New Britain herald., 1922-01-21
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 ly with Mrs vane. This. Ladd denies
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 We'll" Gordon I.add moistened his lips and spoke slowly, weighing each word with care. "I let myself in at the entrance, with my house key and had reached the door of my apart- ment outside here when glancing up the stairs l caught glimpse of Mrs. Nane in the hall above, just outside her own door.
 As l had not seen her in several days l went half-way up the stairs and greeted her, with the half-formed intention of paying her short call If it were not too late, but she said that she was too busy and must work upon a portrait, or words to that ef- feet, so l bade her good night and coming back to my own apartment, let myself in and closed the door.
 It seemed almost the next moment, as l have stated, that the commotion arose, and as no one else seemed likely to reply to that banging on the entrance door I went down and ad- mitted the policeman. We heard voices and saw lights coming from Mrs. Vane's apartment and went up together, but I had heard no shot and of course had no suspicion of the truth. That is why it fioored me so when--when saw the body"
 It was only at the conclusion of his long explanation that the young man faltered and into his eyes there came again that swift, feeting look of sheer, stark horror which Barry had noted earlier, when he had collapsed at the discovery of the murder.
 "Mr. I.add," he recommended suavely. How was Mrs. Vane dressed when you saw her in the landing above? The same as when her body was found?
 "Of course!" The artist stared.
 ''Did you see anyone else in the railways or on the stairs, either above or below?"
 "No one" The reply was decisive but the pause before it came was a fraction too long and Barry seized upon it.
 Then, Mir. Ladd, what in your es- timation was the reason for Mrs Nane's presence out there in the pub lie hall? Did she offer any explana- tion?"
 Certainly not, and I thought nothing of it." Ladd replied hotly Tt is ridiculously trivial notion to quibble over. There might have been a hundred unimportant reasons"
 There might have been a hundred reasons, Mir Ladd!" Again there came that maddening repetition of his name which had so often helped in breaking a stubborn witness under the third degree. But in this case there was only one, and you know it! Mrs. Vane was either receiving or ejecting a guest, and if you saw no one else, you yourself must have been that guest We have purposely interro- gated the other tenants of the house before approaching you and we have learned more than you think! The saying that walls have ears is true also of ceilings-''
 He paused significantly while Ser geant Craig stared at him in genuine surprise, but the shot found it's mark Leaping to his feet, with his hand
 
 paroxysm of rage Ladd cried:
 ''So that's what you two have been trying to get at, Is it? That miserable wretch Griswold has noted my ac- quaintanceship with Mrs. Vane and deliberately tried to blacken her char acter in your eyes! 1 admit that I was in love with her; all our world in Paris as we'll as here will tell you of my long attempt to make her my wife, but they will also tell you that she has laughed at my love for her, as she has at that of all others. I would have said nothing, but now that he has spoken. ash him what claim he has upon her. gentlemen, for the stairs! It was he whom I saw leaving her apartment moment be- fore I entered my own and the shot was fired which must have ended her life!'
 Sergeant Barry felt that the mo- ment was too tense and the possible issue too important to give his col league an opportunity to interrupt. Without a glance at Craig he demand ed of the almost distraught young artist before him:
 That being the case, Mir. Ladd, tell us the truth of what happened last night! Why did you go halfway up the flight of stairs leading to Mrs. Vanes apartment if ou saw her in the hall talking to a neighbor whom you dislike?" Mrs. Vane seemed bantering her departing guest in her usual gay man. ner and he was glowering at her in |