Evening journal., 1922-01-17

stairs and In the studio apartment on
the third floor discover the occupant. a
beautiful woman, lying dead on the
floor in front Of an unfinished portrait.
A bullet has Just pierced her breast
Sergeant Barry made no comment
but gently dropping the limp. warm
head hack upon the rug he rose and
started a swift comprehensive
search OF the apartment From just
behind him over his shoulder a
large reflector threw the powerful
light whose refracted rays had pene-
trated even into the outer hall; back
Of the easel and at one side where
the artist could obtain the best view
OF II stood a small. inprovised model
throne with three steps and sec
tion OF balustrade and back Of il
again the drawn shades over a row
Of half-opened windows tapped in
the little. kot breeze which had
sprung up with the passing Of the
threatened storm.
A long table covered with scat
tered tubes OF paint and brushes, a
few plain chairs and many can
vases OF various sizes stocked against
the walls completed the furnishings
Of the workmanlilSe studio. the cell
ing OF which was one huge skylight
of glass. and the detective turned
hack into the luxurious living room,
lis hand mechanically searching for
and finding the light switch in the
wall
Instantly the soft glow OF many
low opal-tinted lamps sprang into
being and revealed the sheer beauty
OF the arrangements OF the room.
but Sergeant Barry's eyes searched
only for some sign Of disorder that
would indicate hurried flight. and
finding none he opened the door at
the back. It led into a boudolr up
hoistered delicateiy in light blue and
rose. and through that he passed
into an ivory and gold bedroom and
to the tiled Immaculate kitchenette
beyond. but nowhere was there
sign OF alien presence.
''The icebox contains only butter
and cream. and that dress and hat
upon the bed would indicate that
Mrs. Vane had dined out" the pro-
fessor observed.
''vane7 Miriam vane?" Barry
wheeled suddenly. as that who she
Is. the artist who has created such
a stir with her new type OF por-
traiture among the celebrities7"
Yes Her portraits are danger
ously near caricatures. for some per-
verse impulse has seemed to guide
her brush although so subtly that
her clients themselves have rarely
detected that sardonically revealing
touch or two, but the critics have
raved about her genius" The profess
sor turned. 1T is evident that we
are too late here, for this kitchen
ette door leading into the outer hall
is bolted from the inside. but some
one is coming.
Someone had indeed arrived They
hastened back to the living room to
find standing just within the door
way a young man in dinner coat
with wildly rumpled hair, and a po-
liceman in uniform.
The latter advanced with aggres-
sive authority which suffered a sud
den change.
" naN ntNh hNAhE 0h
heard a shot and I've been pound
ing below TIL this young gentleman
here let men I'M Oh, you're here.
Sergeant Barry This is my regular
beat. sir. and thinking there was
something unusual"
There is, Boyle" Barry nodded
grimly to the policeman. "In that
studio yonder there's a woman lying
shot through the heartl"
"A womanl" The young man in
the dinner coat repeated with a gasp
Not Marian Vanel It's impossi-
blel"
He rushed past the group to the
studio doorway, clung there for a
moment in wordless horror, then
collapsed into the nearest chair,
buryng his face in his hands.
Boyle was instantly all business
After a quick examination OF the
body he turned to Barry.
Would you mind telling me, Ser
geant2Y he began but the other in
terrupted him.
Not in the least, although we
know very little. 1 was here unofii-
cially, visiting this old friend OF
mine. Mr.. semyonov, who lives on
the nth fioor-two above this
when we heard the shot and rushed
down to investigate. There seems
. TO be no one in the apartment d.
recuy above this one, and / took
nc responsibility of breaking in the
d6Aar hero because we could get nc
reply to r. peated knocking and ths
light from the studio there streamec
out under the sill into the outer hall
You can see how brilliant it is; d
must be Some special light for artist.
to paint by at night.
I'll have to report this at once
ia the station" Boyle. who had
been listening attentively, nodded
and turned TO the professor. Have
you anything. sir, TO add to wka
Sergeant Barry has told me?"
Professor Semyonov pondered foi
a moment, and then said slowly;
"Only that when we heard the
sound Of the shot and opened m,
door I fancied that I heard foot
steps on the stairs below"
Barry. whose eyes had turned e
that collapsed figure in the chair
thought that he saw shuddei
sweep over it as though an unseer
hand has shaken the inert .orm
but ne said nothing as the police
man paused at the screened tele
phone or the table 10 inquire.
Gould you say, sir, whether thos'
footsteps were going up or DOWN.
'.Not definitely" the professor
hesitated. "One would suppose nat