The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-01-29

You're not going to rouse up old
Griswold again, then, and ask him
why he lied about Mis- acquaintance
| with Mrs. Vane?" Barry bent a
quizzical glance upon the younger
sergeant.
II am not" the other announced
with decision. eve have young
Ladd's word for it that Griswold
lied but neither of them were under
oath. They're both under guard and
in the morning we'll have them down
on the carpet and get the truth out
| of them"
That's good idea,' approved
Barry. "And while you are about it,
you might find out what time little
Miss Shaw goes out and let the pro-
fessor know. l fancy he'll be wait
ing to hear"
Craig stared.
"Oh; yes; forget that note you
slipped under his door, You said
something about porch climbing and
chemistry. You're not putting any
thing over on me, John?"
No" Barry smiled.
III put the men on guard out
side wise, SO that they won't kick
up. rumpus if they see him, like 4
modern Santa Claus, perambulating
the fire escape with his white whis-
kers waving in the early morning
breeze. That note simply asked him
to get into the other apartments
when he was sure the occupants
were gone, and search for traces
of certain chemical compound"
But we'd only just left Miss
Shaw's apartment; we hadn't seen
either Griswold's or Ladd's then!"
Craig exclaimed beneath his breath.
"Ycu don't suspect her, John?"
Barry smiled, but a trifle dry.
Barry waited until the younger
sergeant's footsteps had died away
in the c"iet night air and then
turned to the guard.
"Doane, do you know who l am >"
The patrolman nodded.
"All right" Barry broke in. II
take it that your orders tonight,
Doane, are to keep guard outside the
apartment here. in which the woman
was shot unless you hear any sus-
picious sound within, or see some
thing which you think should be in
.vestigated. Is that SOP"
Right, sir" Doane responded.
Every good. You're going to see
and hear something suspicious with
in five minutes, and that something
is going to be me! Understand"
II don't sir" Doane replied. "But
what you say goes. You mean you
want to have another look around
the place? I've orders not to let
anybody it, but as long as you're
taking. the responsibility, the lock is
smashed and can't see every
shadow in this dark hail."
Barry pushed open the broken
door, which swung drunkenly on its
hinges, and entering the perfumed
Uttered living room, he found his
way to the wall switch and turned
on the opalescent lamps.
The little writing desk was open,
it's profusion of papers scattered
on the floor, and the drawers of an
almost priceless Chinese cabinet had
been forced. Approaching the IT.
ter, Barry observed that its con-
tents were mainly scraps of draw
ing paper on which tiny figures had
been scrawled, each with few deft
lines, and picking one up he whist.
led softly.
1t was miniature caricature,
cruel in its sharply defined charac-
ter delineation, of pompous, good
natured Theodore Vinsittart, hus-
band of the woman whose unfinished
portrait stood on the easel in the
studio, and glancing over the others
Barry found like caricatures of sew
eral people prominent in the social
and political life of the city.
He was turning away from the
cabinet when he noticed something
which it was obvious that the de-
tectives had overlooked; a., small
compartment at the top, with a han
die formed by q tiny red-gold drag
on, remained undisturbed.
Barry tugged at the little dragon
but it was immoyable, the single
gilt eye above its snout-like nose
seeming to wink mockingly at the
futility of his efforts. Something
about that eye and the curious in
formation Of it's socket gave the
sergeant sudden inspiration, and
taking blunt pencil from his poe
ket he pressed sharply upon the
globule of gilt as upon a bell but
ton.
Instantly the dragon turned in
ward as upon string, the front of
the Compartment dropped forward
on noiseless, unseen hinges and the
interior the small, secret space was
exposed.
Mentally congratulating himself
that Doane had elected to remain
outside. Barry drew forth the con-
tents of the compartment in both
hands and carried it carefully to a
small table. It was evident enough
at last that somewhere beneath the
hard, surface brilliancy and devil
ishly clever, bitter humor of the
dead woman there had lurked AL
humanity sentimental regard for
episodes in her life that had van
ished from the sophisticated pres
ent, for there beneath his hanos