The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1922-03-13

of foreboding. 1t is the electricity in
about your case but first you must
see my apartment, My laboratories
are quite on the other side of the city.
you know, but here on this old square
where the aristocracy of forgotten gen.
erations lived once upon a time | find
the absolutely different atmosphere
which brings relaxation"
| Barry followed his host through a
/ spacious. oldfashioned dressing room
and bath to the bedroom at the back.
Here, too the professor paused to
pull down the shades and then open
ing door to the right displayed a
modern kitchenette.
This house. you perceive, must
once have been n family mansion. but
it has now been made over, an apart
ment to each floor" Professor Semy-
onov explained "A shop of hammered
brasses and other atrocities occupies
the street level, a young gentleman
whom l do not know has but lately
arrived on the second floor. His
apartment is larger than mine. how
ever, for an extra room is built out
over the strip Of garden, but the eX.
tension ends on the floor above his in
studio with a skylight. 1t is occu.
pied, that third floor, by woman who
paints portraits, Mrs. McGrath tells
me.
"The fourth apartment, that directly
below mine here. houses a crotchety
gentleman with no ear for music; he
raps on his ceiling when I play my
violin at unreasonable hours.
above me in an attic studio lives
one OF the feminine freaks peculiar to
the neighborhood in ia declining years
a shocked. thin. wraith.like creature
with bobbed hair and a pointed chin
She might be 90 or 40, and it is under
stood that she writes for the eccentric
little magazines which spring up spo
|, radically hereabout. So now, my deal
sergeant, you are acquainted with my
home and its surroundings. What dc
. you think of it?'
He chuckled as he led the way bach
TO the living room and Barry fol
! lowed, at a loss what to reply. TIL,
professor was known on three cont
nents. his scientific discoveries hat
made him rich; he might have lived il
solitary state in a house of his Owl
or occupied the most expensive bach
elor apartment in town. Why hat
he chosen to hide himself away il
such dingy. dreary quarters?
You seem to be mighty comfort
able, Professor Semyonov." The de
tective spoke as heartily as he coulC
and his host laughed outright.
THAT is the pointr he exclaimed
II saw that you were surprised wher
you came, but my wants are simpl
and here. you see. / am just a queer
old foreigner named Semyonov. witt
minds his business and goes his wa!
in peace; | am not Professor Semy
onov. the chemist. to whose labora
;. tories all the world comes. No on
, knows of my abode except the fey
like yourself TO whom | have give
my address and | am undisturbeC
: But now you must tell me about you
J, case. Is it an affair of poisoning?"
= Before Sergeant Barry could repl
h another flash Of lightning as keen a
a knife thrust swept beneath the edge
Of the window shades and for an il
stant dulled the electric lights into a
angry orange glow.
Professor Semyonov started, the
y shrugged.
. That was nearer. eh? | am as ba
perhaps as hysterical housemai,
d but does it not seem as though III
t very atmosphere waited for the breal
n ing Of the Storm"
J.: 1T is like the report of gunsr' TIL
professor pulled his worn, gorgeousl.
e hued dressing gown more closely abol
hi mas he sank once more into h
=, chair. Il have heard them in my ow
country many years before the lat
war and the memory of them is wit
e me always. But let us forget II
storm If we can. The case you me-
z, toned; is it murder"
Frankly, l don't know" Barry r
n sponded. 1t is similar to that Tud,
affair at Sandy Cove last summer"
z, A sudden, sharp detonation bur
cracking upon their ears and DO,
" men leaped to their feet and sto,
for the fraction of a second staring
lie each other. The professors nervou
ness had fallen from him and
Is spoke with the calmness Of fatalisi
There was no lightning, That vi
r. not thunder but shot Come"
The realization Of the truth hi
IA pierced the detectives consciousne
~ even before his host voiced It and
sprang for the door. As he flung
~ open, with the rotund figure in Il
tattered dressing gown close at h
lie heels he heard unmstagably q
sound Of hurrying footsteps belC
z and plunged for the head Of the stail
The narrow hall was but dim
ic lighted and in the unnatural silen
which followed the echo Of The sh,
Ia their own feet as they clIttercd do,
the matting.covercd stairs drown
et out the lesser sound which had COZ
Ia up to them.
The hallway directly below was ,
sil scited and the door leading into /
apartment was blused anj blaoll T.
ie' fessor Semyunov paused to hamn
upon II but Barry FASTENED ON dow
ward, his eyes striving to pierce I
gloom. Was that a fleeing figure
low him or Just his own distort
shadow advancing before his reckl,
N u.uaa,,1