Evening journal., 1922-03-08

The jar was half filled with a
creamy white substance, and Barry
carried it to one Of the windows and
deposited it upon the sill. Then
drawing the cover OF the gas mask
from his pocket. together with a
small but powerful microscope, he
fell to examining the finger marks
upon Il, comparing them to those
which. in the fading light, we're yet
plainly visible in the grease upon
the outer side Of the jar.
This jar of French cold cream
must have belonged to Fay. The
finger prints upon IL were identical
with those upon the gas mask case.
The mask had been worn by some
one in the room Of death on the pre-
vious night; the odor OF carbon
monoxide was proof Of ttat, and
the theory that now sprang to his
mind was without a flaw. However,
reluctantly he entertained IL, he was
compelled to admit that any other
hypothesis would be impossible.
The girl was not innocent but mere
ly a superb actress after all!
She must have worn that mask
and remained in the room while she
accomplished her cousins death.
The slippers. the gas mask the
cold cream jar, the knowledge that
the other girl had supplanted her
with her former lover - all these,
combined with the possible evidence
Of the little box. which still re-
mained in his pocket, keaped up a
sinister proof against Fay Tudor.
Barry paused midway Of the back
stairs and struck the rail softly with
his clenched fist. What a fool he
had beenl What had been Fay Tu-
doris exact words when she men.
toned her brothers effects?
did ! tell you the other day that
went in the locked room where all
his belongings. which you so kindly
placed? I saw his helmet and his
gas mask. but there were stains
upon It,"
Now. there had been no stains
such as she implied upon the mask
when he examined Il a short time
before. but on the case which re-
posed In his pocket were several
faint but unmistakable traces Of
dried blood. She could not have de-
tected them in the dimness of the
room unless she had taken the cover
up in her hands, and the sight Of
the stains must have revolted her so
that she replaced the case un-
opened.
Some one else must have entered
that room during the night before:
some one who was careful TO leave
no traces or finger marks. But who ?
Continuing on his way. down
stairs. Barry enered the kitchen
where he found the cook weeping
over her preparations for dinner
He beat a hasty retreat to the pan
try
There he discovered pretty Louise
the waitress.
Louise" he began. seating him
self unconcernedly upon the edge of
the table. were there guests last
night for dinner?"
mo. sir; just Mr.. Clayton. and
he's here so often that he seems Ike
one of the family" The words came
In a loquacious little rush. He and
Mrs Tudor had coffee together out
on TIE porch afterward."
'Only he and Mrs Tudor? Didn't
the young ladies take coffee?"
''No. sir. Poor Miss Laurel never
does. and Miss Fay came back so
nervous that the doctor forbid her
having any. for fear-tha she won't
sleep nights That's been her great
est trouble; insomnia, they call It,"
Insomnia. Barry drew a deen
4 breath. and for moment his hand
strayed toward the pocket where re-
81 posed the little box Of powders
81 which he had taken from the bath
a room upstairs.
u That's too hadl Doesn't tho doc
n or give her something to make hei
Il leep-medicine. I mean?"
"Only hot milk. Last night sh,
81 frank it directly after dinner an,
n Miss Laurel, poor thing, had SOM
6 With her"
Are you sure?" asked Barr,
N quickly.
81 well. I took II up to them my
81 cir and in the morning after-afte
a hey had carried poor Miss Laurt
ii way and ] went in with Martha {
81 AXE the breakfast things down
81 talrs. l found the tall glasses an
W he milk jug there empty"
n Were the two young ladies alon
When you took the milk up?"
OF course"
on the porch a table had bee
aid for the sheriff and Barry, an
Il / Mrs Tudor's insistence they ha
W 10Th remained for dinner
Have you found anything that
# worth looking into?" Barry d.
81 handed
Sheriff Hulse chuckled.
Worth looking into?' he r'
n ,eated. My boy. we've been lool
~ ng into it for days in advance. on
x sc didn't know it,"
In advance2" echoed Barr
What in the world do you mean
THAT feller that's been frightei
ngs servants. stealing boat cushio
nd clothes. and getting in and o
W ( houses without anybody knowi'
low he does Il. He's the one we
"a fter. and we mean to look out
~ ,ab him tonight n we can"
~ who's we?" Barry inquired.
r eThe two gentlemen that a
Iere for dinner tonight and Fra
md me. You can come along II y
vant to-" Hulse responded patrC
zingly. 1T seems that Frank
teen scouting around most of [