,,the ,,film ,,mystery ,,by ,,arthur ,b4 ,,reeve ,,author ,,of ,the ,soul ,scar ,the ,adventuress and ,other ,craig ,kennedy ,scientific ,detective ,stories ,,contents ,,chapter ,i4 ,a ,,camera ,,crime ,,ii4 ,,the ,,tiny ,,scratch ,,iii4 ,,tangled ,,motives ,,iv4 ,,the ,,fatal ,,script ,v4 ,,an ,,emotional ,,maze ,,vi4 ,,the ,,first ,,club ,,vii4 ,,enid ,,faye ,,viii4 ,,lawrence ,,millard ,,ix4 ,,white-,,light ,,shadows ,x4 ,,chemical ,,research ,,xi4 ,,forestalled ,,xii4 ,,emery ,,phelps ,,xiii4 ,,marilyn ,,loring ,,xiv4 ,,another ,,clue ,,xv4 ,i ,,become ,a ,,detective ,,xvi4 ,,enid ,,assists ,,xvii4 ,,an ,,appeal ,,xviii4 ,,the ,,antivenin ,,xix4 ,,around ,,the ,,circle ,,xx4 ,,the ,,banquet ,,scene ,,xxi4 ,,merle ,,shirley ,,overacts ,,xxii4 ,,the ,,stem ,,xxiii4 ,,botulin ,,toxin ,,xxiv4 ,,the ,,invisible ,,menace ,,xxv4 ,,itching ,,salve ,,xxvi4 ,a ,,cigarette ,,case ,,xxvii4 ,,the ,,film ,,fire ,,xxviii4 ,,the ,,phosphorus ,,bomb ,,xxix4 ,,microscopic ,,evidence ,,xxx4 ,,the ,,ballroom ,,scene ,,xxxi4 ,,physostigmin ,,xxxii4 ,,camera ,,evidence ,,the ,,film ,,mystery ,i ,a ,,camera ,,crime ,camera6 ,kennedy and ,i had been hastily summoned from his laboratory in the city by ,district-,attorney ,mackay1 and now stood in the luxurious1 ornate library in the country home of ,emery ,phelps1 the banker1 at ,tarrytown4 ,camera6--you know the call when the director is ready to shoot a scene of a picture8--well--at the moment it was given and the first and second camera men began to grind--she crumpled--sank to the floor--unconscious6 ,hot and excited1 ,mackay endeavored to reenact his case for us with all the histrionic ability of a popular prosecutor before a jury4 ,there's where she dropped--they carried her over here to this davenport--sent for ,doctor ,blake--but he couldn't do a thing for her4 ,she died--just as you see her4 ,blake thought the matter so serious1 so alarming1 that he advised an immediate investigation4 ,that's why ,i called you so urgently4 ,before us lay the body of the girl1 remarkably beautiful even as she lay motionless in death4 ,her masses of golden hair1 disheveled1 added to the soft contours of her features4 ,her wonderfully large blue-gray eyes with their rare gift for delicate shades of expression were closed1 but long curling lashes swept her cheeks still and it was hard to believe that this was anything more than sleep4 ,it was inconceivable that ,stella ,lamar1 idol of the screen1 beloved of millions1 could have been taken from the world which worshiped her4 ,i felt keenly for the district attorney4 ,he was a portly little man of the sort prone to emphasize his own importance and so1 true to type1 he had been upset completely by a case of genuine magnitude4 ,it was as though visiting royalty had dropped dead within his jurisdiction4 ,i doubt whether the assassination of a ,mc,kinley or a ,lincoln could have unsettled him as much1 because in such an event he would have had the whole weight of the ,federal government behind him4 ,there was no question but that ,stella ,lamar enjoyed a country-wide popularity known by few of our ,presidents4 ,her sudden death was a national tragedy4 ,apparently ,mackay had appealed to ,kennedy the moment he learned the identity of ,stella1 the moment he realized there was any question about the circumstances surrounding the affair4 ,over the telephone the little man had been almost incoherent4 ,he had heard of ,kennedy's work and was feverishly anxious to enlist his aid1 at any price4 ,all we knew as we took the train on the ,new ,york ,central was that ,stella was playing a part in a picture to be called ,the ,black ,terror1 that the producer was ,manton ,pictures1 ,incorporated1 and that she had dropped dead suddenly and without warning in the middle of a scene being photographed in the library at the home of ,emery ,phelps4 ,i was singularly elated at the thought of accompanying ,kennedy on this particular case4 ,it was not that the tragic end of a film star whose work ,i had learned to love was not horrible to me1 but rather because1 for once1 ,i thought ,kennedy actually confronted a situation where his knowledge of a given angle of life was hardly sufficient for his usual analysis of the facts involved4 ,walter1 he had exclaimed1 as ,i burst into the laboratory in response to a hurried message1 here's where ,i need your help4 ,you know all about moving pictures1 so--if you'll phone your city editor and ask him to let you cover a case for the ,star we'll just about catch a train at ,one ,hundred and ,twenty-fifth ,street4 ,because the film world had fascinated me always ,i had made a point of being posted on its people and their activities4 ,i remembered the very first appearance of ,stella ,lamar back in the days of ,general ,film1 when pictures were either ,licensed or ,independent1 when only two companies manufactured worth-while screen dramas1 when any subject longer than a reel had to be of rare excellence1 such as the art films imported from ,france for the ,licensed program4 ,in those days1 ,stella rose rapidly to prominence4 ,her large wistful eyes had set the hearts of many of us to beating at staccato rate4 ,then came ,lloyd ,manton1 her present manager1 and the first of a new type of business man to enter the picture field4 ,manton was essentially a promoter4 ,his predecessors had been men carried to success by the growth of the new art4 ,old ,pop ,belman1 for instance1 had been a fifth-rate oculist who rented and sold stereopticons as a side line4 ,with blind luck he had grasped the possibilities of ,edison's new invention4 ,just before the break-up of ,general ,film he had become many times a millionaire and it was then that he had sent a wave of laughter over the entire country by an actual cable to ,william ,shakespeare1 address ,london1 asking for all screen rights to the plays written by that gentleman4 ,manton represented a secondary phase in film finance4 ,continent ,films1 his first corporation1 was a stockjobbing concern4 ,grasping the immense popularity of ,stella ,lamar1 he had coaxed her away from the old studio out in ,flatbush where all her early successes had been photographed4 ,with the magic of her name he sold thousands of shares of stock to a public already fed up on the stories of the fortunes to be made in moving pictures4 ,when much of the money so raised had been dissipated1 when ,continent's quotation on the curb sank to an infinitesimal fraction1 then it developed that ,stella's contract was with ,manton personally4 ,manton ,pictures1 ,incorporated1 was formed to exploit her4 ,the stock of this company was not offered to outside investors4 ,stella's popularity had in no way suffered from the business methods of her manager4 ,manton1 at the least1 had displayed rare foresight in his estimation of public taste4 ,except for a few attempts with established stage favorites1 photographed generally in screen versions of theatrical classics and backed by affiliations with the producers of the legitimate stage1 ,continent ,films was the first concern to make the five-reel feature4 ,stella1 as a ,continent player1 was the very first feature star4 ,under the banner of ,manton ,pictures1 she had never surrendered her position of pre-eminence4 ,also1 scandal somehow had failed to touch her4 ,those initiated to the inner gossip of the film world1 like myself1 were under no illusions4 ,the relations between ,stella and ,manton were an open secret4 ,yet the picture fans1 in their blind worship1 believed her to be as they saw her upon the screen4 ,to them the wide and wistful innocence of her remarkably large eyes could not be anything but genuine4 ,the artlessness of the soft curves of her mouth was proof to them of the reality of an ingenuous and very girlish personality4 ,even her divorce had helped rather than harmed her4 ,it seemed irony to me that she should have obtained the decree instead of her husband1 and in ,new ,york1 too1 where the only grounds are unfaithfulness4 ,the testimony in the case had been sealed so that no one knew whom she had named as corespondent4 ,at the time1 ,i wondered what pressure had been exerted upon ,millard to prevent the filing of a cross suit4 ,surely he should have been able to substantiate the rumors of her association with ,lloyd ,manton4 ,lawrence ,millard1 author and playwright and finally scenario writer1 had been as much responsible for the success of his wife as ,manton1 and in a much less spectacular way4 ,it was ,millard who had written her first great ,continent success1 who had developed the peculiar type of story best suited for her1 back in the early days of the one reel and ,general ,film4 ,it is commonly known in picture circles that an actress who screens well1 even if she is only a moderately good artist1 can be made a star with one or two or three good stories and that1 conversely1 a star may be ruined by a succession of badly written or badly produced vehicles4 ,those of us not blinded by an idolatrous worship for the girl condemned her severely for throwing her husband aside at the height of her success4 ,the public displayed their sympathy for her by a burst of renewed interest4 ,the receipts at the box office whenever her films were shown probably delighted both ,manton and ,stella herself4 ,i had wondered1 as ,kennedy and ,i occupied a seat in the train1 and as he left me to my thoughts1 whether there could be any connection between the tragedy and the divorce4 ,the decree1 ,i knew1 was not yet final4 ,could it be possible that ,millard was unwilling1 after all1 to surrender her8 ,could he prefer deliberate murder to granting her her freedom8 ,i was compelled to drop that line of thought1 since it offered no explanation of his previous failure to contest her suit or to start counter action4 ,then my reflections had strayed away from ,kennedy's sphere1 the solving of the mystery1 to my own1 the news value of her death and the events following4 ,the ,star1 as always1 had been only too glad to assign me to any case where ,craig ,kennedy was concerned2 my phone message to the city editor1 the first intimation to any ,new ,york paper of ,stella's death1 already had resulted without doubt in scare heads and an extra edition4 ,the thought of the prominence given the personal affairs of picture players and theatrical folk had disgusted me4 ,there are stars against whom there is not the slightest breath of gossip1 even among the studio scandal-mongers4 ,any number of girls and men go about their work sanely and seriously1 concerned in nothing but their success and the pursuit of normal pleasures4 ,as a matter of fact it had struck me on the train that this was about the first time ,craig ,kennedy had ever been called in upon a case even remotely connected with the picture field4 ,i knew he would be confronted with a tangled skein of idle talk1 from everybody1 about everybody1 and mostly without justification4 ,i hoped he would not fall into the popular error of assuming all film players bad1 all studios schools of immorality4 ,i was glad ,i was able to accompany him on that account4 ,the arrival at ,tarrytown had ended my reflections1 and ,kennedy's--whatever they may have been4 ,mackay himself had met us at the station and with a few words1 to cover his nervousness1 had whisked us out to the house4 ,as we approached1 ,kennedy had taken quick note of the surroundings1 the location of the home itself1 the arrangement of the grounds4 ,there was a spreading lawn on all four sides1 unbroken by plant or bush or tree--sheer prodigality of space1 the better to display a rambling but most artistic pile of gray granite4 ,masking the road and the adjoining grounds was thick1 impenetrable shrubbery1 a ring of miniature forest land about the estate4 ,there was a garage1 set back1 and tennis courts1 and a practice golf green4 ,in the center of a garden in a far corner a summerhouse was placed so as to reflect itself in the surface of a glistening swimming pool4 ,as we pulled up under the porte-cochere ,emery ,phelps1 the banker1 greeted us4 ,perhaps it was my imagination1 but it seemed to me that there was a repressed animosity in his manner1 as though he resented the intrusion of ,kennedy and myself1 yet felt powerless to prevent it4 ,in contrast to his manner was the cordiality of ,lloyd ,manton1 just inside the door4 ,manton was childishly eager in his welcome1 so much so that ,i was able to detect a shade of suspicion in ,kennedy's face4 ,the others of the company were clustered in the living room1 through which we passed to reach the library4 ,i found small opportunity to study them in the rather dim light4 ,mackay beckoned to a man standing in a window1 presenting him to ,kennedy as ,doctor ,blake4 ,then we entered the long paneled chamber which had been the scene of the tragedy4 ,now ,i stood1 rather awed1 with the motionless figure of ,stella ,lamar before me in her last pitiable close-up4 ,for ,i have never lost the sense of solemnity on entering the room of a tragedy1 in spite of the long association ,i have had with ,kennedy in the scientific detection of crime4 ,particularly did ,i have the feeling in this case4 ,the death of a man is tragic1 but ,i know nothing more affecting than the sudden and violent death of a beautiful woman--unless it be that of a child4 ,i recalled a glimpse of ,stella as ,i had seen her in her most recent release1 as the diaphragm opened on her receiving a box of chocolates1 sent by her lover1 and playfully feeding one of them to her beautiful collie1 ,laddie1 as he romped about upon a divan and almost smothered her with affection4 ,the vivacity and charm of the scene were in sad contrast with what lay before me4 ,as ,i looked more carefully ,i saw now that her full1 well-rounded face was contorted with either pain or fear--perhaps both4 ,even through the make-up one could see that her face was blotched and swollen4 ,also1 the muscles were contorted2 the eyes looked as if they might be bulging under the lids2 and there was a bluish tinge to her skin4 ,evidently death had come quickly1 but it had not been painless4 ,even the coroner has not disturbed the body1 ,mackay hastened to explain to ,kennedy4 ,the players1 the camera men1 all were sent out of the room the moment ,doctor ,blake was certain something more than a natural cause lay behind her death4 ,mr4 ,phelps telephoned to me1 and upon my arrival ,i ordered the doors and windows closed1 posted my deputies to prevent any interference with anything in the room1 left my instructions that everyone was to be detained1 then got in touch with you as quickly as ,i could4 ,kennedy turned to him4 ,something in the tone of his voice showed that he meant his compliment4 ,i'm glad1 ,mackay1 to be called in by some one who knows enough not to destroy evidence2 who realizes that perhaps the slightest disarrangement of a rug1 for instance1 may be the only clue to a murder4 ,it's--it's rare6 ,the little district attorney beamed4 ,if he had found it necessary to walk across the floor just then he would have strutted4 ,i smiled because ,i wanted ,kennedy to show again his marvelous skill in tracing a crime to its perpetrator4 ,i was anxious that nothing should be done to hamper him4 ,,ii ,,the ,,tiny ,,scratch ,kennedy1 before his own examination of the body1 turned to ,doctor ,blake4 ,tell me just what you found when you arrived1 he directed4 ,the physician1 whose practice embraced most of the wealthy families in and around ,tarrytown1 was an unusually tall1 iron-gray-haired man of evident competency4 ,it was very plain that he resented his unavoidable connection with the case4 ,she was still alive1 he responded1 thoughtfully1 although breathing with difficulty4 ,nearly everyone had clustered about her1 so that she was getting little air1 and the room was stuffy from the lights they had been using in taking the scene4 ,they told me she dropped unconscious and that they couldn't revive her1 but at first it did not occur to me that it might be serious4 ,i thought perhaps the heat-- ,you saw nothing suspicious1 interrupted ,kennedy1 nothing in the actions or manner of anyone in the room8 ,no1 when ,i first entered ,i didn't suspect anything out of the way4 ,i had them send everyone into the next room1 except ,manton and ,phelps1 and had the doors and windows thrown open to give her air4 ,then when ,i examined her ,i detected what seemed to me to be both a muscular and nervous paralysis1 which by that time had proceeded pretty far4 ,as ,i touched her she opened her eyes1 but she was unable to speak4 ,she was breathing with difficulty2 her heart action was weakening so rapidly that ,i had little opportunity to apply restorative measures4 ,what do you think caused the death8 ,so far1 ,i can make no satisfactory explanation4 ,the doctor shrugged his shoulders very slightly4 ,that is why ,i advised an immediate investigation4 ,i did not care to write a death certificate4 ,you have no hypothesis8 ,if she died from any natural organic disorder1 the signs were lacking by which ,i could trace it4 ,everything indicates the opposite1 however4 ,it would be hard for me to say whether the paralysis of respiration or of the heart actually caused her death4 ,if it was due to poison--,well1 to me the whole affair is shrouded in mystery4 ,the symptoms indicated nothing ,i could recognize with any degree of certainty4 ,kennedy stooped over1 making a superficial examination of the girl4 ,i saw that some faint odor caught his nostrils1 for he remained poised a moment1 inhaling reflectively1 his eyes clouded in thought4 ,then he went to the windows1 raising the shades an additional few inches each1 but that did not seem to give him the light he wished4 ,in the room were the portable arcs used in the making of scenes in an actual interior setting4 ,the connections ran to heavy insulated junction boxes at the ends of two lines of stiff black stage cable4 ,near the door the circuits were joined and a single lead of the big duplex cord ran out along the polished hardwood floor1 carried presumably to the house circuit at a fuse box where sufficient amperage was available4 ,kennedy's eyes followed out the wires quickly4 ,then1 motioning to me to help1 he wheeled one of the heavy stands around and adjusted the hood so that the full strength of the light would be cast upon ,stella4 ,the arc in place1 he threw the switch1 and in the sputtering flood of illumination dropped to his knees1 taking a powerful pocket lens from his waistcoat and beginning an inch by inch examination of her skin4 ,i gained a fresh realization of the beauty of the star as she lay under the dazzling electric glow1 and in particular ,i noticed the small amount of make-up she had used and the natural firmness of her flesh4 ,she was dressed in a modish1 informal dinner dress1 of embroidered satin1 cut fairly low at front and back and with sleeves of some gauzelike material reaching not halfway to her elbow1 hardly sleeves at all1 in fact4 ,kennedy with his glass went over her features with extreme care4 ,i saw that he drew her hair back1 and that then he parted it1 to examine her scalp1 and ,i wondered what infinitesimal clue might be the object of his search4 ,i had learned1 however1 never to question him while he was at work4 ,with his eye glued to his lens he made his way about and around her neck1 and down and over her throat and chest so far as it remained unprotected by the silk of her gown4 ,with the aid of ,mackay he turned her over to examine her back4 ,next he returned the body to its former position and began to inspect the arms4 ,very suddenly something caught his eye on the inside of her right forearm4 ,he grunted with satisfaction1 straightened1 pulled the switch of the arc1 wiped his eyes1 which were watering4 ,find anything1 ,mr4 ,kennedy8 ,doctor ,blake seemed to understand1 to some extent1 the purpose of the examination4 ,kennedy did not answer1 probably preoccupied with theories which ,i could see were forming in his mind4 ,the library was a huge room of greater length than breadth4 ,at one end were wide ,french windows looking out upon the garden and summer house4 ,the door to the hallway and living room was very broad1 with heavy sliding panels and rich portieres of a velours almost the tint of the wood-work4 ,between the door1 situated in the side wall near the opposite end1 and the windows1 was a magnificent stone fireplace with charred logs testifying to its frequent use4 ,the couch where ,stella lay had been drawn back from its normal position before the fire1 together with a huge table of carved walnut4 ,the other two walls were an unbroken succession of shelves1 reaching to the ceiling and literally packed with books4 ,facing the windows and the door1 so as to include the fireplace and the wide sweep of the room within range1 were two cameras still set up1 the legs of their tripods nested1 probably left exactly as they were at the moment of ,stella's collapse4 ,i touched the handle of one1 a ,bell ,howell1 and saw that it was threaded1 that the film had not been disturbed4 ,the lights1 staggered and falling away from the camera lines1 were arranged to focus their illumination on the action of the scenes4 ,there were four arcs and two small portable banks of ,cooper-,hewitts1 the latter used to cut the sharp shadows and give a greater evenness to the photography4 ,also there were diffusers constructed of sheets of white cloth stretched taut on frames4 ,these reflected light upward upon the faces of the actors1 softening the lower features1 and so valuable in adding to the attractiveness of the women in particular4 ,all this ,i had learned from visits to a studio with the ,star's photoplay editor4 ,i was anxious to impress my knowledge upon ,kennedy4 ,he gave me no opportunity1 however1 but wheeled upon ,mackay suddenly4 ,send in the electrician1 he ordered4 ,keep everyone else out until ,i'm ready to examine them4 ,while the district attorney hurried to the sliding doors1 guarded on their farther side by one of the amateur deputies he had impressed into service1 ,kennedy swung the stand of the arc he had used back into the place unaided4 ,i noticed that ,doctor ,blake was nervously interested in spite of his professional poise4 ,i certainly was bursting with curiosity to know what ,kennedy had found4 ,the electrician1 a wizened veteran of the studios1 with a bald head which glistened rather ridiculously1 entered as though he expected to be held for the death of the star on the spot4 ,i don't know nothin'1 he began1 before anyone could start to question him4 ,i was outside when they yelled1 honest6 ,i was seeing whether m'lead was getting hot1 and ,i heard 'em call to douse the glim1 an'-- ,put on all your lights--,kennedy was unusually sharp1 although it was plain he held no suspicion of this man1 as he added--just as you had them4 ,as the electrician went from stand to stand sulkily1 there was a sputter from the arcs1 almost deafening in the confines of the room1 and quite a bit of fine white smoke4 ,but in a moment the corner of the library constituting the set was brilliantly1 dazzlingly lighted4 ,to me it was quite like being transported into one of the big studios in the city4 ,is this the largest portion of the room they used8 ,kennedy asked4 ,did you have your stands any farther back8 ,this was the biggest lay-out1 sir6 replied the man4 ,were all the scenes in which ,miss ,lamar appeared before her death in this corner of the room8 ,yes1 sir6 ,and this was the way you had the scene lighted when she dropped unconscious8 ,yes1 sir6 ,i pulled m'lights an'--an' they lifted her up and put her right there where she is1 sir6 ,kennedy paid no attention to the last2 in fact1 ,i doubt whether he heard it4 ,dropping to hands and knees immediately1 he began a search of the floor and carpet as minutely painstaking as the inspection he had given ,stella's own person4 ,instinctively ,i drew back1 to be out of his way1 as did ,doctor ,blake and ,mackay4 ,the electrician1 ,i noticed1 seemed to grasp now the reason for the summons which undoubtedly had frightened him badly4 ,he gave his attention to his lights1 stroking a refractory ,cooper-,hewitt tube for all the world as if some minor scene in the story were being photographed4 ,it was hard to realize that it was not another picture scene1 but that ,craig ,kennedy1 in my opinion the founder of the scientific school of modern detectives1 was searching out in this strange environment the clue to a real murder so mysterious that the very cause of death was as yet undetermined4 ,i was hoping for a display of the remarkable brilliance ,craig had shown in so many of the cases brought to his attention4 ,i half expected to see him rise from the floor with some tiny something in his hand1 some object overlooked by everyone else1 some tangible evidence which would lead to the immediate apprehension of the perpetrator of the crime4 ,that ,stella ,lamar had met her death by foul means ,i did not doubt for an instant1 and so ,i waited feverishly for the conclusion of ,kennedy's search4 ,as it happened1 this was not destined to be one of his cases cleared up in a brief few hours of intensive effort4 ,he covered every inch of the floor within the illuminated area2 then he turned his attention to the walls and furniture and the rest of the room in somewhat more perfunctory1 but no less skillful manner4 ,fully fifteen minutes elapsed1 but ,i knew from his expression that he had discovered nothing4 ,in a wringing perspiration from the heat of the arcs1 but nevertheless glad to have had the intense light at his disposal1 he motioned to the electrician to turn them off and to leave the room4 ,find anything1 ,mr4 ,kennedy8 queried the physician once more4 ,kennedy beckoned all of us to the side of the ill-fated actress4 ,lifting the right arm1 finding the spot which had caused his exclamation before1 he handed his pocket lens to ,doctor ,blake4 ,after a moment a low whistle escaped the lips of the physician4 ,next it was my turn4 ,as ,i stooped over ,i caught1 above the faint scent of imported perfume which she affected1 a peculiar putrescent odor4 ,this it was which had caught ,kennedy's nostrils4 ,then through the glass ,i could detect upon her forearm the tiniest possible scratch ending in an almost invisible puncture1 such as might have been made by a very sharp needle or the point of an incredibly fine hypodermic syringe4 ,drawing back1 ,i glanced again at her face1 which ,i had already noted was blotched and somewhat swollen beneath the make-up4 ,again ,i thought that the muscles were contorted1 that the eyes were bulging slightly1 that there was a bluish tinge to her skin such as in cyanosis or asphyxiation4 ,it may have been imagination1 but ,i was now sure that her expression revealed pain or fear or both4 ,when ,i looked at her first ,i had been unable to forget my impression of years4 ,before me there had been the once living form of ,stella ,lamar1 whom ,i had dreamed of meeting and whom ,i had never viewed in actual life4 ,i had lacked the penetration to see beneath the glamour4 ,but to ,kennedy there had been signs of the poisoning at once4 ,doctor ,blake had searched merely for the evidences of the commoner drugs1 or the usual diseases such as cause sudden death4 ,i recalled the cyanides4 ,i thought of curare1 or woorali1 the ,south ,american arrow poison with which ,kennedy once had dealt4 ,had ,stella received an injection of some new and curious substance8 ,mackay glanced up from his inspection of the mark on the arm4 ,it's an awfully tiny scratch6 he exclaimed4 ,kennedy smiled4 ,yet1 ,mackay1 it probably was the cause of her death4 ,how8 ,that--that is the problem before us4 ,when we learn just exactly how she scratched herself1 or was scratched-- ,kennedy paced up and down in front of the fireplace4 ,then he confronted each of us in turn1 suddenly serious4 ,not a word of what ,i have discovered1 he warned4 ,,iii ,,tangled ,,motives ,do you wish to examine the people now8 ,mackay asked4 ,kennedy hesitated4 ,first ,i want to make sure of the evidence concerning her actual death4 ,can you arrange to have the clothes she has on1 and those she brought with her1 all of them bundled up and sent in to my laboratory1 together with samples of her body fluids as soon as the coroner can supply you8 ,mackay nodded4 ,this pleased him4 ,this seemed to be tangible action1 promising tangible results4 ,again ,kennedy glanced about in thought4 ,i knew that the scratch was worrying him4 ,did she change her clothes out here8 he inquired4 ,the district attorney brightened4 ,she dressed in a small den just off the living room4 ,i have a man posted and the door closed4 ,nothing has been disturbed4 ,he started to lead the way without further word from ,kennedy1 proud to have been able once more to demonstrate his foresight4 ,as we left the library1 entering the living room1 there was an appreciable hush4 ,here were grouped the others of the party brought out by the picture company1 a constrained gathering of folk who had little in common beyond the highly specialized needs of the new art of the screen1 an assembly of souls who had been forced to wait during all the time required for the trip of ,kennedy and myself out from ,new ,york1 who were compelled to wait now until he should be ready to examine them4 ,i picked out the electrician in the semi-gloom and with him his fellow members of the technical staff needed in the taking of the scenes in the library4 ,the camera men ,i guessed1 and a property boy1 and an assistant director4 ,the last1 at any event1 of all those in the huge room1 had summoned up sufficient nonchalance to bend his mind to details of his work4 ,i saw that he was thumbing a copy of the scenario1 or detailed working manuscript of the story1 making notations in some kind of little book1 and it was that which enabled me to establish his identity at a glance4 ,in a different corner were the principals1 two men and a girl still in make-up1 and with them the director1 and ,manton and ,phelps4 ,apart from everyone else1 in a sort of social ostracism common to the studios1 the two five-dollar-a-day extras waited1 a butler and a maid1 also in make-up4 ,oddly enough the total number of these material witnesses to the tragedy was just thirteen1 and ,i wondered if they had noticed the fact4 ,doctor ,blake turned to ,kennedy the moment we left the library4 ,do you feel it is necessary for me to remain any longer8 he asked4 ,he was apologetic1 yet distinctly impatient4 ,i have neglected several very important calls as it is4 ,kennedy and ,mackay both hastened to assure the physician that they appreciated his co-operation and that they would spare him as much notoriety and inconvenience as possible4 ,then the three of us hurried across and to the little den which had been converted into a dressing room for ,stella's use4 ,here were all the evidences of femininity1 the little touches which a woman can impart to the smallest corner in a few brief moments of occupancy4 ,it was a tiny alcove shut off from the rest of the living room by heavy silk hangings1 drawn now and pinned together so as to assure her the privacy she wished4 ,the one window was high and fitted with leaded glass1 but it was raised and afforded the maximum of light4 ,stella's traveling bag sprawled wide open1 with many of her effects strewn about in attractive disarray4 ,her suit1 in which she had made the trip to ,tarrytown1 was thrown carelessly over the back of a chair4 ,her mirror was fastened up ruthlessly1 upon a handsome woven ,oriental hanging1 with a long hatpin4 ,powder was spilled upon the couch cover1 another ,oriental fabric1 and her little box of rouge lay face downward on the floor4 ,as we pulled the curtains aside ,i caught the perfume which still clung to her clothes in the library beyond4 ,as ,mackay sniffed also1 ,kennedy smiled4 ,coty's ,jacqueminot rose1 he remarked4 ,with his usual swift and practiced certainty ,kennedy then inspected the extemporized dressing room4 ,he seemed to satisfy himself that no subtle attack had been made upon the girl here1 although ,i doubt that he had held any such supposition seriously in the first place4 ,in my association of several years with ,kennedy1 following our first intimacy of college days1 ,i had learned that his success as a scientific detective was the result wholly of his thoroughness of method4 ,to watch him had become a never-ending delight1 even in the dull preliminary work of a case as baffling as this one4 ,mackay also seemed content just to enact the role of spectator4 ,kennedy thumbed through the delicate intimacies of her traveling bag with the keen1 impersonal manner which always distinguished him2 then he found her beaded handbag and proceeded to rummage through that4 ,suddenly he paused as he unfolded a piece of note paper1 and we gathered around to read3 ,,my ,,dear ,,stella3 ,have something very important to tell you4 ,will you lunch ,tuesday at the ,p4 ,g4 tearoom8 ,,larry4 ,tuesday-- murmured ,kennedy4 ,and this is ,monday4 ,who--who is ,larry1 ,i wonder8 ,i hastened to answer the question for him4 ,it was my first opportunity to display my knowledge of the picture players4 ,larry--that's ,lawrence1 ,lawrence ,millard6 ,i exclaimed4 ,then ,i went on to tell him of the divorce and the circumstances surrounding ,stella's life as ,i knew it4 ,it--it looks1 ,i concluded1 as if they might have been on the point of composing their differences1 after all4 ,kennedy nodded4 ,i could see1 however1 that he made a mental note of his intention to question the girl's former husband4 ,all at once another thought struck me and ,i became eager4 ,it was a possible explanation of the mystery4 ,listen1 ,craig1 ,i began4 ,suppose ,millard wanted to make up and she didn't4 ,suppose that she refused to see him or to meet him4 ,suppose that in a jealous fit he-- ,no1 ,walter6 ,kennedy headed me off with a smile4 ,this wasn't an ordinary murder of passion4 ,this was well thought out and well executed4 ,not one medical examiner in a thousand would have found that tiny scratch4 ,it may be very difficult yet to determine the exact cause of death4 ,this1 my dear ,jameson--it was playful irony--is a scientific crime4 ,but ,millard-- ,of course6 ,anyone may be the culprit4 ,yet you tell me ,millard did not contest her divorce and that it would have been very easy for him to file a counter-suit because everyone knew of her relationship with ,manton4 ,that1 offhand1 shows no ill-will on his part4 ,and now we find this note from him1 which at least is friendly in tone-- ,i shrugged my shoulders4 ,it was the same blind alley in which my thoughts had strayed upon the train on our way out4 ,it's too early to begin to try to fasten the guilt upon anyone1 ,kennedy added1 as we returned to the library through the living room4 ,then he turned to ,mackay4 ,have you succeeded in gleaning any facts about the life of ,miss ,lamar8 he asked4 ,anything which might point to a motive1 so that ,i can approach the case from both directions8 ,if you ask me1 the little district attorney rejoined1 it's a matter of tangled motives throughout4 ,i--,i had no sword to cut the ,gordian knot and so--graciously--,i sent for you4 ,what do you mean by tangled motives8 ,kennedy ignored the other's compliment4 ,well6 ,mackay indicated me4 ,mr4 ,jameson explained about her divorce4 ,no one heard whom she named as corespondent4 ,that's an unknown woman in the case1 although it may not mean anything at all4 ,then there's ,lloyd ,manton and all the talk about his affair with ,miss ,lamar4 ,some one told one of my men that ,manton's wife has left him on that account4 ,did you question ,manton8 ,no1 ,i thought ,i ought to leave all that to you4 ,i was afraid ,i might put them on their guard4 ,good6 ,kennedy was pleased4 ,did you learn anything else8 ,this deputy of mine obtained all these things by gossiping with the girl who plays the maid1 and so they may not be reliable4 ,but among the players it is reported that ,werner1 the director1 was having an affair with ,stella also1 and that ,merle ,shirley1 the 'heavy' man1 was seen with her a great deal recently1 and that ,jack ,gordon1 the leading man1 who was engaged to marry her as soon as her decree was final1 was jealous as a consequence1 and that ,miss ,loring1 playing the vampire ,in the story and engaged to ,shirley1 was even more bitter against the deceased than ,gordon1 ,miss ,lamar's fiance4 ,that made eight people with possible motives for the crime4 ,when ,i got that far ,i gave it up4 ,in fact--,mackay lowered his voice1 suddenly--,i don't like the attitude of ,emery ,phelps4 ,this is his house1 you know1 and he is the financial backer of ,manton ,pictures1 yet there seems to be an undercurrent of friction between ,manton and himself4 ,i--,i wanted him to show me some detail of the arrangement of things in the library1 but he wouldn't come into the room4 ,he said he didn't want to look at ,miss ,lamar4 ,there--there was something--and1 ,i don't know4 ,if he is concerned in any way--that would make nine4 ,you think ,miss ,lamar and ,phelps-- ,mackay shook his head4 ,i don't know4 ,kennedy turned to me1 expression really serious4 ,is this the way they carry on in the picture world1 ,walter8 he asked4 ,is this the usual thing or--or an exception8 ,i flushed4 ,it's very much an exception1 ,i insisted4 ,the film people are just like other people1 some good and some bad4 ,probably three-quarters of all this is gossip4 ,i hope so4 ,he straightened4 ,the only thing to do is to go after them one at a time and disentangle all the conflicting threads4 ,it looks as though there will be any number of possible false leads and so we must be careful and deliberate4 ,i think ,i'll question each in turn--here4 ,he walked over to the fireplace1 stopping for just a moment to glance at the body of ,stella4 ,then he pulled the blinds down halfway1 so that the room seemed somber and gruesome4 ,he drew a chair so that the different individuals as he examined them1 would be unable to lose sight of the dead woman4 ,his arrangements completed1 he faced the district attorney4 ,manton first1 he directed4 ,in an instant ,i caught the psychology of it--the now darkened library1 the beautiful body still lying on the davenport1 the quiet and quick arrival of ourselves4 ,if anything could be extracted from these people1 surely it would be betrayed under these surroundings4 ,,iv ,,the ,,fatal ,,script ,i had no real opportunity to study ,manton when he greeted us upon our arrival1 and at that time neither ,kennedy nor ,i possessed even a passing realization of the problem before us4 ,now ,i felt that ,i was ready to grasp at any possible motive for the crime4 ,i was prepared to suspect any or all of the nine people enumerated by ,mackay1 so far as ,i could speak for myself1 and at the very least ,i was certain that this was one of the most baffling cases ever brought to ,craig's attention4 ,yet ,i was sure he would solve it4 ,i waited most impatiently for the outcome of his examination of ,lloyd ,manton4 ,the producer-promoter was a well-set-up man just approaching middle age4 ,about him was a certain impression of great physical strength1 of bulk without flabbiness1 and in particular ,i noticed the formation of his head1 the square broad development which indicated his intellectual power1 and ,i found1 too1 a fascinating quality about his eyes1 deeply placed and of a warm dark gray-brown1 which seemed to hold a fundamental sincerity which1 ,i imagined1 made the man almost irresistible in a business deal4 ,his weakness1 so far as ,i could ascertain it1 was revealed by his mouth and chin1 and by a certain nervousness of his hands1 hands where a square1 practical palm was belied by the slight tapering of his fingers1 the mark of the dreamer4 ,his mouth was unquestionably sensuous1 with the lips full and now and then revealing out of the studied practiced calm of his face an almost imperceptible twitching1 as though to betray a flash of emotion1 or fear4 ,his chin was feminine1 softening his expression and showing that his feelings would overbalance the cool calculation denoted by his eyes and the rather heavy level brows above4 ,as he entered the room1 taking the chair indicated by ,kennedy1 he seemed perfectly cool and his glance1 as it strayed to the lifeless form of ,stella1 revealed his iron self-control4 ,the little signs which ,i have mentioned1 which betrayed the real man beneath1 were only disclosed to me little by little as ,kennedy's questioning progressed4 ,tell me just what happened8 ,kennedy began4 ,well-- ,manton responded quickly enough1 but then he stopped and proceeded as though he chose each word with care1 as if he framed each sentence so that there would be no misunderstanding1 no chance of wrong impression2 all of which pleased ,kennedy4 ,in the scene we were taking1 he went on1 ,stella was crouched down on the floor1 bending over her father1 who had just been murdered4 ,she was sobbing4 ,all at once the lights were to spring up4 ,the young hero was to dash through the set and she was to see him and scream out in terror4 ,the first part went all right4 ,but when the lights flashed on1 instead of looking up and screaming1 ,stella sort of crumpled and collapsed on top of ,werner1 who was playing the father4 ,i yelled to stop the cameras and rushed in4 ,we picked her up and put her on the couch4 ,some one sent for the doctor1 but she died without saying a word4 ,i--,i haven't the slightest idea what happened4 ,at first ,i thought it was heart trouble4 ,did she have heart trouble8 ,no1 that is--not that ,i ever heard4 ,kennedy hesitated4 ,why were you taking these scenes out here8 ,it was on the tip of my tongue to answer for ,manton4 ,i knew that at one time many fine interiors were actually taken in houses1 to save expense4 ,i was sorry that ,kennedy should draw any conclusion from a fact which ,i thought was too well known to require explanation4 ,manton's answer1 however1 proved a distinct surprise to me4 ,mr4 ,phelps asked us to use his library in this picture4 ,wouldn't it have been easier and cheaper in the long run to reproduce it in the studio8 ,manton glanced up at ,kennedy1 echoing my thought4 ,had ,kennedy1 after all1 some knowledge of motion pictures stored away with his vast fund of general and unusual information8 ,yes1 replied the producer4 ,it would save the trip out here1 the loss of time1 the inconvenience--why1 in an actual dollars and cents comparison1 with overhead and everything taken into account1 the building of a set like this is nothing nowadays4 ,do you know ,mr4 ,phelps's reason8 ,manton shrugged his shoulders4 ,just a whim1 and we had to humor it4 ,mr4 ,phelps is interested in the company8 ,yes4 ,he recently bought up all the stock except my own4 ,he is in absolute control1 financially4 ,what is the story you are making8 ,i mean1 ,i want to understand just exactly what happened in the scenes you were photographing today4 ,it is essential that ,i learn how everyone was supposed to act and how they did act4 ,i must find out every trivial little detail4 ,do you follow me8 ,manton's mouth set suddenly1 showing that it possessed a latent quality of firmness4 ,he glanced about the room1 then rose1 went to the farther end of the long table1 and returned with a thick sheaf of manuscript bound at the side in stiff board covers4 ,this is the scenario1 the script of the detailed action1 he explained4 ,as ,kennedy took the binder1 ,manton opened it and turned past several sheets of tabulation and lists1 the index to the sets and exterior locations1 the characters and extras1 the changes of clothes1 and other technical detail4 ,the scenes we are taking here1 he went on1 are the opening scenes of the story4 ,we left them until now because it meant the long trip out to ,tarrytown and because it would take us away from the studio while they were putting up the largest two sets1 a banquet and a ballroom which need the entire floor space of the studio4 ,he turned over two or three pages1 pointing4 ,we had taken up to scene thirteen2 from scenes one to thirteen just as you have them in order there4 ,it--it was in the unlucky thirteenth that she--was it my imagination or did he tremble1 for just an instant1 violently8--that she died4 ,kennedy started to read the script4 ,i hurried to his side1 glancing over his shoulder4 ,,the ,,black ,,terror ,,featuring ,,stella ,,lamah ,,scene #a ,,location4--,remsen library4 ,this is a modern1 luxurious library set with a long table in the center of the room1 books around the walls1 ,french windows leading from the rear1 and an entrance through a hallway to the right through a pair of portieres4 ,note3 ,e4 ,p4 wishes us to use his library at ,tarrytown4 ,,action4--,open diaphragm slowly on darkened set as a spot of light is being played on the walls and ,french windows in the rear4 ,as the diaphragm opens slowly the light vanishes1 leaving the scene dark at times and then brightened until1 as the diaphragm opens full1 we discover that the light is that of a burglar's flash light1 traveling over the walls of the library4 ,when the diaphragm is fully opened we discover also a faint line of light streaming through the almost closed portieres leading to the hallway outside4 ,this ray of light1 striking along the floor1 pauses by the library table1 just disclosing the edge of it but not revealing anything else in the room4 ,the spotlight in the hands of a shadowy figure roves across the wall and to the portieres4 ,as it pauses there the portieres move and the fingers of a girl are seen on the edge of the silk4 ,a bare and beautiful arm is thrust through the portieres almost to the shoulder1 and it begins to move the portieres aside1 reaching upward to pull the curtains apart at the rings4 ,,scene #b ,,location4--,remsen library4 ,close foreground of portieres4 ,,action4--,our heroine parts the portieres and stands revealed in the spotlight's glare4 ,she is in dinner gown and about her throat is a peculiar locket of flashing jewels4 ,she cries out and backs away1 closing the portieres4 ,the spotlight retreats from the curtains1 leaving them dark4 ,,scene #c ,,location4--,hallway1 ,remsen house4 ,close foreground of portieres leading to library4 ,this hallway is lighted4 ,,action4--,the girl holding the portieres shut screams for help4 ,,scene #d ,,location4--,foot of stairway1 ,remsen house4 ,,action4--,the butler and maid are discovered talking4 ,they hear the girl's scream and start running4 ,,scene #e ,,location4--,hallway1 ,remsen house4 ,close foreground of portieres4 ,,action4--,the girl hears help coming and glances off to indicate that she sees the butler and the maid4 ,she continues to cling to the closed curtains4 ,,scene #f ,,location4--,remsen library4 ,full shot4 ,,action4--,the unknown drops the spotlight to the floor and we first see his legs crossing the rays of light on the floor4 ,then the spotlight rolls1 revealing the body of an elderly man of the ,american millionaire type1 lying crumpled against the table4 ,finally it rolls a little farther and stops1 directing its rays into the fireplace4 ,,scene #g ,,location4--,remsen hallway1 outside library4 ,,action4--,the girl indicates determined resolve4 ,she throws apart the portieres with a quick motion of her arms and dashes inside4 ,the portieres close after her4 ,the butler and maid come on running and looking about4 ,,scene #h ,,location4--,remsen library4 ,full shot4 ,,action4--,the spotlight is showing into the fireplace when the girl crosses quickly into its rays4 ,she stoops into the light1 revealing her face and picking up the spotlight4 ,she flashes it about the room1 pausing as it strikes the ,french windows and reveals the murderer making his escape out on a balcony which is revealed in the background4 ,when the rays of light reach the murderer he deliberately turns4 ,,scene #i ,,location4--,remsen library4 ,close foreground of ,french windows4 ,,action4--,the intruder1 now in the close foreground1 pauses as he is about to shut the window and blinks deliberately into the rays of light1 then laughs and closes the ,french windows4 ,,scene #aj ,,location4--,hallway1 ,remsen home4 ,close foreground of portieres to library4 ,,action4--,the butler and maid look around hopelessly4 ,a young man1 the exact counterpart of the man who in the previous scene looked into the spotlight at the ,french windows1 comes up to the butler and demands to know what has happened4 ,the butler explains hurriedly that he heard his mistress cry out for help4 ,the young man steps to the portieres and pauses4 ,,scene #aa ,,location4--,remsen library4 ,full shot4 ,,action4--,the girl1 using the spotlight1 flashes it about the room and down on the floor1 seeing for the first time the body of the ,american millionaire4 ,,scene #ab ,,location4--,exterior ,remsen house4 ,night tint4 ,,action4--,the murderer scrambles down a column from the upper porch and leaps to the ground1 darting across the lawn out of the picture4 ,,scene #ac ,,location4--,remsen library4 ,full shot4 ,,action4--,the spotlight on the floor reveals the girl sobbing over the body of the millionaire and trying to revive him4 ,she screams and cries out4 ,the