South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-01-24

Continued From Our Last Issue
The girls slender figure did not
resemble the splendid. sensuously
full lines OF the body OF Mrs. Vane
save iu ifs height, and the face was
an .ndistinguishable blur. but on a
sudden inspiration Barry rose. still
carrylnz the picture. and going into
the studio he turned on the brilliant
light within the reflector. Then he
drew from his pocket a small but
powerful microscope. 1t proved Of
little aid beyond showing that the
blurred object By the girls side was
indeed large dog for the photo
eraph was too worn and faded. but
on the reverse side the distinction
between the pencil marks and pen
~cratches was plainly visible, and
three words written in a round.
clrlshly Uniformed hand were I'M
.akably revealed:
"MoFus would move"
Then standing almost on the
same spot which the body of Miriam
\aue had occupied en- front of the
easel Barry used his microscope 20
scan every inch OF the portrait with
metlculous care.
Strengthening at length with a
very grave expression upon his boy
ish countenance. ne switched of the
starring light in the reflector. leaving
only the side brackets in the wall
glowing softly. and crossing behind
the portrait he passed the model
throne and went TO the row OF win
dows.
When he raised the shade OF one
of them the empty house beyond the
narrow strip OF garden stood out
mort distinctly than before and a
srayish enulgence was spreading
over the cloudy sky The sultry
summer dawn was at hand
Dropping the shade once more.
Barry turned and refectively re-
earded the back Of the portrait upon
the easel The huge square of can
vas was blank except for some num-
bers scrawled IN charcoal on the
UPPER left hand corner and a small
cross in red paint a little below the
center. For some minutes these
enigm7tic characters occupied the
close attention or the sergeant, then
he turned off the last OF the lights
and left the studio. going directly to
the outer hall without a second
glance toward the boudoir and bed
room.
Big Doane seated upon the lowest
step OF the staircase. rose hastily
and saluted
"One Of the boys came up, sir ia
find out about the light in that stu
dio. but / fixed it with him. he re.
marked Did you find the answer
10 what was puzzling you. ser
geant2"
If I've found the answer to what
was puzzling me- Doane." he replied
I've stumbled on a bigger mystery
yet and a blacker one"
lie found at headquarters that
Craig had already turned in his re-
port, and the chief was awaiting his
own appearance with ilI-concealed
impatience.
What do you think?" the CHIEF
asked.
AS to the identity of the muir
dcrer, sir2" Barry asked. cautiously
I'm quite certain that several peo-
pie who might conceivably have
killed Mrs Nane did not do It. anC
However. I took IL upon myself q
do a little unofficial invests SEATING
cot course, That's what I ex
pected YOU to do the chief inter
ruFted eagerly. The medical eN
aminer ,snI performed the au
topsy yet. naturally. but from mi
account of the affair as well as TN,
reports of the boys from the loca
precinct and Boyle and Craig i
appears that the Nane woman wa.
shot hy some visitor someone sh,
know well. and that she had no pre-
mouitiou III the attack. There's one
queer point about the murder tina
the press is bound To- pounCe on anC
play up big. and yet 7 can't see anl
explanation: I thought perhaps yol
might have some idea"
what is That s.rt' Barry's ton,
was Suueless.
There We're mo- powder marks OF
the woman's smock, and the medica
examiner says that the shot mus
have been hred from a distance o
several feet az least"
The chief paused. "Now. accord
ing 90 Boy'e's report. Prof Sem
p y
heard the sound OF the shot an,
opened his door he heard footstep
on the stairs"
Sergt Barry smiled.
THE professor and I have Sigh
difference ot opinion about the di
recdon Of the sound OF those foot
stems. ne believed that they wer,
coming mp. while 7 am quite rs Ger
tain that they were descending
he said However. that's not tn
main point You are wrong 7 think
sir h0ush not i'm the way 20,
mean That step on the stairs ha,
everything Or do with the murder
"What-tt" The chief sprang from
his chair
"Has anyone given YOU n descrip
tion YET Of the portrait which Miriam
\ane was painting when she me
her death. sire" asked Barry.
only that il IS picture Of Mrs
Theodore Vansittart-"
Coming down a staircase" Barr,
finished "The Third Step Of tn
Stairs is just ON a level with tn
artists breast Us she sat on "A stoo
before the easel and there IS
bullet hole in the canvas Miriam
Vane was shoe through the heart ID,
someone ON the other side of tn
portrait
VII
For a moment the chief SEEM ed
about 20 explode with the mingled
emotions which consumed him. Tn,
next he sank back in his chair ans
raised his powerful hands TO le
them fan with a slam uron his desk
luIIat hole +rrn,lrh thn nor