The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-01-24

fccntlnned from Cur Last fssue)l
The slender figure did not
rpreimhln The splendid, SeAGuously.
full lines ~ TIE body Of Mrs. Yane
S4ye tntts he3ght, and the face was
an Notwithstanding blur, but on q
sudden Inspiration Barry rose, still
carrying lhe picture, and going into
tho skuhIo;de turned on tho brilliant
1iEbt within the reflector. Then he
drew from his pocket a small but
pcWeffnI microscope, It proved Of
littie aid beyond showing that the
blurred object BY the girls side
was tndeedA large dog, for the pho
togEaph was too worn and faded,
but on the reverse side the distinc.
ton hetweep the pencil marks and
pen scratches was plainly visible,
md three words written In a
round gtrfishly Uniformed hand
were u~nmstaitably revealed:
fMepps would move"
Then standing almost on the
same SPOT which the body OF
Miriam Vane had occupied in front
Of the ease, Barry used his micro
scope % scan every inch OF the por.
trait with meticulous care.
stFaighteping at length with a
yey crave expression upon his
bnytah eointenance, he switched on
the gtaring light in the reflector,
leaving only the side brackets In.
the wall glowing softly. aud cross
ms behind the portrait he passed
the model throne and went TO tho
rowspf windows,
When he raised the shade Of ono
9 them the empty house beyond
the narrow strip Of garden stood
out more distinctly than before and
gfayfsh etfulgence was spreading
over the cloudy sky. The sultry
summer dawn was at hand.
Dropping the shade once more,
Barry turned and reflectively re-
garded the back Of the portrait
tnpon the easel. The huge square
of canvas was blank except for
some numbers scrawled In char.
eepalEop the upper left hand corner
and3e small cross In red paint a lit.
ale below the center. For some
minutes these enigmatic characters
occupied the close attention OF the
sergeapt, then he turned on the
lights and left the studio, going dI.
reftly 10 the outer hall without a
second glance toward the boudolr
md bedroom.
BIS Doane, seated upon thedow.
es stepgo the staircase, rose has
thy and saluted.
sone otsthe boys came up, sir, 10
find out aboutSthe light in that stu.
dio, but fixed 1t with him. he re-
marked. Did you find the answer
% what was puzzling you, ser.
~ I've found the answer to what
vas pl2zling me. Doane." he re.
piled; i've stumbled on a bigger
mystery yet, and a blacker one"
He found at headquarters that
Craig had already turned In his re-.
port andgthe chief was awaiting hie
own appearance with ill.concealed
mpatience.
What do you think?" the chief
asked.
AS to the identity Of the muir.
derer, str?" Barry asked. cautious.
I'm quite certain that several
PEOPLE who might concetvably have
KILLED Mrs. Vane did not do 1t. and
dat lets me out for the moment.
However, / took It upon myself to
do g little unofficial investigat-
course! That's what I ex.
pected you to dol" the chief inter.
Tupted eagerly. THE medical ex.
atainer hasn't performed the au.
topsy yet, naturally, but from his
account OF the affair as we'll as the
sports of the boys from tho local
precinct, and Boyle and Craig, 1t
appears that the Vane woman was
Shot by some visitor, some one she
knew wei and that she had no pre-.
Z