portieres are parted and from the lighted hallway we see the young man1 the butler1 and the maid1 who enter4 ,the young man switches on the lights and the room is revealed4 ,the three cry out in horror4 ,the young man1 glancing about1 leaps toward the partly opened ,french windows1 drawing a revolver4 ,as the girl sees him she screams again and denotes terror4 ,finishing the thirteenth scene1 ,kennedy closed the covers and handed the script to me4 ,then he confronted ,manton once more4 ,what became of the locket about the girl's neck8 ,in the manuscript ,miss ,lamar is supposed to have a peculiar pendant at her throat4 ,there was none4 ,oh yes6 ,the promoter remained a moment in thought4 ,the doctor took it off and gave it to ,bernie1 the prop4 boy1 who's helping the electrician4 ,is he outside8 ,yes4 ,now try to remember1 ,mr4 ,manton4 ,kennedy leaned over very seriously4 ,just who approached closely to ,miss ,lamar in the making of that thirteenth scene8 ,who was near enough to have inflicted a wound1 or to have subjected her1 suppose we say1 to the fumes of some subtle poison8 ,you think that-- ,manton started to question ,kennedy1 but was given no encouragement4 ,gordon1 the leading man1 passed through the scene1 he replied1 after a pause1 but did not go very near her4 ,werner was playing the dead millionaire at her feet4 ,who is ,werner8 ,he's my director4 ,because it was such a small part1 he played it himself4 ,he's only in the two or three scenes in the beginning and ,i was here to be at the camera4 ,while ,kennedy was questioning ,manton ,i had been glancing through the script of the picture4 ,my own connection with the movies had consisted largely of three attempts to sell stories of my own to the producers4 ,needless to remark ,i had not succeeded1 in that regard falling in the class with some hundreds of thousands of my fellow citizens4 ,for everybody thinks he has at least one motion picture in him4 ,and so1 though ,i had managed to visit studios and meet a few of the players1 this was my very first shot at a manuscript actually in production4 ,i took advantage of ,kennedy's momentary preoccupation to turn to ,manton4 ,who wrote this script1 ,mr4 ,manton8 ,i asked4 ,millard6 ,lawrence ,millard4 ,millard8 ,kennedy and ,i exclaimed1 simultaneously4 ,why1 yes6 ,millard is still under contract and he's the only man who ever could write scripts for ,stella4 ,we--we tried others and they all flivved4 ,is ,millard here8 ,manton burst into laughter1 somehow out of place in the room where we still were in the company of death4 ,an author on the lot at the filming of his picture1 to bother the director and to change everything8 ,out6 ,when the scenario's done he's through4 ,he's lucky to get his name on the screen4 ,it's not the story but the direction which counts1 except that you've got to have a good idea to start with1 and a halfway decent script to make your lay-outs from4 ,anyhow-- ,he sobered a bit1 perhaps realizing that he was going counter to the tendency to have the author on the lot4 ,millard and ,stella weren't on speaking terms4 ,she divorced him1 you know4 ,do you know much about the personal affairs of ,miss ,lamar8 ,well--,manton's eyes sought the floor for a moment--,like everyone else in pictures1 ,stella was the victim of a great deal of gossip4 ,that's the experience of any girl who rises to a position of prominence and-- ,how were the relations between ,miss ,lamar and yourself8 interrupted ,kennedy4 ,what do you mean by that8 ,manton flushed quickly4 ,you have had no trouble1 no disagreements recently8 ,no1 indeed4 ,everything has been very friendly between us--in a strictly business way1 of course--and ,i don't believe ,i've had an unpleasant word with her since ,i first formed ,manton ,pictures to make her a star4 ,you know nothing of her difficulties with her husband8 ,naturally not4 ,i seldom saw her except at the studio1 unless it was some necessary affair such as a screen ball here1 or perhaps in ,boston or ,philadelphia or some near-by city where ,i would take her for effect-- ,kennedy turned to ,mackay4 ,will you arrange to keep the people ,i have yet to question separate from the ones ,i have examined already8 ,as the district attorney nodded1 ,kennedy dismissed ,manton rather shortly2 then turned again to ,mackay as the promoter drew out of earshot4 ,bring in ,bernie1 the property-boy1 before anyone can tell him to hide or destroy that locket4 ,v ,,an ,,emotional ,,maze ,bernie proved to be as stupid a youth as any ,i had ever seen4 ,he possessed frightened semi-liquid eyes and overshot ears and hair which might have been red beneath its accumulation of dust4 ,without doubt the boy had been coached by the electrician1 because he began to affirm his innocence in similar fashion the moment he entered the door4 ,i don't know nothin'1 honest ,i don't1 he pleaded4 ,i was out in the hall1 ,i was1 and ,i didn't come in at all until the doc4 came4 ,i suppose you were anxious to see if the cable was becoming hot1 ,kennedy suggested1 gravely4 ,that's it1 sir6 ,we was lookin' at it because it was on the varnish and the butler he says-- ,where's the locket8 interrupted ,kennedy4 ,the one ,miss ,lamar wore in the scenes4 ,oh6 in disdain1 that thing6 ,with some effort ,bernie fished it from the capacious depths of a pocket1 disentangling the sharp corners from the torn and ragged lining of his coat4 ,i glanced at it as ,kennedy turned it over and over in his hands1 and saw that it was a palpable stage prop1 with glass jewels of the cheapest sort4 ,concealing his disappointment1 ,kennedy dropped it into his own pocket1 confronting the frightened ,bernie once more4 ,do you know anything about ,miss ,lamar's death8 ,no6 ,i don't know nothing1 honest6 ,all right6 ,kennedy turned to ,mackay4 ,werner1 the director4 ,of ,stanley ,werner ,i had heard a great deal1 through interviews1 character studies1 and other press stuff in the photoplay journals and the ,sunday newspaper film sections4 ,now ,i found him to be a high-strung individual1 so extremely nervous that it seemed impossible for him to remain in one position in his chair or for him to keep his hands motionless for a single instant4 ,although he was of moderate build1 with a fair suggestion of flesh1 there were yet the marks of the artist and of the creative temperament in the fine sloping contours of his head and in his remarkably long fingers1 which tapered to nails manicured immaculately4 ,kennedy seemed to pay particular attention to his eyes1 which were dark1 soft1 and amazingly restless4 ,who was in the cast1 ,mr4 ,werner8 ,what were they playing and just exactly what was each doing at the time of ,miss ,lamar's collapse8 ,well--,werner's eyes shifted to mine1 then to ,mackay's1 and there was a subtle lack of ease in his manner which ,i was hardly prepared to classify as yet--,stella ,lamar was playing the part of ,stella ,remsen1 the heroine1 and--uh1 ,i see your associate has the script-- ,he paused1 glancing at me again4 ,when ,kennedy said nothing1 ,werner went on1 growing more and more nervous4 ,jack ,gordon plays ,jack ,daring1 the hero--the handsome young chap who runs down the steps and encounters the butler and the maid in the hall just outside the library-- ,wasn't it his face in the ,french windows of the library at the same time8 ,kennedy asked4 ,wasn't he the murderer of the father1 also8 ,no6 ,werner smiled slightly1 and there was an instant's flash of the man's personality1 winning and1 it seemed to me1 calculated to inspire confidence4 ,that is the mystery2 it is a mystery plot4 ,while the parts are played by ,jack in both cases now1 we explain in a subtitle a little later that the criminal himself1 the ',black ,terror1' is a master of scientific impersonation1 and that he changes the faces of his emissaries by means of plastic surgery and such scientific things1 so that they look like the characters against whom he wishes to throw suspicion4 ,so while ,jack plays the part it is really an accomplice of the ',black ,terror' who kills old ,remsen4 ,kennedy turned to me4 ,a new idea in the application of science to crime6 he remarked1 dryly4 ,just suppose it were practicable6 ,the ',black ,terror' ,werner continued1 is played by ,merle ,shirley4 ,you've heard of him1 the greatest villain ever known to the films8 ,then there's ,marilyn ,loring1 the vampire1 another good trouper1 too4 ,she plays ,zelda1 old ,remsen's ward1 and it's a question whether ,zelda or ,stella will be the ,remsen heir4 ,marilyn herself is an awfully nice girl1 but1 oh1 how the fans hate her6 ,the director chuckled4 ,no ,millard story is ever complete without a vamp and ,marilyn's been eating them up4 ,she's been with ,manton ,pictures for nearly a year4 ,you played the millionaire yourself8 ,yes1 ,i did old ,remsen4 ,i realized suddenly1 for the first time1 that ,werner was still in the evening clothes he had donned for the part4 ,on his face were streaks in the little make-up that remained after his frequent mopping of his features with his handkerchief4 ,too1 his collar was melted4 ,i could imagine his discomfort4 ,did you have any business with ,stella8 ,kennedy asked1 using the stage term for the minor bits of action in the playing of a scene4 ,did you move at all while she was going through her part8 ,no1 ,mr4 ,kennedy1 ,i was 'dead man' in all the scenes4 ,show me how you lay1 if you will4 ,obligingly1 ,werner stretched out on the carpet1 duplicating his positions even to the exact manner in which he had placed his hands and arms4 ,rather to my own distaste1 ,kennedy impressed me to represent1 ,i am sure in clumsy fashion1 the various positions of ,stella ,lamar4 ,most painstakingly ,kennedy worked back from the thirteenth scene to the first1 referring to the script and coaxing details of memory from the mind of ,werner4 ,i grasped ,kennedy's purpose almost at once4 ,he was endeavoring to reproduce the action which had been photographed1 so as to determine just how the poison had been administered4 ,of course he made no reference to the tiny scratch and ,mackay and ,i were careful to give no hint of it to ,werner4 ,the director1 however1 seemed most willing to assist us4 ,i certainly felt no suspicion of him now4 ,as for ,kennedy1 his face was unrevealing4 ,when the film in the camera is developed-- ,i suggested to ,kennedy1 suddenly4 ,he silenced me with a gesture4 ,i haven't overlooked that1 but the scenes will be from one angle only and in a darkened set4 ,i can determine more this way4 ,somewhat crestfallen1 ,i continued my impersonation of the slain star not altogether willingly4 ,soon ,kennedy had completed his reconstruction of the action4 ,who else entered the scene besides ,gordon8 he asked4 ,the butler and the maid1 after the lights were flashed on4 ,i'll question the camera men1 he announced4 ,who are they8 ,harry ,watkins is the head photographer1 ,werner explained4 ,he's a crackerjack1 too6 ,one of the best lighting experts in the country4 ,al ,penny's grinding the other box4 ,let's have ,watkins first4 ,kennedy nodded to ,mackay to escort the director from the room4 ,neither ,watkins nor ,penny were able to add anything to the facts which ,kennedy had gleaned from ,manton and ,werner4 ,when he had finished his patient examination of the junior camera man he recalled ,watkins and had both1 under his eyes1 close and seal the film cartridges which contained the photographic record of the thirteen scenes4 ,dismissing the men1 he handed the two black boxes to ,mackay4 ,can you arrange to have these developed and printed1 quickly1 but in some way so neither negative nor positive will be out of your sight at any time8 ,mackay nodded4 ,i know the owner of a laboratory in ,yonkers4 ,good6 ,now let's have the leading man4 ,jack ,gordon immediately impressed me very unfavorably4 ,there was something about him for which ,i could find no word but sleek4 ,learning much from my long association with ,kennedy ,i observed at once that he had removed the make-up from his face and that he had on a clean white collar4 ,since the linen worn before the camera is dyed a faint tint to prevent the halation caused by pure white1 it was a sure sign to me that he had spruced up a bit4 ,i knew that he was engaged to ,stella4 ,here in this room she lay dead1 under the most mysterious circumstances4 ,there was little question1 in fact1 that she had been murdered4 ,how could he1 really loving her1 think of such things as the make-up left on his face1 or his clothes8 ,i had to admit that he was a handsome individual4 ,perhaps slightly less than average in height1 and very slender1 he had the close-knit build of an athlete4 ,the contour of his head and the perfect regularity of rather large features made him an ideal type for the screen at any angle2 in close-ups and foregrounds as well as full shots4 ,in actual life there were little things covered by make-up in his work1 such as the cold gray tint of his eyes and the lines of dissipation about his mouth4 ,kennedy questioned him first about his movements in the different scenes1 then asked him if he had seen or noticed anything suspicious during the taking of any of them or in the intervals between4 ,i had several changes1 ,mr4 ,kennedy1 he replied4 ,part of the time ,i was ,jack ,daring1 my regular role1 but ,i was also the emissary who looked like ,daring4 ,i went out each time because ,i make up the emissary to look hard4 ,werner wanted to fool the people a little bit1 but he didn't want them to be positive the emissary was ,daring1 as would happen if both make-ups were the same4 ,did you have any opportunity to talk to ,miss ,lamar8 ,none at all4 ,werner was pushing us to the limit4 ,did she seem her usual self at the start of the scene8 ,no1 she seemed a little out of sorts4 ,but--,gordon hesitated--something had been troubling her all day4 ,she hardly would talk to me in the car on the way out at all4 ,it didn't strike me that she acted any different when she went in to take the scene4 ,you were engaged to her8 ,yes4 ,gordon's eyes caught the body on the davenport before him4 ,he glanced away hastily1 taking his lower lip between his teeth4 ,had you been having any trouble8 ,no--that is1 nothing to amount to anything4 ,but you had a quarrel or a misunderstanding4 ,his face flushed slowly4 ,she was to obtain her final decree early next week4 ,i wanted her to marry me then at once4 ,she refused4 ,when ,i reproached her for not considering my wishes she pretended to be cool and began an elaborate flirtation with ,merle ,shirley4 ,you say she only pretended to be cool8 ,for a few moments ,gordon hesitated4 ,then apparently his vanity loosened his tongue4 ,he wished it to be understood that he had held the love of ,stella to the last4 ,last night1 he volunteered1 we made everything up and she was as affectionate as she ever had been4 ,this morning she was cool1 but ,i could tell it was pretense and so ,i let her alone4 ,there has been no real trouble between you8 ,the leading man met ,kennedy's gaze squarely4 ,not a bit6 ,kennedy turned to ,mackay4 ,mr4 ,shirley1 he ordered4 ,by a miscalculation on the part of the little district attorney the heavy man entered the room a moment before ,gordon left4 ,they came face to face just within the portieres4 ,there was no mistaking the hostility1 the open hate1 between the two men4 ,both ,kennedy and ,i caught the glances4 ,then ,merle ,shirley approached the fireplace1 taking the chair indicated by ,kennedy4 ,i wasn't in any of the opening scenes1 he explained4 ,i remained out in the car until ,i got wind of the excitement4 ,by that time ,stella was dead4 ,do you know anything of a quarrel between ,miss ,lamar and ,gordon8 ,shirley rose1 clenching his fists4 ,for several moments he stood gazing down at the star with an expression on his face which ,i could not analyze4 ,the pause gave me an opportunity to study him1 however1 and ,i noticed that while he had heavier features than ,gordon1 and was a larger man in every way1 ideally endowed for heavy parts1 there was yet a certain boyish freshness clinging to him in subtle fashion4 ,he wore his clothes in a loose sort of way which suggested the ,west and the open1 in contrast to ,gordon's metropolitan sophistication and immaculate tailoring4 ,he was every inch the man1 and a splendid actor--,i knew4 ,yet there was the touch of youth about him4 ,he seemed incapable of a crime such as this1 unless it was in anger1 or as the result of some deep-running hidden passion4 ,now1 whether he was angry or in the clutch of a broad disgust1 ,i could not tell4 ,perhaps it was both4 ,very suddenly he wheeled upon ,kennedy4 ,his voice became low and vibrant with feeling4 ,here was none of the steeled self-control of ,manton1 the deceptive outer mask which ,werner used to cover his thoughts1 the nonchalant1 cold frankness of ,gordon4 ,mr4 ,kennedy1 the actor exclaimed1 ,i've been a fool1 a fool6 ,how do you mean8 ,i mean that ,i allowed ,stella to flatter my vanity and lead me into a flirtation which meant nothing at all to her4 ,god6 ,you are responsible for the trouble between ,miss ,lamar and ,gordon1 then8 ,never6 ,shirley indicated the body of the star with a quick1 passionate sweep of his hand4 ,now ,i could not tell whether he was acting or in earnest4 ,she's responsible6 he exclaimed4 ,she's responsible for everything6 ,her death-- ,no6 ,shirley sobered suddenly1 as if he had forgotten the mystery altogether4 ,i don't know anything at all about that1 nor have ,i any idea unless-- ,but he checked himself rather than voice an empty suspicion4 ,just what do you mean1 then8 ,kennedy was sharp1 impatient4 ,she made a fool of me1 and--and ,i was engaged to ,marilyn ,loring-- ,were engaged8 ,the engagement-- ,marilyn broke it off last night and wouldn't listen to me1 even though ,i came to my senses and saw what a fool ,i had been4 ,was--,kennedy framed his question carefully--was your infatuation for ,miss ,lamar of long duration8 ,just a few weeks4 ,i--,i took her out to dinner and to the theater and--and that was all4 ,i see6 ,kennedy walked away1 nodding to ,mackay4 ,will you have ,miss ,loring next8 asked the district attorney4 ,kennedy nodded4 ,marilyn ,loring was a surprise to me4 ,stella ,lamar both on the screen and in real life was a beauty4 ,in the films ,marilyn was a beauty also1 apparently of a cold1 unfeeling type1 but in the flesh she was disclosed as a person utterly different from all my preconceived notions4 ,in the first place1 she was not particularly attractive except when she smiled4 ,her coloring1 hair frankly and naturally red1 skin slightly mottled and pale1 produced in photography the black hair and marble1 white skin which distinguished her4 ,but as ,i studied her1 as she was now1 before she had put on any make-up and while she was still dressed in a simple summer gown of organdie1 she looked as though she might have stepped into the room from the main street of some mid-,western town4 ,in repose she was shy1 diffident in appearance4 ,when she smiled1 naturally1 without holding the hard lines of her vampire roles1 there was the slight suggestion of a dimple1 and she was essentially girlish4 ,when a trace of emotion or feeling came into her face the woman was evident4 ,she might have been seventeen or thirty-seven4 ,to my surprise1 ,kennedy made no effort to elicit further information concerning the personal animosities of these people4 ,perhaps he felt it too much of an emotional maze to be straightened out in this preliminary investigation4 ,when he found ,marilyn had watched the taking of the scenes he compared her account with those which he had already obtained4 ,then he dismissed her4 ,in rapid succession1 for he was impatient now to follow up other methods of investigation1 he called in and examined the remaining possible witnesses of the tragedy4 ,these were the two extra players--the butler and the maid1 the assistant director1 ,phelps's house servants1 and ,emery ,phelps himself4 ,for some unknown reason he left the owner of the house to the very last4 ,why did you wish these scenes photographed out here8 he asked4 ,because ,i wanted to see my library in pictures4 ,were you watching the taking of the scenes8 ,yes6 ,will you describe just what happened8 ,phelps flushed4 ,he was irritated and in no mood to humor us any more than necessary4 ,a man of perhaps forty1 with the portly flabbiness which often accompanies success in the financial markets1 he was accustomed to obtaining rather than yielding obedience4 ,a bachelor1 he had built this house as a show place merely1 according to the gossip among newspaper men1 seldom living in it4 ,haven't about a dozen people described it for you already8 he asked1 distinctly petulant4 ,kennedy smiled4 ,did you notice anything particularly out of the way1 anything which might be a clue to the manner in which ,miss ,lamar met her death8 ,phelps's attitude became frankly malicious4 ,if ,i had1 or if any of us had1 we wouldn't have found it necessary to send for ,prof4 ,craig ,kennedy1 or--turning to me--the representative of the ,new ,york ,star4 ,kennedy1 undisturbed1 walked to the side of ,mackay4 ,i'll leave ,mr4 ,phelps and his house in your care1 he remarked1 in a low voice4 ,mackay grinned4 ,i saw that the district attorney had little love for the owner of this particular estate in ,tarrytown4 ,kennedy led the way into the living room4 ,immediately the various people he had questioned clustered up with varying degrees of anxiety4 ,had the mystery been solved8 ,he gave them no satisfaction1 but singled out ,manton1 who seemed eager to get away4 ,where is ,millard8 ,i would like to talk to him4 ,i'll try to get him for you4 ,suppose-- ,manton looked at his watch4 ,i should be in at the studio1 he explained4 ,everything is at a standstill1 probably1 and--and so1 suppose you and ,mr4 ,jameson ride in with me in my car4 ,millard might be there4 ,kennedy brightened4 ,good6 ,then he looked back to catch the eye of ,mackay4 ,let everyone go now1 he directed4 ,don't forget to send me the samples of the body fluids and--as an afterthought--you'd better keep a watch on the house4 ,,vi ,,the ,,first ,,clue ,manton's car was a high-powered1 expensive limousine1 fitted inside with every luxury of which the mind of even a prima donna could conceive1 painted a vivid yellow that must have made it an object of attention even on its familiar routes4 ,it was quite characteristic of its owner1 for ,manton1 as we learned1 missed no chance to advertise himself4 ,in the back with us was ,werner1 while the rest of the company were left to return to the city in the two studio cars which had brought them out in the morning4 ,the director1 however1 seemed buried with his reflections4 ,he took no part in the conversation2 paid no attention to us upon the entire trip4 ,manton's mind seemed to dwell rather upon the problems brought up by the death of ,stella than upon the tragedy itself4 ,the ,star's photoplay editor once had remarked to me that the promoter was #ij per cent bull1 and #aj per cent efficiency4 ,i found that it was an unfair estimation4 ,with all his self-advertisement and almost obnoxious personality1 ,manton was a more than capable executive in a business where efficiency and method are rare4 ,this has been a hoodoo picture from the start1 he exclaimed1 suddenly4 ,we have been jinxed with a vengeance4 ,some one has held the ,indian sign on us for sure4 ,kennedy1 ,i noticed1 listened1 studying the man cautiously from the corners of his eyes1 but making no effort to draw him out4 ,first there were changes to be made in the script1 and for those ,millard took his own sweet time4 ,then we were handed a lot of negative which had been fogged in the perforator1 a thing that doesn't happen once in a thousand years4 ,but it caught us just as we sent the company down to ,delaware ,water ,gap4 ,a whole ten days' work went into the developer at once4 ,neither of the camera men caught the fog in their tests because it came in the middle of the rolls4 ,everything had to be done over again4 ,and accidents6 ,we carefully registered the principal accomplice of the ',black ,terror1' a little hunchback with a face to send chills down your back4 ,after we had him in about half the scenes of a sequence of action he was taken sick and died of influenza4 ,first we waited a few days2 then we had to take all that stuff over again4 ,our payroll on this picture is staggering4 ,stella's three thousand a week is cheap for her1 the old contract1 but it's a lot of money to throw away4 ,two weeks when she was under the weather cost us six thousand dollars salary and there was half a week we couldn't do any work without her4 ,gordon and ,shirley and ,marilyn ,loring draw down seventeen hundred a week between them4 ,the director's salary is only two hundred short of that4 ,all told ',the ,black ,terror' is costing us a hundred thousand dollars over our original estimate4 ,and now--it seemed to me that ,manton literally groaned--with ,stella ,lamar dead--excuse me looking at it this way1 but1 after all1 it is business and ,i'm the executive at the head of the company--now we must find a new star1 ,lord knows where1 and we must retake every scene in which ,stella appeared4 ,it--it's enough to bankrupt ,manton ,pictures for once and all4 ,can't you change the story about some way1 so you won't lose the value of her work8 asked ,kennedy4 ,impossible6 ,we've announced the release and we've got to go ahead4 ,fortunately1 some of the biggest sets are not taken yet4 ,the car pulled up with a flourish before the ,manton studio1 which was an immense affair of reinforced concrete in the upper ,bronx4 ,then1 in response to our horn1 a great wide double door swung open admitting us through the building to a large courtyard around which the various departments were built4 ,here1 there was little indication that the principal star of the company had just met her death under mysterious and suspicious circumstances4 ,perhaps1 had ,i been familiar with the ordinary bustle of the establishment1 ,i might have detected a difference4 ,indeed1 it did strike me that there were little knots of people here and there discussing the tragedy1 but everything was overshadowed by the aquatic scene being filmed in the courtyard for some other ,manton picture4 ,the cramped space about the concrete tank was alive with people1 a mob of extras and stage hands and various employees1 a sight which held ,kennedy and me for some little time4 ,i was glad when ,manton led the way through a long hall to the comparative quiet of the office building4 ,in the reception room there was a decided hush4 ,is ,millard here8 he asked of the boy seated at the information desk4 ,no1 sir1 was the respectful reply4 ,he was here this morning and for a while yesterday4 ,you see6 ,manton confronted ,kennedy grimly4 ,this is only one of the things with which we have to contend in this business4 ,i give ,millard an office but he's a law unto himself4 ,it's the artistic temperament4 ,if ,i interfere1 then he says he cannot write and he doesn't produce any manuscript4 ,ordinarily he cannot be bothered to work at the studio4 ,but--philosophically--,i know where to get him as a general thing4 ,he does most of his writing in his rooms downtown2 says there's more inspiration in the confusion of ,broadway than in the wilds of the ,bronx4 ,i'll phone him4 ,we followed the promoter up the stairs to the second and top floor4 ,here a corridor gave access to the various executive offices4 ,its windows at frequent intervals looked down upon the courtyard and the present confusion4 ,werner1 who had preceded us into the building1 now came up4 ,as ,manton bustled into his own office to use the telephone the director turned to ,kennedy1 indicating the next doorway4 ,this is my place1 he explained4 ,it connects with ,manton1 on one side1 through his reception room4 ,you see1 in addition to directing ,stella ,lamar ,i have been in general charge of production and most of the casting is up to me4 ,kennedy entered after ,werner1 interested1 and ,i followed4 ,the door through to the reception room stood open and beyond was the one to ,manton's quarters4 ,i could see the promoter at his desk1 receiver at his ear1 an impatient expression upon his face4 ,in the reception room a rather pretty girl1 young and of a shallow-pated type ,i thought1 was busy at a clattering typewriter4 ,she rose and closed the door upon ,manton1 so as not to disturb him4 ,the next office on this side is ,millard's1 volunteered ,werner4 ,he's the only scenario writer dignified with quarters in this building4 ,manton has other writers1 hasn't he8 ,kennedy asked4 ,yes1 the scenario department is on the third floor across the court1 above the laboratory and cutting rooms4 ,who else is in the building here8 ,there are six rooms on this floor1 ,werner replied4 ,manton1 the waiting room1 myself1 ,millard1 and the two other directors4 ,below is the general reception room1 the cashier1 the bookkeepers and stenographers4 ,as ,manton probably was having trouble obtaining his connection1 and as ,kennedy continued to question ,werner concerning the general arrangement of the different floors in the different buildings about the quadrangle1 all uninteresting to me1 ,i determined to look about a bit on my own hook4 ,i was still anxious to be of genuine assistance to ,kennedy1 for once1 through my greater knowledge of the film world4 ,strolling out into the corridor1 ,i went to the door of ,millard's room4 ,to my disappointment1 it was locked4 ,continuing down the hall1 ,i stole a glance into each of the two directors' quarters but saw nothing to awaken my suspicion or justify my intrusion4 ,beyond1 ,i discovered a washroom1 and1 aware suddenly of the immense amount of dust ,i had acquired in the ride in from ,tarrytown1 ,i entered to freshen my hands and face at the least4 ,it was a stroke of luck1 a fortunate impulse4 ,the amount of money to be made in the movies had resulted1 in the case of ,manton1 in luxurious equipment for all the various departments of his establishment4 ,i had noticed the offices1 furnished with a richness worthy of a bank or some great downtown institution4 ,now1 in the lavatory1 immaculate with its white tile and modern appointments1 ,i saw a shelf literally stacked1 in this day of paper1 with linen towels of the finest quality4 ,as ,i drew the water1 hot instantly1 my eye caught1 half in and half out of the wire basket beneath the stand1 one of the towels covered with peculiar yellow spots4 ,immediately my suspicions were awakened4 ,i picked it up gingerly4 ,at close range ,i saw that the spots were only chrome yellow make-up1 but there were also spots of a different nature4 ,i did not stop to think of the unlikeliness of the discovery of a real clue under these circumstances1 analyzed afterward by ,kennedy4 ,i folded the towel hastily and hurried to rejoin him1 to show it to him4 ,i found him with ,werner1 waiting for the results of ,manton's efforts to locate ,millard4 ,almost at the moment ,i rejoined the two a boy came to summon ,werner to one of the sets out on the stage itself4 ,kennedy and ,i were alone4 ,i showed him the towel4 ,at first he laughed1 ,you'll never make a detective1 ,walter1 he remarked4 ,this is only simple coloring matter-,chinese yellow1 to be exact4 ,and will you tell me1 too--he became ironical--how do you expect to find clues of this sort here for a murder committed in ,tarrytown when all the people present were held out there and examined1 when we are the first to arrive back here8 ,yellow1 you know1 photographs white4 ,chinese yellow is used largely in studios in place of white in make-up because it does not cause halation1 which1 to the picture people1 is the bane of their existence4 ,white is too glaring1 reflects rays that blur the photography sometimes4 ,if you will notice1 the next time you see them shooting a scene1 you will find the actors' faces tinged with yellow4 ,even tablecloths and napkins and 'white' dresses are frequently colored a pale yellow1 although pale blue has the actinic qualities of white for this purpose1 and is now perhaps more frequently used than yellow4 ,i was properly chastened4 ,in fact1 though ,i did not say much1 ,i almost determined to let him conduct his case himself4 ,kennedy saw my crestfallen expression and understood4 ,he was about to say something encouraging1 as he handed back the towel1 when his eye fell on the other end of it1 which1 indeed1 ,i myself had noticed4 ,he sobered instantly and studied the other spots4 ,indeed1 ,i had not examined them closely myself4 ,they were the very faint stains of some other yellow substance1 a liquid which had dried and did not rub off as the make-up1 and there were also some small round drops of dark red1 almost hidden in the fancy red scrollwork of the lettering on the towel1 ,manton ,pictures1 ,inc4 ,the latter had escaped me altogether4 ,blood6 ,kennedy exclaimed4 ,then1 ,look here6 ,the marks of the pale yellow liquid trailed into a slender trace of blood4 ,it looks as if some one had cleaned a needle on it1 he muttered1 and in a hurry4 ,i remembered his previous remark4 ,the murder had been in ,tarrytown4 ,we had just arrived here4 ,would anyone have time to do it8 ,i asked4 ,whoever used the towel did so in a hurry1 he reiterated1 seriously4 ,it may have been some one afraid to leave any sort of clue out there at ,phelps's house4 ,there were too many watchers about4 ,it might have seemed better to have run the risk of a search4 ,with no sign of a wound on ,miss ,lamar's person1 it was pretty certain that neither ,mackay nor ,i would attempt to frisk everyone4 ,it was not as though we were looking for a revolver1 if she were shot1 or a knife1 if she had been stabbed4 ,and--he could not resist another dig at me--and that we should look in a washroom here for a towel was1 well1 an idea that wouldn't occur to anyone but the most amateur and blundering sort of sleuth4 ,it's beginner's luck1 ,walter1 beginner's luck4 ,i ignored the uncomplimentary part of his remarks4 ,who could have been in the washroom just before me8 ,i asked4 ,suddenly he hurried through the waiting room to the door to ,manton's office1 opening it without ceremony4 ,manton was gone4 ,we exchanged glances4 ,i remembered that ,werner had preceded us upstairs4 ,it means ,werner or ,manton himself1 ,i whispered1 so the girl just behind us would not hear4 ,kennedy strode out to the hall1 and to a window overlooking the court4 ,after a moment he pointed4 ,i recognized both the cars used to transport the company to the home of ,emery ,phelps4 ,there was no sign that either had just arrived1 for even the chauffeurs were out of sight1 perhaps melted into the crowd about the tank in the corner4 ,they must have arrived immediately behind us1 ,kennedy remarked4 ,we wasted several valuable minutes looking at that water stuff ourselves4 ,at that moment ,werner's voice rose from the reception room below4 ,it was probable that he would be up to rejoin us again4 ,i remembered that he had not been at all at ease while ,kennedy questioned him in ,tarrytown2 that here at the studio he had been palpably anxious to remain close at our heels4 ,i felt a surge of suspicion within me4 ,listen1 ,craig1 ,i muttered1 in low tones4 ,manton had no opportunity to steal down the hall after the girl closed the door1 and-- ,why not6 he interrupted1 contradicting me4 ,we had our backs to the door while we were talking with ,werner4 ,well1 anyhow1 it narrows down to ,manton and ,werner because that is the washroom for these offices-- ',sh6 ,kennedy stopped me as ,werner mounted the stairs4 ,he turned to the director with assumed nonchalance4 ,how long have the other cars been here8 he asked4 ,i thought we came pretty fast4 ,werner smiled4 ,i guess those boys had enough of ,tarrytown4 ,they rolled into the yard1 both of them1 while you and ,mr4 ,jameson and ,manton were stopping to watch the people in the water4 ,i see6 ,kennedy gave me a side glance4 ,where are the dressing rooms8 he inquired4 ,it was a random shot4 ,werner pointed to the end of the hall1 toward the washroom4 ,in the next building1 on this floor--that is1 the principals'4 ,it's a rotten arrangement1 he added4 ,they come through sometimes and use our lavatory1 because it's a little more fancy and because it saves a trip down a flight of stairs4 ,believe me1 it gets old ,manton on his ear4 ,,vii ,,enid ,,faye ,behind ,werner was the assistant director1 to whom ,i had given little attention at the time of the examination of the various people in the ,phelps library4 ,even now he impressed me as one of those rare1 unobtrusive types of individuals who seem1 in spite of the possession of genuine ability and often a great deal of efficiency1 to lack1 nevertheless1 any outstanding personal characteristics4 ,as a class they are human machines1 to be neither liked nor disliked1 never intruding and yet always on hand when needed4 ,this is ,carey ,drexel1 my assistant1 ,werner stated1 forgetting that ,kennedy had questioned him at ,tarrytown1 and so knew him4 ,there are a few people ,i simply must see and ,i'm tied up1 therefore1 for perhaps half an hour2 and ,manton's downstairs still trying to locate ,millard for you4 ,but ,carey's at your disposal1 ,mr4 ,kennedy1 to show you the arrangement of the studio and to cooperate with you in any way if you think there's any possible chance of finding anything to bear upon ,stella's death here4 ,if ,werner was the man who had used the towel1 ,i could see that he was an actor and a cool villain4 ,of course no one could know1 yet1 that we had discovered it1 but the very nonchalance with which it had been thrown into the basket was a mark of the nerve of the guilty man4 ,it was more than carelessness4 ,nothing about the crime had been haphazard4 ,kennedy thanked ,werner and asked to be shown the studio floor used in the making of ,the ,black ,terror4 ,carey led the way1 explaining that there were actually two studios1 one at each end of the quadrangle1 connected on both sides by the other buildings2 offices and dressing rooms and the costume and property departments at the side facing the street2 technical laboratories and all the detail of film manufacture in a four-story structure to the rear4 ,most of ,werner's own picture was being made in the so-called big studio1 reached through the dressing rooms from the end of the corridor where we stood4 ,i had been in film plants before1 but when we entered the huge glass-roofed inclosure beyond the long hallway of dressing rooms ,i was impressed by the fact that here was a place of genuine magnitude1 with more life and bustle than anything ,i had ever imagined4 ,the glass had1 however1 been painted over1 because of late years dark stages1 with the even quality of artificial light1 had come into vogue in the ,manton studios in place of stages lighted by the uneven and undependable sunlight4 ,the two big sets mentioned by ,manton1 a banquet hall and a ballroom1 were being erected simultaneously4 ,carpenters were at work sawing and hammering4 ,werner's technical director was shouting at a group of stage hands putting a massive mirror in position at the end of the banquet hall1 a clever device to give the room the appearance of at least double its actual length4 ,in one corner several electricians and a camera man were experimenting with a strange-looking bank of lights4 ,in the ballroom set1 where the flats or walls were all in place1 an unexcited paperhanger was busy with the paraphernalia of his craft1 somehow looking out of his element in this reign of pandemonium4 ,it seemed hard indeed to believe that any sort of order or system lay behind this heterogeneous activity1 and the incident which took ,carey ,drexel away from us only added to the wonder in my mind1 a wonder that anything tangible and definite could be accomplished4 ,oh1 ,carey6 ,another assistant director1 or perhaps he was only a property boy1 rushed up frantically the moment he saw ,drexel4 ,miss ,miller's on a rampage because the grand piano you promised to get for her isn't at her apartment yet1 and ,bessie ,terry's in tears because she left her parrot here overnight1 as you suggested1 and some one taught the bird to swear4 ,the intruder1 a youth of perhaps eighteen1 was in deadly earnest4 ,for the love of ,mike1 ,carey1 he went on1 tell me how to unteach that screeching thing of ,bessie's1 or we won't get a scene today4 ,carey ,drexel looked at ,kennedy helplessly4 ,with all these troubles1 how could he pilot us about8 ,later we learned that this was nothing new1 once one gets on the inside of picture making4 ,props41 or properties1 particularly the living ones1 cause almost as much disturbance as the temperamental notions of the actors and actresses4 ,sometimes it is a question which may become the most ridiculous4 ,kennedy seemed to be satisfied with his preliminary visit to this studio floor4 ,we can get back to ,manton's office alone1 he told ,drexel4 ,we will just keep on circling the quadrangle4 ,relieved1 the assistant director pointed to the door of the manufacturing building1 as the four-story structure in the rear was called4 ,then he bustled off with the other youth1 quite unruffled himself4 ,when we passed through the heavy steel fire door we found ourselves in another long hallway of fire-brick and reinforced-concrete construction4 ,unquestionably there was no danger of a serious conflagration in any part of ,manton's plant1 despite the high inflammability of the film itself1 of the flimsy stage sets1 of practically everything used in picture manufacture4 ,immediately we entered this building ,i detected a peculiar odor1 at which ,i sniffed eagerly4 ,i was reminded of the burnt-almond odor of the cyanides4 ,was this another clue8 ,i turned to ,kennedy but he smiled1 anticipating me4 ,banana oil1 ,walter1 he explained1 with rather a superior manner4 ,i imagine it's used a great deal in this industry4 ,anyway--a chuckle--don't expect chance to deliver clues to you in wholesale quantities4 ,you have done very well for today4 ,a sudden whirring noise1 from an open door down the hall1 attracted us1 and we paused4 ,this1 ,i guessed1 was a cutting room4 ,there were a number of steel tables1 with high steel chairs4 ,at the walls were cabinets of the same material4 ,each table had two winding arrangements1 a handle at the operator's right hand and one at his left1 so that he could wind or unwind film from one reel to another1 passing it forward or backward in front of his eyes4 ,there were girls at the tables except nearest the hall4 ,here a man stopped now and then to glance at the ribbon of film1 or to cut out a section1 dropping the discarded piece into a fireproof can and splicing the two ends of the main strip together again with liquid film cement from a small bottle4 ,he looked up as he sensed our presence4 ,isn't it hell8 he remarked1 in friendly fashion4 ,i've got to cut all of ,stella ,lamar out of ',the ,black ,terror1' so they can duplicate her scenes with another star1 and meanwhile we had half the negative matched and marked for colors and spliced in rolls1 all ready for the printer4 ,without waiting for an answer from us1 or expecting one1 he gave one of his reels a vicious spin1 producing the whirring noise2 then grasping both reels between his fingers and bringing them to an abrupt stop1 so that ,i wondered he did not burn himself from the friction1 he located the next piece to be eliminated4 ,we followed the hall into the smaller studio and there found a comedy company at work4 ,without stopping to watch the players1 ghastly under the light from the ,cooper-,hewitts and ,kliegel arcs1 we found a precarious way back of the set around and under stage braces1 to the covered bridge leading once more to the corridor outside ,manton's office4 ,now the girl was absent from her place in the little waiting room4 ,manton's door stood open4 ,without ceremony ,kennedy led the way in and dropped down at the side of the promoter's huge mahogany desk4 ,i'm tired1 ,walter1 he said4 ,furthermore1 ,i think this picture world of yours is a bedlam4 ,we face a hard task4 ,how do you propose to go about things8 ,i asked4 ,i'm afraid this is a case which will have to be approached entirely through psychological reactions4 ,you and ,i will have to become familiar with the studio and home life of all the long list of possible suspects4 ,i shall analyze the body fluids of the deceased and learn the cause of death1 and ,i will find out what it is on the towel1 but--sighing--there are so many different ramifications1 so many-- ,suddenly his eye caught the corner of a piece of paper slid under the glass of ,manton's desk4 ,he pulled it out2 then handed it to me4 ,,memorandum ,,for ,,mr4 ,,manton ,have learned ,enid ,faye is out of ,pentangle and can be engaged for about twelve hundred if you act quickly4 ,why not cancel ,lamar contract after ,black ,terror1 if she continues up-stage8 ,,werner4 ,i caught the name ,lamar1 ,kennedy explained4 ,then an expression of gratification crept into his face4 ,miss ,lamar was 'up-stage'8 he mused4 ,that's a theatrical word for cussedness1 isn't it8 ,i paid little attention4 ,the name of ,enid ,faye had attracted my own interest4 ,this was the little dare-devil who had breezed into the ,pacific ,coast film colony and had swept everything before her4 ,not only had she displayed amazing nerve for her sex and size1 but she had been pretty and beautifully formed1 had been as much at home in a ballroom as in an ,annette ,kellermann bathing suit4 ,in less than six months she had learned to act and had been brought to the ,eastern studios of ,pentangle4 ,now it was possible that she would be captured by ,manton1 would be blazoned all over the country by that gentleman1 would become another star of his making4 ,let's go1 ,walter6 ,kennedy1 impatient1 rose4 ,i noticed that he folded the little note1 slipping it into his pocket4 ,out in the hall voices came to us from ,werner's office4 ,after some little hesitation ,kennedy opened the door unceremoniously4 ,at the table1 littered with blue prints and drawings and colored plates of famous home interiors1 was the director4 ,with him was ,manton4 ,seated facing them1 in rare good humor1 was a fascinating little lady4 ,the promoter rose4 ,professor ,kennedy1 ,i want you to meet ,miss ,enid ,faye1 one of our real comers4 ,and ,mr4 ,jameson1 ,enid1 of the ,new ,york ,star4 ,she acknowledged the introduction to ,kennedy gracefully4 ,then she turned1 rising1 and rushed to me most effusively1 leading me to a leather-covered couch and pulling me to a seat beside her4 ,mr4 ,jameson1 she purred4 ,i just love newspaper men2 ,i think they're perfectly wonderful always4 ,tell me1 do you like little ,enid8 ,i nodded1 confused and unhappy1 and as red as a schoolboy4 ,that's fine1 she went on1 in the best modulated and most wonderful voice ,i thought ,i had ever heard4 ,i like you and ,i know we're going to be the best of friends4 ,tell me1 what's your first name8 ,now1 ,enid1 reproved ,manton1 in fatherly tones1 you'll have plenty of time to vamp your publicity later4 ,for the present1 please listen to me4 ,we're talking business4 ,shoot every hair of this old gray head6 she directed1 pertly4 ,she did not move away1 however1 ,i could feel the warmth of her1 could catch the delicacy of the perfume she used4 ,i noted the play of her slender fingers1 the trimness of her ankle1 the piquancy of a nose revealed to me in profile--and nothing else4 ,this is your chance1 ,enid1 ,manton continued1 earnestly and rather eagerly4 ,you know the film will be the most talked about one this year4 ,we've got the ,merritt papers lined up and that's the best advertising in the world4 ,everyone will know you took ,stella's place1 and--well1 you'll step right in4 ,she studied the tips of her boots1 stretching boyish limbs straight in front of her1 then smoothing the soft folds of her skirt4 ,talk money to me1 ,mr4 ,man6 she exclaimed4 ,talk the shekels1 the golden shekels4 ,we're broke1 he protested4 ,a thousand-- ,she shook her head4 ,werner broke in1 suddenly anxious4 ,don't pass up the chance1 ,enid1 he pleaded4 ,what can ,pentangle do for you8 ,and ,i've always wanted to direct you again-- ,i'll make it twelve hundred1 ,manton interrupted1 if you'll make the contract personally with me4 ,then if ,manton ,pictures-- ,all right6 ,she jumped to her feet1 extending a hand straight forward to each1 the right to ,manton1 the left to ,werner4 ,you're on6 ,i thought that ,i was forgotten4 ,a wave of jealousy swept over me4 ,after all1 she simply wanted me to write her up4 ,in a daze ,i heard ,manton4 ,you're a wise little girl1 ,enid1 he told her4 ,play the game right with me and you'll climb high4 ,the sky's the limit1 now4 ,i'll make you--make you big6 ,with a full1 warm smile she swung around to me and ,i knew ,i was not being slighted1 after all4 ,that's what ,longfellow said1 isn't it1 ,mr4 ,jameson8 ,what8 ,my heart began to beat like a trip hammer4 ,excelsior6 ,excelsior6 ,it packs them in6 ,she laughed so infectiously that we all joined in4 ,then ,manton turned to ,kennedy4 ,i've located ,millard for you4 ,he's to meet us at my