion toI
bNfls lll'lt lhlbul ufiNt Utfll
a hundred unimportant reasons"
There might have been a hundred
reasons, Mr.. Ladd.' Agen there
came that maddeninG repetition Of
his name which had so often helped
I'm breaking a stubborn witness under
the third degree. But in this case
there was only one, and YOU know it*
Mrs. Nane was either receiving or
ejecting a guest. and IL you saw no
one else. ycu yourself must have |
been that guest, We have purposey |
interogated the other tenants of the |
house before approaching you and we
have learned more than YOU think! |
The saying that walls have ears is
true also of ceilings
He paused significantly while Ser.
geant Craig stared at him in genuine
surprise. out the shot found It's mark |
Leaping TO his feet, with his hand |
some face darkeaed and distorted in
paroXysm of rage Ladd cried
$50 flats what you two have been
trying 10 get AT, it is? That miserable
wretch Griswold has noted my ac.
quaintanceship with Mrs. Nane and
deliberately tried TO blacken her
character in your eyesl | admit that
| was in love with her: all our world
In Paris as well as here will tell you
of my long attempt to make her my
wife. but they will also tell you that
she has laughed at my love for her.
as she has at that of all others 7
would have said nothing, but now
that he mas spoken. ask him what
claim he has upon her, gentlemen.
for | lied to youl did see someone
upon the stairs! It was he whom I
saw leaving her apartment mo-
ment before ! entered my own and
the shot was fired which must have
ended her life"
V
Sergeant Barry felt that the mo.
ment was too tense and the possible
issue too important to give his
colleague AN opportunity to interrupt
Without 4 glance at Craig he de.
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