The Washington times., 1937-06-08
Nov Read On
Bv MICHAEL o'MALLEY


figure, scantily draped. There
We fingered for another hour
and made serious inroads on the
artists supply of champagne.
Then Brant and I said good night
and left him, Wrenn having said
that he would spend the night
there instead Of returning to his
apartment.
We decided not to telephone for
a taxicab, but to walk to the near
est stand, which was only two
short blocks away. The snow
was falling thickly as we left. I
tucked my chin into my overcoat
collar and, reviewing what Brant
had said in defense of Pink Flint,
resolved, Miles or no Miles, to pay
a call tomorrow on Nelson Rine-
hart.
Suddenly I felt Brant's grasp
on my arm, halting me. We were
about half way down the walk to
the street. He whispered, Look"
and pointed downward. Foot
prints" he said. Someone has
been walking here while we were
inside"
There were number Of them
fresh ones-leading down the path
from the studio to the street.
"Odd!" Brant muttered, and,
bending close to the path, retraced
his steps to the front door, follow
ing the tracks back to the front
door, following the tracks back to
the large window. Through 1t we
could see Wrenn dimly. tidying
up after our session with the
champagne.
We've been watched" said
Brant excitedly. "See, there are
other tracks, almost obliterated
now, showing where he came up
the walk"
."That's a funny one. What do
you suppose we ought to do
notify Wrenn?"
Brant debated this silently,
scratching his long nose. II think
we should" he said finally. 1T
might be that someone saw his
pictures and things and has
planned to break in"
We rang the bell. When Wrenn
answered, showing surprise at our
return, we told him Of our dis
covery. :,
perhaps you'd better not spend
the night here after ALL" I Sug-
gested.
But Wrenn thought that was
nonsense. All the more reason
why I should, If someone has de-
signs on my art" Nevertheless, ne
looked worried.
'I1l call up the police" I Of
fered, "and have them keep on
eye on the place. Where's the
telephone?"
Right over here" said Wrenn,
and when I called and explained
the situation to the sergeant IN
the Information Bureau he ap-
peared genuinely grateful and
somewhat relieved.
He said, "It's rather strange, but
there have been two or three other
Incidents think someone has
been watching the place and has
been trying to get in"
How long has this been going
on?" I asked.
Wrenn shrugged. I'm not sure.
Perhaps the others were imagina-
tion, after all. The first time I
began to suspect anything was
wrong was about a week ago. I
left the studio after a class one
night and thought saw someone
sinking off as I opened the door.
On another occasion one Of my
students said he saw a man hang
ing about the place as he came in
one evening. And before that
this was perhaps week after
Margie Shannon was killed. was
sitting here alone about dusk and
I heard someone trying to open
one of the side windows. I hadn't
put any lights on yet, and the
studio was quite dark had dozed
off, I suppose. At any rate, the
noise aroused me, but when I in
vestigated there was no one
there"
He didn't want to sound like an
alarmist, Wrenn said, or like an
old woman.
The police, I told him, would
keep an eye on the place. Mean
while, it might be wiser to do your
sleeping at the apartment.
Brant quietly agreed to this, but
Wrenn would have none Of it, so
we left him again.
"He has more nerve than I'd
have, I'm afraid" said to Brant
on our way to the taxi stand.
with a murder in the back
ground. I'd do some tall and fancy
worrying. I scare eaSily!"
Brant nodded. I'm sure
would, too. All, here's a cab 60
ing our way. We're lucky"
Grateful for Shelter
Afforded by Taxicab
We hailed it and piled in CRATE
fully and slammed the door against
the storm. The wind was rising to
q gale now, driving the snow re-
lentlessly before it. Past the taxi
stand we rolled. noting the entire
absence of cabs there and con-
graduating ourselves on our good
luck. Beneath the bright street