apartment at seven4 ,it's six-thirty now4 ,and you1 ,enid--facing her--if you'll come1 too1 there's another man ,i want you to meet1 and ,larry1 of course1 will be there-- ,enid studied ,kennedy4 ,he was hesitating as though not sure whether to accompany ,manton or not4 ,i never did learn what other course of action had occurred to him4 ,but ,i did notice that the little star1 with her pert1 upturned face1 seemed more anxious to have ,kennedy go along than she was to meet the mysterious individual mentioned without name by ,manton4 ,for an instant she was on the point of addressing him1 flippantly1 no doubt4 ,then1 ,i think she was rather awed at ,craig's reputation4 ,all at once she shrugged her shoulders and turned to me1 plucking my sleeve1 her expression brightening irresistibly4 ,you'll come1 too--dimpling--,jamie6 ,,viii ,,lawrence ,,millard ,it struck me on the trip to ,manton's apartment that the film people were wholly unfeeling1 were even uninterested in the death of ,stella ,lamar except where it interfered with their business arrangements4 ,werner excused himself and did not accompany us1 on the score of the complete realignment of production necessary to place ,enid in ,stella's part4 ,it seemed to me that he felt a certain relish in the problem1 that he was almost glad of the circumstances which brought ,enid to him4 ,his last words to ,manton were1 to be sure to have ,millard recast the action of the scenes wherever possible1 so as to give ,enid the better chance to display her own personality4 ,i marveled as ,i realized that the remains of ,stella ,lamar were scarcely cold before these people were figuring on the star to take her place4 ,as ,manton talked1 the thought crossed my mind that such a man needed no publicity manager4 ,i dismissed the idea that he might be capable even of murder for publicity4 ,but at least it was an insight into some methods of the game4 ,as our car mounted to the ,concourse and turned ,manhattanward ,i was distinctly unhappy4 ,manton monopolized ,enid completely1 insisting upon talking over everything under the sun1 from the wardrobe she would need in ,stella's part and the best sort of personal advertising campaign for her1 to the first available evening when she could go to dinner with him4 ,she sat in the rear seat1 between ,kennedy and the promoter1 which did not add to my sense of comfort4 ,the only consoling feature from my viewpoint was that ,i was admirably placed to study her1 and that ,manton held her so engrossed that ,i had every opportunity to do so unnoticed4 ,because she had overwhelmed me so completely ,i did nothing of the kind4 ,i knew we were riding with the most beautiful woman in ,new ,york1 but ,i did not know the color of her hair or eyes1 or even the sort of hat or dress she wore4 ,in short ,i was movie-struck4 ,we stopped at last at a huge1 ornate apartment house on ,riverside ,drive and ,manton led the way through the wide ,renaissance entrance and the luxurious marble hall to the elevator4 ,his quarters1 on the top floor1 facing the river1 were almost exotic in the lavishness and barbaric splendor of their furnishings4 ,my first impression as we entered the place was that ,manton had purposely planned the dim lights of rich amber and the clinging ,oriental fragrance hovering about everything so as to produce an alluring and enticing atmosphere4 ,the chairs and wide upholstered window seats1 the soft1 yielding divans in at least two corners1 with their miniature mountains of tiny pillows1 all were comfortable with the comfort one associates with lotus eating and that homeward journey soon to be forgotten4 ,there was the smoke of incense1 unmistakably4 ,on a taboret were cigarettes and cigars and through heavy curtains ,i caught a glimpse of a sideboard and decanters1 filled and set out very frankly4 ,a ,japanese butler1 whom ,manton called ,huroki1 took our hats and retreated with a certain emanating effluvium of subtlety such as ,i had known only once before1 when the ,oriental attendant left me on the occasion of my only visit to an opium den in ,chinatown4 ,a moment later ,millard1 who had been waiting1 rose to greet us4 ,i would have guessed him to be an author1 ,i believe1 had ,i met him at random anywhere in the city4 ,he affected all the professional marks and mannerisms1 and yet he did so gracefully4 ,i noticed1 in the little hall where ,huroki placed our headgear1 a single-jointed ,malacca stick1 a dark-colored and soft-brimmed felt hat1 and a battered brief-case4 ,that was ,millard1 unquestionably4 ,the man himself was tall and loose-limbed1 heavy with an appearance of slenderness4 ,his face was handsome1 rather intellectual in spite of rather than because of large horn-rimmed glasses4 ,his mouth and chin showed strength and determination1 which was a surprise to me4 ,in fact1 in no way did he seem to reveal the artist4 ,lawrence ,millard was a commercial writer1 a dreamer never4 ,first he greeted ,enid1 taking both of her hands in his4 ,in this one brief moment all my own little romance went glimmering1 for ,i could not blind myself to the softening of his expression1 the welcoming light in hers1 the long interval in which their fingers remained interlaced4 ,and then another thought came to me1 hastened1 fed and fattened upon my jealousy4 ,the sealed testimony in the case of ,millard vs4 ,millard6 ,could ,enid1 by any chance1 be concerned in that8 ,the next moment ,i dismissed the thought1 or at least ,i thought ,i did so4 ,i tried to picture ,enid's work on the ,coast1 to remember the short time she had been in the ,east4 ,it was possible ,millard had known her before she went to ,los ,angeles1 but unlikely4 ,millard next turned to ,kennedy4 ,i just learned of the tragedy a short while ago1 ,professor1 he exclaimed4 ,it is terrible1 and so amazingly sudden1 too6 ,it--it has upset me completely4 ,tell me1 have you found anything8 ,have you discovered any possible clue8 ,is there anything at all ,i can do to help8 ,i would like to ask a few questions1 ,kennedy explained4 ,by all means6 ,he extended a hand to me and ,i found it damp and flabby1 as though he were more concerned than his manner betrayed4 ,he faced ,kennedy again1 however1 immediately4 ,stella and ,i didn't make a go of our married life at all1 he went on1 frankly enough4 ,i was very sorry1 too1 because ,i was genuinely fond of her4 ,how recently have you seen her8 ,stella8 ,not for over a month--perhaps longer than that4 ,manton took ,enid by the arm4 ,it was evidently her first visit to the apartment and he was anxious to show her his various treasures4 ,millard1 ,kennedy1 and ,i found a corner affording a view out over the ,hudson4 ,after ,kennedy had described1 briefly1 the circumstances of ,stella's death1 at ,millard's insistence1 he produced the note he had found in her handbag4 ,the author recognized it at once1 without reading it4 ,yes1 ,i wrote that6 ,then just a trace of emotion crept into his voice4 ,i was too late1 he murmured4 ,what was it you wanted to say8 ,kennedy inquired4 ,millard's glance traveled to ,manton and ,enid1 a troubled something in his expression4 ,i could see that the promoter was making the most of his tete-a-tete with the girl1 but she seemed perfectly at ease and quite capable of handling the man1 and ,i1 certainly1 was more disturbed at the interest of ,millard4 ,i thought there was something about the business ,i ought to tell ,stella1 he answered1 finally4 ,manton ,pictures is pretty shaky4 ,oh6 ,then ,manton wasn't talking for effect when he told ,miss ,faye that the company was broke8 ,no1 indeed6 ,in fact1 didn't ,enid make her agreement with ,manton personally8 ,that's what ,i advised her to do4 ,kennedy nodded4 ,but is ,manton himself financially sound8 ,millard laughed4 ,lloyd ,manton always has a dozen things up his sleeve4 ,he may have a million or he may owe a million4 ,in the author's voice was no respect for his employer4 ,a touch of malice crept into his tone4 ,manton will make money for anyone who can make money for him1 he added1 that is1 provided he has to do it4 ,kennedy and ,i exchanged glances4 ,this was close to an assertion of downright dishonesty4 ,at that moment ,huroki stole in on padded feet1 as noiseless as a wraith4 ,yes1 ,huroki8 ,his master turned1 inquiringly4 ,mr4 ,leigh1 was the butler's announcement4 ,show him in1 said ,manton2 then he hurried over to us4 ,courtlandt ,leigh1 the banker1 you know4 ,i imagine ,i showed my surprise1 for ,kennedy smiled as he caught my face4 ,leigh was a bigger man than ,phelps1 of the highest standing in downtown financial circles4 ,if ,manton had interested ,courtlandt ,leigh in moving pictures he was a wizard indeed4 ,it seemed to me that the banker was hardly in the apartment before he saw ,enid1 and from that moment the girl engrossed him to the exclusion of everything else4 ,for ,enid1 ,i will say that she was a wonder4 ,she seemed to grasp the man's instant infatuation and immediately she set about to complete the conquest1 all without permitting him so much as to touch her4 ,you'll excuse us8 remarked ,manton1 easily1 as he drew ,phelps and ,enid away4 ,see6 exclaimed ,millard1 in a low voice1 frowning now as he watched the girl4 ,manton's clever6 ,i've never known him unable to raise money1 and that's why ,i wanted ,enid to have her contract with him personally4 ,if ,manton ,pictures blows up he'd put her in some other company4 ,he has more than one8 ,this seemed to puzzle ,kennedy4 ,he's been interested in any number on the side1 ,millard explained4 ,now he's formed another1 but it's a secret so far4 ,you've heard of ,fortune ,features1 perhaps8 ,kennedy looked at me1 but ,i shook my head4 ,what is ',fortune ,features'8 ,kennedy asked the question of ,millard4 ,just another company in which ,manton has an interest1 he replied1 casually4 ,that was why ,i said ,i advised that ,enid make her contract personally with ,manton4 ,if ,manton ,pictures goes up1 then he will have to swing her into ,fortune ,features--the other ,manton enterprise1 don't you see8 ,he paused1 then added3 ,by the way1 don't say anything outside about that4 ,it isn't generally known--and as soon as anyone does hear it1 everybody in the film game will hear it4 ,you don't know how gossip travels in this business4 ,kennedy asked a few personal questions about ,stella1 but ,millard's answers indicated that he had not contemplated or even hoped for a reconciliation1 that his interest in his former wife had become thoroughly platonic4 ,just now1 however1 he seemed unable to keep ,manton out of his mind4 ,oh1 ,manton's clever6 he said1 confidentially to ,kennedy1 as he watched the promoter deftly maneuvering ,leigh and ,enid into a position side by side4 ,and indeed1 as ,millard talked1 ,i began to get some inkling of how really clever was the game which ,manton played4 ,why1 continued ,millard1 warming up to his story--for1 to him1 above all1 a good story was something that had to be told1 whatever might result from it--,i have known him to pay a visit some afternoon to ,wall ,street--go down there to beard the old lions in their den4 ,he always used to show up about the closing time of the market4 ,i've known him to get into the office of some one like ,leigh or ,phelps4 ,then he'll begin to talk about his brilliant prospects in the company he happens to be promoting at the time4 ,if you listen to ,manton you're lost4 ,i know it--,i've listened1 he added1 whimsically4 ,well1 he continued1 the banker will begin to get restless after a bit--not at ,manton1 but at not getting away4 ',my car is outside1' ,manton will say4 ',let me drive you uptown4' ,of course1 there's nothing else for the banker to do but to accept1 and when he gets into ,manton's car he's glad he did4 ,i don't know anyone who picks out such luxurious things as he does4 ,why1 that man could walk right out along ,automobile ,row1 broke1 and some one would ,,give him a car4 ,how does he do it8 ,i put the question to him4 ,how does a fish swim8 said ,millard1 smiling4 ,he's clever1 ,i tell you4 ,once he has the banker in the car1 perhaps they stop for a few moments at a club4 ,at any rate1 ,manton usually contrives it so that1 as they approach his apartment1 he has his talk all worked up to the point where the banker is genuinely interested4 ,you know there's almost nothing people will talk to you longer about than moving pictures4 ,well1 on one pretext or another1 ,manton usually persuades the banker to step up here for a moment4 ,poor simp6 ,it's all over with him then4 ,i'll never forget how impressed ,phelps was with this place the first time4 ,there1 now1 watch this fellow1 ,leigh4 ,he thinks this looks like a million dollars4 ,we're all here1 playing ,manton's game4 ,we're his menagerie--he's ,barnum4 ,i tell you1 ,leigh's lost1 lost6 ,i did not know quite what to make of ,millard's cynicism4 ,was he trying to be witty at ,manton's expense8 ,i noticed that he did not smile himself4 ,although he was talking to us1 his attention was not really on us4 ,he was still watching ,enid4 ,then1 along would happen ,stella1 as if by chance4 ,millard paused bitterly1 as though he did not quite relish the telling it1 but felt that ,kennedy would pry it out of him or some one else finally1 and he might as well have it over with frankly4 ,yes1 he said1 thoughtfully1 but it all wasn't really ,manton's fault1 after all4 ,stella liked the ,bohemian sort of life too much--and ,manton does the ,bohemian up here wonderfully4 ,it was too much for ,stella4 ,then1 when ,phelps came along and was roped in1 she fell for him4 ,it was good-by1 poor ,millard6 ,i wasn't rapid enough for that crowd4 ,i almost began to sympathize with ,millard in the association into which1 for his living's sake1 his art had forced him4 ,i realized1 too1 that really the banker1 the wise one from ,wall ,street1 was the sucker4 ,indeed1 as ,millard told it1 ,i could easily account for the temptation of ,stella4 ,to a degree1 ,i suppose1 it was really her fault1 for she ought to have known the game1 shown more sense than to be taken in by the thing4 ,i wondered at the continued relations of ,millard with ,manton1 under the circumstances4 ,however1 ,i reflected1 if ,stella had chosen to play the little fool1 why should ,millard have allowed that to ruin his own chances8 ,what interested me now was that ,millard did not seem to relish the attentions which the banker was paying to ,enid4 ,was ,manton framing up the same sort of game again on ,leigh8 ,however1 when ,enid shot a quick glance at ,millard in an aside of the conversation1 accompanied by a merry wink1 ,i saw that ,millard1 though still doubtful1 was much more at ease4 ,evidently there was a tacit understanding between the two4 ,kennedy glanced over at me4 ,bit by bit the checkered history of ,stella ,lamar's life was coming to light4 ,i began to see more clearly4 ,deserting ,millard and fascinated by ,manton and his game1 she had been used to interest ,phelps in the company4 ,in turn she had been dazzled by the glitter of the ,phelps gold4 ,she had not proved loyal even to the producer and promoter4 ,perhaps1 ,i reflected1 that was why ,millard was so apparently complacent4 ,one could not1 under the circumstances1 have expected him to display wild emotion4 ,his attitude had been that of one who thought1 ,she almost broke me2 let her break some one else4 ,that1 however1 was not his attitude toward ,enid now4 ,indeed1 he seemed genuinely concerned that she should not follow in the same steps4 ,later1 ,i learned that was not all of the history of ,stella4 ,fifteen hundred dollars a week of her own money1 besides lavish presents1 had been too much for her4 ,even ,phelps's money had had no over-burdening attraction for her4 ,the world--at least that part of it which spends money on ,broadway1 had been open to her4 ,jack ,daring had charmed her for a while--hence the engagement4 ,of ,shirley1 ,i did not even know4 ,perhaps the masterful crime roles he played might have promised some new thrill1 with the possibility that they expressed something latent in his life4 ,at any rate1 she had dilettanted about him1 to the amazement and dismay of ,marilyn4 ,that we knew4 ,the dinner hour was approaching1 and1 in spite of the urgent invitation of ,manton1 ,leigh was forced to excuse himself to keep a previous appointment4 ,i felt1 though1 that he would have broken it if only ,enid had added her urging4 ,but she did not1 much to the relief of ,millard4 ,manton took it in good part4 ,perhaps he was wise enough to reflect that many other afternoons were in the lap of the future4 ,what is ,manton up to8 ,kennedy spoke to ,millard4 ,is it off with the old and on with the new8 ,is ,phelps to be cast aside like a squeezed-out lemon1 and ,leigh taken on for a new citrus fruit8 ,millard smiled4 ,he said nothing1 but the knowing glance was confirmation enough that in his opinion ,kennedy had expressed the state of affairs correctly4 ,millard hastened to the side of ,enid at once and we learned then that they had a theater engagement together and that ,millard had the tickets in his pocket4 ,once more ,i realized it was no new or recent acquaintanceship between these two4 ,again ,i wondered what woman had been named in ,stella ,lamar's divorce suit1 and again dismissed the thought that it could be ,enid4 ,kennedy took his hat and handed me mine4 ,we must eat1 ,walter1 as well as the rest of them1 he remarked1 when ,manton led the way to the door4 ,i was loath to leave and ,i suppose ,i showed it4 ,the truth was that little ,enid ,faye had captivated me4 ,it was hard to tear myself away4 ,in the entrance ,i hesitated1 wondering whether ,i should say good-by to her4 ,she seemed engrossed with ,millard4 ,a second time she took me clean off my feet4 ,while ,i stood there1 foolishly1 she left ,millard and rushed up1 extending her little hand and allowing it to rest for a moment clasped in mine4 ,we didn't have a single opportunity to get acquainted1 ,mr4 ,jameson1 she complained1 real regret in the soft cadences of her voice4 ,won't you phone me sometime8 ,my name's in the book1 or ,i'll be at the studio-- ,i was tongue-tied4 ,my glance1 shifting from hers because ,i was suddenly afraid of myself1 encountered the gaze of ,millard from behind4 ,now ,i detected the unmistakable fire of jealousy in the eyes of the author4 ,i presume ,i was never built to be a heavy lover4 ,up and down my spine went a shiver of fear4 ,i dropped ,enid's hand and turned away abruptly4 ,,ix ,,white-,,light ,,shadows ,what do you think of it8 ,i asked ,kennedy1 when we were half through our meal at a tiny restaurant on upper ,broadway4 ,we're still fumbling in the dark1 he replied4 ,there's the towel-- ,yes1 and almost any one on ,mackay's list of nine suspects could have placed it in that washroom4 ,well-- ,i was determined to draw him out4 ,my own impressions1 ,i must confess1 were gloriously muddled4 ,manton heads the list1 ,i suggested4 ,everyone says she was mixed up with him4 ,manton may have philandered with her2 undoubtedly he takes a personal interest in all his stars4 ,kennedy1 ,i saw1 remembered the promoter's close attentions to ,enid ,faye4 ,nevertheless1 ,walter1 he is first and foremost and all the time the man of business4 ,his heart is in his dollars and ,millard even suggests that he is none too scrupulous4 ,if he had an affair with ,stella1 ,i rejoined1 and she became up-stage--the note you found suggested trouble1 you know--then ,manton in a burst of passion-- ,no6 ,kennedy stopped me4 ,don't forget that this was a cold-blooded1 calculated crime4 ,i'm not eliminating ,manton yet1 but until we find some tangible evidence of trouble between ,stella and himself we can hardly assume he would kill the girl who's made him perhaps a million dollars4 ,every motive in ,manton's case is a motive against the crime4 ,that eliminates ,phelps1 then1 too4 ,he nearly owned the company4 ,yes1 unless something happened to outweigh financial considerations in his mind also4 ,but1 good heavens6 ,kennedy1 ,i protested4 ,if you go on that way you'll not eliminate anyone4 ,i can't yet1 he explained1 patiently4 ,it's just as ,i said4 ,we're fishing in the dark1 absolutely4 ,so far we haven't a single basic fact on which to build any structure of hypothesis4 ,we must go on fishing4 ,i expect you to dig up all the facts about these people2 every odd bit of gossip or rumor or anything else4 ,i'll bring my science to play1 but there's nothing ,i can do except analyze ,stella's stomach contents and the spots on the towel2 that is1 until we've got a much more tangible lead than any which have developed so far4 ,is there anything ,i can do to-night8 ,yes6 ,he looked at his watch4 ,there are two men who were very close to ,miss ,lamar4 ,jack ,gordon was engaged to her1 ,merle ,shirley seemed to have been mixed up with her seriously4 ,all the picture people have night haunts4 ,see what you can find about these two men4 ,but ,i don't know where to find them offhand1 and-- ,both belong to the ,goats ,club1 probably4 ,try that as a start4 ,i nodded and began to hurry my dessert4 ,but ,i could not resist questioning him4 ,you think they are the most likely suspects8 ,no1 but they were intimately associated with ,miss ,lamar in her daily life and they are the two we have learned the least about4 ,oh6 ,i was disappointed4 ,then ,i rallied to the attack for a final time4 ,who is the most likely one4 ,just satisfy my curiosity1 ,craig4 ,he took a folded note from his pocket1 opening it4 ,it was the memorandum from ,manton's desk which ,i had mentioned4 ,in a flash ,i understood4 ,werner6 ,i exclaimed4 ,they said he was mixed up with her1 too4 ,he was the first back and out of the car and he had time to clean a needle on the towel1 had a better opportunity than anyone else4 ,more--,i began to get excited--he was lying on the floor close to her in the scene and could have jabbed her with a needle very easily1 and--and he was extremely nervous when you questioned him1 the most nervous of all1 and--and1 finally1 he had a motive1 he wanted to get ,enid ,faye with ,manton ,pictures1 as this note shows4 ,very good1 ,walter4 ,kennedy's eyes were dancing in amusement4 ,it is true that ,werner had the best motive1 so far as we know now1 but it's a fantastic one4 ,men don't commit cold-blooded murder just to create a vacancy for a movie star4 ,if ,werner was going to kill ,miss ,lamar he never would have written this note about ,miss ,faye4 ,unless to divert suspicion1 ,i suggested4 ,he shook his head4 ,the whole thing's too bizarre4 ,werner was close to her in the dark4 ,all the other things point to him1 don't they8 ,it's too bad everyone wasn't searched1 at that1 ,kennedy admitted4 ,nevertheless1 at the time ,i realized that ,werner had had the best opportunity for the actual performance of the crime and ,i watched him very closely and made him go through every movement just so ,i could study him4 ,i believe he's innocent--at least as far as ,i've gone in the case4 ,i determined to stick to my opinion4 ,i believe it's ,werner1 ,i insisted4 ,by the time you've dug up all the gossip about ,gordon and ,shirley you won't be so sure1 ,walter4 ,i was1 however4 ,kennedy was not as familiar with the picture world as ,i4 ,i had heard of too many actual happenings more strange and bizarre and wildly fantastic than anything conceivable in other walks of life4 ,people in the film game1 as they call it1 live highly seasoned lives in which everything is exaggerated4 ,the mere desire to make a place for ,enid might not have actuated ,werner1 granting he was the guilty man4 ,nevertheless it could easily have contributed4 ,and it struck me suddenly1 an additional argument1 that ,werner1 of all of them1 was the most familiar with the script4 ,he had been able to cast himself for the part of old ,remsen4 ,there was not a detail which he could not have arranged very skillfully4 ,at the ,goats ,club ,i was lucky to discover a member whom ,i knew well enough to take into my confidence by stating my errand4 ,he was one of the ,star's former special writers and an older classman of the college which had graduated ,kennedy and myself4 ,merle ,shirley is not a member here1 he said4 ,as a matter of fact1 ,i've only just heard the name4 ,but ,jack ,gordon's a ,goat1 worse luck4 ,that fellow's a bad actor--in real life--and a disgrace to us4 ,tell me all you know about him8 ,i asked4 ,well1 to give you an example1 he was in here just about a week ago4 ,i was sitting in the grill1 eating an after-theater supper1 when ,i heard the most terrible racket4 ,he and ,emery ,phelps1 the banker1 you know1 were having an honest-to-goodness fight right out in the lobby4 ,it took three of the men to separate them4 ,what was it all about4 ,well1 ,gordon owes money right and left1 not a few hundred or some little personal debts like that1 but thousands and thousands of dollars4 ,i got it from some of the other men here that he has been speculating on the curb downtown1 losing consistently4 ,more than that1 he's engaged to ,stella ,lamar--you knew that8--and he's been blowing money on her4 ,then they tell me his professional work is suffering1 that his recent screen appearances are terrible2 the result of late hours and worry1 ,i suppose4 ,the fight with ,phelps was over money8 ,of course6 ,i figure that he kept drawing against his salary at the studio until the film company shut down on him4 ,then probably he began to borrow from ,phelps1 who's ,manton's backer now1 until the banker shut down on him also4 ,at any rate1 ,phelps had begun to dun him and it led to the fight4 ,that's all you know about ,gordon8 ,lord6 ,isn't it enough8 ,i walked out of the club and toward ,broadway1 reflecting upon this information4 ,could ,gordon's debts have any bearing upon the case8 ,all at once one possibility struck me4 ,he had been borrowing from ,phelps4 ,perhaps he had borrowed from ,stella also4 ,perhaps that was the cause of their quarrel4 ,perhaps she had threatened to make trouble--it was a slender motive1 but worth bringing to the attention of ,kennedy4 ,my immediate problem1 however1 was to obtain some information about ,merle ,shirley4 ,at first ,i thought ,i would make the rounds of some of the better-known cafes1 but that seemed a hopeless task4 ,suddenly ,i remembered ,belle ,balcom1 formerly with the ,star4 ,i recollected a previous case of ,kennedy's where she and ,i had been great rivals in the quest of news4 ,i recalled a trip we had made to ,greenwich ,village together4 ,belle knew more people about town than any other newspaper woman4 ,now1 for some months1 she had been connected with ,screenings1 a leading cinema fan magazine1 and would unquestionably be posted upon the photoplayers4 ,luckily1 ,i caught her at home4 ,bless your soul1 she told me over the phone1 in delight1 ,i've just been aching for some one to take me out to-night4 ,we'll go to the ,midnight ,fads and if ,shirley isn't there the head waiter will tell you all ,i don't remember4 ,it was a glorious fight4 ,she wouldn't say any more over the phone1 but ,i was hugely curious4 ,had there been another encounter with fists8 ,and who had been involved8 ,when she met me finally1 at the ,subway station1 and when we obtained an out-of-the-way table at the ,fads1 she explained4 ,it seemed that ,shirley had met ,stella there a number of times and that ,gordon1 at last1 had got wind of it4 ,gordon first had come up himself1 quietly1 pleading with ,stella4 ,she had been in a high humor and had refused even to listen to him4 ,then he had become insulting4 ,at that ,shirley knocked him down4 ,the head waiter1 a witness of the affair1 ordered ,gordon put out1 but did not request ,shirley or ,stella to leave1 because the other man had been the aggressor without any question4 ,after more than an hour ,gordon returned1 quietly and unobtrusively1 with another girl4 ,from ,belle's description ,i knew it was ,marilyn ,loring4 ,taking another table1 ,marilyn had stared at ,shirley reproachfully while ,gordon had glared at ,stella4 ,shirley put up with this for just about so long4 ,as ,belle described it1 his face gradually became more and more red and he controlled himself with increasing difficulty4 ,stella1 seeing the coming of the storm1 tried to get him to go4 ,he refused4 ,she threatened to leave him4 ,he paid no attention4 ,all at once he boiled over and with great strides walked over to ,gordon and mauled him all over the place4 ,the leading man had no chance whatever in the hands of the irate ,westerner4 ,several waiters1 attempting to intervene1 were flung aside4 ,only when ,shirley began to cool off were they able to eject the two men4 ,both ,stella and ,marilyn had left1 separately1 before that4 ,neither of the men or women had been at the ,fads since1 or at least the head waiter1 called over by ,belle1 so informed us4 ,unable to obtain any other facts of interest1 ,i returned finally to the apartment shared by ,kennedy and myself4 ,first he listened to my account1 plainly interested4 ,then1 when ,i had concluded1 he rose and faced me rather gravely4 ,it's getting more and more complicated1 ,walter1 he exclaimed4 ,after you left ,i remembered that there was one point of investigation ,i had failed to cover--,miss ,lamar's home here in the city4 ,i got our old friend1 ,first-,deputy ,o',connor1 on the wire and learned that at the request of ,mackay1 from ,tarrytown1 they had sent a man up to the place and that just an hour or less before ,i called they had located and were holding her colored maid4 ,i hurried down to headquarters and questioned the girl4 ,yes8 ,to me it sounded promising4 ,the negress didn't know a thing so far as the crime is concerned1 ,kennedy went on1 but ,i gained quite an insight into the private life of the star4 ,you mean-- ,i mean ,i know the men who went to ,miss ,lamar's apartment1 although beyond the fact of her receiving them ,i can tell nothing1 for she sent the maid home at night2 there were no maid's quarters4 ,their visits may have been perfectly innocent8 ,of course6 ,we can only draw conclusions4 ,who were the various callers8 ,jack ,gordon-- ,her fiance6 ,merle ,shirley-- ,shirley admitted it when you questioned him4 ,manton-- ,everyone knows that6 ,werner-- ,a side glance at me4 ,i said nothing4 ,my expression spoke for me4 ,and ,emery ,phelps6 ,at that ,i did show surprise4 ,although ,mackay had hinted at something of the kind1 ,i1 for one1 had not considered the banker seriously4 ,good heavens6 ,kennedy1 ,i exploded4 ,she was mixed up with just about every man connected with the company4 ,exactly6 ,as usual1 he seemed calm and unconcerned4 ,i could regard the case only with increasing amazement--the bitter1 conflicting emotions of ,manton and ,phelps1 of ,daring1 ,shirley1 and ,millard4 ,with them all ,stella had been the pretty trouble maker4 ,how do you suppose they could all remain in the same company8 ,i showed my surprise at the situation4 ,kennedy pondered a moment1 then replied3 ,a moment's reflection ought to give you one answer4 ,i think1 ,walter1 they were either under contract or they had their money in the company4 ,they couldn't break4 ,i suppose so4 ,what ,i wonder is1 was ,marilyn as jealous of ,stella as her screen character would make her in a story8 ,she's the only one we don't hear much about4 ,kennedy did not seem1 at least at present1 to give this phase of it anything like the weight he credited to the frenzied financial relations the case was uncovering4 ,it was true1 as ,i learned later1 that ,manton was at that very moment doing perhaps as much as anyone else ever did to discredit the picture game in ,wall ,street4 ,x ,,chemical ,,research ,the following morning ,i found ,kennedy up ahead of me1 and ,i felt certain that he had gone to the laboratory4 ,sure enough1 ,i found him at work in the midst of the innumerable scientific devices which he had gathered during years of crime detection of every sort4 ,as usual1 he was surrounded by a perfect litter of test tubes1 beakers1 reagents1 microscopes1 slides1 and culture tubes4 ,he had cut out the curious spots from the towel ,i had discovered and was studying them to determine their nature4 ,from the mass of paraphernalia ,i knew he was neglecting no possibility which might lead to the hidden truth or produce a clue to the crime4 ,have you learned anything yet8 ,i asked4 ,those brownish spots were blood1 of course1 was his reply as he stopped a moment in his work4 ,in the blood ,i discovered some other substance1 though ,i can't seem to identify it yet4 ,it will take time4 ,i thought it might be a drug or poison1 but it doesn't seem to be--at least nothing one might ordinarily expect4 ,how about the other spots1 not the ,chinese yellow8 ,another problem ,i haven't solved4 ,i dissolved enough of them so that ,i have plenty of material to study if ,i don't waste it4 ,but so far ,i haven't been able to identify the substance with anything ,i know4 ,there's a lot more work of elimination1 ,walter1 before we're on the road to the solution of this case4 ,whatever stained the towel was very unusual4 ,as near as ,i can make out the spots are of some protein composition4 ,but it's not exactly a poison1 although many proteins may be extremely poisonous and extremely difficult to identify because they are of organic nature4 ,i was disappointed4 ,it seemed to me that he had made comparatively little progress so far4 ,there's one thing1 he added4 ,samples of the body fluids of the victim have been sent down by the coroner at ,tarrytown and ,i have analyzed them4 ,while ,i haven't decided what it was that killed ,stella ,lamar1 ,i am at least convinced that it has something to do with these towel spots4 ,they are not exactly the same--in fact1 ,i should say they were complementary1 or1 perhaps better1 antithetical4 ,the mark wasn't made by the needle which scratched her1 then8 ,that's what ,i thought at first1 that the point used had been wiped off on the towel4 ,then ,i decided that the spots had nothing to do with the case at all4 ,now ,i believe there is some connection1 after all4 ,i--,i don't understand it1 ,i protested4 ,it's very baffling1 he agreed1 absent-mindedly4 ,if the towel wasn't used to clean the fatal needle1 ,i went on1 then it may have been used before they went out instead of afterward4 ,exactly4 ,as a matter of fact1 if ,i had not been so confused yesterday by all the details of the case1 by the many people involved1 ,i would have noticed at a glance that the blood spots on the towel could not come from some one using it to wipe the needle4 ,and any hypothesis that it had been used out in ,tarrytown was ridiculous1 because ,miss ,lamar was only scratched faintly and lost no blood4 ,if ,i had been a little more clever ,i might have been altogether too clever4 ,i might possibly have thrown the towel away1 because there certainly was no logical reason for connecting it with the crime4 ,just when do you suppose ,stella was pricked8 ,i asked4 ,that's a vital consideration4 ,just now ,i do not know the poison and so cannot tell how quickly it acted4 ,he began to put aside his various paraphernalia4 ,suppose we go at this thing by a process of deduction rather than from the end of scientific analysis4 ,he sat on a corner of the bench4 ,what do we find8 he began4 ,while ,i've been working here with the test tubes and the microscope ,i've been trying to reconstruct what must have happened1 trying to trace out every action of ,stella ,lamar as nearly as it is possible for us to do so4 ,i don't think we need to go back of their arrival at the house1 for the present4 ,they seem to have been there a long while before the taking of the particular scene1 since there were twelve other scenes preceding and since it requires time to put up the electric lights and make the connections1 as well as to set the cameras1 take tests1 rearrange the furniture1 and all the rest of it4 ,they arrived at the house in two automobiles2 with the exception of ,phelps1 who was there already1 and ,manton1 who came in his own limousine4 ,that means that ,miss ,lamar had company on the trip out1 the principals probably riding with each other in one car4 ,at the house they were all more or less together4 ,there were people about constantly and it would seem as if there was small opportunity for anyone to inflict the scratch which caused her death4 ,i don't mean that it would have been impossible to prick her4 ,i mean that she would have felt the jab of the point4 ,in all likelihood she would have cried out and glanced around4 ,take a needle yourself1 sometime1 ,walter1 and try to duplicate the scratch on your own arm in such a way that you would not be aware of it4 ,so you see ,i'm counting upon some sort of exclamation from ,miss ,lamar4 ,if she were inoculated with the poison with other folks about1 it is sure some one would have remembered a cry1 a questioning glance1 a quick grasp of the forearm--for the nerves are very sensitive in the skin there-- ,no one did recall anything of the kind1 ,i interrupted4 ,it is from that fact that ,i hope to deduce something4 ,now let's follow her1 figuratively1 to her little dressing room4 ,this was a part of the living room where the rest waited4 ,it is not a certainty1 but yet rather a sure guess1 that if she had received a scratch behind those thin silk curtains her cry would have been heard4 ,what is even more plausible is that she would have hurried out1 or at least put her head out1 to see who had pricked her4 ,i made a very careful examination of that little alcove with the idea that some artifice might have been used4 ,it occurred to me that a poisoned point could have been inserted in her belongings in some way so that she would have brought about her own death1 directly4 ,to have caught herself on a needle point in her bag1 for instance1 would not have impressed her to the point of making a disturbance4 ,she might have checked her exclamation1 in that case1 because she would be blaming herself4 ,but ,i found nothing in her things1 nor did ,i discover anything in the library4 ,it seems to me1 therefore1 that we must look for a direct human agency4 ,a thought struck me and ,i hastened to suggest it4 ,could some device have been arranged in her clothes1 ,craig2 something like the poison rings of the ,middle ,ages1 a tiny metal thing to spring open and expose its point when pressed against her in the action of the scenes8 ,that occurred to me at the time4 ,that's why ,i asked ,mackay to send all her clothes down here1 every stitch and rag of them4 ,i've gone over everything already this morning4 ,not only have ,i examined the various materials for stains1 but ,i've tested each hook and eye and button and pin4 ,i've been very careful to cover that possibility4 ,you think1 then1 she was scratched deliberately by some one during the taking of the scenes8 ,if you've followed my line of reasoning you will see that we are driven to that assumption4 ,perhaps later ,i will make tests on a given number of girls of ,stella's general age and type and temperament to show that they will cry out at the unexpected prick of a fine needle4 ,it's illogical to expect that a cry from ,miss ,lamar1 even an exclamation1 would have passed unnoticed except during the excitement of actual picture taking4 ,another inspiration came to me1 but ,i was almost afraid to voice it4 ,it seemed a daring theory4 ,could death have resulted from poison administered in some other fashion1 by something she had eaten1 for instance8 ,i ventured4 ,couldn't the scratch be coincidental8 ,kennedy shook his head4 ,there's the value of our chemical analysis and scientific tests4 ,her stomach contents showed nothing except as they might have been affected by her weakened condition4 ,from ,doctor ,blake's report--and he found no ordinary symptoms1 remember--and from my own observation1 too1 ,i can easily prove in court that she was killed by the mark which was so small that it escaped the physician altogether4 ,i turned away4 ,once more ,kennedy's reasoning seemed to be leading into a maze of considerations beyond me4 ,how could the deductive method produce results in a case as mysterious as this8 ,having determined that ,miss ,lamar received the inoculation during the making of one of the scenes1 as nearly as we can do so1 ,kennedy went on1 suppose we take the scenes in order1 one at a time1 from the last photographed to the first1 analyzing each in turn4 ,remember that we seek a situation where there is not only an opportunity to jab her with a needle1 but one in which an outcry would be muffled or inaudible4 ,i now saw that ,kennedy had brought in the bound script of the story1 ,the ,black ,terror1 and ,i wondered again1 as ,i had often before1 at his marvelous capacity for attention to detail4 ',the spotlight on the floor reveals the girl sobbing over the body of the millionaire1' he read1 aloud1 musingly4 ,h'mm6 ',she screams and cries out4' ,then the others rush in4 ,for several moments ,kennedy paced the floor of the laboratory1 the manuscript open in his hands4 ,we rehearsed that1 with ,werner2 and we questioned everyone1 too4 ,and remember6 ,miss ,lamar1 instead of crying out as she was supposed to do1 just crumpled up silently4 ,so--thumbing over a page--we work back to scene twelve4 ,she--she was not in that at all4 ,scene eleven-- ,slowly1 carefully1 ,kennedy went through each scene to the beginning4 ,certainly a dramatic opening for a mystery picture1 he remarked1 suddenly1 as though his mind had wandered from his problem to other things4 ,we must admit that ,millard can handle a moving-picture scenario most beautifully4 ,whether it was professional jealousy or the thought of ,enid1 rather than the memory of my own poor attempts at screen writing1 ,i certainly was in no mood to agree with ,kennedy1 for all that ,i knew he was correct4 ,here6 ,he thrust the binder in my hands4 ,read that first scene1 he directed4 ,meanwhile ,i am going to phone ,mackay to make sure he has had the house guarded and to make double sure no one goes near the library4 ,we're going out to ,tarrytown again1 ,walter1 and in the biggest kind of hurry4 ,what's the idea1 ,craig8 ,kennedy's occasional bursts of mysteriousness1 characteristic of him and often necessary when his theories were only half formed and too chaotic for explanations1 always piqued me4 ,he did not seem to hear4 ,already he was at the telephone1 manipulating the receiver hook impatiently4 ,what a dummy ,i am6 he exclaimed1 with genuine feeling4 ,what--what an awful dummy6 ,knowing ,i would get nothing out of him just yet1 ,i turned to the scene1 reading as he told me4 ,at first ,i could not see where the detail concerned ,stella ,lamar in any way4 ,then ,i came to the description of her introductory entrance1 the initial view of her in the film4 ,the lines of typewriting suddenly stood out before me in all their suggestive clearness4 ,the spotlight in the hands of a shadowy figure roves across the wall and to the portieres4 ,as it pauses there the portieres move and the fingers of a girl are seen on the edge of the silk4 ,a bare and beautiful arm is thrust through almost to the shoulder and it begins to move the portieres aside1 reaching upward to pull the curtains apart at the rings4 ,you think there's something about the portieres-- ,i began4 ,then ,i saw that ,kennedy had his connection1 that something disturbed him1 that some intelligence from the other end had caught him by surprise4 ,you say you were just trying to get me1 ,mackay8 ,you've something to tell me and you want me to come right out--you have summoned ,phelps and he's on his way from the city also--8 ,what happened8 ,i asked1 as ,kennedy hung up4 ,i don't know1 ,walter4 ,mackay said he didn't want to talk over the phone and that we had just time to catch the express4 ,but-- ,hurry6 ,he glanced about as if wondering whether any of his scientific instruments would help him4 ,,xi ,,forestalled ,on the train ,kennedy left me1 to look through the other cars1 having the idea that ,phelps might be aboard also4 ,but there were no signs of the banker4 ,we would reach ,tarrytown first unless he had chosen to motor out4 ,mackay was waiting at the station to meet us and to take us to the house4 ,the little district attorney was obviously excited4 ,was the place guarded well last night8 asked ,kennedy1 almost before we had shaken hands4 ,yes--that is1 ,i thought it was4 ,that's what ,i want to tell you4 ,after you left with ,manton and ,werner the rest of the company packed up and pulled out in the two studio cars4 ,i was a little in doubt what to do about ,phelps1 but he settled it himself by announcing that he was going to town4 ,the coroner came and issued the permit to remove the body and that was taken away4 ,i think the house and the presence of the dead girl and all the rest of it got on ,phelps's nerves1 because he was irritable and impatient1 unwilling to wait for his own car1 until finally ,i drove him to the station myself4 ,was anyone1 any of those on our list of possible suspects at least1 alone in the room--or in the house8 ,not while ,i was there1 ,mackay replied4 ,i took good care of that4 ,then1 when everyone was gone and while ,phelps was waiting for me1 ,i detailed two of my deputies to stay on guard--one inside and one outside--for the night4 ,i thought it sufficient precaution1 since you had made your preliminary examination4 ,and-- ,kennedy nodded1 seeking to hurry the explanation4 ,and yet1 added ,mackay1 some one entered the house last night in spite of us4 ,kennedy fairly swore under his breath4 ,he seemed to blame himself for some omission in his investigation the previous afternoon4 ,how did it happen8 ,i asked1 rather excitedly4 ,it was about three o'clock1 the guards tell me4 ,the man inside was dozing in a chair before the living-room fireplace4 ,he was placed so he could command a view of the doorway to the library as well as the stairs and reception hall4 ,all at once he was awakened by a shot and a cry from outside4 ,he jumped up and ran toward the library4 ,as he did so the portieres bellied in toward him1 as if in stiff sudden draught1 or as if some one had darted into their folds quickly1 then out4 ,with no hesitation he drew his own weapon1 rushing the curtains4 ,there was no one secreted about them4 ,then1 with the revolver in one hand1 he switched on the lights4 ,the room was empty4 ,but one pair of ,french windows at the farther end were wide open and it was that which had caused the current of air4 ,he ran over and found the lock had been forced4 ,it was not even an artistic job of jimmying4 ,what about the deputy posted outside8 prompted ,kennedy4 ,that's the strange part of it4 ,he was alert enough1 but it's a big house to watch4 ,he swears that the first thing he knew of any trouble was the sharp metallic click which he realized later was the sound made by the intruder in forcing the catch of the ,french window4 ,it was pretty loud out in the quiet of a ,tarrytown night4 ,he started around from the rear and then the next thing he caught was the outline of a shadowy slinking figure as a man dropped out of the library4 ,he called4 ,the intruder broke into a run1 darting across the open space of lawn and crashing through the shrubbery without any further effort at concealment4 ,my man called again and began to chase the stranger1 finally firing and missing4 ,in the shrubbery a sharp branch whipped him under the chin just as he obtained a clear view of the outlined figure of his quarry and as he raised his weapon to shoot again4 ,the revolver was knocked from his hand and he was thrown back1 falling to the ground and momentarily stunned4 ,whoever broke into the library got away1 of course4 ,what did the intruder look like8 ,there was an eagerness in ,kennedy's manner4 ,i grasped that the case was beginning to clarify itself in his mind4 ,mackay shook his head4 ,there was no moon1 you know1 and everything happened swiftly4 ,but was he tall or short or slender or stout--the deputy must have got some vague idea of him at least4 ,it was one of my amateur deputies1 ,mackay admitted1 reluctantly4 ,he thought the man was hatless1 but couldn't even be sure of that4 ,were there footprints1 or fingerprints-- ,no1 ,mr4 ,kennedy1 we're out of luck again4 ,when he jumped out he fell to his hands and knees in a garden bed4 ,the foot marks were ruined because his feet slid and simply made two irregular gashes4 ,the marks of his hands indicated to me1 anyhow1 that he wore heavy gloves1 rubber probably4 ,any disturbance in the library8 ,not that ,i could notice4 ,that's why ,i phoned you at once4 ,i'm hoping you'll discover something4 ,well-- ,kennedy sighed4 ,it was a wonderful opportunity to get to the bottom of this4 ,i haven't told you all yet1 ,mr4 ,kennedy1 ,mackay went on4 ,there was a second man1 and-- ,a second man8 ,kennedy straightened1 distinctly surprised4 ,i would swear this whole thing was a one-man job4 ,they weren't together1 the district attorney explained4 ,that's why ,i didn't mention them both at once4 ,but my deputy says that when he was thrown by the lash of the branch he was unable to move for a few seconds1 on account of the nerve shock ,i suppose1 and that while he was