South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-01-17

Detective Sergeant John barry
f- spendfaE the evening with his
friend. Professor Semyonov, In
me Iatters rooms on the urn
floor Of 81 New York apartment
house. 4 revolver shot IS heard
from below and then hurryinS
footsteps on the stairs They rush
downstairs and I'm the studio
apartment on the third floor dis
rover the occupant a beautiful
woman. lying dead on the floor In
front OF an unfinished portrait. A
bullet has Just pierced her breast
CO on WITH THE STORY
sergeant Barry made no comment
but gently dropping the limp. warm
head back upon the rug he rose
and started a swift. comprehensive
s-arch or the apartr1e From just
behind him over his shoulder a
large reflector threw the powerful
aEht whose refracted rays had pcne-
t-ated even into the outer hall; back
OF the easel and al one side where
fre artist could obtain the best view
Or 10 stood a small. improvised model
throne with three steps and sec
zion of halustrade. and hack or u
again The drawn shades over row
81 half-opcned windows flapped IN
fhc little. not breeze wdich had
epruug up with the passing of the
threatened storm.
A long table covered with scat
tered tubes Of paint and brushes.
few plain chairs and many can
frre s
the walls completed the furnishings
OF the workmanlike studio, the cell
ing or which was one huge skylight
Of glass. and tho detective turned
hack into the luxurious living room,
his hand mechanically searching for
and finding the light switch IN the
wall.
Instantly the soft glov OF many
low. opal-tinted lamps sprang into
being and revealed the sheer beauty
OF the arrauEc:uents OF the room,
ut Sergeant Barry's eyes searched
only for Some sign OF disorder that
would indicate hurried flight. and
fndine none he opened the door at
the back IL led into a boudoir
upholstered delicately in light blue
aud rose. and through that he passed
into an ivory and gold bedroom and
90 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.
"Vsne? Miriam Vance, Barry
wheeled suddenly. ''Is that who she
u.s. the artist who has created sIca
p stir with her new type Of pOr-
traitdre among the celebrities"
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 ct is evident that We
ARE too late here. for this kitchen
cite door leading into the outer hall
is bolted from the inside; but some
one Is coming"
Someone had indeed arrived. They
l,asts-ed back 90 the living room TO
find standing just within the door
way a young man in a dinner coat
with wildly rumpled hair, and a Pc
liceman I'm uniform.
The latter advanced with aECres-
sive authority which suffered a sud
den change.
What's been going on here?
heard a shot and I've been pound
ing below till this young gentleman
here let me 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
erimly TO the policeman. "In that
studio yonder there's a woman lying
shot through the heart
a woman" The young man i'm
Tho dinner coat repeated with a gasp.
Not Miriam Vanc, It's impossible:
lie rushed past. the group 10 the
studio doorway. chung there for "a
moment in wordless horror then
collapsed into the nearest chair.
burying his face i'm his hands.
Bowie was instantly ali business
After a quick examination of the
body he turned 10 Barry.
Would YOU mind telling me. Ser
Scantc" ne began. but the other in
terrupted him.
Not in the least. although We
know very little. I was here un-
officially. visiting this old friend OF
mine. Mr.. Semyonov. who lives on
the NTH floor-twO above this
when we heard the shot and rushed
down 10 investigate. There seems
To be no one in the apartment di-
rectly above this one. and 7 took
the responsibility of breaking in the
door here because we could get no
reply 20 repeated knocking and the
light from the studio there streamed
out under the sill into the outer hall
You can see how brilliant il is: IL
must be some special HEht for artists
TO paint by at night"
III have 20 report this at once
TO the station Boyle. who had
been listening attentively. nodded
and turned 20 the professor. Have
YOU anything. sir. 20 add 10 what
Sergeant Barry has told me o."
Professor Scwyouov pondered for
"a moment aud then said slowly.