The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-06-18

slightly"
he was jealous of you," said
Brant.
Cropsy came in then. Hes
where nobody can see or hear
him." he announced.
Don't you dare to book him, "
said. Don't forget that this is
Saturday night and the Express
doesn't print on Sunday"
At that moment there was a
low knock on the door. It opened
Immediately and Calhoun came
in, breathless and pop-eyed. my
God!' he gasped, and sat down.
Brant got up. He said, I'VE
were about to leave for my room.
Would you like to come along,
Mr.. Rinehart?"
mo thanks" Rinehart an
swered, picking up his hat. I'll
see you later, Lieutenant" to
Cropsy, and he prepared to leave.
The detective nodded. "All right.
I'll be calling you in the morning.
Meanwhile, not word to anyone. "
Il understand perfectly" said
Rinehart unsmilingly, and he left.
Now, then" said Cropsy to
Brant expectantly, but the latter
shook his head. II was serious
about going to my ROOM" he said.
I've something written down and
I want you to read it,
So we went.
There, Brant opened the little
drawer of his typewriter desk and
took out some manuscript. Here, !"
he said, setting in chair, is
what want you to read. It's my
theory of the Margie Shannon
murder. Howard Wrenn killed
her, Just as he killed Pink Flint,
and would have killed Nelson Rlne-
hart if we had not stepped in in
time"
Odd Bits of Mystery
Dovetail Accurately
But how could Wrenn have
killed her?" protested Cropsy. HE
was IN bed"
Wen get to that part Of it
when we come to it," said Brant,
tasting his drink and setting the
glass beside him. And now, If
you don't mind, I'll read this
thing to you. Until the events OF
this evening it was all guesswork.
But now that some of my guesses
have been substantiated, am pre-
pared to put all the pieces OF the
puzzle together"
I'm all ears" said Cropsy.
Lets have it." and Brant began
to read from the manuscript.
cat the time Of Margie Shan
mons murder" he began, Howard
Wrenn, her employer, was at some
pains to give the impression that
he not only had no sentimental
interest in his model himself, but
he knew nothing whatever Of her
affairs of the heart, if any, be-
yond the fact that she had nu-
merous friends, the implication be-
ing that he did not concern him
self about her one way or the
other.
But the man betrayed himself Z.
The first evidence of inconsistency
in his attitude came to light when
the Express published his story Of
the miSericorde and how he had
come to give it to Miss Shannon.
She had given him a penny for
it, and he had laughed at her
superstitions. And yet he kept
the penny! If childish superstl-
lions were to be taken lightly, If
he was not Sentimentally inclined
toward his beautiful model, why
did he keep an ordinary copper
penny hidden away in a desk
drawer?"
Brant glanced up to see if he
would find agreement in our faces.
Sounds reasonable so far" said
Calhoun. Brant smiled and re-
sumed.
And visit to his studio reveals
even more about him. There IS
such thing as an artist revealing
more about himself in a painting
than about his subject, and this is
What Wrenn has done in his pic
lures of Margie Shannon. In her
last one, which he calls Awaken
ing" her warm beauty, her SEN
sual appeal are more pronounced
than ever, and they tell different
story of Wrenn's feeling for his
model than the man tells himself.
so believe Wrenn lied, and
II he lied he had a purpose. He
was in love with Margie Shannon
and he was intensely jealous of
her. He did not want to admit
the one because he feared some
one would suspect the other; and,
even with his perfect alibi. he was
protecting himself against the suS.
picion of motive.
Perhaps BIackmail
Motive in Murders
1--WE come now the the murder
of Pink Flint. From the first I
have held that no ordinary thief
murdered Margie Shannon. When
Flint was killed was sure Of it.
The probability is that Flint was
levying blackmail against the
murderer, who got tired of paying
and who feared that if Flint ever
was captured he would tell all he
knew. Flint was not killed until
after the trial of Janice Fowler
Is it not reasonable to suppose
that Flint attended the trial and
there heard from the witness
stand the same voice he had heard
through the wall between the
apartments of Miss Shannon and
Miss Fowler? And if this theory is
correct, the unnamed escort is