motionless1 squatted in a sort of sitting position with hands braced behind him1 just as he fell1 he was aware of a second stranger concealed in the shrubbery4 ,the second fellow was watching the first1 without the question of a doubt4 ,while the deputy slowly rose to his feet this other chap started to follow the man who had broken into the house4 ,but at that moment there was the sudden sound of a self-starter in a car1 then the purr of a motor and the clatter of gears4 ,number one spun off in the darkness of the road as pretty as you please4 ,number two grunted1 in plain disgust4 ,by this time my deputy had his wind4 ,his revolver was gone1 but he jumped the second stranger with little enough hesitation and they battled royally for several minutes in the dark4 ,unfortunately1 it was an unequal match4 ,the intruder apparently was a stocky man1 built with the strength of a battleship4 ,he got away also1 without leaving anything behind him to serve for identification4 ,you have no more description than of the first man8 ,unfortunately not4 ,medium height1 a little inclined to be stocky1 strong as a longshoreman--that's all4 ,are you sure your deputy isn't romancing8 ,positively6 ,he's the son of one of our best families here1 a sportsman and an athlete4 ,i knew he loved a lark1 or a chance for adventure1 and so ,i impressed him and a companion as deputies when ,i met them on the street on my way up to ,phelps's house just after the tragedy4 ,kennedy lapsed into thought4 ,who could the self-constituted watcher have been8 ,who was interested in this case other than the proper authorities8 ,apparently some one knew more than ,mackay1 more than ,kennedy4 ,whoever it was had made no effort to communicate with any of us4 ,this was a new angle to the mystery1 a mystery which became deeper as we progressed4 ,at the house ,kennedy first made a careful tour of the exterior1 but found nothing4 ,mackay had doubled his guards and had sent ,phelps's servants away so that there could be no interference4 ,once inside1 ,i noticed that ,kennedy seemed indisposed to make another minute search of the library4 ,he went over the frame of the ,french window with his lens carefully1 for fingerprints4 ,finding nothing1 he went back directly to the portieres4 ,for several moments he stood regarding them in thought4 ,then he began a most painstaking inspection of the cloth with the pocket glass1 beginning at the library side4 ,i remembered that first scene in the manuscript which ,kennedy had insisted ,i read4 ,i recalled the suspicion which had flashed to me before the message from ,mackay had disturbed both ,kennedy's thoughts and mine4 ,stella ,lamar had thrust her bare arm through this curtain4 ,a needle1 cleverly concealed in the folds1 might easily have inflicted the fatal scratch4 ,it was for a trace of the poison point that ,kennedy searched4 ,of that ,i was sure1 knowing his methods4 ,i glanced up and down the heavy hanging silk1 looking for the glint of fine sharp steel as ,kennedy had done before starting his inspection with the glass4 ,the color of the silk1 a beautiful heavy velour1 was a strange dark tint very close to the grained black-brown of the woodwork4 ,both the thickness of the material and its dull shade made the portieres serve ideally for the purpose assumed now both by ,kennedy and myself4 ,a tiny needle might remain secreted within their folds for days4 ,nothing1 certainly1 caught my naked eye4 ,at last a little exclamation from ,kennedy showed us that he had discovered something4 ,i moved closer1 as did ,mackay4 ,it's lucky none of us toyed with these curtains yesterday1 he remarked1 with a slight smile of gratification4 ,there might have been more than one lying where ,stella ,lamar lies at the present moment4 ,with wholesome respect neither ,mackay nor myself touched the silk as ,kennedy pointed4 ,there were two small holes1 almost microscopic1 in the close-woven material4 ,about the one there was the slightest discoloration4 ,not a fraction of an inch away ,i saw two infinitesimal spots of a dark brownish-red tinge4 ,what does it mean8 ,i asked1 although ,i could guess4 ,the dark spots are blood1 the discoloration the poison from the needle4 ,and the needle8 ,he shrugged his shoulders4 ,that's where our very scientific culprit has forestalled me1 ,walter6 ,the needle was in these curtains all day yesterday4 ,unfortunately1 ,i did not study the manuscript1 did not attach any importance to ,miss ,lamar's scene at the portieres4 ,the man who broke in last night-- ,removed the needle1 but--almost amused--not the traces of it4 ,you see1 ,walter1 after all1 the scientific detective cannot be forestalled even by the most scientific criminal4 ,there is nothing in the world which does not leave its unmistakable mark behind1 provided you can read it4 ,the hole in the cloth serves me quite as well as the needle itself4 ,very suddenly a voice from behind us interrupted4 ,find something8 ,i turned1 startled1 to see ,emery ,phelps4 ,there was a distinct eagerness in the banker's expression4 ,yes6 ,kennedy faced him1 undisturbed1 apparently not surprised4 ,his scrutiny of ,phelps's face was frank and searching4 ,yes1 he repeated1 bit by bit the guilty man is revealing himself to us4 ,,xii ,,emery ,,phelps ,there--there is something the matter with the curtains8 ,phelps suggested4 ,kennedy pointed to the two holes and the spots4 ,miss ,lamar met her death from poison introduced into her system through a tiny scratch from a prepared needle4 ,yes8 ,phelps was calm now1 and cool4 ,i wondered if it were pretense on his part4 ,what have these little marks to do with that8 ,don't you see8 rejoined ,kennedy4 ,if some one had come here before the scene in the picture was played2 had thrust a small needle1 perhaps a hollow needle from a hypodermic syringe1 through the heavy thickness of this silk--thrust it in here1 the point sticking out here--well1 there would be two holes left where the threads were forced apart1 like this6 ,kennedy took his stickpin1 demonstrating4 ,how could that cause ,stella's death8 ,phelps1 at first quite upset apparently by ,kennedy's discovery1 now was lapsing again into his hostile mood4 ,his question was cynical4 ,try to recall ,miss ,lamar's actions1 ,kennedy went on1 patiently4 ,what was she supposed to do in the very first scene8 ',the portieres move and the fingers of a girl are seen on the edge of the silk4 ,a bare and beautiful arm is thrust through almost to the shoulder and it begins to move the portieres aside1 reaching upward to pull the curtains apart at the rings4' ,do you mean to tell me-- ,phelps's eyes were very wide as he paused1 grasping the scheme and yet disbelieving--unless it all were a bit of fine acting--do you mean to tell me it is possible to calculate a thing like that8 ,how would anyone know where her arm would be8 ,it is simpler than it sounds1 ,mr4 ,phelps4 ,kennedy was suddenly harsh4 ,there is only one natural movement of an arm in that case4 ,the culprit was undoubtedly familiar with ,miss ,lamar's height and with her manner of working4 ,it is a bit of action which has to be repeated in both the long shot and close-up scenes4 ,jameson here can tell you how many times a scene is rehearsed4 ,there probably were a dozen sure chances of the needle striking the girl's bare flesh4 ,you will see from the position of the holes that it was arranged point downward and slightly turned in1 and on a particular fold of the curtain1 too2 showing that some one placed it there only after a nice bit of calculation4 ,furthermore1 it was high enough so that there was little chance of anyone being pricked except the star1 whose death was intended4 ,phelps either seemed convinced1 or else he felt it inadvisable to irritate ,kennedy by a further pretense of skepticism4 ,a point occurred to me1 however4 ,listen1 ,craig6 ,i spoke in a low voice4 ,remember all the emphasis you placed upon the fact that she would cry out4 ,she was not supposed to cry out in that first scene4 ,no1 ,walter1 but if you'll read the second1 the close-up1 you'll see that the script actually calls for a cry4 ,now suppose she makes an exclamation in the first instead4 ,nobody would think anything of it4 ,they would assume that she had played her action a little in advance1 perhaps4 ,and then consider this1 too6 ,miss ,lamar1 receiving the scratch1 would cry out unquestionably4 ,but she has been before the camera for years and she is trained in the idea that film must not be wasted uselessly4 ,she would not interrupt her action for a little scratch because in these circumstances any little startled movement would fit in with the action4 ,by the time the scene was over she would have forgotten the incident4 ,it would mean very little to her in the preoccupation of bringing the mythical ,stella ,remsen into flesh-and-blood existence4 ,the poison1 however1 would be putting in its deadly work4 ,wouldn't it act before the thirteenth scene-- ,i began4 ,not necessarily4 ,as a matter of fact1 an actress1 in the excitement of her work1 might resist the effects for a much longer period than some one who realizes he is sick4 ,some day ,i'm going to write a book on that4 ,i'm going to collect hundreds of examples of people who keep plugging along because they refuse to admit anything's the matter with them4 ,it's like ,napoleon's courier who didn't drop until he'd delivered his message and made his last precise military salute4 ,one other thought struck me4 ,the blood spots on the curtain cannot be ,miss ,lamar's if1 as you say1 the scratch brought no blood4 ,how about the nocturnal visitor who removed the needle in the dark8 ,can't you imagine him pricking himself beautifully in his hurry4 ,good heavens6 ,i felt the chills travel up and down my spine4 ,there may be another fatality1 then6 ,i exclaimed4 ,kennedy was noncommittal4 ,it would be too bad for justice to be cheated in that fashion1 he remarked4 ,phelps meanwhile had been listening to us impatiently4 ,finally he turned to ,mackay4 ,was that all you called me out here for8 ,did you just want to show me the pinholes in those portieres8 ,not exactly1 ,mackay replied1 eyeing him sharply4 ,some one forced his way into this library last night4 ,my guard saw him1 and also saw a second man who remained out in the shrubbery and seemed to be watching the first4 ,one shot was fired1 but both men got away4 ,an automobile was waiting1 perhaps two of them4 ,how does this concern me8 ,phelps's voice rose in anger4 ,he strode into the library and over to the ,french windows1 inspecting the damage to the fine woodwork with steadily rising color4 ,then he hurried back to the side of ,mackay4 ,it's up to you1 ,district-,attorney ,mackay1 he said1 with a great show of his ill feeling4 ,you practically forced me out of my own house4 ,you sent my servants away4 ,you put your own guards in charge1 young1 inexperienced deputies who don't know enough to come in when it's wet4 ,now you have me make this trip out here in business hours just to show me where a needle has been stuck in a curtain and where a pair of imported window sashes have been ruined4 ,mackay was unruffled4 ,it is necessary1 ,mr4 ,phelps1 that you look over this room and see that nothing else has been disturbed2 that there is no further damage4 ,moreover1 ,i thought you might be interested1 might wish to help us determine the identity of the intruder4 ,if there's any way ,i can really help you to do that--sarcastically--,i'll be delighted4 ,were you here the night before the murder8 ,mackay asked4 ,you know ,i seldom spend the night in ,tarrytown4 ,i have quarters in ,new ,york1 at the club1 and recently ,i have been spending all my time in ,new ,york1 on account of the situation in the picture business4 ,you were not here the night before the murder1 then8 ,no6 ,but you were out here yesterday before the actors arrived1 before ,manton or any of his technical staff and crew came8 ,i was out very early1 to make sure the servants had the house ready4 ,phelps was red now4 ,are you insinuating anything1 ,mackay8 ,the little district attorney was demonstrating a certain quality of dogged perseverance4 ,some one put the needle in the curtain before the company arrived4 ,you probably were in the house at the time2 or at the least your servants were4 ,whoever did was the one who murdered ,stella ,lamar4 ,and also1 rejoined ,phelps1 tartly1 was the intruder who broke in here last night and ruined my window sash4 ,if you had had better guards you might have caught him1 too6 ,are you sure of your servants8 ,are they reliable-- ,i never anticipated a murder and so ,i didn't question them as to their poisoning proclivities when ,i engaged them4 ,but you know where they are and you can examine them4 ,if ,i were you1 ,mackay-- ,gentlemen6 ,kennedy hastened to stop the colloquy before it became an out-and-out quarrel4 ,then he faced the banker4 ,mr4 ,phelps1 ,kennedy's voice was soft1 coaxing1 ,i don't think ,mr4 ,mackay quite understands4 ,it would be a great service to me if you would give the house a quick general inspection4 ,you are familiar with the things here1 enough to state whether they have been disturbed to any appreciable degree4 ,you see1 we do not know the interior arrangements as they were before this unfortunate happening4 ,with rather ill grace ,phelps stalked up the steps1 acceding to ,kennedy's request1 but disdaining to answer4 ,kennedy turned to ,mackay as the banker disappeared out of earshot4 ,that's just to cool him off a bit4 ,i have everything ,i came to get right here4 ,producing a pair of pocket scissors1 he cut the pierced and spotted bit of silk from the portieres1 ruthlessly4 ,it was necessary vandalism4 ,what was the poison1 ,mr4 ,kennedy8 ,mackay asked1 in a low voice4 ,i think that it was closely allied to the cyanide groups in its rapacious activity4 ,but you haven't identified it yet8 ,no4 ,so far ,i haven't the slightest idea of its true nature4 ,it seems to have a powerful affinity for important nerve centers of respiration and muscular co-ordination1 as well as possessing a tendency to disorganize the blood4 ,i should say that it produces death by respiratory paralysis and convulsions4 ,to my mind it is an exact1 though perhaps less active1 counterpart of hydrocyanic acid4 ,but that is not what it is or ,i would have been able to prove it before this4 ,mackay nodded1 listening in silence4 ,you'll say nothing of this8 ,kennedy added4 ,i'll be silent1 of course4 ,heavy footsteps from the rear marked the return of ,phelps1 who had covered the upper floors1 descending by the back stairs so as to have a look at the kitchen4 ,everything seems to be all right1 he remarked1 half graciously4 ,kennedy led the way to the front porch4 ,there he seemed more interested in the weather than in the case1 for he studied the sky intently4 ,glancing up1 ,i saw that the morning was still gray and cloudy1 with no promise that the sun would be able to struggle through the overhanging moisture4 ,i don't think we'll go back to the city--that is1 all the way in1 he remarked1 speaking for both of us4 ,i want to go to the ,manton studio first4 ,this is no day for exteriors and so they'll probably be working there4 ,he smiled at ,phelps4 ,i want to see if any of our possible suspects look as though they had been engaging in nocturnal journeys4 ,phelps had been rubbing his eyes4 ,he dropped his hand so quickly that ,i wanted to smile2 then to cover his confusion he promptly offered to drive us in4 ,mackay at the same time volunteered his car4 ,kennedy accepted the latter offer4 ,as he thanked the banker ,i wondered if any suspicion of that individual lurked in the back of his mind4 ,phelps certainly had made a very bad impression upon me with his antagonistic attitude1 with his readiness to transform every question into a personal affront4 ,just one other thing1 ,mr4 ,phelps1 exclaimed ,kennedy1 as we were about to descend to ,mackay's car4 ,why did you wish the scenes in ',the ,black ,terror' actually taken in your library8 ,kennedy had asked the question before4 ,had he forgotten8 ,i glanced at the banker and read the same thought in his expression4 ,i--,i'm proud of my library and ,i wanted to see it in pictures1 he replied1 after some hesitation and with a little rancor4 ,not to save money8 ,it would be no appreciable saving4 ,i see4 ,kennedy was tantalizingly deliberate4 ,how long have you held the controlling interest in ,manton ,pictures1 ,mr4 ,phelps8 ,uh--in surprise--nearly a year4 ,you could have had your library photographed at any time1 then1 simply by stating your request as you did in this case4 ,in that year there have been pictures which would have served the purpose as well as this2 better1 in fact1 because in this picture the library seems to be dark almost altogether4 ,in other stories there probably were infinitely better chances for the exhibition of the room4 ,why did you wait for ',the ,black ,terror'8 ,as a clear understanding of ,kennedy's question and all it entailed filtered into the mind of ,phelps he became so red and flushed with anger that ,i felt sure he was going to explode on the spot4 ,because ,i didn't think of it before1 he sputtered4 ,you said the situation in the picture business made it necessary for you to stay in town4 ,is there any trouble between ,manton and yourself8 ,not a bit6 ,was ,stella ,lamar making any trouble1 of a business nature1 such as threatening to quit ,manton ,pictures8 ,no6 ,phelps' eyes now were narrowed to slits4 ,are you sure8 ,with a great effort ,phelps achieved a degree of self-control4 ,he forced a smile4 ,his remark1 presumed to be a pleasantry1 ,i knew masked the true state of his feelings4 ,as sure1 ,mr4 ,kennedy1 he rejoined1 awed by ,kennedy's reputation even in the full flood of his anger1 as sure as ,i am that ,i'd like to throw you down these steps6 ,,xiii ,,marilyn ,,loring ,the magic of ,manton's name admitted us to the studio courtyard1 and at once ,i was struck by the change since the day before4 ,now the tank was a dry1 empty1 shallow depression of concrete4 ,the scenery1 all the paraphernalia assembled for the taking of water stuff1 was gone4 ,except for the parked automobiles in one corner and a few loitering figures here and there the big quadrangle seemed absolutely deserted4 ,in the general reception room ,kennedy asked for ,millard1 but was told he had not been out since the previous day4 ,that was to be expected4 ,but ,manton1 it developed1 was away also4 ,he had telephoned in that he would be detained until late afternoon on important business4 ,i know that ,i1 for one1 wondered if it were connected with ,fortune ,features4 ,it's just as well1 ,kennedy remarked1 after convincing the boy at the desk it was ,manton's wish that we have the run of the place4 ,my real object in coming was to watch the cast at work4 ,we found our way to the small studio1 called so in comparison with the larger one where the huge ballroom and banquet sets were being built4 ,in reality it possessed a tremendous floor space4 ,now all the other companies had been forced to make room for ,the ,black ,terror on account of the emergency created by the death of ,stella ,lamar1 and there were any number of sets put up hastily for the retakes of the scenes in which ,stella had appeared4 ,the effect of the whole upon a strange beholder was weird4 ,it was as though a cyclone had swept through a town and had gathered up and deposited slices and corners and sections of rooms and hallways and upper chambers1 each complete with furniture and ornaments1 curtains1 rugs1 and hangings4 ,except for the artistic harmony of things within the narrow lines of the camera's view1 nothing in this great armory-like place had any apparent relation to anything else4 ,some of the sets were lighted1 with actors and technical crews at work4 ,others were dark1 standing ready for use4 ,still others were in varying states of construction or demolition4 ,rising above every other impression was the noise4 ,it was pandemonium4 ,we saw ,werner at work in a distant corner and strolled over4 ,the director was bustling about feverishly4 ,i do not doubt that the grim necessity of preparing the picture for a release date which was already announced had resulted in this haste1 without even a day of idleness in respect for the memory of the dead star1 yet it seemed cold-blooded and mercenary to me4 ,i thought that success was not deserved by an enterprise so callous of human life1 so unappreciative of human effort4 ,most of the cast were standing about1 waiting4 ,the scenes were being taken in a small room1 fitted as an office or private den1 but furnished luxuriously4 ,later ,i learned it was in the home of the millionaire1 ,remsen1 close off the library for which the actual room in ,phelps's home was photographed4 ,shirley and ,gordon1 ,i noticed1 kept as far apart as possible4 ,it was quite intentional and ,i again caught belligerent glances between them4 ,on the other hand1 both ,enid and ,marilyn ,loring were calm and self-possessed4 ,yet between these two ,i caught a coolness1 a sort of armed truce1 in which each felt it would be a sign of weakness to admit consciously even the near presence of the other4 ,werner was irascible1 swearing roundly at the slightest provocation1 raging up and down at every little error4 ,come now1 he shouted1 as we approached1 let's get this scene now--number one twenty-six4 ,loring--,gordon6 ,shake a leg--here1 ,i'll read it again4 ',daring enters4 ,he is scarcely seated at the desk1 examining papers1 when ,zelda enters in a filmy negligee4 ,daring looks up amazed and ,zelda pretends great agitation4 ,daring is not unkind to her4 ,he tells her he has not discovered the will as yet4 ,spoken title3 ,i am sure that ,i can find a will and that you are provided for4 ,continuing scene1 ,daring speaks the above4 ,zelda thanks him and undulates toward the door with the well-known swaying walk of the vampire4 ,daring turns to his papers and does not watch her further4 ,she looks over her shoulder1 then exits1 registering that she will get him yet4' ,werner dropped his copy of the script4 ,understand8 he barked4 ,make it fast now4 ,we shouldn't do this over1 but you were lousy before1 both of you6 ,gordon extinguished a cigarette and entered the set with a scowl4 ,marilyn rose and slipped out of a dressing gown spotted with make-up and dark from its long service in the studios4 ,underneath the wrapper the finest of silken draperies clung to her1 infinitely more intimate here in actuality and in the bright studio lights than it would be upon the screen4 ,i noticed the slim trimness of her figure--could not help myself1 in fact4 ,and ,i saw also that she shrank back just the least little bit before stepping to her place at the door4 ,it was modesty1 a genuine girlish diffidence4 ,in a moment ,i revised my conception of her4 ,before1 ,i had not been able to decide whether ,marilyn ,loring was a woman with a gift for looking young1 or a flapper with the baffling sophistication affected these days by so many of them4 ,now ,i knew somehow that she was just all girl1 probably in her early twenties4 ,the brief instant of shyness had betrayed her4 ,in the scene she changed4 ,marilyn ,loring was an actress4 ,the moment she caught the click of the camera's turn there was a hardness about her mouth1 a faint dishonest touch to the play of her eye1 a shameless boldness to her movements concealed without concealment4 ,in the flash of a second she was ,marilyn no longer1 but ,zelda1 the ward of old ,remsen1 an unscrupulous and willing ally of the ,black ,terror4 ,werner damned the amount of footage used in the scene1 then turned to the next1 with ,enid and ,gordon1 in the same set1 one of the necessary retakes for which the room had been put up again4 ,enid had not noticed me and ,i somehow failed to shake off the feeling of fear that the glance of ,millard had given me4 ,faint heart ,i was1 and the answer was that ,i had yet to win the fair lady4 ,to excuse myself ,i pretended she was different under the lights4 ,it was really true that1 as ,zelda ,remsen1 ,enid was not the fascinating creature ,i had met in ,werner's office4 ,there was too much ,mascaro on her lashes1 too great an amount of red and blue and even bright yellow in her make-up4 ,in striking contrast was the little coloring used by ,stella ,lamar1 or even ,marilyn ,loring4 ,enid's scene was a close-up in which the beginning of the love interest in the story was shown4 ,i noticed that as the cameras turned upon the action the girl inch by inch shifted her position1 almost imperceptibly1 until she was practically facing the lens4 ,the consequence was that ,gordon1 playing the lover1 was forced to move also in order to follow her face1 and so was brought with his back toward the camera4 ,it was the pleasant little film trick known as taking the picture away from a fellow actor4 ,enid was a lens hog4 ,the moment the scene was over ,gordon rushed to ,werner to protest4 ,the director1 irritated and in a hurry1 gave him small satisfaction4 ,both players were called back under the lights for the next take4 ,as ,werner's back was turned ,enid favored ,gordon with a mischievous1 malicious glance4 ,the leading man possessed very few friends1 from what ,i had heard4 ,the new star evidently did not propose to become one of them4 ,let's pay our respects1 socially1 suggested ,kennedy1 at my elbow4 ,i followed his glance and saw that ,marilyn was seated alone1 away from the others1 apparently forlorn4 ,as we approached she drew her dressing robe about her1 smiling4 ,with the smile her face lighted4 ,it was in the rare moments1 just as her smile broke and spread1 that she was pretty1 strikingly so4 ,professor ,kennedy1 she exclaimed4 ,and ,mr4 ,jameson1 too6 ,sit down and watch our new star4 ,what do you think of her8 ,kennedy asked4 ,enid8 ,marilyn's expression became quizzical4 ,i think she's a clever girl4 ,you mean something by that1 don't you8 prompted ,kennedy4 ,she sobered4 ,no6 ,honestly6 ,for an instant she studied him with a directness of gaze which ,i would have found disconcerting4 ,don't tell me--she teased1 again allowing the flash of a smile to illuminate her features--don't tell me the renowned and celebrated ,professor ,kennedy suspects ,enid ,faye of murdering poor ,stella to get her position4 ,kennedy laughed1 turning to me4 ,there's the woman1 he remarked4 ,we may deduce and analyze and catalogue all the facts of science1 but--he spread his palms wide1 expressly--it is as nothing against a woman's intuition4 ,facing ,marilyn again1 he became frank4 ,you caught my thought exactly1 although it was not as bad as all that4 ,i simply wondered if ,miss ,faye might not have had something to do with the case4 ,why8 ,i realized now that this ,miss ,loring1 in addition to considerable skill as an actress1 in addition to rare beauty on the screen1 possessed a brain and the power to use it4 ,she followed ,kennedy with greater ease than ,i1 who knew him4 ,why8 she repeated4 ,perhaps it's the intuition of the male1 he began1 hesitatingly4 ,she shook her head4 ,a man's intuition is not dependable4 ,you see1 a woman gets her intuition first and fits her facts to it1 while a man takes a fact and then has an intuitive burst of inspiration as a result4 ,the woman puts her facts last and so is not thrown out when they're wrong1 as they usually are4 ,but the man--,i think1 ,professor ,kennedy1 that you have some facts about ,enid stored away and that that's why you put a double meaning in my remark4 ,am ,i right8 ,he smiled4 ,i surrender1 ,miss ,loring4 ,you are right4 ,what is the little fact8 ,perhaps ,i can help you4 ,miss ,faye and ,lawrence ,millard seem to be old friends4 ,oh6 ,maybe you wonder at the contents of the sealed testimony in the case of ,millard ,,vs4 ,millard8 ,kennedy nodded4 ,do you want to know what ,i think8 she asked4 ,please4 ,well1 ,i've worked with ,stella nearly a year4 ,it's my opinion she divorced ,millard because he asked her to do so4 ,no1 no6 ,i balked at that1 interrupting4 ,he could have obtained the divorce himself if he had wanted it4 ,stella ,lamar and ,manton-- ,that's talk6 she rejoined1 with a show of feeling4 ,that's the thing ,i hate about pictures4 ,it's always talk1 talk1 talk6 ,i'm not saying ,stella and old ,papa ,lloyd1 as we used to call him1 never were mixed up with each other1 but it's one thing to repeat a bit of gossip and quite another thing to prove it4 ,i'm not one to help give currency to any rumor of immoral relationship until ,i'm pretty dog-gone sure it's true4 ,you think ,miss ,lamar wasn't as bad as painted8 asked ,kennedy4 ,i'm sure of it1 ,mr4 ,kennedy4 ,i've known ,stella and ,i've known others of her type4 ,fundamentally they're the kindest1 truest1 biggest-hearted people on earth4 ,when ,stella and ,i shared a dressing room ,i often caught her giving away this or that--frequently things she needed herself4 ,i've known her to draw against her salary to lend money to some actor or actress whom she well knew would never repay her4 ,stella's biggest fault was an overbalancing quality of sympathy4 ,if she ever did get mixed up with anyone you may bet it was because that person played upon her feelings4 ,have you any theory as to who killed her8 ,it was a direct question4 ,no6 ,the answer was quick1 but then an amazing thing happened4 ,marilyn suddenly colored1 a flush which gathered up around her eyes above the make-up and made me think of a country girl4 ,she started to say something else and then bit her tongue4 ,her confusion was surprising1 due1 probably1 to the unexpectedness of ,kennedy's query4 ,kennedy seemed to wish to spare her4 ,undoubtedly her prompt negative had been the truth4 ,some afterthought had robbed her of her self-control4 ,tell me why you said ,miss ,faye was a clever girl1 he directed4 ,just because she puts her ambition above everything else and works hard and honestly and sincerely1 and will get there4 ,that's what people call being clever4 ,i see4 ,werner's voice1 roaring through a megaphone1 announced an interval for lunch4 ,marilyn rose1 laughing now1 but still in a high color1 conscious perhaps that she had revealed some strong undercurrent of feeling4 ,if you'll escort me to my dressing room1 she said1 coaxingly1 and wait until ,i slip into a skirt and waist1 ,i'll initiate both of you to ,mc,cann's across the street4 ,we all eat there1 players1 stage hands1 chauffeurs--all but the stars1 who have machines to take them elsewhere4 ,kennedy glanced at me4 ,delighted6 said ,i4 ,we haven't much time1 she went on1 leading the way4 ,werner's on a rampage to-day4 ,he isn't usually that way8 ,it's ,stella's death1 ,i guess4 ,she opened one of the steel fire doors4 ,he's always that way1 though1 when he's been out the night before4 ,i flashed a look at ,kennedy4 ,could ,werner have been at ,tarrytown8 ,in the long hallway of dressing rooms ,marilyn stopped1 grasping the knob of her door4 ,it'll only take me-- she began4 ,then her face went white as the concrete of the floor1 and that was immaculate4 ,an expression which might have been fear1 or horror1 or hate--or all three1 spread over her features1 transforming her4 ,following the direction of her stare1 ,i saw ,shirley down the hall1 just as he stopped at his own door4 ,he caught her glance suddenly1 and his own face went red4 ,i thought that his hands trembled4 ,marilyn wheeled about1 lips pressed tightly together4 ,throwing open the door1 she dashed into her room1 slamming it with a bang which echoed and re-echoed up and down the little hall4 ,she had forgotten our presence altogether4 ,,xiv ,,another ,,clue ,kennedy looked at me quizzically4 ,i guess we'd better not wait for ,miss ,loring to initiate us to ,mc,cann's1 he remarked4 ,we found our way to the courtyard1 and were headed for the gate when a young man in chauffeur's cap and uniform intercepted us4 ,i had noticed him start forward from one of the cars parked in the inclosure1 but did not recognize him4 ,may ,i speak to you a moment1 ,professor ,kennedy--alone8 ,mr4 ,jameson here is associated with me1 is assisting me in this case1 if it is something concerning the death of ,miss ,lamar4 ,it is1 sir4 ,i saw you out at ,tarrytown yesterday4 ,mc,groarty is my name and ,i drove one of the cars the company went in4 ,they were pointing you out to me1 and ,i'd read about you1 and just now ,i says to myself there's something ,i ought to tell you4 ,that's right4 ,kennedy lighted a cigar1 offering one to the chauffeur4 ,i'm not supernatural and often ,i'm able to solve a mystery only with the help of all those who1 like myself1 want justice done4 ,yes1 sir6 ,that's my way of looking at it4 ,well--,mc,groarty blew a cloud of smoke1 appreciatively--,i do a good bit of driving for these people1 and this morning it was cloudy and dull1 no good for exteriors1 but yet sort of so it might clear at any moment1 and so ,i was ordered4 ,i brought my car and left it standing here in the yard while ,i went over to ,mc,cann's--the lunch room1 you know--for a cup of coffee4 ,when ,i came back--again the cigar--there still was nothing doing1 and so ,i thought--you know how it is--,i thought ,i'd clean up the back of the old boat1 to kill time1 not saying it wasn't needed4 ,so ,i took out the cocoa mat to beat it and what do ,i find on the floor--between the mat and the rear seat it was1 ,i guess--but this4 ,he handed ,kennedy some small object which glinted in the light4 ,looking closely1 ,i saw that it was a peculiarly shaped little glass tube4 ,an ampulla1 ,kennedy explained4 ,it's the technical name the doctors have for such a container4 ,it must have been between the mat and the rear seat1 the chauffeur repeated4 ,then he discovered that his cigar was out4 ,he struck a match4 ,kennedy turned the bit of glass over and over in his hand1 examining it carefully4 ,i felt rather fearful1 wondering if it might not contain some trace of the deadly poison which had so quickly killed ,stella ,lamar4 ,i even half expected to see ,kennedy find some infinitesimal jagged edge or point which could have inflicted the fatal scratch4 ,then ,i realized that ,mc,groarty had handled the thing with impunity1 perhaps had carried it about half a day4 ,kennedy took his scarf pin4 ,on the outside of the little tube there was no trace of a label or marking of any sort4 ,all about1 on the inside1 however1 the glass was spotted with dried light-yellow incrustations1 resembling crystals and at first apt to escape even the sharpest scrutiny4 ,with the pin ,kennedy scaled off one of these and put it under his pocket lens4 ,but he came to no conclusion4 ,rather puzzled and nettled1 he dropped the tiny bit of substance back into the tube1 then replaced his pin in his scarf1 and stowed this latest bit of possible evidence in his pocket carefully4 ,how do you suppose it got in the car8 he asked4 ,some one must have dropped it and it must have rolled in that space by the edge of the mat1 replied the chauffeur4 ,there was just room for it1 too6 ,i never would have noticed it without taking up the mat4 ,it couldn't be broken1 by being trampled on8 ,nope6 ,not a chance6 ,how long could it have been there8 ,two or three or four days--since ,i cleaned up last4 ,i remembered the cleverness shown by the guilty person in placing the needle in the curtain4 ,it seemed unlikely that this could be an accident4 ,isn't it possible1 ,i suggested1 that this is a plant2 that the tube was put there deliberately1 to throw us off the track8 ,it's quite likely1 he admitted4 ,on the other hand1 ,walter1 the very smartest criminal will do some foolish little thing1 enough to ruin the most careful plans and preparations4 ,he turned to ,mc,groarty4 ,who rode in your car yesterday8 ,mine's the principals' car1 boasted ,mc,groarty4 ,going out ,i had ,miss ,lamar1 ,miss ,loring1 ,mr4 ,gordon1 ,mr4 ,shirley1 and ,mr4 ,werner4 ,coming back ,mr4 ,werner was with you1 and ,miss ,lamar--well1 there was only ,miss ,loring and ,mr4 ,gordon and ,mr4 ,shirley4 ,did you notice how they acted8 ,they never says a word to each other on all the trip back1 but ,i didn't think it strange after what happened1 although usually they're always joking and laughing4 ,you brought the three to the studio here8 ,yes4 ,they had to get out of make-up4 ,did you leave the car then8 ,no1 ,i hit it right for the garage4 ,were you away from the car at ,tarrytown8 ,sure6 ,that was a long wait4 ,peters1 ,manton's chauffeur1 and ,i found a couple of horseshoes and we were throwing them most of the time4 ,how long was the machine alone here in the yard this morning8 ,a couple of hours1 maybe4 ,i knew the old boiler was safe enough1 and that if they wanted me they'd look over in ,mc,cann's4 ,well1 ,kennedy extended his hand1 ,i thank you1 and ,i won't forget you1 ,mc,groarty4 ,as soon as the chauffeur was out of earshot ,i faced ,kennedy rather eagerly1 to forestall him if he had arrived at the same conclusion as myself4 ,see6 ,it's just as ,i thought yesterday6 ,how's that1 ,walter8 ,werner6 ,he rode out in that machine1 but not back4 ,in ,manton's car he was worried all the time4 ,he probably knew he had dropped the tube4 ,then he hurried up ahead of us and wiped the needle-- ,i stopped1 lamely4 ,kennedy smiled4 ,see1 you're jumping at conclusions too fast4 ,you remember now that we decided that the towel has nothing directly to do with the poison4 ,in a way you cannot assume that this ampulla has1 either1 although ,i myself feel sure on that point4 ,but in any case no one is eliminated4 ,it is true ,werner did not return in the same automobile4 ,it is also true that he had little opportunity to drop it while others were in the car with him4 ,when ,mc,groarty was away from the car anyone could have lost it1 or--as you suggested a moment ago--planted it there deliberately to divert suspicion4 ,i felt the beginnings of a headache from all these confused threads of the mystery4 ,can't--,isn't there anyone we can say is innocent1 at least1 even if we cannot begin to fasten the guilt upon somebody8 ,i pleaded4 ,kennedy shook his head4 ,at this stage the one is as hard as the other4 ,i consider myself lucky to have collected as much material as ,i have for the analysis of the poison4 ,he tapped his pocket significantly4 ,yoo-hoo6 ,a frankly shrill call in a feminine voice interrupted4 ,we both turned1 to see ,marilyn ,loring hastening toward us4 ,did you think ,i was going to forget you8 she asked1 almost reproachfully and much out of breath4 ,let's hurry1 she added4 ,this is roast beef day4 ,we started toward the gate once more1 ,marilyn between us1 vivacious and rather charming4 ,i noticed that she made no reference to the incident in the hallway1 the precipitate manner in which she left us and the very evident confusion of ,merle ,shirley4 ,kennedy1 too1 seemed disposed to drop the matter1 although it was obviously significant4 ,for some reason his mind was elsewhere1 so that the girl was thrown upon my hands4 ,it struck me that1 after all1 she was attractive4 ,at this moment ,i found her distinctly good-looking4 ,why do you 'vamp'8 ,i asked1 innocently4 ,you don't seem to me1 if you'll pardon the personal remark1 at all that type4 ,she laughed4 ,it's all the fault of the public4 ,they insist that ,i vamp4 ,i want to play girly-girly parts1 but the public won't stand for it2 they won't come to see the picture4 ,they tell the exhibitor1 and he tells the producer1 and back ,i am at the vamping again4 ,isn't it funny8 ,she paused a moment4 ,take ,gordon4 ,doesn't it make you laugh1 what the public think he is--clean-cut1 hero1 and all that sort of thing8 ,little do they know6 ,all at once ,kennedy stopped abruptly4 ,we were close to the entrance1 just where a smart little speedster of light blue lined with white was parked at the edge of the narrow sidewalk4 ,the sun1 after a morning of uncertainty1 had just struck through the haze1 and it illuminated ,marilyn's face and hair most delightfully as we both turned1 somewhat in surprise4 ,i know you'll never forgive me1 ,miss ,loring1 ,kennedy began1 but the fact is that just before you came out we stumbled into a new bit of evidence in the case and ,i believe that ,jameson and ,i will have to hurry in to the laboratory4 ,much as ,i would like to lunch with you1 and perhaps chat some more during scene-taking this afternoon-- ,it seemed to me that her eyes widened a bit4 ,certainly there was a perceptible change in her face4 ,it was interest1 but it was also certainly more than that4 ,i felt that she would have liked to penetrate the mask of ,kennedy's expression1 perhaps learn just what facts and theories rested in his mind4 ,is it-- ,suddenly she smiled1 realizing that ,kennedy would reveal only the little which suited his purpose4 ,is it something you can tell me8 she finished4 ,he shook his head4 ,his answer was tantalizing1 his glance searching and without concealment4 ,only another detail concerning the chemical analysis of the poison4 ,i see6 ,if she knew of the ampulla the answer would have been intelligible to her4 ,as it was1 her face betrayed nothing4 ,i guess ,i'll hurry on over alone1 then1 she added4 ,she extended a hand to each of us4 ,her grasp was warm and friendly and frank4 ,so long1 and--and good luck1 for ,stella's sake6 ,hello1 folks6 ,the dancing bantering voice from behind us1 with silvery cadence to its laughter1 could belong to no one but ,enid ,faye4 ,i grasped that it was her car which ,kennedy leaned upon4 ,i gasped a bit as ,i saw her directly at my side1 her dainty chamois motoring coat brushing my sleeve1 the sun which grew in strength every moment casting mottled shadows upon her face through the transparent brim of her bobbing hat1 in mocking answer to the mirth in her eyes4 ,for an instant she gazed after the retreating ,marilyn4 ,good-by1 ,marilyn6 ,,dear1 she called1 mega-phoning her hands4 ,the other girl made no response4 ,laughing1 ,enid slipped a hand under my arm1 the firm pressure of her fingers thrilling me4 ,she addressed ,kennedy1 however4 ,do you want a ride in to the city1 both of you8 ,kennedy brightened4 ,that would be fine6 ,how far are you going8 ,the ,burrage4 ,i have a luncheon engagement4 ,that's ,forty-fourth4 ,can you drop us off at the university8 ,surely6 ,climb in4 ,it's a tight fit1 three in the seat1 but fun4 ,and--facing me--,i want ,jamie between us1 next to me6 ,as we rolled out of the studio inclosure she leaned forward on the wheel to question ,kennedy4 ,what did ,marilyn ,loring want8 ,you seemed in deep confab6 ,she volunteered to initiate us to ,mc,cann's1 across the street4 ,oh6 ,she skidded about a corner skillfully4 ,and-- ,well1 we bumped into an additional piece of evidence and ,i thought ,jameson and ,i ought to hurry in to my laboratory instead4 ,i bet--,enid giggled1 readjusting her hat in the breeze--,i bet she wanted to know what you'd found1 right away4 ,didn't she8 ,yes6 ,kennedy's face was noncommittal1 ,why do you say that8 ,because she came into my room1 just as we were getting ready for work this morning4 ,perhaps ,i'm wrong1 but from the way she kept asking me questions about everyone from ,manton down ,i got the idea she was quizzing me1 to see how much ,i knew4 ,of course this is only my first day1 but it seems to me that ,marilyn is talking a great deal1 without saying very much4 ,i've come to the conclusion she knows a good deal more than she is telling anyone1 and that she'd like to find out just how much everyone else knows4 ,kennedy nodded almost absent-mindedly1 without responding further4 ,well--,enid speeded up a bit--not to change connections on the switchboard1 ,i think ,i'm going to like it with ,manton ,pictures4 ,will they do justice to your work1 ,kennedy inquired1 putting you in a partially finished picture in this way8 ,that's where ,i'm in luck1 real bang-up luck4 ,werner has directed me before and knows just exactly how to handle me4 ,what about the story8 ,that was built for ,stella1 wasn't it8 ,yes1 but they're changing it here and there to fit me4 ,larry knows my work1 too6 ,that's luck again for little ,enid4 ,how long have you known ,millard8 ,in a flash ,i realized ,kennedy's cleverness4 ,this was the fact he had wished to unearth4 ,the question was as natural as could be4 ,he had led up to it deliberately4 ,i was sure of that4 ,four1 nearly five years1 she replied1 unsuspiciously4 ,then suddenly she bit her lip1 although her expression was well masked4 ,that is1 she added1 somewhat lamely--that is1 in a casual way1 like nearly everyone knows nearly everyone else in the film game4 ,oh6 murmured ,kennedy1 lapsing into silence4 ,,xv ,i ,,become ,a ,,detective ,important as it was to watch ,enid and ,marilyn1 ,werner and the rest1 ,kennedy decided that it was now much more important to hold to his expressed purpose of returning to the laboratory with our trophies of the day's crime hunt4 ,for people to whom emotion ought to be an old story in their everyday stage life1 ,i must say they feel and show plenty of it in real life1 ,i remarked1 as ,enid set us down and drove off4 ,it does not seem to pall4 ,i don't know why the movie people buy stories1 remarked ,craig1 quaintly4 ,they don't need to do it--they live them4 ,when we were settled in the laboratory once more ,kennedy plunged with renewed vigor into the investigation he had dropped in the morning in order to make the hurried trip to the ,phelps home in ,tarrytown4 ,i had hoped he would talk further of the probabilities of the connection of the various people with the crime1 but he had no comment even upon the admission of ,enid that she had known ,millard for a period long antedating the trouble with ,stella ,lamar4 ,it seemed that1 after all1 he was quite excited at the discovery of the ampulla and was anxious to begin the analysis of its scale-like contents4 ,i was not sure1 but it struck me that this might be the same substance which had spotted the towel or the portieres4 ,if that were so1 the finding of it in this form had given him a new and tangible clue to its nature1 accounting for his eagerness4 ,i watched his elaborate and thorough preparations1 wishing ,i could be of assistance1 but knowing the limitations of my own chemical and bacteriological knowledge4 ,i grasped1 however1 that he was concentrating his study upon the spots he had cut from the portieres1 in particular the stain where the point of the needle had been1 and upon the incrustations on the inner surface of the tube4 ,he made solutions of both of these and for some little time experimented with chemical reactions4 ,then he had recourse to several weighty technical books4 ,though bursting with curiosity1 ,i dared not question him1 nor distract him in any way4 ,finally he turned to a cage where he kept on hand1 always1 a few of those useful martyrs to science1 guinea pigs4 ,taking one of the little animals and segregating him from the others1 he prepared to inoculate him with a tiny bit of the solution made from the stain on the piece cut from the portiere4 ,at that ,i knew it would be a long and tiresome analysis4 ,it seemed a waste of time to wait idly for ,kennedy to reach his conclusions1 so ,i cast about in my mind for some sort of inquiry of my own which ,i could conduct meanwhile1 perhaps collecting additional facts about those we were watching at the studio4 ,somehow ,i could not wholly lose my suspicions of the director1 ,werner2 especially now as ,i marshaled the evidence against him4 ,first of all he was the only person absolutely in control of the movements of ,stella ,lamar4 ,if she did not bring up her arm against the curtains in a manner calculated to press the needle against her flesh it certainly would not seem out of the way for him to ask her to do it over again1 or even for him to direct changes in her position4 ,this he could do either in rehearsal or in retakes after the scene had actually been photographed4 ,it was not proof1 ,i knew4 ,practically all of them were familiar with the action of the scene1 could guess how ,werner would handle it4 ,the point was that the director1 next to ,millard1 was the most thoroughly conversant with the scenes in the script1 had to figure out everything down to the very location and angles of the camera4 ,another matter1 of course1 was the placing of the needle in the silk4 ,for that purpose some one had to go to ,tarrytown ahead of the others1 or at least had to precede the others into the living room4 ,offhand ,i was compelled to admit that this was easiest for ,phelps--,phelps1 the man who had insisted that the scene be taken in his library4 ,at the same time1 ,i knew it was quite possible for the director to have entered ahead of anyone else1 possible for him to have issued orders to his people which would keep them out of the way for the brief moment he needed4 ,a third consideration was the finding of the ampulla in ,mc,groarty's car4 ,stella1 ,marilyn1 ,jack ,gordon1 ,merle ,shirley1 and ,werner had ridden out together4 ,werner had not returned4 ,while this fact did not indicate definitely that he might have dropped it1 coupled with the other considerations it pointed the suspicion of guilt at the director4 ,then there was the finding of the towel in the