The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-01-23
BEGIN HERE TODAY

! Detective Sergeant John Barry il
spending the evening with his
friend, Professor Semyonov, in the
latter's rooms on the fifth floor of d
New York apartment house. A re.
volver shot is heard from below and
then hurrying footsteps on the
| stairs. They rush downstairs and il,
the studio apartment on the third
floor discover the occupant, a beau
tiful woman, lying dead on the floor
in front of an unfinished portrait. A
bullet has just pierced her breast.
Sergeant Barry made no comment
but gently dropping the limp, warm
head back upon the rug he rose
and started a swift, comprehensive
search Of the apartment. From just
behind him over his shoulder a
large reflector threw the powerful
light whose refracted rays had pene-
trated even into the outer ball; back
of the easel and at one side where
the artist could obtain the best view
of it stood a small, improvised model
throne with three steps and sec
tion of balustrade, and back of it
again the, drawn shades over a row
OF half-opened windows tapped in
the little, hot breeze which had
sprung up with the passing of the
threatened storm.
long table covered with scat
tered tubes of paint and brushes a
Few plain chairs and many gan
vases CT various sizes stacked against
the walls completed the furnishings
of the workmanlike studio, the cell
ing of which was one huge skylight
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. opalstinted lamps sprang into
being and revealed the sheer beauty
OF the arrangements of the room,
but Sergeant Barsy's eyes searched
only for some sign of disorder that
would indicate hurried flight, and
finding none he opened the door at
the back. 1t led into a boudoiy
upholstered delicately in light blue
and rose, and through that he passed
INTO an ivory and gold bedroom and
TO the tiled, Immaculate kitchenettc
beyond, but nowhere was there d
sign of alien presence. Il
The iceboX contains only butter
and cream, and that \dress and hat |
Upon the bed would Indicate that
Mrs. Vane, had dined out" the pro-
lessor observed.
"Vane? Miriam Vance," Barry
suddenly. SIS that who she
S, the artist who has created sucn
stir with her new type of por-
nature among the celebrities ?"
Yes. Her portraits are danger
'usly near caricatures, for some per.
'erse impulse has seemed to guide
Ter brush although so subtly that |
Ter clients themselves have rarely
detected that sardonically revealing
ouch or two, but the critics have
aved about her genius" The profes.
or turned. ut is evident that we
re too late here, for this kitchen
tie door leading into the outer hall
bolted from the inside; but some
me is coming"
Someone had indeed arrived. They
fastened back to the living room to
ind standing just within the door
ray young man in dinner coat
nth wildly rumpled hair. and DO
iceman in uniform.
The latter advanced with aggres-
i've authority which suffered sud-
en- change.
Whats been going on here? III
card shot and I've been pounding
Glow till this young gentleman !
ere let me in! Oh, you're here. !
ergeant Barry! This is my regular