The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-06-15
WHOSE WIFE?--SOCIETY NIGHT LIFE SECRETS Barred
Who Holds Key to Riddle
of Disappearance
of IsObel Vane?


q few questions about the tragic
happenings In your home last
night"
| May ask one question tirst?"
Vane countered. Getting a quiet
nod for answer, he continued,
What Is your reason for coming
here, Mr.. Mantel?"
ITO help you," he said gently.
For a tense moment the two
men looked into each others
eyes-then Mantel held out his
hand. and Vane grasped it.
THANK you," he said simply.
"I'll be glad to answer any
questions I can, but I warn you
that I know very little about it
myself, with the exception of
what my friend" he &C.
cented the word. the Inspector
here told me, when he arrested
me-"
Lets forget me-" said 1ngles
brusquely, and get down to
business. You're in q bad hole,
Lawrence, and unless you help
us all you can, Mr.. Mantel will
not be able to do anything at
ALL" He added under his breath,
and lord knows how he thinks
he can help on a surefire case
like this, anyway"
What happened last night?"
asked Mantel.
CHAPTER TX
II must have fallen asleep In
front of the fire in the studio.
I woke to find two police Off
GERS there. They told me some
cock-and.bull story about a fight
on my roof. Then they asked
where my wife Isobel was. We
went to look for her--and-" his
voice broke. She was gone!"
YES" Mantel prompted. And
then?"
Then Ingles here came in-he
went out on the roof-then he
and the officers came back and
made me go out and look at
that CHASTITY thing that lay
there" He shuddered, and GOV.
cred his eyes with mis- hands.
"Yes" said Mantel again.
"Then IngleS arrested me,
Vane's voice dripped with bitter.
ness, "for the murder of-my
wife: that's really what his tech
nical charge. material wit
ness amounts to-"
Cyrus K. removed his pince-nez
and gently stroked one eyebrow
with the rim.
And" he asked casually, had
you murdered your wife?"
GOOD God. NO. man! told
Tngles-that woman'S body wasn't
Isobel's!" His voice rose. 1T
wasn't Isobel'S, tell you!"
1ngles uttered an exclamation
between q grunt and a groan.
Snap out of it, Lawrence, he
said. "You can't make that"
THAT will do. Inspector" Cyrus
K. interrupted him. IF YOU don't
mind, am conducting this case
at the moment"
He returned his attention to
Vane.
Were you in the habit of hev-
ing other women at your pent-
houSe?" he asked.
Vane glared at him a minute,
then
"Only for models" he said.
"Ah! Only your models" Man,
| 49, khA0pNhkf1Nl1Hy
Times up!" came the voice of
the guard, and the rattle of his
keys sounded as he opened the
cell door.
Through the bars that once
more enclosed Vane alone, Cyrus
K. reached a friendly hand, and
shook that of the younger man.
Friendly Hand
Keep up your courage" he SAID
quietly. you've been dealt a bad
hand-you may have played 1t
wrong, or the cards may have
been stacked, I don't know"
He Strengthened and gave the
trembling hand he held a hearty
grasp.
But this do know. Cyrus K.
Mantel is sitting in the game
from now on-and we shall see,
we shall See!"
AS Inspector Ingles and Cyrus
K. left Vane'S cell and walked
back with the guard to the main
office both men were silent.
Although their thoughts cen.
tered about the same subject.
those thoughts varied greatly.
Mantel, Enthusiastically. was
already mentally mapping out his
first moves in this new game IN
which he had decided to take a
hand. A game with far more than
q prize Of added fame for his al
ready famous name. For the way
in which this game was played,
and his winning or losing, meant
life or death to Lawrence Vane.
Ingles also was thinking OF
Vane and of Mantel. But he was
wondering what possible moves
Mantel could make that would
prove the innocence Of the man
he himself had already con-
demned as guilty.
As they left the darkness Of the
Tombs and came out into the
bright glare of the day, both men
paused and with one accord looked
up at the blue sky. Certainly at
that moment their thoughts were
the same.
II suppose you would like to go
up to Vane'S apartment right
away?" asked 1ngleS.
mo" answered Cyrus K. mo.