The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-01-17

the balus,rade. The painting Was
only half finished. but Il was IN
dicated IN broad splanhoa of color
and with tho bold, sweeping lines
Of the cartoonist which rendered
the Likeness tinrnlst akabIe % any
one familiar with the line efts
Of those in the ctty's highest So.
.ciety.
Allsthis Barry took IN With one
darling glance and then his eyes
travelled 20 the foot OF the easel
and what lay, there. II was d hnd.
died body Of Q woman with masses
OF tawny hair scarcely, disney Yelled
by her fall and q spreading stain
upon the breast Of her paint daub.
ed smock.
Kneeling beside Il he gently
raised the head, which rolled back
ward in his hands and the cur
iously long, narrow, half-ope ned
eyes stared up suddenly into his
with q dull. unwinling gaze.
aDead!" the professor announced
beside him. "She was at work
when the shot pierced her breast.
See. her thumb Is still trust
through the palette and the maui.
stick and brush have but just fal-
len from her hands. !"
Sergeant Barry made no COM
ment but gently dropping the limp.
warm head back upon the rug he
rose and started a swift, compre.
hensiye search OF the apartment
From Just behind him over his
shoulder a large reflector threw.
the powerful light whose refracted
rays had penetrated even into tho
outer hall; back Of the easel and
ct one side where the artist could
obtain the best view OF II stood o
small, improylsed model throne
with three steps and a section OF
baluBtrade, and back OF It again
the drawn shades over a row Of
half-opcned windows Tapped In the
little. hot breeze which had sprung
up with the passing Of the threat
ened storm.
A long table covered with scat
tered tubes Of paint and brushes,
q few plain chairs and many can.
vases OF various sizes stacked
against the walls completed tho
furnishings of the workmanlike
studio, the ceiling OF which was
one huge slylight Of glass and the
detective turned back into the
luxurious living room, his hand
mechanically searching for and
finding the light switch in the
wall.
Instantly the soft glow OF many
low, opaltinted lamps sprang into
being and revealed the sheer
beauty OF the arrangements OF the
room, but Sergeant Barry's eyes
searched only for some signs Of
order that would indicate hurried
flight and finding none he opened
the door at the back. It led into a
boudoir upholstered delicately in
light blue and rose and through
that he passed into an ivory and
gold bedroom and to the tiled, i'm.
maculate kitchenette beyond. but
nowhere was there q sign Of alien
presence.
The icebox contains only, butter
and cream, and that dress and hat
upon the bed would indicate that
Mrs. yane had dined out" the
professor observed.
.'vane? Miriam vanei" Barry
wheeled suddenly. SIS that who
she is, the artist who had created
such a stir with her new type Of
portraiture among the celebrities?"
Eyes. Her portraits are danger.
ously near caricatures. for some
peryerse impulse has seemed to
guide her brush although so subj
~ that her clients themselves have
rarely detected that sardonically
revealing touch or two, but the
critics have raYed about her gem
ius." The professor turned. ''It is
evident that We are too late here.
for this kltchenette door leading
into the outer hall is bolted from