washroom of the office building at the studio4 ,while ,kennedy now said it was not used to wipe the needle1 while we now knew that the needle remained in the portieres from the morning of ,stella's death until late that night1 yet ,kennedy affirmed the connection of the towel with the crime in some subtle way4 ,it was true that members of the cast sometimes used the washroom1 yet it was evident that ,manton1 ,millard1 and ,werner1 who had rooms on the floor1 were the more apt to be concerned in the attempt to dispose of it4 ,against ,manton ,i could see no real grounds for suspicion4 ,in a general way we had been compelled to eliminate ,millard early in our investigation4 ,again ,i was brought1 in this analysis of the mystery1 to ,werner4 ,one other point remained--the identity of the nocturnal visitor to ,tarrytown4 ,in connection with that ,i remembered the remark of ,marilyn4 ,werner was acting as he always acted when he was out late the night before1 she had said4 ,while my theories offered no explanation of the second man1 the watcher1 ,i saw--with an inner feeling of triumph--that everything again pointed to the director4 ,i determined not to tell my conclusion to ,kennedy1 yet4 ,i did not want to distract him4 ,besides1 ,i felt he would disagree4 ,what do you think of this1 ,craig8 ,i suggested4 ,suppose ,i start out while you're busy and try to dig up some more facts about these people8 ,excellent6 was his reply4 ,i can't say how much longer my analysis will keep me4 ,by all means do so1 ,walter4 ,i shall be here1 or1 if not1 ,i'll leave a note so you can find me4 ,accordingly1 ,i took up my search1 determined to go slowly and carefully1 not to be misled by any promising but fallacious clues4 ,i knew that ,werner would be working at the studio1 from all we had heard in the morning4 ,i determined upon a visit to his apartment in his absence4 ,from the telephone book ,i discovered that he lived at the ,whistler ,studios1 not far from ,central ,park on the middle ,west ,side--a new building1 ,i remembered1 inhabited almost entirely by artists and writers4 ,as ,i hurried down on the ,subway1 then turned and walked east toward the ,park1 ,i racked my brain for an excuse to get in4 ,entering the lower reception hall1 ,i learned from the boy that the director had a suite on the top floor1 high enough to look over the roofs of the adjoining buildings directly into the wide expanse of green and road1 of pond and trees beyond4 ,mr4 ,werner isn't in1 though1 the boy added1 doubtfully1 without ringing the apartment4 ,i know it1 ,i rejoined1 hastily4 ,i told him ,i'd meet him here this afternoon1 however4 ,on a chance ,i went on1 with a knowing smile1 ,i guess it was pretty late when he came in last night8 ,i'll say so1 grinned the youth1 friendly all of a sudden4 ,he had interpreted the remark as ,i intended he should4 ,he believed that ,werner and ,i had been out together4 ,i remember1 he volunteered1 because ,i had to do an extra shift of duty last night1 worse luck4 ,it must have been after four o'clock4 ,i was almost asleep when ,i heard the taxi at the door4 ,i wonder what company he got the taxi from8 ,i remarked1 casually4 ,i tried to get one uptown-- ,i paused4 ,i didn't want to get into a maze of falsehood from which ,i would be unable to extricate myself4 ,i don't know1 he replied4 ,it looked like one of the ,maroon taxis1 from up at the ,central ,park ,hotel on the next block1 but ,i'm not sure4 ,i think ,i won't go upstairs yet1 ,i said1 finally4 ,there's another call ,i ought to make4 ,if ,mr4 ,werner comes in1 tell him ,i'll be back4 ,i knew very well that ,werner would not return1 but ,i thought that the bluff might pave the way for getting upstairs and into the apartment a little later4 ,meanwhile ,i had another errand4 ,the boy nodded a good-by as ,i passed out through the grilled iron doors to the street4 ,less than five minutes afterward ,i was at the booth of the ,maroon ,taxi ,company1 at the side of the main entrance of the ,central ,park ,hotel4 ,here the starter proved to be a loquacious individual1 and ,i caught him1 fortunately1 in the slowest part of the afternoon4 ,removing a pipe and pushing a battered cap to the back of a bald head1 he pulled out the sheets of the previous day4 ,before me were recorded all the calls for taxicab service1 with the names of drivers1 addresses of calls1 and destinations4 ,although the quarters in the booth were cramped and close and made villainous by the reek of the man's pipe1 ,i began to scan the lists eagerly4 ,it had been a busy night even down to the small hours of the morning and ,i had quite a job4 ,as ,i came nearer and nearer to the end my hopes ebbed1 however4 ,when ,i was through ,i had failed to identify a single call that might have been ,werner's4 ,several fares had been driven to and from the ,grand ,central ,station1 probably the means by which he made the trip to ,tarrytown4 ,in each case the record had shown the ,central ,park ,hotel in the other column1 not the ,whistler ,studios4 ,i was forced to give up this clue1 and it hurt4 ,i was not built for a detective1 ,i guess1 for ,i almost quit then and there1 prepared to return to the laboratory and ,kennedy4 ,but ,i remembered my first intention and made my way back to the ,whistler ,studios4 ,anyhow1 ,i reflected1 ,werner would hardly have summoned a car from a place so near his home had he wished to keep his trip a secret4 ,it was more important for me to gain access to his quarters4 ,there it was quite possible ,i might find something valuable4 ,i wondered if ,i would be justified in breaking in1 or if ,i would succeed if ,i attempted it4 ,things proved easier than ,i expected4 ,my first visit unquestionably had prepared the way4 ,the hallboy took me up in the elevator himself without telephoning1 took me to ,werner's door1 rang the bell1 and spoke to the colored valet who opened it4 ,as ,i grasped the presence of the servant in the little suite ,i was glad ,i had not tried my hand at forcing an entrance4 ,i had quite anticipated an empty apartment4 ,the darky1 pleasant voiced1 polite1 and well trained1 bowed me into a little den and proceeded to lay out a large box of cigarettes on the table beside me1 as well as a humidor well filled with cigars of good quality4 ,i took one of the latter1 accepting a light and glancing about4 ,certainly this was in contrast with ,manton's apartment4 ,there was nothing garish1 ornate1 or spectacular here4 ,richly1 lavishly furnished1 everything was in perfect taste1 revealing the hand of an artist4 ,it might have been a bit bizarre1 reflecting the nervous temperament of its owner4 ,even the servant showed the touch of his master1 hovering about to make sure ,i was comfortable1 even to bringing a stack of the latest magazines4 ,i hope he didn't sense my thoughts1 for ,i cursed him inwardly4 ,i wanted to be alone4 ,ordinarily ,i would have enjoyed this1 but now ,i had become a detective1 and it was necessary to rummage about1 and quickly4 ,the sudden ringing of the telephone took the valet out into the tiny hall of the suite and gave me the opportunity ,i wished4 ,phelps apparently was calling up to leave some message for ,werner1 which ,i could not get1 as the valet took it4 ,what1 ,i wondered1 was ,phelps telephoning here for8 ,why not at the studio8 ,it looked strange4 ,i lost no time in speculation over that1 however4 ,the moment ,i was left to myself ,i jumped up and rushed to a writing desk1 a carved antique which had caught my eye upon my entrance1 which ,i had studied from my place in the easy chair4 ,it was unlocked1 and ,i opened it without compunction4 ,with an alert ear1 to warn me the moment the colored boy hung up1 ,i first gazed rather helplessly at a huge pile of literary litter4 ,clearly there was no time to go through all of that4 ,i gave the papers a cursory inspection1 without disturbing them1 hoping to catch some name or something which might prove to be a random clue1 but ,i was less lucky than ,kennedy had been in his casual look at ,manton's desk the afternoon before4 ,still able to hear the valet at the telephone1 ,i reached down and opened the top drawer of the desk4 ,here perhaps ,i might be more fortunate4 ,one glance and my heart gave a startled leap4 ,there in a compartment of the drawer ,i saw a hypodermic needle--in fact1 two of them--and a bottle4 ,on the desk was a fountain pen ink dropper1 a new one which had never been used4 ,i reached over1 pressed its little bulb1 uncorked the bottle1 inserted the glass point1 sucked up some of the contents1 placed the bulb right side up in my waistcoat pocket1 and recorked the bottle4 ,next ,i took and pocketed one of the two needles1 both of which were alike as far as ,i could see4 ,then ,i heard a good-by in the hall4 ,i closed drawer and desk hastily4 ,as ,i caught the click of the receiver of the telephone on its hook ,i was halfway across the floor4 ,before the colored boy could enter again ,i was back in my chair1 my head literally in a whirl4 ,what a stroke of good fortune6 ,i had no expectation of proving ,werner to be the guilty man by so simple a method as this1 however4 ,if he were the slayer of the star he would be too clever to leave anything so incriminating about4 ,i have always quarreled with ,poe's theory in ,the ,purloined ,letter1 believing that the obvious is no place to hide anything outside of fiction4 ,what ,i conceived1 rather1 was that ,werner really was a dope fiend4 ,the nature of the drug ,kennedy would tell me very easily1 from the sample4 ,establishing ,werner's possession of the needles was another point in my chain of presumptions1 showing that he was familiar with their use2 and added to that was the psychological effect upon him of the habit1 a habit responsible in many other cases for murders as skillfully carried out as that of ,stella ,lamar1 often1 too1 without the slightest shred of real motive4 ,i recalled ,werner's habitually nervous manner and was sure now that the needles actually were used by him4 ,was it due to the high pressure of his profession8 ,had that constant high tension forced him to find relief in the most violent relaxation8 ,elated1 ,i was tempted at first to crowd my luck4 ,i wondered if ,i could not discover another ampulla such as the chauffeur1 ,mc,groarty1 had picked up in his car4 ,when ,werner's servant1 almost apologetically1 explained that the telephone message was from a near-by shop and that he would have to leave me for a matter of ten or fifteen minutes1 ,i assured him that it was all right and that ,i would occupy myself with a magazine4 ,the moment he was out the door ,i sprang to action and began a minute search of every nook and cranny of the rooms4 ,but gradually a sense of growing fear and trepidation took hold of me4 ,suppose1 after all1 ,werner should return home unexpectedly8 ,the colored boy did not seem surprised that ,i should wait1 a slight indication that it was possible4 ,further1 ,i could never tell when the darky might not return himself1 breaking in upon me without warning and discovering me4 ,at the best ,i was not a skillful investigator4 ,i did not know just where to look for hidden evidences of poison1 nor was ,i able to work fast1 for fear of leaving too tangible marks of my actions behind me4 ,a great perspiration stood out on my forehead4 ,gradually a trembling took hold of my limbs and communicated itself to my fingers4 ,after all1 it was essential that ,werner be kept in ignorance of my suspicions1 granting they were correct4 ,it would be fatal if ,i should frighten him inadvertently1 so that he would take to flight4 ,realizing my foolhardiness1 ,i returned to my chair at last1 picking up a magazine at random4 ,i did so not a moment too soon4 ,a slight sound caught my ear and ,i looked up to see the valet already halfway into the room4 ,his tread was so soft ,i never would have heard him4 ,i don't think ,i'll wait any longer1 ,i remarked1 rising and stretching slightly1 as though ,i had been seated all the time4 ,i'll ring up a little later2 perhaps come back after ,i get in touch with ,mr4 ,werner4 ,who shall ,i say was here1 sah8 the boy asked1 with just a trace of darky dialect4 ,above all ,i didn't want to alarm ,werner4 ,i could not repeat the explanation ,i had allowed the attendant downstairs to assume from my remark1 that ,i was a friend who had been out with the director the night before4 ,i should have to take a chance that ,werner's servant and the hallboy would not compare notes1 and that the latter would say nothing to the director upon his arrival4 ,i'm an old friend from the ,coast1 ,i explained1 with a show of taking the negro into my confidence4 ,i wanted to surprise him and so--,i slipped a half dollar into a willing palm--if you'll say nothing until ,i've seen him-- ,he beamed4 ,yes1 sah6 ,you jus' count on ,george1 sah6 ,downstairs ,i wondered if ,i could seal the tongue of the youth who had accommodated me before4 ,then ,i discovered that he had gone off duty4 ,it would be extremely unlikely that he would be about until the following day4 ,i smiled and hastened out to the street4 ,once in the open air again1 ,i realized the full extent of the risk ,i had taken4 ,all at once it struck me that no amount of explanation from either ,kennedy or myself would serve to mollify ,werner if he were innocent and learned of my visit4 ,i doubted1 in this moment of afterthought1 that ,i would escape censure from ,kennedy1 who surely would not want his case jeopardized by precipitate actions upon my part4 ,i began to run1 to get away from the ,whistler ,studios as fast as possible4 ,then ,i saw ,i had grown panicky and ,i checked myself4 ,but ,i hurried to the ,subway and up to the university again1 and to the laboratory1 eager to compare notes with ,kennedy4 ,if ,i were ,alphonse ,dupin1 he remarked1 calmly1 grasping my excitement1 ,i would deduce that you have discovered something4 ,i would also deduce that you believe it important and that you have no intention of withholding the information from me1 whatever it is4 ,correct1 ,i answered1 grinning in spite of myself4 ,then ,i handed him the needle1 telling him in a few brief words of my visit to ,werner's apartment1 of the hallboy's confirmation of a nocturnal trip of some sort1 of my search of the desk and some other parts of the suite4 ,i fixed it so that he won't hear of my visit1 at least for some time4 ,he won't suspect who it was1 in any case4 ,kennedy examined the hypodermic4 ,not like the one used1 he murmured4 ,i thought that1 ,i explained4 ,it simply indicates he is a dope fiend and is familiar with the use of a needle4 ,here6 ,i produced the ink filler which ,i had used to bring a sample of the contents of the bottle4 ,this seems to be what he uses4 ,what is it8 ,kennedy sniffed1 then looked closely at the liquid through the glass of the tube4 ,it's a coca preparation1 he explained4 ,if ,werner uses this1 he's unquestionably a regular drug addict4 ,well1 ,i paused1 triumphantly1 the case against the chief director of ,manton ,pictures grows stronger all the time4 ,not necessarily1 contradicted ,kennedy1 perhaps to draw me out4 ,he's familiar with hypodermic syringes1 ,i repeated4 ,which doesn't prove that no one else would use one4 ,anyhow1 he was out until four ,a4,m4 last night and some one broke into ,phelps's house to-- ,you can't establish the fact that he went out there4 ,there are plenty of other places he could have been until four in the morning4 ,but ,i can assume-- ,if you are going to assume anything1 ,walter1 why not assume he was the second man1 the man who watched the actual intruder8 ,i turned away1 despairing of my ability to convince ,kennedy4 ,as a matter of fact ,i had forgotten the other prowler at ,tarrytown4 ,then ,i noticed that the one guinea pig in the separate cage was dead4 ,in an instant ,i was all curiosity to know the results of ,kennedy's investigations4 ,did you make any progress8 ,i asked4 ,yes6 ,now ,i noticed for the first time that he was in fine humor4 ,i had quite finished the first stage of my analysis when you came in4 ,then what was it8 ,what was the poison that killed ,stella ,lamar8 ,i glanced at the stiff1 prone figure of the little animal4 ,kennedy cleared his throat4 ,well1 he replied1 ,i began the study with the discovery ,i made1 which ,i told you1 that strange proteins were present4 ,he picked up the ampulla and regarded it thoughtfully4 ,then he fingered the bit of silk cut from the portieres4 ,it is a poison more deadly1 more subtle1 than any ever concocted by man1 ,walter4 ,yes8 ,i was painfully eager4 ,it is snake venom6 ,,xvi ,,enid ,,assists ,a poison more subtle than any concocted by man6 repeated ,kennedy4 ,it was a startling declaration and left me quite speechless for the moment4 ,we know next to nothing of the composition of the protein bodies in the snake venoms which have such terrific and quick physiological effects on man1 ,kennedy went on4 ,they have been studied1 it is true1 and studied a great deal1 but we cannot say that there are any adequate tests by which the presence of these proteins can be recognized4 ,however1 everything points to the conclusion now that it was snake venom1 and my physiological tests on the guinea pig seem to confirm it4 ,i see no reason now to doubt that it was snake venom4 ,the fact of the matter is that the snake venoms are about the safest of poisons for the criminal to use1 for the reason of the difficulty they give in any chemical analysis4 ,that is only another proof of the diabolical cleverness of our guilty person1 whoever it may be4 ,later ,i'll identify the particular kind of venom used4 ,just now ,i feel it is more important to discover the actual motive for the crime4 ,in the morning ,i have a plan which may save me further work here in the laboratory1 but for to-night ,i feel ,i have earned a rest and--a smile--,i shall rest by searching out the motives of these temperamental movie folk a little more4 ,as he spoke he slipped out of his acid-stained smock4 ,what do you mean8 ,as often1 he rather baffled me4 ,it's nearly dinner time and we're going out together1 ,walter1 down to ,jacques'4 ,why ,jacques'8 ,because ,i phoned your friend ,belle ,balcom and she informed me that that was the place where we would be apt to find the elite of the film world dining4 ,i acquiesced1 of course4 ,we hurried to the apartment first for a few necessary changes and preparations1 then we started for the ,times ,square section in a taxi4 ,i never heard of the use of snake venom before1 ,i remarked1 settling back in the cushions--that is1 deliberately1 by a criminal1 to poison anyone4 ,there are cases1 replied ,craig1 absently4 ,just how does the venom act8 ,i believe it is generally accepted that there are two agents present in the secretion4 ,one is a peptone and the other a globulin4 ,one is neurotoxic1 the other hemolytic4 ,not only is the general nervous system attacked instantly1 but the coagulability of the blood is destroyed4 ,one agent in the venom attacks the nerve cells2 the other destroys the red corpuscles4 ,you suspected something of this kind1 then1 when you first examined ,stella ,lamar8 ,exactly6 ,you see1 the victim of a snake bite often is unable to move or speak4 ,doctor ,blake observed that in the case of the stricken star4 ,her nerves were affected1 resulting in paralysis of the muscles of the heart and lungs and giving us some symptoms of suffocation4 ,then the blood1 as a result of the attack of the venom1 is always left dark and liquid4 ,that1 too1 ,i observed in the sample sent me from ,tarrytown4 ,the snake1 ,kennedy continued1 administers the poison by fangs more delicate than any hypodermic4 ,nature's apparatus is more precise than the finest appliances devised for the use of a surgeon by our instrument makers4 ,the fangs are like needles with obliquely cut points and slit-like outlets4 ,the poison glands correspond to the bulb of a syringe4 ,they are1 in reality1 highly modified salivary glands4 ,from them1 when the serpent strikes1 is ejected a pale straw-colored half-oleaginous fluid4 ,you might swallow it with impunity4 ,but once in the blood1 through a cut or wound1 it is deadly4 ,there could be no snake in this case1 ,i remarked4 ,the fangs of a serpent make two punctures1 don't they2 while here there was just the one scratch-- ,of course there were no fangs when the deed was actually done1 he rejoined1 impatiently4 ,we've traced everything to the needle in the portieres and it is my belief that it was part of an all-glass hypodermic with a platinum-iridium point4 ,it could hardly have been anything like the coarser syringe used by ,werner1 nor do ,i think it possible that the point of an ordinary needle would hold sufficient venom1 since it would dry and form a coating like the incrustation on the inside of the ampulla ,mc,groarty found4 ,that was the venom8 ,i asked4 ,yes1 ,i found it in the ampulla and in the stain on the portiere where the needle had pierced through4 ,the towel1 though-- ,is something else4 ,first thing in the morning we'll follow that up1 as ,i promised you4 ,meanwhile let's concentrate on motives4 ,a long line of private cars and taxicabs outside ,jacques' testified to the popularity of the restaurant4 ,at the door stood a huge1 bulking negro resplendent in the glaring finery of his uniform4 ,it seemed to me that people literally were thronging into the place1 for it was cleverly advertised as a center of night life4 ,inside1 the famous darky jazz band was in full swing4 ,there was lilt and rhythm to the melody produced by the grinning blacks1 and not a free arm or foot or shoulder or head of any of them but did not sway in time to their syncopated music4 ,we were shown to a table on a sort of gallery or mezzanine floor which extended around three sides of the interior4 ,below1 in the center1 was the space for dancing1 surrounded by groups and pairs of diners4 ,stairs led to the balcony on both sides1 as though the management expected none of their guests to resist the lure of the dance between courses4 ,the band1 ,i noticed1 was at the farther end1 on an elevated dais1 so that the contortions of the various players could be seen above the heads of those on the floor4 ,we were at the rail so that we commanded a view of the entire place1 a location ,i guessed had been maneuvered by ,kennedy with a word to the head waiter4 ,the only tables invisible to us were those directly beneath1 but it would be a simple matter to cross around during any dance number to view them4 ,as we took our seats the lights were dimmed suddenly4 ,i realized that we had arrived in the midst of the cabaret and that it was the turn of one of the performers4 ,kennedy1 however1 seemed to enjoy the entertainment1 an example of his ability to gain recreation whenever and however he wished1 to find relaxation under the oddest or most casual circumstances1 out of anything from people passing on the street to an impromptu concert of a street band4 ,in scanty garments1 in the glare of a multi-colored spotlight1 the girl danced a hybrid of every dance from the earliest ,grecian bacchanal to the latest alleged ,apache importation from ,paris4 ,i have often wondered at ,jacques' and places of the sort4 ,the intermingling of eating and drinking and dancing was curious4 ,what possible bearing this terpsichorean monstrosity might have upon the gastronomic inclinations of the audience it would have been difficult to fathom4 ,the lights flashed bright again and ,kennedy gave our order4 ,meanwhile ,i glanced about at the people below us4 ,there was no one in sight ,i knew until ,i leaned well over the rail1 but upon doing that ,i felt little chills of excitement run from the top to the bottom of my spine1 for ,i discovered in a very prominent situation at the very edge of the dance floor a party of four1 of whom three very much concerned us4 ,lloyd ,manton1 back to the polished space behind him1 was unmistakable in evening clothes4 ,these bunched at his neck and revealed his habitual stoop as impartially as his business suits4 ,across from him1 lounging upon the table likewise1 but more immaculately and skillfully tailored1 was ,lawrence ,millard4 ,the writer1 ,i noticed1 flourished his cigarette holder1 fully a foot in length1 and emphasized his remarks to the girl on his right with a rather characteristic gesture made with the second finger of his left hand4 ,the girl was ,enid1 quite mistress of herself in a gown little more than no gown2 and the remarks were obviously confidential4 ,the other girl1 engrossed in ,manton1 seemed a dangerously youthful and self-conscious young lady4 ,her hair flamed ,titian red and her neck1 of which she displayed not half as much as ,enid1 gave her much concern4 ,kennedy6 ,look6 ,i reached over to attract his attention4 ,who's the second girl1 ,i wonder8 ,he became as interested as ,i was4 ,with a blatant flourish of saxophone and cornet and traps the band began a jazzy fox-trot4 ,instantly there was a rush from the tables for the floor4 ,enid jumped to her feet1 moving her bare shoulders in the rhythm of the music4 ,then ,millard took firm hold of her and they wove their way into the crush4 ,it seemed to me that the little star was the very incarnation of the dance4 ,i envied her partner more than ,i dared admit to myself4 ,manton and his companion rose also1 but more leisurely4 ,on her feet the girl did not seem so young1 although the second impression may have been the result of the length of her skirt and the long slim1 lines of her gown4 ,we watched both couples through the number1 then gave our attention to the food we had ordered4 ,another dance1 a modified waltz1 revealed ,enid in the arms of ,manton4 ,i tried to determine from her actions if she felt any preference for the producer1 or for ,millard when again she took the floor with him4 ,it was an idle effort1 of course4 ,the people surged out perhaps three or four times while we were at our meal4 ,each time the party below jumped up in response to the music4 ,at our cigars1 finally1 ,i took to observing the other diners1 wondering what we had gained by coming here4 ,suddenly ,i realized that ,kennedy was rising to greet some one approaching our table4 ,turning1 rising also1 ,i went through all the miseries of the bashful lover4 ,it was ,enid herself4 ,i caught sight of you looking over the rail while ,i was dancing1 she told ,kennedy1 accepting a chair pulled around by the waiter4 ,i knew you saw me4 ,also ,i glanced up and found that you were perfectly well aware of the location of our table4 ,so--engagingly--unsociable creature6 ,why didn't you come down and say ',hello6' or ask me for a dance8 ,perhaps ,i intended to a little later4 ,yes6 she exclaimed1 in mockery4 ,you see1 since ,mecca won't go to the pilgrim1 the pilgrim has to come to ,mecca4 ,did you ever hear of ,mohammed and the mountain1 ,miss ,faye8 ,kennedy asked4 ,of course6 ,that's the regular expression4 ,but ,i agree with ,barnum4 ,as he said1 some people can be original some of the time and some people can be original all of the time1 and ,i propose to be original always1 like a baby with molasses4 ,kennedy laughed1 for indeed she was irresistible4 ,then she turned to me1 placing one of her warm little hands upon mine4 ,and ,jamie6 she purred4 ,have you forgotten little ,enid altogether8 ,won't--won't ,,you come down and dance8 ,i--,i can't6 ,i exploded1 in agony4 ,i don't know how6 ,and ,i thought that ,i would never dare trust myself with her glistening shoulders clasped close to me1 with her slim bare arm placed around my neck as ,i had watched it slip about the collar of ,millard4 ,now that the pilgrim is at ,mecca-- ,kennedy suggested1 interrupting cruelly1 as ,i thought4 ,oh6 ,in an instant ,i sensed that ,i was forgotten1 and ,i was hurt4 ,there's something which came out this afternoon at the studio1 she began1 and ,i wonder if you know4 ,larry--that's ,mr4 ,millard--assures me it is true1 and--and ,i think you ought to hear about it4 ,i--,i want to assist all ,i can in solving the mystery of ,stella ,lamar's death1 even though ,stella's unfortunate end has meant my opportunity4 ,what is it1 ,miss ,faye8 ,kennedy was studying her4 ,it's about ,jack ,gordon4 ,he's been trying to hold up the company for fifteen hundred a week1 which would double his salary--perhaps you've heard that8 ,kennedy nodded1 although it was news to him4 ,i've been thinking about ,gordon1 he murmured4 ,anyway1 she went on1 it's gone around that he's desperately in need of money and that that is why he's so insistent upon the increase4 ,it seems he owes everyone4 ,in particular he owes ,phelps some huge sums and old ,phelps is on his tail1 hollering and raising ,ned4 ,phelps1 you know1 has uses for money himself just now4 ,you had heard8 ,again ,kennedy evaded a direct answer4 ,money is fearfully tight1 of course1 he remarked1 encouraging her to continue4 ,yes1 she repeated1 ,phelps is terribly hard up and after ,gordon4 ,and that's not all about our handsome leading man1 ,mr4 ,kennedy4 ,she leaned forward4 ,a certain intensity crept into her voice4 ,she began to toy with his sleeve with the slender fingers of one hand1 as though in that manner to compel his greater attention4 ,you know ,stella ,lamar really was in love with ,jack ,gordon4 ,in fact she was daffy over him4 ,and now ,i've found out that he was borrowing money from her1 was taking nearly every cent she earned to sink in his speculations4 ,do you get that8 ,enid's eyes snapped4 ,most certainly ,i understood4 ,i knew well the type of ,stella4 ,she had made many men give up to her motor cars1 expensive furs1 jewelry1 all manner of presents4 ,but in the end she had found one man to whom she in turn was willing to yield all4 ,but what of him8 ,in the last few weeks1 they tell me1 poor ,stella disposed of many of her handsome presents from men like ,manton and ,phelps and others1 all to get money to give to him4 ,at the end she even raised money on her jewelry4 ,i--,i think you'll find it all in pawn now1 if you'll investigate4 ,i don't doubt but that poor ,stella died without a penny to her name4 ,i was so surprised at this information that ,i failed to study ,kennedy's face4 ,i was completely jolted from my own rapt contemplation of the very soft curves of ,enid's back4 ,for here was a motive at last6 ,gordon was a possible suspect ,i had failed to take even halfway seriously4 ,yet the leading man was desperately pressed for money1 had had a disgraceful fight with ,phelps as we already knew2 and not only owed huge sums to his fiancee as ,enid now explained1 but had quarreled with her just prior to her death1 according to his own admission in the investigation at ,tarrytown4 ,suddenly the music struck up once more4 ,enid rose1 adjusting the straps of her gown4 ,there6 she exclaimed1 smiling abruptly4 ,i thought you ought to know that1 though ,i hate to peddle gossip4 ,now ,i must hurry back4 ,i've been away long enough4 ,but come down later and dance4 ,she swept off without further formality4 ,an instant afterward we saw her in the clasp of ,millard once again4 ,we watched during the number and encore2 then ,kennedy called for the check4 ,let's go up to the apartment1 he suggested4 ,i'd like to talk some of these things out with you4 ,it will help me clarify my own impressions4 ,underneath the balcony ,i noticed ,kennedy turn for a last glance at ,manton's party4 ,i paused to look1 also4 ,enid was leaning forward1 talking to ,millard earnestly1 emphasizing what she had to say with characteristic movements of her head4 ,she's pumping ,millard for more information about ,stella ,lamar1 ,i remarked4 ,kennedy had no comment4 ,,xvii ,,an ,,appeal ,we strolled up ,broadway1 resisting the attraction of a garish new motion-picture palace at which ,manton's previous release with ,stella ,lamar was now showing to capacity--much to the delight of the exhibitor who greatly complimented himself on his good fortune in being able to take advantage of the newspaper sensation over the affair4 ,on we walked1 ,kennedy mostly in silent deduction1 ,i knew1 until we came to the upper regions of the great thoroughfare1 turned off1 and headed toward our apartment on the ,heights1 not far from the university4 ,we had scarcely settled ourselves for a quiet hour in our quarters when the telephone rang4 ,i answered4 ,to my amazement ,i found that it was ,marilyn ,loring4 ,is ,professor ,kennedy in8 she asked4 ,yes1 ,miss ,loring4 ,just a-- ,never mind calling him to the phone1 ,mr4 ,jameson4 ,i've been trying to find him all evening4 ,he was not at the laboratory1 although ,i waited over an hour4 ,just tell him that there's something ,i am very anxious to consult him about4 ,ask him if it will be all right for me to run up to see him just a few minutes4 ,i explained to ,kennedy4 ,let her come along1 he said1 as surprised as ,i was4 ,then he added1 humorously1 ,i seem to be father confessor to-night4 ,after sinking back in my seat in comfort once more ,i observed a quiet elation in ,kennedy's manner4 ,all at once it struck me what he was doing4 ,the multitude of considerations in this case1 the many cross leads to be followed1 had confused me4 ,but now ,i realized that1 after all1 this was only the approved ,kennedy method1 the mode of procedure which had never failed to produce results for him4 ,without allowing himself to be disturbed by the great number of people concerned1 he had calmly started to pit them one against the other1 encouraging each to talk about the rest1 making a show of his apparent inaction and lack of haste so that they1 in turn1 would shake off the excitement immediately following the death of the girl and thereby reveal their normal selves to his keen observation4 ,not five minutes passed before ,marilyn was announced4 ,evidently she had been seeking us eagerly1 for she had probably telephoned from a near-by pay station4 ,mr4 ,kennedy1 she began1 ,i am going to find this very hard to say4 ,really1 he assured her1 there is no reason why you should not repose your confidence in me4 ,my only interest is to solve the mystery and to see that justice is satisfied4 ,beyond that nothing would give me greater happiness than to be of service to you4 ,it's--it's about ,merle ,shirley-- she started1 bravely4 ,then all at once she broke down4 ,the strain of two days had been too much for her4 ,kennedy lighted a fresh cigar1 realizing that he could best aid her to recover her composure by making no effort to do so4 ,for several moments she sobbed silently1 a handkerchief at her eyes4 ,then she straightened1 with a half smile1 dabbing at the drops of moisture remaining4 ,with her wet eyes and flushed cheeks she was revealed to me again as a very genuine girl1 wholly unspoiled by her outward mask of sophistication4 ,furthermore1 at this instant she was gloriously pretty4 ,again--why do you play vampire roles1 ,miss ,loring8 ,i asked1 as quickly as the thought flashed to me4 ,i think you'd be an ideal ingenue6 ,about a thousand people have told me that1 she rejoined4 ,as she replied her smile took full possession of her features4 ,my idiotic repetition1 entirely out of place1 had served to restore her self-control to her4 ,no1 the public won't stand for it4 ,they've been trained to know me as a vamp1 and a vamp ,i remain4 ,facing ,kennedy1 she sobered4 ,merle ,shirley and ,i were engaged1 she went on4 ,that you know4 ,then poor ,stella made a fool of him4 ,she didn't mean any harm1 any real harm1 but ,i don't think she knew how deep he feels or just what a fiery temper he has4 ,finally he found out that she was only playing with him4 ,he was perfectly terrible4 ,at first ,i thought he had killed her in a burst of passion4 ,i really thought that4 ,yes8 ,kennedy was interested4 ,he needed no pretense4 ,when ,i asked him point blank he said he didn't4 ,a very wonderful light came into ,marilyn ,loring's eyes at this instant4 ,whatever else he would do1 ,professor ,kennedy1 he wouldn't lie to me2 that ,i know4 ,he would tell me the truth because he knows ,i would shield him1 no matter what the cost4 ,you simply want to assure me of his innocence8 suggested ,kennedy4 ,no6 ,there was a touch of scorn to the little negative4 ,you don't believe him guilty2 you didn't even when ,i did4 ,then-- ,but he knows something--something about the murder of ,stella--and he won't tell me what it is4 ,i--,i'm afraid for him4 ,he isn't sleeping at night1 and ,i believe he's watching somebody at the studio1 and ,i know--it's the ,,woman',s intuition1 ,professor--she emphasized the word1 and paused--he's in danger4 ,he's in some great threatening danger6 ,what do you wish me to do1 ,miss ,loring8 ,i want you to protect him and--slowly she colored1 up and around and about her eyes as she always did1 until she wasn't unlike an ,indian maid--and no one must know ,i've been up to see you4 ,gravely ,kennedy bowed her to the door1 assuring her he would do all that lay in his power4 ,when he returned ,i was ready for him4 ,now6 ,i exclaimed4 ,now say it isn't ,werner6 ,here is ,merle ,shirley watching some one at the studio4 ,isn't that likely to be the director8 ,and if ,shirley is watching ,werner you have the explanation for the second intruder at ,tarrytown last night4 ,shirley is big enough and strong enough to have given the deputy a nice swift tussle4 ,a little tall1 ,i'm afraid1 ,kennedy remarked4 ,you can't go by the deputy's impressions4 ,he didn't really remember much of anything4 ,certainly he was unobserving4 ,perhaps you're right1 ,walter4 ,kennedy smiled4 ,but how about ,gordon8 he added4 ,there's genuine motive--money6 ,or ,shirley himself6 ,i attempted to be sarcastic4 ,there's genuine motive4 ,stella made a fool out of him4 ,it wasn't a murder of passion1 ,kennedy reminded me4 ,no one in a white heat of rage would study up on snake venoms4 ,if it were a slow-smoldering-- ,shirley's anger wasn't that kind4 ,but good heavens6 ,as usual ,i arrived nowhere in an argument with ,kennedy4 ,circumstantial evidence points to ,werner almost altogether-- ,you've forgotten one point in your chain1 ,walter4 ,what's that8 ,whoever took the needle from the curtain last night scratched himself on it and left blood spots on the portieres1 tiny ones1 but real blood spots1 nevertheless4 ,that means the intruder inoculated himself with venom4 ,i doubt that the poison was so dry as to be ineffectual4 ,if it was ,werner1 how do you account for the fact that he is still alive8 ,do you--,i guess my eyes went wide--do you expect to dig up a dead man somewhere8 ,is there some one we suspect and haven't seen since yesterday8 ,he didn't answer1 preferring to tantalize me4 ,how do you account for it yourself8 ,i demanded1 somewhat hotly4 ,let's call it a day1 ,walter1 he rejoined4 ,let's go to bed6 ,,xviii ,,the ,,antivenin ,i slept late in the morning1 so that ,kennedy had to wake me4 ,when we had finished breakfast he led the way to the laboratory1 all without making any effort to satisfy my curiosity4 ,there he started packing up the tubes and materials he had been studying in the case1 rather than resuming his investigations4 ,what's the idea8 ,i asked1 finally1 unable to contain myself any longer4 ,you carry this package1 he directed4 ,i'll take the other4 ,i obeyed1 somewhat sulkily ,i'm afraid4 ,you see1 he added1 as we left the building and hurried to the taxi stand near the campus1 the next problem is to identify the particular kind of venom that was used4 ,besides1 ,i want to know the nature of the spots on the towel you found4 ,they certainly were not of venom4 ,i have my suspicions what they really are4 ,he paused while we selected a vehicle and made ourselves comfortable4 ,to save time1 he went on1 ,i thought ,i'd just go over to the ,castleton ,institute4 ,you know in their laboratories the famous ,japanese investigator1 ,doctor ,nagoya1 has made some marvelous discoveries concerning the venom of snakes4 ,it is his specialty1 a matter to which he has practically devoted his life4 ,therefore ,i expect that he will be able to confirm certain suspicions of mine very quickly1 or--a shrug--explode a theory which has slowly been taking form in the back of my head4 ,when we dismissed the taxi in front of the institute ,i realized that this would be my first visit to this institution so lavishly endowed by the multi-millionaire1 ,castleton1 for the advancement of experimental science4 ,kennedy's card1 sent in to ,doctor ,nagoya1 brought that eminent investigator out personally to see us4 ,he was the very finest type of ,oriental savant1 a member of the intellectual nobility of the strange ,eastern land only recently made receptive to the civilization of the ,west4 ,when he and ,kennedy chatted together in low tones for a few moments it was hard for me to grasp that each belonged to a basic race strain fundamentally different from the other4 ,east and ,west had met1 upon the plane of modern science4 ,the two were simply men of specialized knowledge1 the ,japanese pre-eminent in one field1 ,kennedy in another4 ,carefully and thoroughly ,kennedy and ,nagoya went over the results which ,kennedy had already obtained4 ,after a moment ,doctor ,nagoya conducted us to his research room4 ,now let me show you1 said the ,oriental4 ,in a moment they were deep in the mysteries of an even more minute analysis than ,kennedy had made before4 ,i took a turn about the room1 finding nothing more understandable than the study holding ,kennedy's interest4 ,though ,i could not grasp it1 curiosity kept me hovering close4 ,you see--,nagoya spoke as he finished the test he was making at the moment--without a doubt it is crotalin1 the venom of the rattlesnake1 ,crotalus horridus4 ,there was no snake actually present1 ,i hastened to explain1 breaking in4 ,then at a glance from ,kennedy ,i stopped1 abashed1 for all this had been made clear to the scientist4 ,it is not necessary1 ,nagoya replied1 turning to me with the politeness characteristic of the ,east4 ,crotalin can be obtained now with fair ease4 ,it is a drug used in a new treatment of epilepsy which is being tried out at many hospitals4 ,i nodded my thanks1 not wanting to interrupt again4 ,kennedy pressed on to the next point he wished established4 ,that was the spot on the portieres4 ,now the ampulla4 ,also crotalin4 ,doctor ,nagoya spoke positively4 ,how about this solution8 ,kennedy took from my package the tube with the liquid made from the faint spots on the towel which ,i had found and which had been our first clue4 ,it is not crotalin4 ,the ,japanese turned to his laboratory table4 ,kennedy muttered some vague suggestions which were too technical for me but which seemed to enable ,nagoya to eliminate a great deal of work4 ,the test progressed rapidly4 ,finally the savant stepped back1 regarding the solution with a very satisfied smile4 ,it is1 he explained1 carefully1 some of the very anticrotalus venin which we have perfected right here in the institute4 ,kennedy nodded4 ,i suspected as much4 ,there was great elation in his manner4 ,you see1 ,i had heard all about your wonderful work4 ,yes6 ,nagoya waved his hand around at the wonderfully equipped room1 only one detail in the many arrangements for medical research made possible by the generosity of ,castleton4 ,yes1 he repeated1 proud of his laboratory1 as he well might be1 we have made a great deal of progress in the development of protective sera--antivenins1 we call them4 ,are they distributed widely8 ,kennedy asked1 thoughtfully4 ,all over the world4 ,we are practically the only source of supply4 ,how do you obtain the serum in quantity8 ,from horses treated with increasing doses of the snake venom4 ,a question struck me as ,i remembered the peculiar double action of the poison4 ,can you tell me just how the antivenin counteracts the effects of the venom8 ,i inquired of the savant4 ,surely1 he replied4 ,it neutralizes one of the two elements in the venom1 the nervous poison1 thus enabling the individual to devote all his vitality to overcoming the irritant poison4 ,it is the nervous poison that is the chief death-dealing agent1 producing paralysis of the heart and respiration4 ,we advise all travelers to carry the protective serum if they are likely to be exposed to snake bites4 ,kennedy picked up the tube containing the solution made from the towel spots4 ,this antivenin was your product1 doctor8 ,probably so1 was the precise answer4 ,then the purchasers can be identified1 ,i suggested4 ,we have no record of ordinary purchasers1 ,nagoya explained1 slowly4 ,kennedy was keenly disappointed at that1 and showed it4 ,however1 he thanked the scientist cordially1 and we departed4 ,outside1 he turned to me4 ,do you understand now why the night intruder at ,tarrytown did not die--if he is one of our suspects--from the scratch of the needle8 ,you mean he had taken an injection of antivenin before-- ,exactly6 ,we are dealing with a criminal of diabolical cleverness4 ,not only did he make all his plans to kill ,miss ,lamar with the greatest possible care1 but he prepared against accident to himself4 ,he was taking no chances4 ,he inoculated himself with a protective serum4 ,the needle of the syringe he used for that purpose he wiped upon the towel you discovered in the washroom4 ,,xix ,,around ,,the ,,circle ,i'd like to have another talk with ,millard about that ,fortune ,features affair1 remarked ,kennedy4 ,it was the third morning after the death of ,stella ,lamar1 and ,i found him half through breakfast when ,i rose4 ,about him were piled moving picture and theatrical publications1 daily1 weekly1 and monthly4 ,at the moment ,i caught him he had spread wide open the inner page of the ,daily ,metropolitan1 a sheet devoted almost exclusively to sports and the amusement fields4 ,i went around to glance over his shoulder4 ,he pointed to a small item under a heading of recent plans and changes4 ,,fortune ,,features ,it is hinted to the ,metropolitan ,man-about-,broadway1 by those in a position to know but who cannot yet be quoted1 that ,fortune ,features is about to absorb a number of the largest competing companies4 ,rumors of great changes in the picture world have been current for some weeks1 and this is the first reliable information to be given out4 ,it is premature to give details of the new combination1 or to mention names1 but ,fortune's strong backing in ,wall ,street will1 we are assured1 have a stabilizing influence at a critical time in the industry4 ,seems to be a lot of hot air1 ,i said4 ,there isn't a name mentioned4 ,everything is 'by those in a position to know' and 'rumors of and 'it is premature to give details444 or mention names'--,bah6 ,kennedy turned to places he had marked in several of the other periodicals and papers and ,i read them4 ,each was substantially to the effect of the note in the ,metropolitan1 although worded differently and generally printed as a news item4 ,it's a feeler1 ,kennedy stated4 ,there's something back of it4 ,when ,i caught the reference to ,fortune ,features in the ,metropolitan1 which ,i've been reading the past two days1 ,i sent the boy out for every movie publication he could find4 ,result3 half a dozen repetitions of the hint that ,fortune is expanding4 ,that means that it is deliberate publicity4 ,you think this has something to do with the case8 ,i don't see the name of ,manton mentioned once4 ,manton is a man who seeks the front page on every opportunity4 ,you remember1 of course1 what ,millard told us4 ,somehow ,i smell a rat4 ,if nothing else develops for this morning1 ,i want to find ,millard and talk to him again4 ,i believe ,manton is up to something4 ,the sharp sound of our buzzer interrupted us4 ,because ,i was on my feet ,i went to the door4 ,to my amazement ,i found it was ,phelps who was our very early visitor4 ,i hope you'll excuse this intrusion1 he apologized to ,kennedy1 pushing by me with the rudeness which seemed inherent in the man4 ,then he recognized the sheet still spread out on the table4 ,i see you1 too1 have been reading the ,metropolitan4 ,yes1 ,kennedy admitted1 languidly4 ,there is nothing about ,manton ,pictures1 though4 ,manton ,pictures1 hell6 ,in an instant ,phelps exploded and the thin veneer of politeness was gone4 ,with a shaking finger he pointed to the item which we had just been reading and discussing4 ,did you read that6 ,did you see the reference to stabilizing the industry8 ,,stabilizing6 ,it ought to be spelled stable-izing1 for they lead all the donkeys into stalls and tie them up and let them kick4 ,he stopped momentarily for sheer inability to continue4 ,i suppose you don't know ,manton is behind this ,fortune ,features8 ,we were aware of the fact1 ,kennedy told him1 quietly4 ,phelps looked from one to the other of us keenly1 as if he had thought to surprise us and had been disappointed4 ,nervously he began to pace the floor4 ,perhaps you know also that things haven't been going just right with ,manton ,pictures8 ,kennedy straightened4 ,when ,i asked you at ,tarrytown1 just two mornings ago1 whether there was any trouble between ,manton and yourself1 you answered that there was not4 ,phelps flushed4 ,i didn't want to air my financial difficulties with ,manton4 ,my--my answer was truthful1 the way you meant