The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-01-24
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imcniBoa Of theaaack There ono.
queer point about the murder that
the press Is bound 70 pounce on and
play up big, and yet | can't see any
explanation; ! thought perhaps you
might havO some idea"
"what Is that, sir?" Barry's tone
was %guileless,
"There.were no powder marks OF
the woman's sinock, and the medI,
cal examiner says that the shot
must have bean fired from a dis.
lance OF several feet at least"
The chief paused. Nov, accord.
Ing to BOyle'S report, Professor
semyoAov stated that when you
and he heard the sound>of the sho.
and opened his door he heard foot.
steps on the stairs"
Sergeant Barry smiled.
"The professor aud / have o.
slight difference o. opinion about
the direction Of the sound Of those
footsteps; he believes that they
were coming up, while | am quite
as certain that they were descend,
ing" he said. However, that's not
the main point. You are wrong, |
think, hir, though not in tho way
you mean. That step on the stairs
had everything to do with the muv.
"whnt.tl" The chief sprang from
his chair.
"Has anyone given you a de.
scription yet OF the portrait which
Miriam Vane was painting when
she met her death, slr?" asked
Barry.
only that It is a picture of Mrs.
Theodore Vanstittart--"
Coming down q staircase" Barry
finished. "The THIRD STEP OF
THE STAIRS Is Just on a level
with the artists breust as she sat
on a stool before tho easel, and.
there is a bullet hole In the can.
vas. Miriam Vane was shot through
the heart by someone on the other
side of the Portrait"
VII.
For q moment the chief seemed
about 10 explode with tho mingled
emotions Which consumed him,
The next he sank back In his chair
and raised his powerful hands, to
let them fall with a slam upon his
desk.
"a bullet hole through the por.
traitl" he exclaimed. "And mona Of
those, no-account flatfoot dicks, not
even the medical examiner himself,
had eyes to SEQ IL! The reporters
would have smoked 1t out and had
q fine laugh on the department II It
hadn't been for you, joint"
mo woman deliberately destroys
all signs OF her former identity uu.
less sho has q secret 10 hide" said.
Barry, and | an not certain that a
previous tragedy was not linked in
some fashion with her life. The
shot which killed her was not the
first 10 be involved in her destiny"
1.-THE ribbon, dried flowers, lace,
and the hair and the l~ockct--why, /
suppose every woman treasures Just
SuC1 tnlngS the world over" com,
mented tho chief "Thnt empty
cartridge, though. 1t must have
meant something mighty serious TO
her and we've got TO find out what
that something is. The photograph
is too faded to he OF any use Us evi.
dence, and whatever was written on
the back has been scratched out
long ago"
Look at It through this, sir, :
Barry offered his microscope. "Tho
penciled words beneath the ink
scrawl arc 'Mopus WOULD move
Now, as l make II out, that refers
TO the blur beside the figure Of tho
girl, which under the glass re
solves itself into a large dog or
some sort"
Barry laid the little packet OF
sketches before the chief and took
his leave. 1t was broad daylight
when he reached the street, and on
reaching tho antique shop found