The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1922-03-21


distinguishable blur. but on sudder
inspiration Barry rose. still carrying
the picture, and going into the studio
he turned on the brilliant light within
the reflector. Then he drew from his
pocket n small but powerful micro
scope. 1t proved OF little aid beyond
showing that the blurred object by
the girls side was indeed a large dog
for the photograph was too worn and
faded, but on the reverse side the dis
tinction between the pencil marks and
pen scratches was plainly visible, and
three words written in a round, girl
lshly uniformed hand were unmistak
ably revealed:
"Mopus would move
Then, standing almost on the same
spot which the body Of Miriam Nane
had occupied in front Of the easel
Barry used his microscope TO sean
every inch OF the portrait with metieu'
lous care.
Strengthening at length with very
grave expression upon his boyish coun'
tenance, he switched off the glaring
light IN the reflector, leaving only the
side brackets in the wall glowing soft
ly. and crossing behind the portrait
he passed the model throne and went
TO the row Of windows.
When he raised the shade of one OF
NAM the empty house beyond the
narrow strip of garden stood out more
distinctly than before and a grayish
effulgence was spreading oves the
cloudy sky. The sultry summer dawn
was at hand.
Dropping the shade once more Bar
ry turned and reflectively regarded
the back Of the portrait upon the
easel. The huge square of canvas
was blank except for some numbers
scrawled in charcoal on the upper left
hand corner and a small cross in red
paint little below the center. For
some minutes these enigmatic char
acters occupied the close attention OF
the sergeant, then he turned off the
last of the lights and left the studio,
going directly TO the outer hall with
out second glance toward the boudoir
and bedroom.
Big Doane, seated upon the lowest
step OF the staircase, rose hastily ana
saluted.
"One Of the boys came up, sir, TO
find out about the light in that studio,
but I fixed it with him." he re-
marked Did you find the answer TO
what was puzzling you. sergant?'
'If I've found the answer to what
was puzzling me, Doane." he replied,
~I've stumpled on a bigger mystery
set. and blacker one"
He found at headquarters that Craig
had already turned in his report. and
the chief was awaiting his own ap-
pearance with ill-concealed impatience.' -
What do you think?" the chief
asked.
"As to the identity Of the murder
er, sir?" Barry asked, cautiously
"Im quite certain that several people
who might conceivably have killed
Mrs. Vane did not do it. and that lets
me out for the moment. However, !
took It upon myself to do a little un-
official Investigating"
"Of course! That's what l expect
ed you TO do" tho chief interrupted
eagerly. "The medical examiner hasn't
performed the autopsy yet, naturally,
but from his account OF the affair as
we'll as the reports Of the boys from
the local precince. and Boyle and
Craig. It appears that the Nane woman
was shot by some visitor, someone
she knew well, and that she had no
premonition of the attack. There's one
queer point about the murder that the
press is bound to pounce on and play
up big. and yet l can't see any ex-
PLANTATION; | thought perhaps you
might have some idea
"What was that, sir?' Bary's tone
was guileless.
There were no powder marks on
the woman's smock, and the medical
examiner says that the shot must have
been fired from distance Of several
feet at least"
to Boyles report, Professor Semynov
stated that when you and he heard
the sound OF the shot and opened his
door he heard footsteps on the stairs"
Sergeant Barry smiled.
THE professor and ] have slight
difference OF opinion about the direc.
ton Of the sound OF those footsteps;
he believes they We're coming up, while
/ am quite as certain that they were
descending" he said However. that's
not the main point You are wrong.
1 think. sir. though not In the way
you mean. That step on the stairs
had everything to do with the muir
derg'
"what.t" The chief sprang from
his chair
"Has anyone given you a descrip.
tion yet OF the portrait which Miriam
Vance was painting when she met
her death. sr?' asked Barry
"only that it is a picture OF Mrs.
Theodore Nansittart-"
Coming down staircase" Barr
finished. "The THIRD STEP OF
THE STAIRS is just on n level with
the artists breast as she sat on "A
stool before the easel. and there is
bullet hole In the canvas. Miriam
vane was shot through the heart BY
someone on the other side Of the por.
tialt'
CHAPTER VII
For moment the chief seemed
about to explode with the mingled
emotions which consumed him. The
next he sank back in his chair and
raised his powerful hands, TO let them
fall with slam upon his desi
"a bullet hole through the por.
traitw no exclaimed. And none Of
those no-account flatfoot dicks, not
even the medical examiner himself, had
eyes to see t The reports would
have smoked Il out and had a fine
laugh on the department II IL hadn't
been for you. Johnr'
mo woman deliberately destroys all
signs OF her former identity unless
she has a secret to hide said Barry |