your question4 ,manton and ,i have had no words1 no quarrel1 no disagreement of a personal nature4 ,what is the trouble with ,manton ,pictures8 ,they are wasting money--throwing it right and left4 ,that pay roll of theirs is preposterous4 ,the waste itself is beyond belief--sometimes four and five cameras on a scene1 retakes upon the slightest provocation1 even sets rebuilt because some minor detail fails to suit the artistic eye of the director4 ,werner1 supposed to watch all the companies1 doesn't half know his business4 ,in the making of a five-reel film they will overtake sometimes as much as eighty or a hundred thousand feet of negative in each of two cameras1 when twenty thousand is enough overtake for anyone4 ,that alone is five to ten thousand dollars for negative stock1 almost fifteen with the sample print and developing4 ,and the cost of stock1 ,mr4 ,kennedy1 is the smallest item4 ,all the extra length is long additional weeks of pay roll and overhead expense4 ,i put an auditor and a film expert on the accounts of ,stella ,lamar's last picture4 ,by their figures just sixty-three thousand dollars was absolutely thrown away4 ,kennedy rose1 folding the newspaper carefully while he collected his thoughts4 ,my dear ,mr4 ,phelps1 he stated1 finally1 that is simply inefficiency4 ,i doubt if it is anything criminal2 certainly there is no connection with the death of ,stella ,lamar1 my only interest in ,manton ,pictures4 ,phelps was very grave4 ,there is every connection with the death of ,stella ,lamar6 ,what do you mean8 ,mr4 ,kennedy1 what ,i'm going to say to you ,i cannot substantiate in any court of law4 ,furthermore ,i'm laying myself open to action for libel1 so ,i must not be quoted4 ,but ,i want you to understand that ,stella was inescapably wound up with all of ,manton's financial schemes4 ,his money maneuvers determined her social life1 her friends--everything4 ,she was then1 as ,enid ,faye will be now1 his come-on1 his decoy4 ,manton has no scruples of any sort whatsoever4 ,he is dishonest1 tricky1 a liar1 and a cheat4 ,if ,i could prove it ,i would tell him so1 but he's too clever for me4 ,i do know1 however1 that he pulled the strings which controlled every move ,stella ,lamar ever made4 ,when she went to dinner with me it was because ,manton wished her to do so4 ,she was his right hand1 his ears1 almost his mouth4 ,i have no doubt but that her death is the direct result of some business deal of his--something directly to do with his financial necessities4 ,kennedy did not glance up4 ,those are very serious assertions4 ,it is a very serious matter4 ,to show how unscrupulous ,manton is1 ,i can demonstrate that he is wrecking ,manton ,pictures deliberately4 ,i've told you of the waste4 ,only the other day ,i came into the studio4 ,werner was putting up a great ballroom set4 ,you saw it8 ,no1 that isn't the one ,i mean4 ,i mean the first one4 ,he had it all up2 then some little thing didn't suit him4 ,the next day ,i came in again4 ,all struck--sloughed--every bit of it--and a new one started4 ',lloyd1' ,i said1 'just think a minute--that's my money6' ,what good did it do8 ,he even began to alter the new set6 ,he would only go on1 encouraging ,werner and the other directors to change their sets1 to lose time in trying for foolish effects1 anything at all to pad the expense4 ,you think ,i am romancing1 but you don't understand the film world1 ,phelps hurried on angrily4 ,do you know that ,enid ,faye's contract is not with ,manton ,pictures but with ,manton himself8 ,that means he can take her away from me after he has made her a star with my money1 at my expense4 ,why should he wreck ,manton ,pictures1 you ask8 ,do you know that1 bit by bit1 on the pretext that he needed the funds for this that1 or the other thing1 ,manton has sold out his entire interest in the company to me8 ,it is all mine now4 ,i tell you1 complained ,phelps1 bitterly1 he couldn't seem to wreck the company fast enough4 ,why8 ,do you realize that there isn't room both for this older company and the new ,fortune ,features8 ,can you see that if ,manton ,pictures fails the ,fortune company will be able to pick up the studio and all the equipment for a song8 ,i'm the fall guy6 ,and yet1 ,kennedy1 all the efforts to wreck ,manton ,pictures would have failed1 because ',the ,black ,terror' was too sure a success4 ,in spite of all the expense1 in spite of every effort to wreck it1 that picture would have made half a million dollars4 ,stella's acting and ,millard's story and script would have put it over4 ,but now ,millard's contract has expired and ,manton has signed him for ,fortune ,features4 ,enid ,faye will be made a star by ',the ,black ,terror1' but she is not now the drawing power to put it over big1 as ,stella would have done4 ,i tell you1 ,kennedy1 the death of ,stella ,lamar has completed the wreck of ,manton ,pictures6 ,kennedy jumped to his feet4 ,there was a hard light in his eyes ,i had never seen before4 ,do ,i understand you1 ,phelps8 he snapped4 ,are you accusing ,manton of the cold-blooded murder of ,stella ,lamar to further various financial schemes8 ,hardly6 ,phelps blanched a bit1 and ,i thought that a shudder swept over him4 ,i don't mean anything like that at all4 ,what ,i mean is that ,manton1 in encouraging various sorts of dissension to wreck the company1 inadvertently fanned the flames of passion of those about her1 and it resulted in her death4 ,who killed her8 ,i don't know6 ,grudgingly ,i admitted that this seemed open and frank4 ,at ,tarrytown1 ,kennedy went on1 ,i asked you if ,stella ,lamar was making any trouble1 had threatened to quit ,manton ,pictures1 and you said no4 ,is that still your answer8 ,for several months she had been up-stage4 ,that was not because she wanted to make trouble1 but because she had fallen in love4 ,manton found he couldn't handle her as he had previously4 ,do you suspect ,manton of killing her himself8 ,i don't suspect anyone4 ,that is an honest answer1 ,mr4 ,kennedy4 ,what do you know about ,fortune ,features8 ,the banker's eye fell on the newspaper again4 ,i know who this new ,wall ,street fellow is4 ,i've got my scouts out working for me4 ,it's ,leigh--that's who it is4 ,and ,i'm sore2 ,i have a right to be4 ,phelps was getting more and more heated1 by the moment4 ,i tell you1 he almost shouted1 this fake movie business is the modern gold-brick game1 all right4 ,never again6 ,i was amazed at the ,machiavellian cleverness of ,manton4 ,here he was1 on one hand openly working with1 yet secretly ruining1 the ,manton ,pictures1 while on the other hand he was covertly building up the competing ,fortune ,features4 ,kennedy paced out into the little hall of our suite and back4 ,he faced our visitor once more4 ,why did you come to see me this morning8 ,at our last encounter1 you may recall you said you wished you could throw me down the steps4 ,phelps smiled ruefully4 ,that was a mistake4 ,it was the way ,i felt1 but--,i'm sorry4 ,now--8 ,again the black clouds overshadowed the features of the financier4 ,now ,i want you to bring out and prove the things ,i've told you4 ,the malice showed in his voice plainly1 for the first time4 ,i want it proved in court that ,manton is a cheap crook4 ,when you uncover the murderer of ,stella ,lamar you will find that the moral responsibility for her death traces right back to ,lloyd ,manton4 ,i want him driven out of the business4 ,kennedy's attitude changed4 ,as he escorted ,phelps to the door his tones were self-controlled4 ,anything of the sort is beyond my province4 ,my task is simply to find the person who killed the girl4 ,when the financier was gone ,i turned to ,kennedy eagerly4 ,what do you think8 ,i asked4 ,i think1 more than ever1 that we should investigate ,fortune ,features4 ,let's have a look at the telephone book4 ,there was no studio of the new corporation in ,new ,york1 but we did find one listed in ,new ,jersey1 just across the river1 at ,fort ,lee4 ,we walked from the university down the hill and over to the ferry4 ,on the other side a ten minutes' street-car ride took us to our destination4 ,facing us was a huge barn-like structure set down in the midst of a little park4 ,inquiry for ,manton brought no response whatever2 rather1 surprise that we should be asking for him here4 ,however1 ,i reflected that that was exactly what we ought to expect if ,manton was working under cover4 ,the girl at the telephone switchboard1 smiling at ,kennedy1 had a suggestion4 ,they're taking a storm exterior down in the meadow1 she explained4 ,perhaps he's down there1 among the visitors--or perhaps there's someone who will be able to give you some information4 ,i glanced outdoors at the brightly shining sun4 ,a storm8 ,i repeated1 incredulously4 ,yes1 she smiled4 ,it might interest you to see it4 ,following her directions1 we started across country1 leaving the studio building some distance behind and entering a broad expanse of meadow beyond a thin clump of trees4 ,at the farther end we could see a large group of people and paraphernalia which1 at the distance1 we could not make out4 ,however1 it was not long after we emerged from the trees that we perceived they were photographing squarely in our direction4 ,several began waving their arms wildly at us and shouting4 ,kennedy and ,i1 understanding1 turned and advanced1 keeping well out of the camera lines1 along the edge of the field4 ,hello6 a voice greeted us as we approached the group standing back and watching the action4 ,to my surprise it was ,millard1 with the spectators4 ,i looked about for ,manton but did not see him1 nor anyone else we knew4 ,it's a storm and cyclone1 said ,millard1 his attention rather on what was going on than on us4 ,for the moment we said nothing4 ,the scene before us was indeed interesting4 ,half a dozen aeroplane engines and propellers had been set up outside the picture1 and anchored securely in place4 ,the wind from them was actually enough to knock a man down4 ,rain was furnished by hose playing water into the whirling blades1 sending it driving into the scene with the fury of a tropical storm4 ,back of the propellers half a dozen men were frantically at work shoveling into them sand and dirt1 creating an amazingly realistic cyclone4 ,we arrived in the midst of the cyclone scene1 as the dust storm was ending and the torrential rain succeeded4 ,for the storm1 a miniature village had been constructed in break-away fashion1 partially sawed through and tricked for the proper moment4 ,many objects were controlled by invisible wires1 including an actual horse and buggy which seemed to be lifted bodily and carried away4 ,roofs flew off1 walls crashed in1 actors and actresses were knocked flat as some few of them failed to gain their cyclone cellars4 ,altogether1 it was a storm of such efficiency as ,nature herself could scarcely have furnished1 and all staged with the streaming sunlight which made photography possible4 ,pandemonium reigned4 ,cameras were grinding1 directors were bawling through megaphones1 all was calculated chaos4 ,yet it took only a glance to see that some marvelous effects were being caught here4 ,at the conclusion ,i recognized suddenly the little leading lady1 ,it was the girl we had seen with ,manton at ,jacques' cabaret4 ,that's the way to take a picture1 exclaimed ,millard4 ,everything right--no expense spared4 ,i came over to see it done4 ,it's wonderful4 ,yes1 was ,kennedy's answer1 but it must be very costly4 ,it is all of that1 said ,millard4 ,but what of it if the film makes a big clean-up8 ,i wouldn't have missed this for anything4 ,werner never staged a spectacle like this in his life4 ,fortune ,features are going to set a new mark in pictures4 ,but can they keep it up8 ,have they the money8 ,millard shrugged his shoulders4 ,manton ,pictures can't--that's a cinch4 ,phelps has reached the end of his rope1 ,i guess4 ,i'm afraid the trouble with him was that he was thinking of too many things besides pictures4 ,there was no mistaking the meaning of the remark4 ,millard was still cut by ,stella's desertion of him for the broker4 ,i caught ,kennedy's glance1 but neither of us cared to refer to her4 ,where can ,i find ,manton now8 ,kennedy asked4 ,did you try his office at seven hundred and twenty-nine8 was ,millard's suggestion4 ,no2 ,i wanted to see this place first4 ,well1 you'll most likely find him there4 ,i've got to go back to the city myself-some scenes of ',the ,black ,terror' to rewrite to fit ,enid better4 ,i'll motor you across the ferry and to the ,subway4 ,at the ,subway station1 ,millard left us and we proceeded to ,manton's executive offices in a ,seventh ,avenue skyscraper1 built for and devoted exclusively to the film business4 ,manton's business suite was lavishly furnished1 but not quite as ornate and garish as his apartment4 ,the promoter himself welcomed us1 for no matter how busy he was at any hour1 he always seemed to have time to stop and chat4 ,well1 how goes it8 ,he pushed over a box of expensive cigars4 ,have you found out anything yet8 ,had a visit from ,phelps this morning4 ,kennedy plunged directly into the subject1 watching the effect4 ,manton did not betray anything except a quiet smile4 ,poor old ,phelps1 he said4 ,i guess he's pretty uneasy4 ,you know he has been speculating rather heavily in the market lately4 ,there was a time when ,i thought ,phelps had a bank roll in reserve4 ,but it seems he has been playing the game on a shoestring1 after all4 ,manton casually flicked the ashes from his cigar into a highly polished cuspidor as he leaned over4 ,i happen to have learned that1 to make his bluff good1 he has been taking money from his brokerage business--here he nodded sagely--his customers' accounts you know4 ,leigh knows the inside of everybody's affairs in ,wall ,street4 ,they say a quarter of a million is short1 at least4 ,to tell you the truth1 poor ,stella took a good deal of ,phelps's money4 ,certainly his ,manton ,pictures holdings wouldn't leave him in the hole as deep as all that4 ,i reflected that this was quite the way of the world--first framing up something on a boob1 then deprecating the ease with which he was trimmed4 ,was it blackmail ,stella had levied on ,phelps1 ,i wondered8 ,was she taking from him to give to ,gordon8 ,had ,stella broken him8 ,was she the real cause of the tangle in his affairs8 ,and had ,phelps in insane passion revenged himself on her8 ,in the conversation with ,manton there was certainly no hint of answer to my queries4 ,with all his ease1 ,manton was the true picture promoter4 ,seldom was he betrayed into a positive statement of his own4 ,always1 when necessary1 he gave as authority the name of some one else4 ,but the effect was the same4 ,a hurried call of some sort took ,manton away from us4 ,kennedy turned to me with a whimsical expression4 ,let's go6 he remarked4 ,what do you make of it1 offhand8 ,i asked1 outside4 ,we're going about in a circle1 he remarked4 ,strange group of people4 ,each apparently suspects the other4 ,and1 to cover himself1 talks of the other fellow1 ,i added4 ,kennedy nodded1 and we made our way toward the laboratory4 ,i'll bet something happens before the day is over1 ,i hazarded1 for no reason in particular4 ,kennedy shrugged4 ,as we went1 ,i cast up in my mind the facts we had learned4 ,the information from ,manton was disconcerting1 coming on top of what had already been revealed about the inner workings of his game4 ,if ,phelps had secretly borrowed from the trust accounts in his charge a quarter of a million or so1 ,i saw that his situation must indeed be desperate4 ,to what lengths he might go it was difficult to determine4 ,,xx ,,the ,,banquet ,,scene ,for once ,i qualified as a prophet4 ,we were hardly in our rooms when the telephone rang for ,kennedy4 ,it was ,district-,attorney ,mackay1 calling in from ,tarrytown4 ,my men have positive identification of one of the visitors to the ,phelps home the night after the murder1 he reported4 ,fine6 exclaimed ,kennedy4 ,who was it8 ,how did you uncover his trail8 ,you remember that my deputy heard the sound of a departing automobile8 ,well1 we have been questioning everyone4 ,a citizen here1 who returned home late at just about that hour1 remembers seeing a taxicab tearing through the street at a reckless rate4 ,he came in to see me this morning4 ,he made a mental note of the license number at the time1 and while nothing stuck with him but the last three figures1 three sixes1 he was sure that it was a ,maroon taxi4 ,we got busy and have located the driver who made the trip1 from a stand at ,thirty-third all the way out and back4 ,on the return he dropped his fare at the man's apartment4 ,the identification is positive4 ,who is it8 ,kennedy became quite excited4 ,werner1 the director4 ,werner6 in surprise4 ,what are you going to do8 ,arrest him first--examine him afterward4 ,i've sworn out the warrant already1 and ,i'm going to start in by car just as soon as we hang up4 ,i thought ,i'd phone you first in case you wanted to accompany me to the studio4 ,we'll hurry there1 ,kennedy replied1 and meet you4 ,outside8 ,no1 up on the floor4 ,you'll be there fifteen minutes to half an hour ahead of me4 ,i hope there is no way for anyone to tip him off so he can escape4 ,we'll stop him if he attempts it4 ,good6 ,the courtyard of the studio of ,manton ,pictures1 ,incorporated1 was about the same as upon the occasions of our previous visits except that ,i detected a larger number of cars parked in the inclosure1 including a number of very fine ones4 ,also1 it seemed to me that there was a greater absence of life than usual1 as though something of particular interest had taken everyone inside the buildings4 ,the gateman informed us that ,werner was working the large studio4 ,we made our way up through the structure containing the dressing rooms and found the proper door without difficulty4 ,when we passed through under the big glass roof we grasped the reason for the lack of interest in the other departments about the quadrangle4 ,here everyone was gathered to watch the taking of the banquet scene for ,the ,black ,terror4 ,the huge set was illuminated brightly1 and packed1 thronged with people4 ,it was a marvelous set in many ways4 ,to carry out the illusion of size and to aid in the deceptive additional length given by the mirrors at the farther end1 ,werner had decided against the usual one large table arranged horseshoe-like1 but had substituted instead a great number of individual smaller tables1 about which he had grouped the various guests4 ,the placing of those nearest the mirrors had been so arranged as to give no double images1 thus betraying the trick4 ,the waiters1 all the characters who walked about1 were kept near the front toward the cameras for the same reason4 ,it seemed as if the banquet hall was at least twice its actual size4 ,i saw that ,millard had arrived ahead of us4 ,either the changing of the scenes in his script to fit ,enid had not taken him very long or else the photographing of this particular bit of action had proved sufficiently fascinating to draw him away from his work4 ,i wondered at first if he had come to the studio to use his office here1 an infrequent happening1 from ,manton's account4 ,then ,i realized that he was in evening dress4 ,without doubt he planned to play a minor part in the banquet4 ,his presence was no accident4 ,then ,i picked out ,manton himself from our point of observation in a quiet corner selected by ,kennedy for that purpose4 ,it was evident that the promoter had cleared up his business at the office rapidly since we had left him there to go to our quarters on the ,heights and had departed immediately from the latter place so as to precede the ,district ,attorney here4 ,manton as well as ,millard was in evening dress4 ,a moment later ,i recognized ,phelps1 and he1 too1 wore his formal clothes4 ,in an instant ,i grasped that ,werner actually was saving money4 ,not only were these officials of the company present to help fill up the tables1 but ,i was able now to pick out a number of the guests who were uneasy in their make-up and more or less out of place in full-dress attire4 ,they certainly were not actors4 ,one girl ,i definitely placed as the stenographer from ,manton's waiting room at the studio2 then other things caught my attention4 ,i could not help but doubt the stories of waste told us by ,phelps as ,i looked over the scene before me4 ,the use of the mirrors to avoid building the full length of the floor did not seem to fit in with the theory that ,manton and ,werner were making every effort to wreck the company deliberately4 ,i watched the financier for several moments1 but did not detect anything from his manner except that he seemed to feel ill at ease and awkward in make-up4 ,i picked out ,millard again and this time found him talking with ,enid ,faye and ,gordon4 ,immediately ,i sensed a dramatic conflict1 carefully suppressed1 but having too many of the outward indications to fool anyone4 ,in fact1 a child would have observed that ,lawrence ,millard and the leading man needed little urging to engage in a scuffle then and there4 ,though ,stella ,lamar was dead1 this was the heritage she had left4 ,her touch had embittered two men beyond the point of reconciliation--the husband who had been1 and the husband who was to be4 ,of the two1 ,millard had far the better control of himself1 however4 ,after a brief word or so ,gordon left them4 ,at once ,i could see the relief in the expressions of both the others4 ,again ,i wondered just what might be between these two4 ,it was an easy familiarity which might have been as casual as it seemed to be1 no more1 or which might have been a mask for something far deeper and more enduring1 the schooled outer cloak of an inner perfect understanding4 ,werner was by far the busiest of those waiting in the stifling heat beneath the glass roof4 ,he was in evening dress1 prepared to take his own place before the camera1 and in straight make-up1 so that he looked nothing like the slain millionaire1 the part he had played in the opening scenes4 ,i saw that he was a master in the art of make-up4 ,i was sure that he was more nervous than usual4 ,it struck me that he needed the stimulus of the drug he used1 although later ,i knew that he must have felt1 intuitively1 the coming of events which followed close upon the attempt to photograph the action4 ,as more of the people hurried up from the offices and around from the manuscript and other departments1 very conscious of their formal attire1 and as the regular players changed and adjusted the make-ups of these amateurs1 the banquet took on the proportions of a real affair4 ,the members of the cast were placed at the table in the foreground4 ,enid1 ,gordon1 ,marilyn1 and a fourth man were assigned locations2 after which ,werner proceeded to fill the seats in the rear4 ,with the exception of ,millard and ,phelps1 none of the inexperienced people were allowed to face the camera4 ,manton1 whose features were familiar through published interviews in many publicity campaigns1 was placed to one side opposite ,phelps4 ,millard was given charge of a group containing a number of giddy extra girls in somewhat diaphanous costume1 and seemed to be in his element4 ,the tables themselves were prepared with perfect taste4 ,i could see that real food was being used1 in order to achieve a greater degree of realism1 for a caterer had set up a buffet some distance out of the scene from which to serve the courses called for in the script4 ,many of the dishes were being kept hot1 the steam curling from beneath the covers in appetizing wisps4 ,the wine1 supposed to be champagne1 was sparkling apple juice of the best quality1 and ,i don't doubt but that before the days of prohibition ,werner would have insisted upon the real fizz water4 ,in details such as these the director was showing no economy4 ,all ready now8 ,werner called1 stepping back to a place at a table which he had reserved for himself4 ,all set8 ,remember the action of the script8 ,instantly the buzz of conversation died and everyone turned to him4 ,no1 no1 no6 he exclaimed in vexation4 ,don't go dead on your feet4 ,this is a banquet4 ,you are having a good time4 ,it's not a funeral6 ,you were all in just the right state of mind before1 and you don't have to stop and gape to listen to me4 ,keep right on talking and laughing4 ,my voice will carry and you can hear without getting out of your parts4 ,i turned to ,kennedy1 to see how the picture-making struck him4 ,i saw that he was watching the two girls at the forward table closely and so ,i faced about to follow his glance4 ,marilyn's face was red with anger1 while ,enid1 calm and rather malicious1 was ignoring her to devote all attention to ,gordon4 ,the leading man1 bored and irritated1 made no effort to conceal a heavy scowl4 ,in the momentary interval following ,werner's instructions1 ,marilyn lost all control of herself4 ,if you will pardon me1 ,,miss ,faye1 she cried out in a voice which carried over to us and with cutting accent upon the ,miss1 ,i think that in this scene at least we should ,,both be facing the camera4 ,if ,i understand the scene in the script at all it is intended to show the conflict between the two women over the one man seated between them4 ,jack ,daring is to be swayed first by ,stella ,remsen1 then by ,zelda4 ,at least this once ,i think the daughter of old ,remsen and his ward are playing roles of equal importance4 ,for a moment ,i smiled1 realizing that ,marilyn was not going to let ,enid take the picture away from her as we had seen the new star do in one of her first scenes with the leading man4 ,then ,i sobered1 realizing that it was the outer reflection of the deep-running passion of these people4 ,the cloud of ,stella's death was over them still4 ,enid responded1 but in tones too low for us to hear4 ,a new flush of red in ,marilyn's face1 however1 demonstrated the power in the lash of the other girl's tongue4 ,werner hurried over to them1 not masking his own irritation any too well4 ,without a word he began rearranging the table1 moving it slightly so that while there was no great difference in its position he had yet made a show of satisfying ,marilyn4 ,in effect he pleased neither4 ,the two pretty faces closest to the camera were a study in discontent4 ,i don't wonder that moving-picture directors are nervous1 ,kennedy remarked4 ,film manufacture must keep everyone under constant tension4 ,what do you make of the feeling between the different people8 ,i asked4 ,did you notice ,millard and ,gordon1 and now ,enid and ,marilyn8 ,there's something under cover1 he rejoined2 something behind all this4 ,i get the impression that our suspects are watching one another1 like as many hawks4 ,at various times most of them have glanced over at us4 ,they know we are here and are conscious they may be under suspicion4 ,therefore ,i particularly want to see how those two girls act when ,mackay arrives to arrest ,werner4 ,the director1 stepping back to his place1 took a megaphone from his assistant for use in the rehearsal4 ,now you must act just as though this were a real banquet1 he shouted4 ,try to forget that the ,black ,terror is lurking outside the window1 that an attack is coming from him4 ,remember1 when the shot is fired you must all leap up as though you meant it4 ,here6 ,you--you--you-- designating certain extra girls1 faint when it happens4 ,that's not until after the toast is proposed4 ,i'll propose the toast from my table and it will be the cue for ,shirley1 outside4 ,now don't get ahead of the action4 ,you amateurs1 don't turn around to see if the camera is working4 ,we'll go through the action up to the moment ,i propose the toast4 ,the buzz of conversation rose slightly as though an effort was being put into the gayety4 ,i glanced about at some of the people who were cast for only this one scene1 wishing ,i could read lips1 because ,i was sure many of them talked of matters wholly out of place in this setting4 ,at the same time ,i kept an eye on the principals and upon ,werner4 ,finally the director was satisfied1 after a second rehearsal4 ,all right1 he bellowed1 throwing the megaphone from the scene4 ,shoot6 ,at the same instant he dropped to his place and apparently was a guest with no interest but in the food and wine before him4 ,at the cameras-there were three of them-the assistant director kept a careful watch of the general action4 ,in actual time by the watch the whole was very short1 a second measuring to sixteen pictures or a foot of film as ,i explained afterward to ,kennedy4 ,the entire scene perhaps ran one hundred or one hundred and fifty feet4 ,but on the screen1 even to the spectators in the studio1 the illusion in a scene of the kind would be the duration of half an hour or even more4 ,this would be helped by close-ups of the individual action1 especially by the byplay between the principals1 taken later and inserted into the long shot by the film cutter4 ,i know ,i was carried away by a sense of reality4 ,it seemed to me that waiters made endless trips to and fro1 that here and there pretty girls broke into laughter constantly or that men leaned forward every other moment to make witty remarks2 in fact ,i felt genuinely sorry ,i could not take part in the festivities4 ,i knew that danger1 in the person of the ,black ,terror as played by ,shirley1 lurked just out the window4 ,i felt delicious anticipatory thrills of fear1 so thoroughly was ,i in the spirit of the thing4 ,then ,i saw that ,werner was about to propose the toast1 about to give the cue for the big action4 ,watch him whispered ,kennedy4 ,he's an actor4 ,he's taking that drink just as though he meant every drop of it4 ,werner had raised his delicately stemmed glass as though to join his neighbor in some pledge when a new idea seemed to strike him4 ,he leaped to his feet4 ,let's drink together6 ,let's drink to our hero and heroine of the evening6 ,other voices rose in acclamation4 ,the wine had been poured lavishly4 ,glasses clinked and we could hear laughter4 ,suddenly at the window1 back of everyone1 appeared the evil1 black-masked figure of ,shirley1 eyes glittering menacingly from their slits1 two weapons glistening blue in his hands4 ,at the same moment there was a terrible groan1 followed by a scream of agony4 ,werner staggered back1 his left hand clutched at his breast4 ,from his right hand the glass which he had drained fell to the canvas covered floor with an ominous dull crash4 ,this was not in the script6 ,practically everybody realized the fact1 for the scene instantly was in an uproar4 ,in the general consternation no one seemed to know just what to do4 ,shirley was the first to act1 the first to realize what had happened4 ,dropping his weapons1 reaching the side of the stricken director in one leap1 he supported him as he reeled drunkenly1 then eased him to the floor4 ,behind us1 before ,i could look to ,kennedy to see what he would do1 there was the gasp of a man out of breath from hurrying upstairs4 ,i turned1 startled4 ,it was ,mackay4 ,shall ,i make the collar8 he wheezed4 ,at the same instant he saw the gathering crowd in the set4 ,what--what's happened8 he asked4 ,kennedy had bounded forward only a few seconds after ,shirley4 ,as ,i pushed through after him1 ,mackay following1 ,i discovered him kneeling at the side of ,werner4 ,some one send for a doctor1 quick1 he commanded1 taking charge of things as a matter of course4 ,hurry6 he repeated4 ,he's gasping for air and it'll be too late in a minute4 ,then he saw us4 ,walter--,mackay--he raised ,werner's head--push everyone back1 please6 ,give him a chance to breathe6 ,a thousand thoughts flashed through my head as politely but firmly ,i widened the space about ,kennedy and the director4 ,was this a case of suicide8 ,had ,werner known we were coming for him8 ,had he thought to bring about his own end in the most spectacular fashion possible8 ,was this the fancy of a drug-weakened brain8 ,suddenly ,i realized that ,werner was trying to speak4 ,one of the camera men had helped ,kennedy lift him to the top of a table1 swept of its dishes and linen1 so as to make it easier for him to breathe4 ,out in ,tarrytown1 he muttered1 weakly1 that night--,i suspected--and--saw-- ,his voice trailed off into nothingness4 ,even the motion of his lips was too feeble to follow4 ,in an instant ,i grasped the cruel injustice ,i had done this man in my mind4 ,it was now that ,i remembered1 in a flash1 ,kennedy's attitude and was glad that ,kennedy had not suspected him4 ,see6 ,i faced ,mackay1 speaking in quick1 low tones so the others could not hear4 ,i--we--have been totally and absolutely wrong in suspecting ,werner4 ,instead1 it was he who has been playing our game--trying to confirm his own suspicions4 ,i've been entirely wrong in my deductions from the discovery of his dope and needles4 ,what do you mean1 ,jameson8 ,the district attorney had been taken completely off his feet by the unexpected developments4 ,his eyes were rather dazed1 his expression baffled4 ,what do you mean8 ,why he was out at ,tarrytown that night1 all right1 don't you see--but--but he was the second man1 the man who watched6 ,mackay still seemed unable to comprehend4 ,there were two men1 ,i went on1 excitedly2 covering my own chagrin in my impatience at the little district attorney4 ,the one your deputy struggled with was short1 rather than tall1 and very strong4 ,that's ,werner6 ,can't you see it8 ,haven't you noticed how stockily and powerfully the director is built8 ,werner must really have had some clue1 murmured ,mackay1 dazed4 ,it left me wondering whether the stimulation of the dope might not have heightened ,werner's imagination and urged him on in following something that our more sluggish minds had never even dreamed4 ,meanwhile ,i saw that the doctor had arrived and that ,kennedy had helped carry ,werner to a dressing room where first aid could be given more conveniently4 ,now ,kennedy hurried back into the studio1 glancing quickly this way and that1 as though to catch signs of confusion or guilt upon the faces of those about us4 ,i colored4 ,instead of making explanations to ,mackay1 explanations which could have waited1 ,i might have used what faculties of observation ,i possessed to aid ,kennedy while he was giving first consideration to the life of a man4 ,as it was1 ,i didn't know what had become of any of the various people upon our list of possible suspects4 ,as far as ,i was concerned1 any or every sign and clue to the attack upon ,werner might have been removed or destroyed4 ,a sudden hush caused all of us to turn toward the door leading to the dressing rooms4 ,it was the physician4 ,he raised a hand for attention4 ,his voice was low1 but it carried to every corner of the studio3 ,mr4 ,werner is dead1 he announced4 ,,xxi ,,merle ,,shirley ,,overacts ,appalled1 ,i wondered who it was who had1 to cover up one crime1 committed another8 ,who had struck down an innocent man to save a guilty neck8 ,kennedy hurried to the side of the physician and ,i followed4 ,what symptoms did you observe8 asked ,kennedy1 quickly1 seeking confirmation of his own first impressions4 ,his mouth seemed dry and ,i should say he suffered from a quick prostration4 ,there seemed to be a complete loss of power to swallow or speak4 ,the pupils were dilated as though from paralysis of the eyes4 ,both pharynx and larynx were affected4 ,there was respiration paralysis4 ,it seemed also as though the cranial nerves were partially paralyzed4 ,it was typically a condition due to some toxic substance which paralyzed and depressed certain areas of the body4 ,kennedy nodded4 ,that fits in with a theory ,i have4 ,i thought quickly1 then inquired2 ,could it be the snake venom again8 ,no1 ,kennedy replied1 shaking his head2 there's a difference in the symptoms and there is no mark on any exposed part of the body1 as near as ,i could see in a superficial examination4 ,he turned to the physician4 ,could you give me blood smears and some of the stomach contents1 at once8 ,twice1 now1 some one has been stricken down before the very eyes of the actors4 ,this thing has gone too far to trifle with or delay a moment4 ,the doctor hurried off toward the dressing room1 anxious to help ,kennedy1 and as excited1 ,i thought1 as any of us4 ,next ,kennedy faced me4 ,did you watch the people at all1 ,walter8 ,i--,i was too upset by the suddenness of it1 ,i stammered4 ,all seemed to have suspicion of some one else1 and there was a general constraint1 as though even the innocent feared to do or say something that might look or sound incriminating4 ,i turned4 ,all were now watching every move we made1 though just yet none ventured to follow us4 ,it was as though they felt that to do so was like crossing a dead line4 ,i wondered which one of them might be looking at us with inward trepidation--or perhaps satisfaction1 if there had been any chance to remove anything incriminating4 ,kennedy strode over toward the ill-fated set1 ,mackay and ,i at his heels4 ,as we moved across the floor ,i noticed that everyone clustered as close as he dared1 afraid1 seemingly1 of any action which might hinder the investigation1 yet unwilling to miss any detail of ,kennedy's method4 ,in contrast with the clamor and racket of less than a half hour previously there was now a deathlike stillness beneath the arched ground-glass roof4 ,the heat was more oppressive than ever before4 ,in the faces and expressions of the awed witnesses of death's swift hand there was horror1 and a growing fear4 ,no one spoke1 except in whispers4 ,when anybody moved it was on tiptoe1 cautiously4 ,millard's creation1 ,the ,black ,terror1 could have inspired no dread greater than this4 ,of the people we wished to study1 ,phelps caught our eyes the first4 ,dejected1 crushed1 utterly discouraged1 he was slouched down in a chair just at the edge of the supposed banquet hall4 ,i had no doubt of the nature of his thoughts4 ,there was probably only the most perfunctory sympathy for the stricken director4 ,without question his mind ran to dollars4 ,the dollar-angle to this tragedy was that the death of ,werner was simply another step in the wrecking of ,manton ,pictures4 ,kennedy1 ,i saw1 hardly gave him a passing glance4 ,manton we observed near the door4 ,with the possible exception of ,millard he seemed about the least concerned4 ,the two1 scenario writer and producer1 had counterfeited the melodrama of life so often in their productions that even the second sinister chapter in this film mystery failed to penetrate their sang-froid4 ,inwardly they may have felt as deeply as any of the rest1 but both maintained their outward composure4 ,on ,manton's shoulders was the responsibility for the picture4 ,i could see that he was nervous1 irritable2 yet1 as various employees approached for their instructions in this emergency he never lost his grasp of affairs4 ,in the vibrant quiet of this studio chamber1 still under the shadow of tragedy1 we witnessed as cold-blooded a bit of business generalship as has ever come to my knowledge4 ,we overheard1 because ,manton's voice carried across to us in the stillness4 ,kauf6 ,the name ,i remembered as that of the technical1 or art1 director under ,werner1 responsible for the sets of ,the ,black ,terror4 ,yes1 ,mr4 ,manton6 ,kauf was a slim1 stoop-shouldered man1 gray1 and a dynamo of energy in a quiet1 subservient way4 ,he ran to ,manton's side4 ,remember once telling me you wanted to become a director1 that you wanted to make pictures for me8 ,yes1 sir6 ,you are familiar with the script of ',the ,black ,terror1' aren't you8 ,you know the people and how they work and you have sets lined up4 ,how would you like to finish the direction8 ,but--but-- ,to the credit of the little man he dabbed at his eyes4 ,i guess he had been fond of his immediate superior4 ,mr4--,mr4 ,werner is d-dead-- he stammered4 ,of course6 ,manton's voice rose slightly4 ,if ,werner wasn't dead ,i wouldn't need another director at a moment's notice4 ,some one has to complete ',the ,black ,terror4' ,we have all these people on salary1 and all the studio expense1 and the release date's settled1 so that we can't stop4 ,it's your chance1 ,kauf6 ,do you want it8 ,y-yes1 sir6 ,good6 ,i'll double your salary1 including all this week4 ,now can you finish this banquet set to-night1 while you have the people-- ,to-night6 ,kauf's eyes went wide1 then he started to flush4 ,well1 to-morrow1 then6 ,we simply can't lay off a day1 ,kauf6 ,all--all right1 sir6 ,it seemed to me that everyone in the place sensed the horror of this4 ,literally1 actually1 ,werner's body could not be cold4 ,even the police1 the medical examiner1 had not had sufficient time to make the trip out for their investigation4 ,yet the director's successor had been appointed and told to hurry the production4 ,i glanced at ,phelps4 ,he raised his head slowly1 his expression lifting at the thought that production was to continue without interruption4 ,in another moment1 however1 there was a change in his face4 ,his eyes sought ,manton and hardened4 ,his mouth tightened4 ,hate1 a deep1 unreasoning hate1 settled into his features4 ,kennedy1 pausing just long enough to observe the promoter's appointment of ,kauf to ,werner's position1 continued on toward the set4 ,now as ,i looked about ,i saw that ,jack ,gordon was missing1 as well as ,marilyn ,loring4 ,presumably they had gone to their dressing rooms4 ,all the other actors and actresses were waiting1 ill at ease1 wondering at the outcome of the tragedy4 ,suddenly ,kennedy stopped and ,i grasped that it was the peculiar actions of ,merle ,shirley which had halted him4 ,the heavy man was the only one of the company actually in the fabricated banquet hall itself4 ,clinging to him still were the grim flowing robes of the ,black ,terror4 ,as though he were some old-fashioned tragedian1 he was pacing up and down1 hands behind his back1 head bowed1 eyes on the floor4 ,more1 he was mumbling to himself4 ,it was evident1 however1 that it was neither a pose nor mental aberration4 ,shirley was searching for something1 out in the open1 without attempt at concealment1 swearing softly at his lack of success4 ,kennedy pushed forward4 ,did you lose something1 ,mr4 ,shirley8 ,no6 ,the heavy man straightened4 ,as he drew himself up in his sinister garb ,i thought again of the cheap actors of a day when moving pictures had yet to pre-empt the field of the lurid melodrama4 ,it seemed to me that ,merle ,shirley was overacting1 that it was impossible for him to be so wrought up over the slaying of a man who1 after all1 was only his director1 certainly not a close nor an intimate relationship4 ,mr4 ,kennedy1 he stated1 ponderously1 there has been a second death1 and at the hand which struck down ,stella ,lamar in ,tarrytown4 ,somewhere in this banquet hall interior there is a clue to the murderer4 ,i have kept a careful watch so that nothing might be disturbed4 ,do you suspect anyone8 ,kennedy asked4 ,shirley glanced away and we knew he was lying4 ,no1 not definitely4 ,who has been in the set since ,i left with the doctor8 ,no one except myself1 that is--,shirley wanted to make it clear--no one has had any opportunity to hide or move or take or change a thing1 because ,i have been right here all the time4 ,i see6 ,thanks1 and--,kennedy seemed genuinely apologetic--if you don't mind--,i would prefer to make my investigation alone4 ,shirley turned on his heel and made for his dressing room4 ,meanwhile ,i had noticed a bit of by-play between ,enid ,faye and ,lawrence ,millard1 the only others of our possible suspects about4 ,enid first had caught my eye because she seemed to be pleading with the writer1 trying to hold him4 ,i gathered from the look of disgust on ,millard's face that he wanted to get ,shirley out of the set before ,kennedy should observe the heavy man's odd reaction to the tragedy4 ,while ,i had never seen ,millard and ,shirley together1 so as to establish in mind the state of their feelings toward each other1 this would seem to indicate that they were friendly4 ,certainly ,shirley was making a fool of himself4 ,enid acted1 ,i guessed1 so as to prevent ,millard's interference1 probably with the idea that ,millard in some fashion might bring suspicion upon himself4 ,it struck me that ,enid had a wholesome respect for ,kennedy4 ,at any rate1 ,millard watched the little scene between ,kennedy and ,shirley with a quizzical expression4 ,as ,shirley left he shrugged his shoulders1 then he gave ,enid's cheeks a playful pinch each and started out after the heavy man in leisurely fashion4 ,just about the same moment ,kennedy called me to his side4 ,walter1 he pleaded1 in a low voice1 will you hurry out to the dressing room where the doctor and ,i took ,werner and get the blood smears and sample of the stomach contents8 ,i don't want to leave this1 because we must work fast and get all the data we need before the police arrive4 ,with perhaps a hundred people to question they'll be apt to make a fine mess of everything4 ,this is an outlying precinct where we'll draw the amateurs1 you know4 ,i saw that ,mackay was helping him and so ,i left cheerfully1 making my way as fast as ,i could toward the door through which both ,shirley and ,millard had passed4 ,in the hallway of the building devoted to dressing rooms ,i found that ,i did not know which one contained ,werner's body4 ,this corridor was familiar4 ,here ,kennedy and ,i had waited for ,marilyn ,loring and had witnessed the scene between ,shirley and herself4 ,now ,i did not even remember the location of her room4 ,at last1 on a chance1 ,i tried a door softly4 ,from within came whispered voices of deep intensity4 ,about to close it quickly1 ,i realized suddenly that ,i recognized the speakers in spite of the whispers4 ,it was ,marilyn and ,shirley4 ,they were together4 ,now ,i recollected the figured chintz which covered the wall and was to be seen through the crack made by the open door4 ,it was her room4 ,they had not heard my hand on the knob1 nor the catch1 did not know that anyone could eavesdrop4 ,you see6 ,her tones were the more vibrant ,you waited6 ,i had to6 ,no6 ,i advised you to act at once4 ,i couldn't6 ,i can't even now6 ,all right6 ,her tone became bitter4 ,go ahead1 your own way4 ,but you must count the cost4 ,you may lose me again1 ,merle ,shirley4 ,how do you mean8 ,her answer1 in the faintest of whispers1 staggered me4 ,if you have the blood of another man on your hands ,i'm through4 ,,xxii ,,the ,,stem ,though my hands trembled so that ,i could hardly control them1 ,i managed to close the door softly and to back away down the hall without being discovered4 ,my head was spinning and ,i was dizzy4 ,with my own ears ,i had heard ,marilyn ,loring virtually betray the guilt of the man she loved and whom therefore she had tried to shield4 ,if you have the blood of another man on your hands-- ,what more could ,kennedy want8 ,i started to run toward the studio4 ,then recollection of my errand stopped me4 ,kennedy wished the blood smears and stomach contents and was anxious to get them before the arrival of the police4 ,at first ,i thought that all such evidence would be unnecessary now1 after the dialogue ,i had overheard1 but it struck me as an afterthought that it might be necessary still to prove ,shirley's guilt to the satisfaction of a court and jury1 and so ,i rushed to the next dressing room and to another1 until ,i located the doctor and the body of the dead man4 ,with the little package for ,kennedy safely in my pocket ,i hurried out again into the sweltering heat beneath the glass of the big studio1 and to the side of ,kennedy and ,mackay in the banquet-hall set4 ,you have a sample of each article of food now8 he was asking the district attorney4 ,you are sure you have missed nothing8 ,as far as possible ,i took my samples from the table where ,werner sat1 ,mackay explained4 ,when the prop4 boy gets here with an empty bottle and cork ,i'll have a sample of the wine4 ,i think it's the wine1 he added4 ,kennedy turned to me4 ,you've got-- ,in my pocket6 ,i interrupted4 ,then1 rather breathlessly1 ,i repeated the conversation ,i had overheard4 ,good ,lord6 ,mackay flushed4 ,there it is6 ,shirley's the man1 and ,i'll take him now1 quick1 without waiting for a warrant4 ,see6 ,i ejaculated1 to ,kennedy4 ,he killed ,stella because she made a fool of him and then1 when ,werner discovered that and followed him to ,tarrytown the other night1 it probably put him in a panic of fear1 and so1 to keep ,werner from talking-- ,easy1 ,walter6 ,not so fast6 ,what you overheard is insufficient ground for ,shirley's conviction1 unless you could make him confess1 and ,i doubt you could make him do that4 ,why8 ,this was ,mackay4 ,because ,i don't think he's guilty4 ,at least--,kennedy1 as always1 was cautious in his statements1 not so far as anything we now know would indicate4 ,but his anger at ,stella1 ,i protested1 and ,marilyn's remark--' ,miss ,lamar's death was the result of a cool1 unfeeling plan1 not pique or anger4 ,the same cruel1 careful brain executed this second crime4 ,mackay1 ,i saw1 was three-quarters convinced by ,kennedy4 ,how do you account for the dialogue ,jameson overheard8 he