The Washington times., 1937-05-14


collected himself and was apollo
giving.
I'm sorry. Sit down, please,
and ask your questions"
1 could understand how he telt'
and 1 told him so. and 1 hate
to have to disturb you. Will you
tell me where you got the mlserl-
corde and how you happened to
give it to Miss Shannon"
Wrenn said, I picked it up sew
eral years ago in Italy, at an an
tioue dealers. Just ran into II
while I was browsing around. l
became curious about it and the
thing fascinated me when l was
told how old it was. The dealer
might have been lying, of course,
but everything in Italy is so OLD
that one finds it easy to believe
almost anything"
and how did you happen to
give it to Miss Shannon"
I'm coming to that. I kept 1t
in my studio, you see, and she asked
me about it one day while we were
working together and I explained
what I had been told OF its history
She was simply overcome at the
thought of its actually having been
used in combat by the armored
knights Of the Middle Ages"
He poured US both a fresh cup
of coffee. Posing for an artist"
he resumed as he set the percolator
down, sis not the easy task you
might imagine. 1t is often very try
ing and nerve-wracking, especially
if the artist is one who has the
habit of becoming so absorbed in
his work that he quite forgetS about
the fatigued human being who is
with him.
JeweIed Dagger Gift
For Overtime Posing
"Margie Shannon never COM
planned, although there have been
times when know she was COM
pletely exhausted. She was as keen
about my work as was, and as en-
thusiastic when I made particu-
larly good sale. She posed for a
number of magazine covers sold
and for several canvaSses which l
still have in my studio. I gave her
the miSericorde one day when I
wanted to be especially nice for
having demanded so much of her.
knew it would please her tremen-
douSly."
The artist got to his feet and
walked over to a small desk, where
he pulled out a drawer. "She didn't
want to take it at first" he said,
exploring the drawers contents.
"She said she was superstitious
about knives as gifts. So she made
me accept a penny from her, to
make the transaction technically a
sale, I suppose. Here it is" and he
dropped the penny, turned dark
with diSuSe, into my hand.
I put it back in the drawer with
something like a shiver. What a
story I had stumbled onto! Poor
Margie Shannon's penny, with
which she had sought to forfend
misfortune had not been sufficient,
after all, to buy off her evil fate.
Calhoun would lick his chops,
the fiend.
Wrenn closed the drawer on
the coin and we were both silent;
thinking in terms of a home
edition sob story. and newell,
the Lord only knew what were
his thoughts.
He said, Poor kid" and turned
abruptly to reach for another
I said, "Was she superstitious
about other thingS?" The mans
agitation embarrassed me and I
found it hard to ask questions,
but harder still to remain silent.
mot that I know Of" he
answered. However, the super
stition about bad luck accom-
panying knives as presents is a
common one, believe. knowing
Margie Shannon, one would
naturally suspect that she shared
it Won't you sit DOWN."
I'm afraid I'll have to be 60
ing. Just one thing more. Did
you know Janice Fowler?"
oh, yes. Miss Shannon had
her at the studio several times.
The two of them were very
chummy for a while"
Had they quarreled recently?
was there any jealousy between
them?"
Good Lord. mani" Wrenn ex-
claimed. "YO don't think Janice
Fowler could have done it,"
The police think so, which is
great deal more important"
reminded him.
To Be Continued
Copyright by Michael o'Maliey)
(DIStributed by King Features