asked4 ,miss ,loring told us that ,shirley suspected some one and was watching1 and would not tell her or anyone else who it was4 ,it seems most likely to me that it is the truth1 ,mackay4 ,in that case her remark means that she believes his silence in a way is responsible for ,werner's death4 ,oh6 ,if ,shirley had taken you into his confidence1 for instance--8 ,i might possibly have succeeded in gaining sufficient evidence for an arrest1 thus averting this tragedy4 ,but it is only a theory of mine4 ,i scowled4 ,it seemed to me that ,kennedy was minimizing things in a way unusual for him4 ,i wondered if he really thought the heavy man innocent4 ,it's still my belief that ,shirley is guilty1 ,i asserted4 ,a sound of confusion from the courtyard beneath the heavy studio windows caught ,kennedy's ear and ended the colloquy4 ,from some of those near enough to look out we received the explanation4 ,the police had arrived1 fully three-quarters of an hour after ,werner's death4 ,i'll get the little bottle of wine1 sure1 ,mackay murmured1 picking up the food samples he had wrapped and crowding the bulky package into a pocket4 ,i don't see why that would have been any easier to poison than the food1 was my objection4 ,everyone was looking4 ,very simple4 ,the food was brought in quite late4 ,besides1 it was dished out by the caterer before the eyes of forty or fifty people or more and there was no telling which plate would go to ,werner's place4 ,the drinks were poured last of all4 ,i remember seeing the bubbles rise and wondering whether they would register at the distance4 ,kennedy did not look at me4 ,did it ever occur to you1 he went on1 casually1 that the glasses were all set out empty at the various places long before1 and that there might easily have been a few drops of something1 if it were colorless1 placed in the bottom of ,werner's glass1 with scarcely a chance of its being discovered1 especially by a man who had so much on his mind at the time as ,werner had8 ,he must have indicated where he would sit when he arranged the camera stands and the location of the tables4 ,i had not thought of that4 ,kennedy frowned4 ,if only ,i could have located more of that broken glass6 ,as he faced me ,i could read his disappointment4 ,walter1 ,i've made a most careful search of his chair and the table and everything about the space where he dropped4 ,the poison must have been in the wine1 but there's not a tiny sliver of that glass left1 nothing but a thousand bits ground into the canvas1 too small to hold even a drop of the liquid4 ,just think1 a dried stain of the wine1 no matter how tiny1 might have served me in a chemical analysis4 ,very suddenly there was a low exclamation from ,mackay4 ,look6 ,quick6 ,some one must have kicked it way over here6 ,fully twenty feet from ,werner's place in the glare of the lights was the hollow stem of a champagne glass1 its base intact save for a narrow segment4 ,in the stem still were a couple of drops of the wine1 as if in a bulb or tube4 ,can it be the director's glass8 ,mackay asked1 handing it to ,kennedy4 ,kennedy slipped it into his pocket1 fussing with his handkerchief so that the precious contents would not drip out4 ,i think so4 ,i doubt whether any other glass was broken4 ,verify it quickly4 ,the police were entering now with ,manton4 ,following them was the physician4 ,mackay and ,i ascertained readily that no other glass had been shattered1 while ,kennedy searched the floor for possible signs that the stem was part of a glass broken where we had found it4 ,unquestionably we had a sample of the actual wine quaffed by the unfortunate ,werner4 ,elated we strolled to a corner so as to give the police full charge4 ,they'll waste time questioning everyone1 ,kennedy remarked4 ,i have the real evidence4 ,he tapped his pocket4 ,the few moments that he had had to himself had been ample for him to obtain such evidence as was destroyed in so many cases by the time he was called upon the scene4 ,a point occurred to me4 ,you don't think the poison was planted later during the excitement8 ,hardly6 ,our criminal is too clever to take a long chance4 ,in such a case we would know it was some one near ,werner and also there would be too many people watching4 ,foolhardiness is not boldness4 ,i took to observing the methods of the police1 which were highly efficient1 but only in the minuteness of the examination of witnesses and in the care with which they recorded names and facts and made sure that no one had slipped away to avoid the notoriety4 ,the actors and actresses who had stood rather in awe of ,kennedy1 both here and in ,kennedy's investigation at ,tarrytown1 developed nimble tongues in their answers to the city detectives4 ,the result was a perfect maze of conflicting versions of ,werner's cry and fall4 ,in fact1 one scene shifter insisted that ,shirley1 as the ,black ,terror1 had reached ,werner's side and had struck him before the cry1 while an extra girl with a faint lisp described with sobering accuracy the flight of a mysterious missile through the air4 ,i realized then why ,kennedy had made no effort to question them4 ,under the excitement of the scene1 the glamour of the lights1 the sense of illusion1 and the stifling heat1 it would have been strange for any of the people to have retained correct impressions of the event4 ,the police sergeant knew ,kennedy by reputation and approached him after a visit to the dead man's body with the doctor4 ,his glance1 including ,mackay and myself1 was frankly triumphant4 ,well1 he exclaimed1 ,i don't suppose it occurred to any of you ,,scientific guys to search the fellow1 now did it8 ,kennedy smiled1 in good humor4 ,searching a man isn't always the scientific method4 ,you won't find the word 'frisk' in any scientific dictionary4 ,no8 ,the police officer's eyes twinkled4 ,there was enough of the ,irish in him to enjoy an encounter of this kind4 ,maybe not1 but you might find things in a chap's pocket which is better4 ,with a flourish he produced a hypodermic syringe1 the duplicate of the one ,i had appropriated1 and a tiny bottle4 ,the man's a dope1 he added4 ,i knew that1 replied ,kennedy4 ,i examined his arm1 where he usually took his shots1 and found no fresh mark of the needle4 ,that doesn't prove anything4 ,wait until the medical examiner gets here4 ,he'll find the fellow's heart all shot full of hop1 or something4 ,i guess it isn't so complicated1 after all4 ,he was a hop fiend1 all right4 ,still1 there's nothing to indicate that he was a suicide4 ,not suicide2 accident-overdose1 was the sergeant's reply4 ,how could he have died from an overdose of the drug1 when he hasn't taken any recently8 ,well--unabashed--then he croaked because he hadn't had a shot--the same thing4 ,heart failure1 either way4 ,excited1 and all1 you know1 making the scene4 ,maybe he forgot to use the needle at that4 ,perhaps you're right4 ,kennedy shrugged calmly4 ,what was the use of disputing the matter8 ,i started to protest against the detective's hypothesis4 ,the idea of any drug addict ever forgetting to take his stimulant was too preposterous4 ,but ,kennedy checked me4 ,all were now keenly listening to the argument4 ,better1 perhaps1 to let some one think that nothing was suspected than to disclose the cards in ,craig's hand4 ,i saw that he wished to get away and had not spoken seriously4 ,he turned to ,mackay4 ,walter and ,i will have to hurry to the laboratory4 ,would you like to come along8 ,you bet ,i would6 ,the district attorney showed his delight4 ,i was just going to ask if ,i might do so4 ,there's nothing for me in ,tarrytown to-day and this is out of my jurisdiction4 ,as we turned away the police sergeant saw us and called across the floor1 not quite concealing a touch of professional jealousy4 ,the three of you were here at the time1 weren't you8 ,no1 ,kennedy answered4 ,mr4 ,jameson and myself4 ,well1 you two1 then6 ,you're witnesses and ,i'll ask you to hold yourself in readiness to appear at the hearing4 ,i thought that the policeman was particularly delighted at his position to issue orders to ,kennedy1 and ,i was angered4 ,again ,craig held me in check6 ,we'll be glad to tell anything we know1 he replied1 then added a little fling1 a bit of sarcasm which almost went over the other's head4 ,that is1 he amended1 as eye-witnesses6 ,,xxiii ,,botulin ,,toxin ,mackay drove us to the laboratory in his little car and it was dark and we were dinnerless when we arrived4 ,knowing ,kennedy's habits1 ,i sent out for sandwiches and started in to make strong coffee upon an electric percolator4 ,the aroma tingled in my nostrils1 reminding me that ,i was genuinely hungry4 ,the district attorney1 too1 seemed more or less similarly disposed4 ,as for ,kennedy1 he was interested in nothing but the problem before him4 ,he had been strangely quiet on the way1 growing more and more impatient and nervous1 as though the element of time had entered into the case1 as though haste were suddenly imperative4 ,once the lights were on in the laboratory he hurried about his various preparations4 ,the food samples he laid out1 but he gave them no attention4 ,the blood smears and stomach contents he put aside for future reference4 ,his attack was upon the drop or two of liquid adhering to the stem of the broken champagne glass4 ,the entire chemical procedure seemed to be incomprehensible to ,mackay and he was fascinated1 so that he had considerable trouble at times keeping out of the way of ,kennedy's elbow4 ,kennedy first washed the stem out carefully with a few drops of distilled water1 then he studied the resulting solution4 ,one after another he tried the things that occurred to him1 making tests wholly unproductive of results4 ,slowly the laboratory table became littered completely with chemicals and apparatus of all sorts1 a veritable arsenal of glass4 ,the sandwiches arrived1 but ,kennedy refused to drop his investigation for a moment4 ,i did succeed in making him take a cup of strong coffee1 and that was all4 ,over in a corner ,mackay and ,i did full justice to the food1 finishing the hot and welcome coffee and then refilling the percolator and starting it on the making of a second brew4 ,the hours lengthened1 and when ,mackay grew tired of watching with intense admiration he joined me in the patient consumption of innumerable cigarettes4 ,kennedy was filled with the joy of discovery4 ,i noticed that he did not stop even for the solace of tobacco4 ,it seemed to me that at times his nostrils dilated exactly like those of a hound on the scent4 ,finally he held up a test tube and turned to us4 ,what is it8 ,i asked4 ,some other poison as rare and little known as the snake venom8 ,no--something much more curious4 ,in the stem of the glass ,i find the toxin of the ,bacillus botulinus4 ,germs8 ,mackay inquired4 ,kennedy shook his head4 ,not germs1 but the pure toxin1 the poison secreted by this bacillus4 ,what does it do8 was my question4 ,well1 thoughtfully1 botulism may be ranked easily among the most serious diseases known to medical science4 ,it is hard to understand why it is not a great deal more common4 ,it is one of the most dangerous kinds of food poisoning4 ,then the apple juice they used for the wine was bad1 spoiled8 ,no1 not that4 ,werner was the only one stricken4 ,somebody put the pure toxin in his glass4 ,it was1 as ,i suspected1 deliberate murder1 as in the case of ,miss ,lamar4 ,bacillus botulinus produces a toxin that is extremely virulent4 ,hardly more than a ten-thousandth of a cubic centimeter would kill a guinea pig4 ,this was botulin itself1 the pure toxin1 an alkaloid just like that which is formed in meat and other food products in cases of botulism4 ,the idea might also have been to make the death seem natural--due solely to bad food4 ,do you suppose it was used because it was quick and was colorless1 so as not to be noticed in the glass8 ,i hazarded4 ,kennedy paced up and down the laboratory several times in thought4 ,to me1 ,walter1 this is another indication of the satanic cleverness of the unknown criminal in the case4 ,first ,miss ,lamar is to be killed4 ,for that purpose something was sought1 probably1 which could not be traced easily to the perpetrator4 ,in snake venom an agent was employed which may be said to be almost ideal for the grim business of murder4 ,it is extremely difficult to identify in its results1 it is comparatively unknown1 yet it is swift in action and to be obtained with fair ease4 ,differing from most poisons1 it may be inflicted through a prick so slight as to be almost unnoticed by the victim4 ,the scheme of fixing the needle in the curtain was so simple and yet so effective that the guilty person need never have feared its discovery under ordinary circumstances1 or its association with the girl's death1 if some one stumbled upon it accidentally4 ,the idea of returning for the death-dealing point was only one of the many details of a precautionary measure upon which we have stumbled4 ,had ,i found it the next morning ,i would have been unable1 in all probability1 to identify it as belonging to or as obtained by any of our suspects4 ,you must realize1 ,walter1 that with all the scientific aids ,i have been able to bring to bear we possess almost no direct evidence4 ,there are no fingerprints1 no cigarette stubs1 no array of personal1 intimate clues of any sort to this criminal4 ,these are the threads which lead the detective to his quarry in fiction and on the stage4 ,here we lack even the faintest description of the man1 or woman if that is her sex4 ,it is murder from a distance1 planned with almost meticulous care1 executed coolly and without feeling or scruple4 ,after the death of ,miss ,lamar ,i was not so sure but that the selection of the snake venom was simply the inspiration of a perverted brain1 the evolution of the detailed method of killing her--an outgrowth of someone's familiarity with studio life in general1 with the script of ',the ,black ,terror' in particular4 ,now ,i realize that we are face to face with the studied handiwork of a skilled criminal4 ,these two deaths may be his--or her--first departure into the realm of crime4 ,but potentially we have a super-villain4 ,i make that statement because of the manner of ,werner's demise4 ,it is evident that the director stumbled on a clue to the murderer4 ,if my first hypothesis had been correct1 if the use of snake venom and the unlucky thirteenth scene had been largely a matter of blind chance in the selection of poison and method1 then we might have expected ,werner to be struck down in some dark street1 or perhaps decoyed to his death--at the best1 inoculated with the same crotalin which had killed ,miss ,lamar4 ,but let us analyze the method used in slaying the director4 ,if he had been blackjacked there would be the clue of the weapon1 always likely to turn up1 the chance of witnesses1 and also the likelihood in an extreme case that ,werner might not die at once1 but might talk and give a description of his assailant1 or even survive4 ,much the same objections--from the criminal's standpoint--obtain in nearly all the accepted modes of killing a man4 ,even the use of venom a second time possesses the disadvantage of a certain alertness against the very thing on the part of the victim4 ,werner was a dope fiend1 fully aware of the potency of a tiny skin puncture4 ,i'll wager he was on constant guard against any sort of scratch4 ,on the other hand1 the few drops of toxin in the glass possessed every advantage from the unknown's standpoint4 ,it was invisible1 and as sure in its action as the venom4 ,also it was as rare and as difficult to trace4 ,for1 remember this4 ,botulism is food poisoning4 ,if ,i had not found the stem of that glass it would be absolutely impossible to show that ,werner died from anything on earth but bad food4 ,that is why ,i do not even take time to analyze the stomach contents4 ,that is why ,i say we are confronted by an archscoundrel of highest intelligence and downright cleverness4 ,more--,kennedy paused for emphasis--,i realize now the presence of a grim1 invisible menace4 ,it has just now been driven home to me4 ,the botulin1 with its deadly paralyzing power1 sealed ,werner's tongue even while he tried to tell me what he knew4 ,mackay was tremendously impressed by ,kennedy's explanation4 ,does this mean1 he asked1 that the guilty man or woman is some outsider8 ,those we have figured as possible suspects would hardly have this detailed knowledge of poisons4 ,there are two possibilities1 ,kennedy answered4 ,the real person behind the two murders may have employed some one else to carry out the actual killing1 a hypothesis ,i do not take seriously1 or--again he paused--this may be a case of some one with intelligence starting out upon his career of crime intelligently by reading up on his subject4 ,it is as simple to learn how to use crotalin or botulin toxin or any number of hundreds of deadly substances as it is to obtain the majority of them4 ,in fact1 if people generally understood the ease with which whole communities could be wiped out1 and grasped that it could be done so as to leave virtually no clue to the author of the horror1 they might not sleep as soundly at night as they do4 ,the saving grace is that the average criminal is often clever1 but almost never truly scientific4 ,unfortunately1 we have to combat one who possesses the latter quality to a high degree4 ,what is the invisible menace of which you spoke1 ,craig8 ,i inquired4 ,the possibility of another murder before we can apprehend the guilty person or gain the evidence we need4 ,good heavens6 ,i imagine ,i blanched4 ,you mean-- ,werner was struck down1 apparently1 for no reason but that he had guessed the identity of the villain4 ,there is a second man in the company who has certain suspicions and is acting upon them4 ,if he is on the right trail1 by any chance-- ,kennedy shrugged his shoulders soberly4 ,shirley8 ,exactly6 ,and there is still another possibility4 ,what is that8 ,here in this laboratory ,i have blood spots made on the portieres at the house of ,phelps by the man who removed the needle1 probably the unknown himself1 possibly his--or her--agent4 ,in any case it is a clue and--,,the ,,only ,,direct ,,and ,,infallible ,,clue ,,in ,,existence ,,to ,,the ,,criminal6 ,also ,i have the evidence of the snake venom and of the botulin toxin here4 ,sooner or later the person who killed ,werner because he suspected things will wake up to the fact that we possess tangible proof against him4 ,i grew pale4 ,you mean1 then1 that you may be attacked yourself8 ,that even ,i-- ,kennedy smiled1 unafraid4 ,but from the expression in his eyes ,i knew that he took the thought of our possible danger very seriously4 ,,xxiv ,,the ,,invisible ,,menace ,mackay and ,i exchanged glances4 ,kennedy busied himself putting away some of the more important bits of evidence in the case1 placing the tiny tubes of solution1 the blood smears1 and other items together in a cabinet at the farther corner of the laboratory4 ,the vast bulk of his paraphernalia1 the array of glass and chemicals and instruments1 he left on the table for the morning4 ,then he faced us again1 with a smile4 ,suppose you start up the percolator once more1 ,walter6 ,he took a cigar and lighted it from the match ,i struck4 ,i believe ,i've earned another cup of coffee1 he added4 ,mackay had been fidgeting considerably since ,kennedy's explanation of the possible danger to ,shirley1 as well as to ourselves or even to others4 ,isn't there something we can do1 ,kennedy8 he exclaimed1 suddenly4 ,is it necessary to sit back and wait for this unknown to strike again8 ,ordinarily1 ,kennedy replied1 on a case like this it has been my custom to permit the guilty parties to betray themselves1 as they will do inevitably--especially when ,i call to my aid the recent discoveries of science for the detection and measurement of fine and almost imperceptible shades of emotion4 ,but now that ,i realize the presence of this menace ,i shall become a detective of action2 in fact1 ,i shall not stop at any course to hurry matters4 ,the very first thing in the morning ,i shall go to the studio and ,i want you and ,jameson along4 ,i--his eyes twinkled2 it was the excitement at the prospect--,i may need considerable help in getting the evidence ,i wish4 ,which is--8 ,it was ,i who interposed the question4 ,kennedy blew a cloud of smoke4 ,there are three ways of tracing down a crime1 aside from the police method of stool pigeons to betray the criminals and the detective bureau method of cross-examination under pressure1 popularly known as the third degree4 ,what are they8 ,mackay asked1 unaware that ,kennedy needed little prompting once he felt inclined to talk out some matter puzzling him4 ,one is the process of reasoning from the possible suspects to the act itself--in other words1 putting the emphasis on the motive4 ,a second is the reverse of the first1 involving a study of the crime for clues and making deductions from the inevitable earmarks of the person for the purpose of discovering his identity4 ,the third method1 except for some investigations across the water1 is distinctly my own1 the scientific4 ,in all sciences1 ,kennedy went on1 warming to his subject1 progress is made by a careful tabulation of proved facts4 ,the scientific method is the method of exact knowledge4 ,thus1 in crime1 those things are of value to us which by an infinite series of empiric observations have been established and have become incontrovertible4 ,the familiar example1 of course1 is fingerprints4 ,nearly everyone knows that no two men have the same markings2 that the same man displays a pattern which is unchanging from birth to the grave4 ,no less certain is the fact that human blood differs from the blood of animals1 that in faint variations the blood of no two people is alike1 that the blood of any living thing1 man or beast1 is affected by various things--an infinite number almost--most of which are positively known to modern medical investigators4 ,in this case my principal scientific clue is the blood left upon the portiere by the man who took the needle the night following the murder4 ,next in importance is the fact1 demonstrated by me1 that some one at the studio wiped a hypodermic on a towel after inoculating himself with antivenin4 ,of course ,i am presuming that this latter man inoculated himself and not some one else1 because it is obvious4 ,if necessary ,i can prove it later1 however1 by analyzing the trace of blood4 ,that is not the point4 ,the point is that whoever removed the needle pricked himself and yet did not die of the venom--unless it was a person not under our observation1 an unlikely premise4 ,therefore1 because of this last fact1 and because again it is obvious1 ,i expect to find that the same individual inoculated himself with antivenin and removed the needle from the portiere2 and ,i expect to prove it beyond possibility of doubt by an analysis of his blood4 ,a sample of the blood from this person will be identical with the spot on the portiere1 and--much the easier test--will contain traces of the antitoxin4 ,with that much accomplished1 a little of the1 well--third degree1 will bring about a confession4 ,it is circumstantial evidence of the strongest sort4 ,not only does a man take precautions against a given poison1 but he is proved to be the one who removed the needle actually responsible for ,miss ,lamar's death4 ,my handicap1 however1 is that ,i have no justifiable excuse for taking a sample of blood from each of the people we suspect1 or feel we might suspect4 ,for that reason ,i was waiting until one of the other detective methods should narrow the field of suspicion4 ,now that there is the menace of another attempt to take a life ,i am forced to act4 ,to-morrow we will get samples of blood from everyone by artifice--or force6 ,meanwhile-- ,he hastened to continue1 as though afraid we might interrupt to break his train of thought4 ,meanwhile1 to-night1 let us see if it is possible to accomplish something by the deductive method4 ,already ,i have gone into an analysis starting from the nature of the crime and reasoning to the type of criminal responsible4 ,the guilty man--or woman--is a person of high intelligence1 added to genuine cleverness4 ,but for the results accomplished in this laboratory we would be without a clue2 our hands would be tied completely4 ,both ,miss ,lamar and ,werner were killed by unusual poisons2 deadly1 and almost impossible to trace4 ,there was a crowd of people about in each case2 yet we have no witnesses4 ,now who1 out of all our people with possible motives1 are intelligent enough and clever enough to be guilty8 ,kennedy glanced first at me1 then at ,mackay4 ,manton8 ,phelps8 suggested the district attorney4 ,the promoter1 ,kennedy rejoined1 is the typical man of the business world beneath the eccentricity of manner which seems to cling to everyone in the picture field4 ,ordinarily his type1 thinking in millions of dollars and juggling nickel and dime admissions or other routine of commercial detail is apart from the finer subtle passions of life4 ,when a business man commits murder he generally uses a pistol because he is sure it is efficient--he can see it work4 ,the same applies to ,phelps4 ,millard8 ,mackay hesitated now to face the logic of ,kennedy's keen mind4 ,he was ,stella ,lamar's husband6 ,millard is a scenario writer and so apt to have a brain cluttered with all sorts of detail of crime and murder4 ,at the same time an author is so used to counterfeiting emotion in his writings that he seldom takes things seriously4 ,life becomes a joke and ,millard in particular is a butterfly1 concerned more with the smiles of extra girls and the favor of ,miss ,faye than the fate of the woman whose divorce from him was not yet complete4 ,a writer is the other extreme from the business man4 ,the creator of stories is essentially inefficient because he tries to feel rather than reason4 ,when an author commits murder he sets a stage for his own benefit4 ,he is careful to avoid witnesses because they are inconvenient to dispose of4 ,at the same time he wants the victim to understand thoroughly what is going to happen and so he is apt to accompany his crime with a speech worded very carefully indeed4 ,then he may start with an attempt to throttle a person and end up with a hatchet1 or he may plan to use a razor and at the end brain his quarry with a chair4 ,he lives too many lives to follow one through clearly--his own4 ,how about ,shirley8 ,i put in4 ,at first glance ,shirley and ,gordon suggest themselves because both murders were highly spectacular1 and the actor1 above everything else1 enjoys a big scene4 ,after ,werner's death1 for instance1 ,shirley literally strutted up and down in that set4 ,he was so full of the situation1 so carried away by the drama of the occasion1 that he failed utterly to realize how suspicious his conduct would seem to an observer4 ,unfortunately for our hypotheses1 the use of venom and toxin is too cold-bloodedly efficient4 ,the theatrical temperament must have emotion4 ,an actor cruel and vicious enough to strike down two people as ,miss ,lamar and ,werner were stricken1 of sufficient dramatic make-up to conceive of the manner of their deaths1 would want to see them writhe and suffer4 ,he would select poisons equally rare and effective1 but those more slow and painful in their operation4 ,no1 ,walter1 ,shirley is not indicated by this method of reasoning4 ,the arrangement of the scenes for the murders was simply another detail of efficiency1 not due to a wish to be spectacular4 ,the crowd about in each case has added greatly to the difficulty of investigation4 ,do you include ,gordon in that8 ,mackay asked4 ,yes1 and in addition--,kennedy smiled slightly--,i believe that ,gordon is rather stupid4 ,for one thing1 he has had several fights in public1 at the ,goats ,club and at the ,midnight ,fads and ,i suppose elsewhere4 ,that is not the clever rogue4 ,furthermore1 he had been speculating1 not just now and then1 but desperately1 doggedly4 ,clever men speculate1 but scientific men never4 ,our unknown criminal is both clever and intelligent4 ,that brings you to the girls1 then1 ,mackay remarked4 ,kennedy's face clouded and ,i could see that he was troubled4 ,to be honest in this one particular method of deduction1 he stated1 ,i must admit that both ,miss ,faye and ,miss ,loring are worthy of suspicion4 ,the fact of their rise in the film world1 the evidences of their popularity1 is proof that they are clever4 ,miss ,loring1 in my few brief moments of contact with her on two occasions1 showed a grasp of things and a quickness which indicate to me that she possesses a rare order of intelligence for a woman4 ,as for ,miss ,faye--again he hesitated--one little act of hers demonstrated intelligence4 ,when ,shirley was standing guard in the set after ,werner's death1 and making a fool of himself1 ,millard evidently wanted to get over and speak to him1 perhaps to tell him not to let me find him searching the scene as though his life depended upon it1 perhaps something else4 ,but ,miss ,faye stopped him4 ,unquestionably she saw that anyone taking an interest in the remains of the banquet just then would become an object of suspicion4 ,do you really suspect ,marilyn or ,enid8 ,i inquired4 ,if this were half a generation ago ,i would say without hesitation that the crime was the handiwork of a man4 ,but now the women are in everything4 ,young girls particularly-- ,he shrugged his shoulders4 ,mackay had one more suggestion4 ,the camera men1 the extras1 the technical and studio staffs--they are not worthy of consideration1 are they8 ,kennedy shook his head4 ,the odor of coffee struck my nostrils and ,i turned to find the percolator steaming4 ,kennedy leaned over1 to take a whiff4 ,mackay rose4 ,at that moment there was a sudden crash and the window-pane was shattered4 ,simultaneously a flash of light and a deafening explosion took place in the room1 scattering broadcast tiny bits of glass from the laboratory table1 splashing chemicals1 many of them dangerous1 over everything4 ,kennedy hurried to the wreck of his paraphernalia4 ,in an instant he held up a tiny bit of jagged metal4 ,an explosive bullet6 he exclaimed4 ,an attempt to destroy my evidence6 ,,xxv ,,itching ,,salve ,for once ,i rose with ,kennedy4 ,he preceded me to the laboratory after breakfast1 however1 leaving me to wait for ,mackay4 ,when the little district attorney arrived ,i noticed that he carried a package which looked as though it might contain a one-reel film can4 ,the negative we took from the cameras at ,tarrytown1 he explained4 ,also a print from each roll1 ready to run4 ,i've been holding this as evidence4 ,mr4 ,kennedy wanted me to bring it with me to-day4 ,he's waiting for us at the laboratory1 ,i remarked4 ,he'll straighten everything up in a hurry1 won't he8 ,kennedy's the most high-handed individual ,i ever knew1 ,i laughed1 if he sees a chance of getting his man4 ,then ,i became enthusiastic4 ,often ,i've seen him gather a group of people in a room1 perhaps without the faintest shred of legal right to do so1 and there make the guilty person confess simply by marshaling the evidence1 or maybe betray himself by some scientific device4 ,it's wonderful1 ,mackay4 ,do you think he plans something of that kind this morning8 ,i led the way to the door4 ,after what happened last night ,i know that ,kennedy will resort to almost anything4 ,the district attorney fingered the package under his arm4 ,he might get everyone in the projection room then1 and make them watch the actual photographic record of ,stella's death--the scene where she scratched herself-- ,let's hurry6 ,i interrupted4 ,when we entered the laboratory we found ,kennedy vigorously fanning a towel which he had hung up to dry4 ,i recognized it as the one ,i had discovered in the studio washroom immediately following the first murder4 ,this will serve me better as bait than as evidence1 he laughed4 ,i have impregnated it with a colorless chemical which will cling to the fibers and enable me to identify the most infinitesimal trace of it4 ,we shall get up to the studio and start1 well--,i guess you could call it fishing for the guilty man4 ,he fingered the folds1 then jerked the towel down and flung it to me4 ,here1 ,walter6 ,it's dry enough4 ,now ,i want you to rub the contents of that tiny can of grease1 open before you there1 into the cloth4 ,he hurried over to wash his hands4 ,i spread the towel out on the table and began to work in the stuff indicated by ,kennedy4 ,there was no odor and it seemed like some patent ointment in color4 ,at first ,i was puzzled4 ,then1 absently1 ,i touched the back of one hand with the greasy fingers of the other and immediately an itching set up so annoying that ,i had to abandon my task4 ,kennedy chuckled4 ,that's itching salve1 ,walter4 ,the cuticle pads at your finger tips are too thick1 but touch yourself anywhere else6-- ,he shrugged his shoulders4 ,you'd better use soap and water if you want any relief4 ,then you can start over again4 ,at the basin ,i thought ,i grasped his little plot4 ,you're going to plant the towel1 ,i asked1 so that the interested party will try to get hold of it8 ,evidently he thought it unnecessary to reply to me4 ,why couldn't you just put it somewhere without all the preparation1 ,mackay suggested1 and watch to see who came after it8 ,because our criminal's too clever1 ,kennedy rejoined4 ,our only chance to get it stolen is to make it very plain that it is not being watched4 ,whoever steals it1 however1 possibly will reveal himself on account of the itching salve4 ,in any case ,i expect to be able to trace the towel to the thief1 no matter what efforts are made to destroy it4 ,the towel was wrapped in a heavy bit of paper2 then placed with a microscope and some other paraphernalia in a small battered traveling bag4 ,climbing into ,mackay's little roadster1 we soon were speeding toward the studio4 ,will you be able to help me1 to stay with ,jameson and myself all day8 ,kennedy asked the district attorney1 after perhaps a mile of silence4 ,surely6 ,it's what ,i was hoping you'd allow me to do4 ,i have no authority down here1 though4 ,i understand4 ,but the police1 or an outsider1 might allow some of my plans to become known4 ,he paused a moment in thought4 ,the film you brought in with you consists of the scenes on the rolls of negative in use at the time of ,miss ,lamar's collapse4 ,it may or may not include the action where she scratched herself4 ,now ,i want the scenes up to thirteen put together in proper order1 first as photographed by one camera1 then as caught by the other4 ,i'll arrange for the services of a cutter1 and for the delivery to me of any other negative or positive overlooked by us when we had the two boxes sealed and given into your custody at ,tarrytown4 ,will you superintend the assembly of the scenes1 so that you can be sure nothing is taken out or omitted8 ,of course6 ,i want to do anything ,i can4 ,upon arrival at the studio we detected this time all the signs of a complete demoralization4 ,the death of ,werner1 the fact that he had been stricken down during the taking of a scene and on the very stage1 had served to bring the tragedy home to the people4 ,more1 it was a second murder in four days1 apparently by the same hand as the first4 ,a sense of dread1 a nameless1 intangible fear1 had taken form and found its way under the big blackened glass roofs and around and through the corridors1 into the dressing rooms1 and back even to the manufacturing and purely technical departments4 ,the gateman eyed us with undisguised uneasiness as we drove through the archway into the yard4 ,in that inclosure there were only two cars--,manton's1 and one we later learned belonged to ,phelps4 ,the sole human being to enter our range of vision was an office boy4 ,he skirted the side of the building as though the menace of death were in the air1 or likely to strike out of the very heavens without warning4 ,we found ,kauf in the large studio1 obviously unhappy in the shoes of the unfortunate ,werner4 ,probably from half-reasoned-out motives of efficiency in psychology the new director had made no attempt to resume work at once in the ill-fated banquet set1 but had turned to the companion ballroom setting1 since both had been prepared and made ready at the same time4 ,kennedy explained our presence so early in the morning very neatly1 ,i thought4 ,i would appreciate it1 he began1 if you could place a cutter at the disposal of ,mr4 ,mackay4 ,he has the scenes taken from the camera and sealed at the time of ,miss ,lamar's death4 ,i would like to have any other film taken out there delivered to him and the whole joined in proper sequence4 ,then1 ,mr4 ,kauf1 if you could arrange to have the same cutter take the film exposed yesterday when ,mr4 ,werner-- ,you think you might be able to see something1 to discover something on the screen8 ,exactly6 ,kauf beamed4 ,mr4 ,manton gave me orders to assist you in every way ,i could1 or to put any of my people at your disposal4 ,more than that1 ,mr4 ,kennedy1 he anticipated you4 ,he thought you might want to look at the scenes taken yesterday and he rushed the laboratory and the printing room4 ,we'll be able to fix you up very quickly4 ,good6 ,kennedy nodded to ,mackay and the district attorney hurried off with ,kauf4 ,now1 ,walter6 he exclaimed1 sobering4 ,i picked up the traveling bag and together we strolled toward the ballroom set4 ,there most of the players were gathered already--in make-up and evening clothes of a fancier sort even than those demanded for the banquet4 ,i saw that ,kennedy singled out ,marilyn4 ,good morning1 she said1 cheerfully1 but with effort4 ,it was obvious she had spent a nervous night4 ,there were circles under her eyes ill concealed by the small quantity of cosmetic she used4 ,her hands1 shifting constantly1 displayed the loss of her usual poise4 ,you are out bright and early1 she added4 ,we've stumbled into a very important clue1 ,kennedy told her1 with a show of giving her his confidence4 ,in that bag in ,walter's hand is one of the studio towels4 ,it contains a hint of the poison used to kill ,miss ,lamar and--of utmost consequence--it has provided me with an infallible clue to the identity of the murderer himself--or herself4 ,it seemed to me that ,marilyn blanched4 ,where--where did you find it8 she demanded1 in a very awed voice4 ,in one of the studio washrooms4 ,it has been--it has been in the washroom ever since poor ,stella's death8 ,no1 not that6 ,jameson discovered it the same day but--the very slight pause was perceptible to me2 ,kennedy hated to lie--,i haven't realized its importance until just this morning4 ,enid ,faye1 seeing us from a distance1 conquered her dislike of ,marilyn sufficiently to join us4 ,she was very erect and tense4 ,her eyes1 wide and sober and searching1 traveled from my face to ,kennedy's and back4 ,then she dissembled1 softening as she came close to me1 laying a hand on my shoulder and allowing her skirt to brush my trousers4 ,tell me1 ,jamie1 she whispered1 her warm breath thrilling me through and through4 ,has the wonderful ,craig ,kennedy discovered something8 ,it was not sarcasm1 but assumed playfulness1 masking a throbbing curiosity4 ,i found a towel in one of the studio washrooms1 ,i answered1 and ,craig has demonstrated that it is a clue to the poison which killed ,stella ,lamar as well as to the person who did it4 ,enid gasped4 ,then she drew herself up and her eyes narrowed4 ,now she faced ,kennedy4 ,how can the towel be a clue to the crime8 she protested4 ,stella was--was murdered way out in ,tarrytown6 ,mr4 ,jameson found the towel here6 ,kennedy shrugged his shoulders4 ,i cannot tell you that--just yet4 ,he paused deliberately4 ,you see1 he lied4 ,i have yet to make my analysis4 ,but you know it's a clue to the-- ,that towel--he raised his voice1 as though in elation--that towel will lead me to the murderer--infallibly6 ,merle ,shirley had come up in time to hear most of the colloquy between ,enid and ,kennedy4 ,at the last he flushed1 clenching his fists4 ,if you can prove who the murderer is1 ,mr4 ,kennedy1 he exploded1 why don't you apprehend him before some one else meets the fate of ,werner8 ,i can do nothing until ,i return to my laboratory this afternoon4 ,i will not know the identity of the guilty person until ,i complete a chemical analysis4 ,one by one the various people possibly concerned in the two crimes joined the group4 ,this morning all the faces were serious2 most of them showed the marks of sleeplessness following the second murder4 ,kennedy walked away1 but ,i saw that ,jack ,gordon hastened to question both the girls1 ignoring their evident dislike for him4 ,among the others ,i recognized ,watkins1 the camera man1 and his associate4 ,lawrence ,millard came in and hastened to the side of ,enid4 ,as he drew her away to ask the cause of the gathering ,i wondered at his early presence4 ,the scenario writer was typical of them all4 ,the strange and unusual nature of the crimes1 the evident relationship between them1 had drawn the employees of ,manton ,pictures to the studio as a crowd of baseball fans collects before a public bulletin board4 ,not one of them but was afraid of missing some development in the case4 ,in no instance could the interest of a particular individual be taken as an indication of guilt4 ,phelps entered the studio from the door to the dressing rooms4 ,disdaining to join the other group1 he approached us to ask the cause for the excitement4 ,kennedy explained1 patiently1 and ,i saw that ,phelps looked at the black bag uneasily4 ,i hope the guilty party is not a member of the company1 he muttered4 ,why8 ,kennedy's mouth tightened4 ,the financier grew red4 ,because this picture has been crippled enough4 ,first a new star2 now a new director--if it wasn't so preposterous ,i'd believe that it was all part of a deliberate-- ,he stopped as if realizing suddenly the inadvisability of vague accusations4 ,don't you want justice done8 ,kennedy inquired4 ,of course6 ,phelps tugged at his collar uncomfortably4 ,of course1 ,mr4 ,kennedy4 ,then he turned and hurried away1 out of the studio4 ,gordon and ,millard detached themselves from the others1 coming over4 ,in which washroom was the towel found1 ,mr4 ,kennedy8 ,gordon put the question as though he felt himself specially delegated to obtain this information4 ,i wondered how ,kennedy would evade a direct answer4 ,to my surprise he made no attempt at concealment4 ,the one on the second floor of the office building4 ,millard laughed1 facing ,gordon4 ,that puts it on myself--or the big boss6 ,it struck me that the leading man was uneasy as he hurried back to the others4 ,millard1 still smiling1 turned to say something to us1 but we were joined by ,manton1 entering from the other end of the big inclosure4 ,good morning1 the promoter exclaimed1 somewhat breathless4 ,i just learned you were here4 ,is--is there some new development4 ,is there something ,i can do8 ,i see you are not allowing anything to interfere with the making of the picture1 ,kennedy remarked4 ,all the people seem to be here bright and early4 ,a shadow crept into ,manton's face4 ,it seems almost as cold-blooded as--as war1 he admitted4 ,but ,i can't help myself1 ,mr4 ,kennedy4 ,the company has no money and if we don't meet this release we're busted4 ,all at once he lowered his voice eagerly4 ,tell me1 have you discovered something8 ,is there some clue to the guilty man8 ,he's found a towel1 ,millard put in1 an expression of half amusement on his face as he faced the promoter4 ,in some way it's a clue to the identity of the murderer1 an infallible clue1 he says4 ,he found it in the washroom by our offices4 ,since ,werner is dead1 that points the finger of suspicion at you or me4 ,manton's jaw dropped4 ,his expression became almost ludicrous1 as if the thought that he could possibly be suspected himself was new to him4 ,millard's eyes sobered a bit at his superior's confusion4 ,there's a door from the dressing rooms1 ,kennedy suggested4 ,any of the actors or actresses could have used the place4 ,of course6 ,manton grasped at the straw4 ,i had forgotten4 ,there have been complaints to me about the players using that room4 ,i have the towel with me1 wrapped up in a paper in this grip1 ,kennedy went on4 ,it's so very valuable as a bit of evidence--,i wonder if ,i could borrow a locker so as to keep it under lock and key until we're ready to return to the laboratory8 ,sure6 ,of course6 ,manton glanced about and saw the little knot of people still gathered in the set4 ,millard6 ,go over and tell ,kauf to get busy4 ,he's losing time4 ,then he turned to us again4 ,come on1 ,mr4 ,kennedy1 we have some steel lockers out by the property room4 ,as we started across the floor ,i could see that ,kennedy was framing a question with great care4 ,do you ever use snakes in films1 ,mr4 ,manton8 he asked4 ,why1 no6 ,the promoter stopped in his surprise4 ,that is1 not if we ever can help it4 ,the censorship won't pass anything with snakes4 ,you have used them1 though8 ,yes4 ,once we made a short-length special subject1 nothing but snakes4 ,manton became enthusiastic4 ,it was a wonder1 too2 a pet film of mine4 ,we made it with the direct co-operation and supervision of the greatest authority on poisonous snakes in the country1 ,doctor ,nagoya of ,castleton ,institute4 ,,xxvi ,a ,,cigarette ,,case ,kennedy's face betrayed only a remote interest4 ,have you any copies of that particular film8 ,just the negative1 ,i believe4 ,could ,i have that for a few days8 ,of course6 ,manton seemed to wish to give us every possible amount of co-operation2 yet this request puzzled him4 ,would you care to go down to the negative vaults with me8 ,kennedy nodded4 ,first we stopped in a lengthy corridor in the rear building1 where there were no great signs of life4 ,through a door ,i could see a long room filled with ornaments1 pictures1 furniture1 rugs1 and all the vast freak collections of a property room4 ,along the side of the hallway itself was a line of steel lockers of recent design4 ,manton called out to an employee and he appeared after a long wait and unlocked one of them4 ,at ,kennedy's direction ,i put the traveling bag in the lower compartment1 pocketing the key4 ,then we retraced our steps to broad steel stairs leading up and down4 ,we descended to the basement and found ourselves in a high-ceilinged space immaculately clean and used generally for storage purposes4 ,the film vaults1 ,manton explained1 are at the corner of the west wing4 ,they have to be ventilated specially1 on account of the high inflammability of the celluloid composition4 ,since the greatest fire risk1 otherwise1 is the laboratory and printing departments1 and next to that the studios themselves with the scenery1 the heat of the lights1 the wires1 etc41 we have located them in the most distant corner of the quadrangle4 ,the negative1 you see1 represents our actual invested capital to a considerable extent4 ,the prints wear out and frequently large sections are destroyed and have to be reprinted4 ,then sometimes we can reissue old subjects4 ,all in all we guard the negative with the care a bank would give actual funds in its vaults4 ,in our many visits to the ,manton studios ,i had been struck by the scrupulous cleanliness of every part of the place4 ,the impression of orderliness came back to me with redoubled force as we made our way around in the basement4 ,nothing seemed out of its proper position1 although a vast amount of various material for picture making was stored here4 ,we passed two projection rooms1 one a miniature theater with quite a bit of comfort1 the other small and bare for the use of directors and cutters4 ,finally we saw the vaults ahead of us4 ,the walls were concrete1 matching the actual walls of the basement4 ,there were two entrances and the doors were double1 of heavy steel1 arranged so that an air space would give protection in case of fire4 ,at a roll-top desk1 arranged for the use of the clerk in charge of the negatives and prints1 was a young boy4 ,where's ,wagnalls8 demanded ,manton4 ,he went out1 sir1 the boy replied1 respectfully enough4 ,said he would be right back and for me to watch and not to let anything get out4 ,the promoter led the way into the first room4 ,here on all four sides and in several rows down the center1 like the racks in a public library1 were shelves supporting stacks of square thin metal boxes or trays with handles and tightly fitting covers4 ,cards were secured to the front of each1 by clamps1 giving the name of the picture and the number under which the film was filed4 ,i was surprised because ,i expected to find everything kept in ordinary round film cans4 ,these are the negatives1 ,manton explained4 ,he pulled out a box at random1 opening it4 ,the negative is not all spliced together1 the same length as the reels of positive1 because the printing machines are equipped to take two-hundred-foot pieces at a time1 or approximate fifths of a reel1 the size of a roll of raw positive film stock4 ,then whenever there is a change in color1 as from amber daylight to blue tint for night1 the negative is broken because pieces of different coloring have to go through different baths1 and that also determines the size of the rolls4 ,the prints1 or positives1 in the other vaults1 are in reel lengths and so are kept in the round boxes in which they are shipped4 ,kennedy glanced about curiously4 ,the negative of that snake picture is here1 you said8 ,manton went to a little desk where there was a card index4 ,thumbing through the records1 he found the number and led us to the proper place in the rack4 ,in the box were only two rolls of negative1 both were large4 ,this was a split reel1 the promoter began4 ,it was approximately four hundred feet and we used it to fill out a short comedy1 a release we had years ago1 a reel the first part of which was educational and the last two-thirds or so a roaring slap-stick4 ,we never made money on it4 ,but this stuff was mighty good1 ,mr4 ,kennedy4 ,we practically wrote a scenario for those reptiles4 ,doctor ,nagoya was down himself and for the better part of a day it wasn't possible to get a woman in the studio1 for fear a rattler or something might get loose4 ,were there rattlers in the film8 ,altogether1 ,i think4 ,the little ,jap was interesting1 too4 ,between scenes he told us all about the reptiles1 and how their poison-- ,manton checked himself1 confused4 ,was it because the thought of poison reminded him of the two deaths so close to him1 or was it from some more potent twinge of conscience8 ,you'll see it all in the film1 he finished1 lamely4 ,i may keep these for a little bit8 ,kennedy asked4 ,of course6 ,i can have the two rolls printed and developed and dry sometime this afternoon1 if you wish4 ,no1 this will do very well4 ,kennedy slipped a roll in each pocket1 straining the cloth to get them in4 ,manton opened a book on the little table1 making an entry of the delivery of the rolls and adding his own initials4 ,i have to be very careful to avoid the loss of negative1 he told us4 ,nothing can be taken out of here except on my own personal order4 ,i thought that ,manton was very frank and accommodating4 ,surely he had made no effort to conceal his knowledge of this film made with ,doctor ,nagoya1 and he had even mentioned the poison of the rattlesnakes4 ,though it had confused him for a brief moment1 that had not struck me as a very decisive indication of guilty knowledge4 ,after all1 no one knew of the use of crotalin to kill ,stella ,lamar except the murderer himself1 and ,kennedy and those of us in his confidence4 ,the murderer might not guess that ,kennedy had identified the venom4 ,yet if ,manton were that man he had covered his feelings wonderfully in telling us about the film4 ,my thoughts strayed to the towel upstairs4 ,had an attempt been made yet to steal it from the locker8 ,it seemed to me that we were losing too much time down here if we hoped to notice anyone with itching hands4 ,i realized that ,kennedy had been very clever in including all our suspects in hearing at the time he revealed the importance of the clue4 ,of the original nine listed by ,mackay1 ,werner was dead and ,mrs4 ,manton had never entered the case4 ,enid we had assumed to be the mysterious woman in ,millard's divorce1 however1 and the other six had all been upon the floor in contact with ,kennedy4 ,first there was ,marilyn1 the woman4 ,then the five men in order had displayed a lively interest in the towel--,shirley1 ,gordon1 ,millard1 ,phelps1 and ,manton4 ,kennedy's voice roused me from my reverie4 ,does this door lead through to the other vaults1 ,mr4 ,manton8 ,yes4 ,the promoter straightened1 after replacing the records of the negative4 ,i designed this system of storage myself and superintended every detail of construction4 ,it is-- ,he checked himself with an exclamation1 noticing that the door was open4 ,with a flush of anger he slammed it shut4 ,i should think the connecting doors would be kept shut all the time1 ,kennedy remarked4 ,in case of fire only one compartment would be a loss4 ,that's the idea exactly6 ,that's why ,i was on the point of swearing4 ,the boys down here are getting lax and ,i'm going to make trouble4 ,manton turned back and called to the boy outside4 ,where did you say ,wagnalls went8 ,i don't know1 sir6 ,sometimes he goes across to ,mc,cann's for a cup of coffee1 or maybe he went up to the printing department4 ,manton faced us once more4 ,if you'll excuse me just a moment ,i'm going to see who's responsible for this4 ,why1 he sputtered1 if you hadn't called me around the rack ,i wouldn't have noticed that the door was open and then1 if there had been a fire--,i--,i'll be right back6 ,as ,manton stormed off ,kennedy smiled slightly1 then nodded for me to follow4 ,we passed through into the rooms for positive storage4 ,these in turn had fireproof connecting doors1 all of which were open4 ,in each case ,kennedy closed them4 ,eventually we emerged into the main part of the basement through the farther vault door4 ,nothing of a suspicious nature had caught our attention4 ,i guessed that ,kennedy simply had wished to cover the carelessness of the vault man in leaving the inner doors wide open4 ,at the entrance which had first admitted us to the negative room1 however1 ,kennedy stooped suddenly4 ,at the very moment he bent forward ,i caught the glint of something bright behind the heavy steel door1 and in the shadow so that it had escaped us before4 ,as he rose ,i leaned over4 ,it was a cigarette case1 a very handsome one with large initials engraved with deep skillful flourish4 ,who is ',j4 ,g4'8 ,kennedy asked4 ,i felt a quiver of excitement4 ,jack ,gordon1 the leading man4 ,what's an actor doing down in the film vaults8 he muttered4 ,slipping the case into his pocket1 he glanced about on the floor and something just within the negative room caught his eye4 ,once more he bent down4 ,with a speculative expression he picked up the cork-tipped stub of a cigarette4 ,at this instant ,manton returned1 breathing hard as though his pursuit of the missing ,wagnalls had been very determined4 ,the butt in ,kennedy's fingers attracted his attention at once4 ,did--did you find that here8 he demanded4 ,kennedy pointed4 ,right there on the floor4 ,the devil6 ,manton flushed red4 ,this is no place to smoke4 ,by--by all the wives of ,goodwin and all the stars of ,griffith ,i'm going to start firing a few people6 he sputtered4 ,here1 sonny6 ,he jumped at the boy1 frightening him4 ,close all these doors and turn the combinations4 ,tell ,wagnalls if he opens them before he sees me ,i'll commit battery on his nose4 ,kennedy continued to hold the stub1 and as ,manton preceded us up the stairs he hung back1 comparing it with the few cigarettes left in the case4 ,unquestionably they were of the same brand4 ,on the studio floor ,mackay was waiting for us4 ,under his arm was a reel of film in a can4 ,he clutched it almost fondly4 ,all ready6 he remarked1 to ,kennedy4 ,kennedy's face was unrevealing as he faced ,manton4 ,this bit of film is valuable evidence also4 ,i think perhaps it would be safer in that locker4 ,anything at all we can do to help1 stated ,manton1 promptly4 ,shall ,i show you the way again8 ,i produced the key1 handing it to ,kennedy as the four of us arrived in the corridor by the property room4 ,kennedy slipped the bit of metal into the lock2 then simulated surprise very well indeed4 ,the lock is broken6 he exclaimed4 ,some one has been here4 ,apparently the traveling bag had been undisturbed as we took it out4 ,nevertheless1 the paper containing the towel was gone4 ,this is no joke1 ,mr4 ,kennedy1 protested ,manton1 in indignation4 ,where can ,i hire about a dozen good men to hang around and watch--and--and help you get to the bottom of this8 ,mackay1 without releasing his grasp of the film1 had been inspecting the broken lock4 ,look at the way this was done6 he murmured1 almost in admiration4 ,this wasn't the work of any roughneck4 ,it--it was a dainty job6 ,,xxvii ,,the ,,film ,,fire ,the bag lay open at my feet4 ,the microscope and other paraphernalia brought by ,kennedy were untouched4 ,taking the film from ,mackay and placing the can in with the other things1 ,kennedy snapped the catch and turned to me as he straightened4 ,i think our evidence is safest in plain sight1 ,walter4 ,we'll carry it about with us4 ,lloyd ,manton seemed to be a genuinely unhappy individual4 ,after some moments he excused himself1 nervously anxious about the turn of affairs at the studio4 ,immediately ,i faced ,kennedy and ,mackay4 ,manton's the only one who knew just where we put the bag1 ,i remarked4 ,when he left us in the basement he had plenty of time to run up and steal the towel and return4 ,how about the itching salve8 ,in his hurry he might have left the towel in the paper1 intending to destroy it later4 ,kennedy frowned4 ,that's possible1 ,walter4 ,i had not thought of that4 ,still--he brightened--,i'm counting on human nature4 ,i don't believe anyone guilty of the crime could have that towel in his possession1 after the hints ,i have thrown out1 without examining it so as to see what telltale mark or stain would be apt to betray his identity4 ,you can see that ,manton's the logical man8 ,it would be easy for anyone else to follow and observe us4 ,then--8 ,first of all we must keep an eye out for any person showing signs of the itching concoction4 ,we must observe anyone with noticeably clean hands4 ,principally1 however1 another thing worries me4 ,what's that1 ,mr4 ,kennedy8 asked ,mackay4 ,walter and ,i found a cigarette case belonging to ,jack ,gordon in the basement2 also a butt smoked three-quarters of the way down and left directly in the negative room4 ,the fire doors between the different film vaults1 which are arranged like the safety compartments in a ship1 were all open4 ,i want to know why ,gordon was down there and--well1 ,i seem to sense something wrong4 ,good heavens6 ,craig1 ,i interposed4 ,you don't attach any importance to the fact that those doors were open6 ,walter1 in a case of real mystery the slightest derangement of matters of ordinary routine is a cause for suspicion4 ,i had no answer1 and as we re-entered the studio ,i devoted my attention to the various people we had tabulated as possible suspects1 noticing that ,kennedy and ,mackay did likewise4 ,jack ,gordon was in the ballroom scene in make-up4 ,kauf still was concerned with technical details of the set and lighting1 and1 although the cameras were set up1 they were not in proper place1 nor was either camera man in evidence4 ,with ,gordon was ,enid4 ,from a distance they seemed to be engaged in an argument of real magnitude4 ,there was no mistaking the dislike on the part of each for the other4 ,marilyn was the most uneasy of all of the principals4 ,she was pacing up and down1 glancing about in frank distress of mind4 ,i looked at her hands and saw that she had crushed a tube of grease paint in her nervousness4 ,not only her fingers were soiled1 but there were streaks on her arms where she had smeared herself unconsciously4 ,as we watched she left the studio1 hurrying out the door without a backward glance4 ,marilyn1 at least1 showed no indications of the salve1 nor of painfully recent acquaintance with water4 ,both ,manton and ,phelps were in evidence1 decidedly so1 ,i imagined1 from1 the viewpoint of poor ,kauf4 ,manton1 at the heels of his new director1 was doing all he could to help4 ,phelps1 following ,manton about1 seemed to be urging haste upon the promoter4 ,the result was far from advantageous to picture making2 it was concentrated distraction4 ,millard was poring over the manuscript1 perched upon a chair the wrong way so that its back would serve as a desk1 engaged busily in making changes here and there in the pages with a pencil4 ,like any author1 it was never too late for minor improvements and suggestions4 ,i don't doubt but that if ,manton had permitted it1 ,millard would have been quite apt to interrupt a scene in the taking in order to add some little touch occurring to him as his action sprang to life in the interpretation of players and director4 ,at any rate1 his hands seemed more clean than those of either ,manton or ,phelps1 proving nothing because he was at a task not so apt to bring him into contact with dirt4 ,shirley is missing1 observed the district attorney1 in an undertone4 ,kennedy faced me4 ,give the bag to ,mackay1 ,walter4 ,while he keeps an eye on the people up here we'll pay a visit to ,shirley's dressing room1 and after that go down to the basement again4 ,i can't account for it--intuition1 perhaps--but ,i'm sure something's wrong4 ,the heavy man's dressing room1 pointed out to us by some employee passing through the hall1 was empty4 ,i led the way into ,marilyn's quarters1 but again no one was about4 ,in each case ,kennedy made a quick visual search for the towel1 without result4 ,we did not dare linger and run the risk of giving away our trick2 then1 too1 ,kennedy was nervously anxious to look through the basement once more4 ,i don't understand your suspicion of the state of affairs in the film vaults1 ,i confessed4 ,why should ,jack ,gordon1 the leading man1 be down there8 he countered4 ,that--that really is a cause for suspicion1 isn't it4 ,now1 ,walter1 think a bit6 ,we were crossing the yard1 and so not apt to be overheard4 ,granting that ,gordon actually had been down there1 why should the fact concern us8 ,manton explained that no negative or positive can be given out except upon order4 ,there is nothing down there but film and so no other errand to bring the leading man to the vault except to get some scenes or pieces showing his own work1 and that isn't likely4 ,unless1 ,i interrupted1 ,gordon is the guilty man and wanted to get the snake film before we did4 ,how could that be8 ,when we asked ,manton about the ,doctor ,nagoya subject we went right down with him and procured it4 ,i doubt anyone could have overheard us as we talked about it1 in any case4 ,remember1 ,craig1 we went to the locker first and it was some little time before that fellow came out to unlock it and give us the key4 ,and when you questioned ,manton we were passing right by all of them4 ,any one could have heard the mention of the snake film4 ,kennedy frowned4 ,i believe you're right1 ,walter4 ,or it is possible that the guilty person believed that the scenes taken out at ,tarrytown1 or those taken when ,werner died1 revealed something and so would have to be stolen or destroyed1 and that they were kept in the vault4 ,it is even possible--a gleam came into ,kennedy's eyes--it is even possible that the mind smart enough to reason out the damaging nature of the chemical analyses ,i was making1 and clever enough to utilize an explosive bullet in an effort to destroy the fruits of my work1 would also have the foresight to anticipate me and to realize that ,i might guess the existence of a film showing snakes and suggesting the use of venom4 ,it's damning to ,gordon1 all right1 ,i said4 ,on the contrary1 ,walter4 ,kennedy lowered his voice as we entered the building across the quadrangle and descended stairs leading directly into the basement4 ,we have mentioned over and over again the cleverness of our unknown criminal4 ,that man1 or woman1 never would drop a cigarette case with his or her initials and leave without it1 nor smoke a cigarette in a place he1 or she1 was not supposed to be4 ,what then8 ,it's a plant2 a deliberate plant to throw suspicion upon ,gordon4 ,why upon ,gordon8 ,i don't know that1 unless because ,gordon is supposed to have the best possible motive for killing ,miss ,lamar--his money troubles--and so becomes the logical man to throw the guilt upon4 ,as a matter of fact1 ,craig1 why should the finding of that cigarette case be a cause for suspicion at all8 ,that's what ,i didn't understand before4 ,ordinarily it wouldn't be4 ,but those open inner doors1 the absence of the man in charge--isn't it possible that we interrupted an attempt not only to search for the particular damaging pieces of film1 but perhaps to destroy the whole8 ,if some one acted between the time ,i asked ,manton about the snake film and the moment we arrived in the basement to get it1 that some one had to move very fast4 ,in which case it might have been ,gordon1 after all4 ,the cigarette stub may have been thrown in lighted to start a fire4 ,he may not have had time to pick up the case1 not knowing just where he dropped it4 ,kennedy shrugged his shoulders4 ,it all shows the futility of trying to arrive at a conclusion without definite facts4 ,that is where science is superior to deduction4 ,it's all a maze to me just now1 ,i agreed4 ,we made our way to the vaults in silence1 and1 to our surprise1 found that they were closed and that even the boy was gone now4 ,the cellar1 as a whole1 probably for the purpose of fire protection on a larger scale1 was divided into sections corresponding to the units of the buildings above1 and this time ,i noticed that the door through which we had arrived before was closed also4 ,had ,manton taken fright in earnest at the possibility of fire1 or had he given his employees a genuine scare8 ,we retraced our steps to the yard1 and there the alert eye of ,kennedy detected a slinking figure just as a man darted into the protection of a doorway4 ,it was ,shirley4 ,had he been watching us8 ,was he connected in some way with the vague mystery ,kennedy seemed to sense in connection with the basement and the film vaults8 ,kennedy led the way to the entrance where ,shirley had disappeared4 ,here there was no sign of him2 only steps leading up and down and the open door to a huge developing room4 ,returning to the yard1 we caught a gesture from the chauffeur of a car standing near by and recognized ,mc,groarty1 the driver who had found the ampulla a few days previously4 ,excuse me1 ,mr4 ,kennedy1 he apologized1 as we approached4 ,i should have come to you instead of making you two walk over to me1 but it's less suspicious this way4 ,what do you mean8 ,you recognize me1 ,mc,groarty1 the chauffeur as found the little bottle8 ,kennedy nodded4 ,well1 ,i says to myself ,i ought to tell you1 but ,i don't like to because it might be nothing1 you know6 ,it might prove very valuable1 ,mc,groarty4 ,kennedy wanted to encourage him4 ,well1 ,i've been sitting here for an hour1 ,i guess4 ,one of the other directors is going out to-day and his people are late and so here ,i am4 ,well1 ,i don't like the way the heavy man ,mr4 ,werner had-- ,shirley8 ,merle ,shirley8 ,i spoke up4 ,that's him6 ,well1 he's been1 hanging and snooping around that building over there1 where you just saw him1 for twenty minutes or more4 ,i guess he's gone in and out of that basement a dozen times4 ,i says to myself1 maybe he's up to something4 ,you know how it is8 ,kennedy glanced at me significantly4 ,then he extended his hand to the chauffeur4 ,again ,i thank you1 ,mc,groarty4 ,as ,i said before1 ,i won't forget you4 ,now what8 ,i asked1 as we drew away4 ,shirley's dressing room1 and the studio floor and ,mackay4 ,as we rather expected1 the heavy man's quarters were deserted4 ,i thought that ,kennedy would stop now to make a careful search1 but he seemed anxious to compare notes with the district attorney4 ,nothing here1 reported ,mackay4 ,shirley8 ,hasn't been a sign of him4 ,i looked about the moment we arrived under the big glass roof4 ,marilyn ,loring8 ,i inquired4 ,she's been missing1 too6 ,all at once ,mackay grinned broadly4 ,you know1 either there's no efficiency in making moving pictures at all1 or these people have all gone more or less out of their heads as the result of the two tragedies4 ,look6 ,he pointed4 ,when you left me ,phelps and ,manton were stepping on each other's toes1 trying to help that new director and about half driving him crazy2 and now ,millard seems to have figured out some new way of handling the action and he's over in the thick of it4 ,it's worse than ,bedlam1 and better than a ,chaplin comedy4 ,i was compelled to smile1 although ,i knew that this was not uncommon in picture studios4 ,manton1 ,phelps1 ,millard1 and ,kauf were in the center of the group1 all talking at once4 ,clustered about ,i saw ,enid and ,gordon1 both camera men1 and a miniature mob of extra people4 ,but as ,i looked little ,kauf seemed to come to the end of his patience4 ,in an instant or two he demonstrated real generalship4 ,shutting up ,manton and the banker and ,millard with a grin1 but with sharp words and a quick gesture which showed that he meant it1 he called to the others gathered about1 clearing the set of all but ,enid and ,gordon4 ,he sent the camera men to their places2 then confronted ,phelps and ,manton and the scenario writer once more4 ,we could not hear his words1 but could see that he was asserting himself1 was forcing a decision so that he could proceed with his work4 ,this seemed uninteresting to me4 ,i remembered my success in my visit to ,werner's apartment1 when ,i had essayed the role of detective4 ,listen1 ,kennedy6 ,i suggested4 ,suppose ,i go out by myself and see if ,i can locate ,shirley or ,marilyn4 ,everyone else is right here where you can-- ,at that instant a deafening explosion shook the studio and every building about the quadrangle1 the sound echoing and re-echoing with the sharpness of a terrific thunderclap4 ,mixed with the reverberations1 which were intensified by the high arch of the studio roof1 were the screams of women and the frightened calls of men4 ,following immediately upon the first roar were the muffled sounds of additional explosions1 persisting for a matter of ten to fifteen seconds4 ,with every detonation the floor beneath our feet trembled and rocked4 ,several flats of scenery stacked against a wall at our rear toppled forward and struck the floor with a resounding whack1 not unlike some gigantic slap-stick4 ,one entire side of the banquet set1 luckily unoccupied1 fell inward and ,i caught the sound as the dainty gold chairs and fragile tables snapped and were crushed as so much kindling wood4 ,then--a fitting climax of destruction1 withheld until this moment--there followed the terrifying snap of steel from above4 ,an entire section of roof literally was popped from place1 the result of false stresses in the beams created by the explosion4 ,upon the heads of the unlucky group in the center of the ballroom set came a perfect hailstorm of broken and shattered bits of heavy ground glass4 ,for an instant1 an exceedingly brief instant1 there was the illusion of silence4 ,the next moment the factory siren rose to a shrill shriek1 with a full head of steam behind it--the fire call6 ,kennedy dashed over to the scene where those beneath the shower of glass lay1 dazed and uncertain of the extent of their own injuries4 ,where are the first-aid kits8 he shouted4 ,bring cotton and bandages1 and--and telephone for a doctor1 an ambulance6 ,it seemed to me that ,kennedy had never been so excited4 ,mackay and ,i1 at his heels1 and some of the others1 unhurt1 hurriedly helped the various victims to their feet4 ,then we realized that by some miracle1 some freak of fate1 no one had been hurt seriously4 ,already a property boy was at ,kennedy's side with a huge box marked prominently with the red cross4 ,inside was everything necessary and ,kennedy started to bind up the wounds with all the skill of a professional physician4 ,mackay1 he whispered1 hurry and get me some envelopes1 or some sheets of paper1 anything--quick6 ,and to me1 before ,i could grasp the reason for that puzzling request3 ,don't let anyone slip away1 ,walter4 ,no matter what happens1 ,i must bind up these wounds myself4 ,a few moments later ,i understood what ,kennedy was up to4 ,as he finished with each victim he took some bit of cotton or gauze with which he had wiped their cuts1 enough blood to serve him in chemical analysis1 and handed it to ,mackay4 ,the district attorney1 very unobtrusively1 slipped each sample into a separate envelope1 sealing it1 and marking it with a hieroglyph which he would be able to identify later4 ,in this fashion ,kennedy secured blood smears of ,manton and ,phelps1 ,millard and ,kauf and ,enid1 ,gordon1 the two camera men1 and a scene shifter4 ,i smiled to myself4 ,meanwhile a bitter1 acrid odor penetrated through the windows and to every part of the structure1 the odor of burning film1 an odor one never forgets to fear4 ,all those uninjured in the explosions had rushed out to see the fire1 or else to escape from any further danger1 the moment they recovered their wits4 ,manton1 only cut at the wrist1 and impatient as ,kennedy cleaned1 dusted1 and bound the wound1 was the first to receive attention4 ,the vaults6 he called1 to the men who seemed disposed to linger about4 ,for ,god's sake get busy6 ,the next instant he was gone himself4 ,enid was cut on the head4 ,tears streamed from her eyes as she clung to ,kennedy's coat1 trembling4 ,will it make a scar8 she sobbed4 ,will ,i be unable to act before the camera any more8 ,he reassured her4 ,in the case of ,millard1 who had several bad scalp wounds1 he advised a trip to a doctor1 but the scenario writer laughed4 ,phelps was yellow4 ,it seemed to me that he whimpered a bit4 ,gordon was disposed to swear cheerfully1 although a point of glass had penetrated deep in his shoulder and another piece had gashed him across the forehead4 ,finally ,kennedy was through4 ,he packed the little envelopes in the bag1 still in the possession of ,mackay1 and added the two rolls of film from his pocket4 ,then1 for the first time1 he locked it4 ,as he straightened1 his eyes narrowed4 ,now for ,shirley1 he muttered4 ,and ,marilyn1 ,i added4 ,,xxviii ,,the ,,phosphorus ,,bomb ,we rushed out into the courtyard1 ,kennedy in the lead1 ,mackay trailing with the bag4 ,here there were dense clouds of fine white suffocating smoke mixed with steam1 and signs of the utmost confusion on every hand4 ,because ,manton1 fortunately1 had trained the studio staff through frequent fire drills1 there was a semblance of order among the men actually engaged in fighting the spread of the blaze4 ,any attempt to extinguish the conflagration in the vault itself was hopeless1 however1 and so the workers contented themselves with pouring water into the basement on either side1 to keep the building and perhaps the other vaults cool1 and with maintaining a constant stream of chemical mixture from a special apparatus down the ventilating system into and upon the smoldering film4 ,the studio fire equipment seemed to be very complete4 ,there was water at high pressure from a tank elevated some twenty to thirty feet above the uppermost roof of the quadrangle4 ,in addition ,manton had invested in the chemical engine and also in sand carts1 because water aids rather than retards the combustion of film itself4 ,i noticed that the promoter was in direct charge of the fire-fighters1 and that he moved about with a zeal and a recklessness which ended for once and all in my mind the suspicion that ,phelps might be correct and that ,manton sought to wreck this company for the sake of ,fortune ,features4 ,in an amazingly quick space of time the thing was over4 ,when the city apparatus arrived1 after a run of nearly three miles1 there was nothing for them to do4 ,the chief sought out ,manton1 to accompany him upon an inspection of the damage and to make sure that the fire was out4 ,the promoter first beckoned to ,kennedy4 ,this is unquestionably of incendiary origin1 he explained to the chief4 ,i want ,mr4 ,kennedy to see everything before it is disturbed1 so that no clue may be lost or destroyed4 ,the fire officer brightened4 ,craig ,kennedy8 he inquired4 ,gee6 there must be some connection between the blaze and the murder of ,stella ,lamar and her director4 ,i've been reading about it every day in the papers4 ,mr4 ,jameson of the ,star1 ,kennedy said1 presenting me4 ,we found we could not enter the basement immediately adjoining the vaults--that is1 directly from the courtyard--because it seemed advisable to keep a stream of water playing down the steps1 and a resulting cloud of steam blocked us4 ,manton explained that we could get through from the next cellar if it was not too hot1 and so we hurried toward another entrance4 ,mackay1 who had remained behind to protect the bag from the heat1 joined us there4 ,i've put the bag in charge of that chauffeur1 ,mc,groarty1 and armed him with my automatic1 he explained4 ,he paused to wipe his eyes4 ,the fumes from the film had distressed all of us4 ,shirley and ,marilyn ,loring are both missing still1 he added4 ,i've been asking everyone about them4 ,no one has seen them4 ,the fire chief looked up4 ,everyone is out8 ,you are sure everybody is safe8 ,i had ,wagnalls at my elbow with a hose1 ,manton replied4 ,i saw the boy around1 also4 ,no one else had any business down there and the vaults were closed and the cellar shut off4 ,the door leading from the adjoining basement was hot yet1 but not so that we were unable to handle it4 ,however1 the catch had stuck and it took considerable effort to force it in4 ,as we did so a cloud of acrid vapor and steam drove us back4 ,then ,kennedy seemed to detect something in the slowly clearing atmosphere4 ,he rushed ahead without hesitation4 ,the fire chief followed4 ,in another instant ,i was able to see also4 ,the form of a woman1 dimly outlined in the vapor1 struggled to lift the prone figure of a man4 ,after one effort she collapsed upon him4 ,i dashed forward1 as did ,mackay and ,manton4 ,two of them carried the girl out to the air2 the other three of us brought her unconscious companion4 ,it was ,marilyn and ,shirley4 ,the little actress was revived easily1 but ,shirley required the combined efforts of ,kennedy and the chief1 and it was evident that he had escaped death from suffocation only by the narrowest of margins4 ,how either had survived seemed a mystery4 ,their clothes were wet1 their faces and hands blackened1 eyebrows and lashes scorched by the heat4 ,but for the water poured into the basement neither would have been alive4 ,they had been prisoners during the entire conflagration1 the burning vault holding them at one end of the basement1 the door in the partition resisting their efforts to open it4 ,thank heaven he's alive6 were ,marilyn's first words4 ,how did you get in the cellar8 ,kennedy spoke sternly4 ,i thought he might be there4 ,now that the reaction was setting in1 the girl was faint and she controlled herself with difficulty4 ,i was looking for him and as soon as ,i heard the first explosion ,i ran down the steps into the film-vault entrance--,i was right near there--and ,i found him1 stunned4 ,i started to lift him1 but there were other explosions almost before ,i got to his side4 ,the flames shot out through the cracks in the vault door and ,i--,i couldn't drag him to the steps2 ,i had to pull him back where you found us4 ,she began to tremble4 ,it--it was terrible6 ,was there anyone else about1 anyone but ,mr4 ,shirley8 ,no4 ,i--,i remember ,i wondered about the vault man4 ,what was ,mr4 ,shirley down there for1 ,miss ,loring8 ,he--she hesitated--he said he had seen some one hanging around and--and he didn't want to report anything until he was sure4 ,he--he thought he could accomplish more by himself1 although ,i told him he was--was wrong4 ,whom did he see hanging around8 ,he wouldn't tell me4 ,shirley was too weak to question and the girl too unstrung to stand further interrogation4 ,in response to ,manton's call several people came up and willingly helped the two toward the comfort of their dressing rooms4 ,at the fire chief's suggestion the stream of water into the basement was cut off4 ,manton led the way1 choking1 eyes watering1 to the front of the vaults4 ,feverishly he felt the steel doors and the walls4 ,there was no mistaking the conclusion4 ,the negative vault was hot1 the others cold4 ,the devil6 ,manton exclaimed4 ,a deep poignancy in his voice made the expression childishly inadequate4 ,why couldn't it have been the prints6 ,suddenly he began to sob4 ,that's the finish4 ,not one of our subjects can ever be worked again4 ,it's a loss of half a million dollars4 ,if you have positives1 ,kennedy asked1 can't you make new negatives8 ,dupes8 ,manton looked up in scorn4 ,did you ever see a print from a dupe negative8 ,it's terrible4 ,looks like some one left it out in the wet overnight4 ,how about the ',black ,terror'8 ,i inquired4 ,all of that's in the safe in the printing room2 that and the two current five reelers of the other companies4 ,we won't lose our releases1 but--again there was a catch in his voice--we could have cleared thousands and thousands of dollars on reissues4 ,all--all of ,stella's negative is gone1 too6 ,to my amazement he began to cry1 without attempt at concealment4 ,it was something new to me in the way of moving-picture temperament4 ,first they kill her and now--now they destroy the photographic record which would have let her live for those who loved her4 ,the--his voice trailed away to the merest whisper as he seemed to collapse against the hot smoked wall--the devil6 ,the fire chief took charge of the job of breaking into the vault4 ,first ,wagnalls attempted to open the combination of the farther door1 but the heat had put the tumblers out of commission4 ,returning to the entrance of the negative vault itself1 the thin steel1 manufactured for fire rather than burglar protection1 was punctured and the bolts driven back4 ,a cloud of noxious fumes greeted the workers and delayed them1 but they persisted4 ,finally the door fell out with a crash and men were set to fanning fresh air into the interior while a piece of chemical apparatus was held in readiness for any further outbreak of the conflagration4 ,manton regained control of himself in time to be one of the first to enter4 ,mackay held back1 but the fire chief1 the promoter1 ,kennedy1 and myself fashioned impromptu gasmasks of wet handkerchiefs and braved the hot atmosphere inside the room4 ,the damage was irremediable4 ,the steel frames of the racks1 the cheaper metal of the boxes1 the residue of the burning film1 all constituted a hideous1 shapeless mass clinging against the sides and in the corners and about the floor4 ,only one section of the room retained the slightest suggestion of its original condition4 ,the little table and the boxes of negative records1 the edges of the racks which had stood at either side1 showed something of their former shape and purpose4 ,this was directly beneath the ventilating opening4 ,here the chemical mixture pumped in to extinguish the fire had preserved them to that extent4 ,all at once ,kennedy nudged the fire chief4 ,put out your torch6 he directed1 sharply4 ,in the darkness there slowly appeared here and there on the walls a ghostly bluish glow persisting in spite of the coating of soot on everything4 ,kennedy's keen eye had caught the hint of it while the electric torch had been flashed into some corner and away for a moment4 ,radium6 ,i exclaimed1 entirely without thought4 ,kennedy laughed4 ,hardly6 ,but it is phosphorus1 without question4 ,what do you make of that8 ,the fire chief was curious4 ,let's get out6 was ,kennedy's reply4 ,indeed1 it was almost impossible for us to keep our eyes open1 because of the smarting1 and1 more1 the odor was nauseating4 ,a guard was posted and in the courtyard1 disregarding the curious crowd about1 ,kennedy asked for ,wagnalls and began to question him4 ,when did you close the vaults8 ,about two hours before the fire4 ,mr4 ,manton sent for me4 ,was there anything suspicious at that time8 ,no1 sir6 ,i went through each room myself and fixed the doors4 ,that's why the fire was confined to the negatives4 ,have you any idea why the doors were open when we went through8 ,no1 sir6 ,i left them shut and the boy ,i put there while ,i went over to ,mc,cann's said no one was near4 ,he--,wagnalls hesitated4 ,once he went to sleep when ,i left him there4 ,perhaps he dozed off again4 ,why did you leave8 ,why go over to ,mc,cann's in business hours8 ,we'd worked until after midnight the night before4 ,i had to open up early and so ,i figured ,i'd have my breakfast in the usual morning slack time--when nothing's doing4 ,i see6 ,kennedy studied the ground for several moments4 ,do you suppose anyone could have left a package in there--a bomb1 in other words8 ,wagnalls's eyes widened1 but he shook his head4 ,i'd notice it1 sir6 ,if ,i do say it1 ,i'm neat4 ,i generally notice if a can has been touched4 ,they don't often fool me4 ,well1 has any regular stuff been brought to you to put away2 anything which might have hidden an explosive8 ,again ,wagnalls shook his head4 ,i put nothing away or give nothing out except on written order from ,mr4 ,manton4 ,anything coming in is negative and it's in rolls1 and ,i rehandle them because they're put away in the flat boxes4 ,i'd know in a minute if a roll was phony4 ,you're sure nothing special-- ,holy ,jehoshaphat6 interrupted ,wagnalls4 ,i'd forgotten6 ,he faced ,manton4 ,remember that can of undeveloped stuff1 a two-hundred roll8 ,he turned to ,kennedy1 explaining4 ,when negative's undeveloped we keep it in taped cans4 ,take off the tape and you spoil it--the light1 you know4 ,mr4 ,manton sent down this can with a regular order1 marking on it that some one had to come to watch it being developed--in about a week4 ,of course ,i didn't open the can or look in it4 ,i put it up on top of a rack4 ,when was this8 ,about four days ago--the day ,miss ,lamar was killed4 ,the expression on ,manton's face was ghastly4 ,i didn't send down any can to you1 ,wagnalls1 he insisted4 ,it was your writing1 sir6 ,kennedy rose4 ,what did you do with orders like that1 such as the one you claim came with the can of undeveloped negative8 ,put them on the spindle on that table in the vault4 ,wet your handkerchief and come show me4 ,when they returned ,kennedy had the spindle in his hand1 the charred papers still in place4 ,this was one of the items preserved in part by the chemical spray through the ventilating opening above4 ,can you point out which one it is8 ,kennedy asked4 ,let's see6 ,wagnalls scratched his head4 ,next to the top1 he replied1 in a moment4 ,miss ,lamar's death upset everything4 ,only one order came down after that4 ,with extreme care ,kennedy took his knife and lifted the ashy flakes of the top order4 ,get me some collodion1 somebody6 he exclaimed4 ,wagnalls jumped up and hurried off4 ,the fire chief leaned forward4 ,do you think1 ,mr4 ,kennedy1 that the little can he told you about started the fire8 ,i'm sure of it1 although ,i'll never be able to prove it4 ,how did it work8 ,well1 ,i imagine a small roll of very dry film was put in to occupy a part of the space4 ,film is exceedingly inflammable1 especially when old and brittle4 ,in composition it is practically guncotton and so a high explosive4 ,in this recent war1 ,i remember1 the ,germans drained the neutral countries of film subjects until we woke up to what they were doing1 while in this country scrap film commanded an amazing price and went directly into the manufacture of explosives4 ,then ,i figure that a quantity of wet phosphorus was added1 to fill the can1 and that then the can was taped4 ,the tape1 of course1 is not moisture proof entirely4 ,with the dampness from within it would soften1 might possibly fall off4 ,in a relatively short time the phosphorus would dry and burn4 ,immediately the film in the can would ignite4 ,as happened1 it blew up1 a minor explosion1 but enough to scatter phosphorus everywhere4 ,that1 in the fume-laden air of the vault--there are always fumes in spite of the best ventilation system made--caused the first big blast and started all the damage4 ,mackay had rejoined us in time to hear the explanation4 ,ingenious1 he murmured4 ,as ingenious as the methods used to murder the girl and her director4 ,breathless1 ,wagnalls returned with the collodion4 ,we watched curiously as ,kennedy poured it over the charred remains of the second order on the spindle4 ,it seemed almost inconceivable that the remnants of the charred paper would even support the weight of the liquid1 yet ,kennedy used it with care1 and slowly the collodion hardened before us1 creating a tough transparent coating which held the tiny fibers of the slip together4 ,at the same time the action of the collodion made the letters on the order faintly visible and readable4 ,a little-known bank trick6 ,kennedy told us4 ,then he held the slip up to the light and the words were plain4 ,wagnalls had been correct4 ,the order from ,manton was unmistakable4 ,the can was to be kept in the negative vault for a week without being opened1 until a certain party unnamed was to come to watch the development of the film4 ,the promoter wet his lips1 uneasily4 ,i--,i never wrote that6 ,it--it's my writing1 all right1 and my signature1 but it's a forgery6 ,,xxix ,,microscopic ,,evidence ,kennedy made some efforts to preserve the forged order which he had restored with the collodion1 but ,i could see that he placed no great importance upon its possession4 ,gradually the yard of the studio had cleared of the employees1 who had returned to their various tasks4 ,under the direction of one stout individual who seemed to possess authority the fire apparatus had been replaced in a portable steel garage arranged for the purpose in a farther corner1 and now several men were engaged in cleaning up the dirt and litter caused in the excitement4 ,except in the basement there were few signs of the blaze4 ,manton accompanied the fire chief to his car1 then hurried up into the building without further notice of us4 ,mackay went to ,mc,groarty's machine to claim the traveling bag containing our evidence4 ,kennedy and ,i started for the dressing rooms4 ,i want to get blood smears of ,shirley and ,marilyn1 he confided in a low voice4 ,i shall have to think of some pretext4 ,neither of the two we sought were in their quarters and so we continued on into the studio4 ,here we found ,kauf at work2 at least he was engaged in a desperate attempt to get something out of his people4 ,ye gods1 ,gordon6 we heard him exclaim1 as we made our way through the debris of the banquet set to the ballroom now dazzlingly bright under the lights4 ,what if you do have to wear a bandage around your head8 ,it's a masked ball1 isn't it8 ,you've got a monk's cowl over everything but your features1 haven't you8 ,it struck me that the faces had never been more ghastly1 although my reason convinced me it was simply the usual effect of the ,cooper-,hewitt tubes4 ,but there was no question but that the explosion had given everyone a bad fright1 that not an actress or actor but would have preferred to have been nearly anywhere else but under the heat of the glass roof1 now a constant reminder of the accident because of the gaping hole directly above them4 ,marilyn was in the center of the revelers in the set1 already in costume4 ,shirley ,i saw close to the camera men1 standing uneasily on shaky legs1 shielding his eyes with one hand while he clung to a massive sideboard for support with the other4 ,he had not yet donned his carnival clothes1 nor essayed to put on a make-up4 ,enid ,faye1 the only one in sight whose spirits seemed to have rallied at all1 was offering him comfort of a sort4 ,you'll get by1 all right1 ,merle1 if you can keep on your pins1 and ,i'll say you deserve credit for trying it4 ,there's--she stepped back a bit to study him--there's just one thing4 ,your eyes show the result of all that smoke and vapor--no color or luster at all4 ,i--,i wonder if belladonna wouldn't brighten them up a bit and--well1 get you by1 for to-day8 ,i'll go out and get some at lunch4 ,he smiled weakly4 ,i'll try anything once4 ,that's the spirit6 ,she patted him on the shoulder1 then danced on into the center of the set1 stopping to direct some barbed remark at ,marilyn4 ,kauf took his megaphone to call his people around him4 ,there seemed to be a certain essential competence about the little man1 now that ,manton and ,phelps and ,millard were not about to bother him4 ,while we watched he succeeded in photographing one of the full shots of the general action or atmosphere of the dance4 ,then he hurried to the side of ,shirley1 to see if the heavy man felt equal to the task of resuming his make-up once more4 ,i found the time dragging heavy on my hands and ,i wished that ,kennedy would return to the laboratory or decide upon some definite action4 ,though ,i racked my brain1 ,i failed to think of a device whereby ,kennedy could get blood smears of ,shirley or ,marilyn without their knowledge4 ,once more my reflections veered around to the matter of the stolen towel and ,i wondered if that had been wasted effort on ,kennedy's part2 if the fire had thrown out his carefully arranged plans to trap whoever took it4 ,suddenly ,i realized that ,kennedy was following a very definite procedure1 that his seeming indifference1 his apparent idle curiosity concerning the scene taking1 masked a settled purpose4 ,when ,phelps entered he approached him casually and turned to him with skilled nonchalance1 holding up a finger4 ,will you lend me a pocket knife for a moment8 he asked1 to get a hang-nail8 ,phelps produced one1 rather grudgingly4 ,kennedy promptly went over to the window1 as though seeking better light4 ,thereafter he avoided ,phelps4 ,soon the banker had forgotten the incident4 ,some time later ,manton rushed in from the office4 ,kennedy maneuvered his way to the promoter's side and waited his chance to borrow that man's pocket knife under conditions when ,manton would be the least apt to remember it4 ,then he made his way around to ,mackay and ,i saw that both the acquisitions went into little envelopes of the sort used to take the blood smears after the explosion and falling glass4 ,kennedy now seemed rather elated4 ,millard entered and he borrowed the scenario writer's knife in exactly the same fashion as the others4 ,no one of the three men noticed his loss4 ,i thought it lucky that all three carried the article1 and tried to guess how far ,kennedy intended to carry this little scheme4 ,kauf's announcement of lunch gave me my answer4 ,it seemed that there would be just half an hour and that the entire cast was expected to make shift at ,mc,cann's rather than attempt to go to any better place at a greater distance4 ,immediately ,kennedy turned to me4 ,hurry1 ,walter6 ,twenty minutes' quick work and then it's the laboratory and the solution of this mystery4 ,with ,mackay and the bag we stole to the dressing rooms1 waiting until sure that everyone was downstairs4 ,in ,enid's chamber ,kennedy glanced about carefully but swiftly4 ,when nothing caught his attention he picked up her finger-nail file1 gingerly1 from the blunt end1 slipping it into one of the little envelopes which ,mackay held open4 ,thereupon the district attorney put his identifying mark upon the outside and we went to the next room4 ,it proved to be ,gordon's4 ,the general search was barren of result1 but the dressing table yielded another finger-nail file1 handled in the same manner as before4 ,then we entered ,marilyn's room and left with the file from her dressing stand4 ,in ,shirley's quarters1 the last we visited1 we were in greater luck1 however4 ,while ,kennedy and ,mackay abstracted the usual file1 ,i discovered some bits of tissue paper used in shaving4 ,there was caked soap left to dry just as it had been wiped from the razor4 ,more1 there was a blood stain of fair proportions4 ,here's your smear1 ,kennedy1 ,i exclaimed4 ,good6 ,fine6 ,he faced ,mackay4 ,now ,i lack just one thing1 a sample of the blood of ,miss ,loring4 ,is that all8 ,the district attorney brightened4 ,let me try to get it6 ,i--,i'll manage it in some way6 ,all right6 ,kennedy took the bag4 ,explain your marks so ,i'll know-- ,he stopped suddenly4 ,no1 don't tell me anything4 ,i'll make my chemical analyses and microscopic examinations without knowing the identity in the case either of the blood samples or the finger-nail files4 ,if ,i obtain results by both methods1 and they agree1 ,i'll return armed with double-barreled evidence4 ,meanwhile1 ,mackay1 you get a smear from ,miss ,loring and follow us to the laboratory4 ,i'll coax ,mc,groarty to drive us down1 so you'll have your car and you can bring us back4 ,the district attorney nodded4 ,me for ,mc,cann's1 he muttered4 ,that's where she went to eat4 ,he rushed off eagerly4 ,kennedy had no difficulty persuading ,mc,groarty to put his particular studio car at our disposal without an order from ,manton or from the director who had called him4 ,in a very brief space of time we were at the laboratory4 ,you expect to find the blood of one of those people showing traces of the antivenin8 ,i grasped ,kennedy's method of procedure1 but wanted to make sure ,i understood it correctly4 ,already ,i was blocking out the detailed article for the ,star1 the big scoop which that paper should have as a result of my close association with ,kennedy on the case4 ,one of those samples should correspond1 ,i suppose1 to the trace of blood on the portieres8 ,exactly6 ,he answered me rather absently1 being concerned in setting out the apparatus he would need for a hasty series of tests4 ,will the antivenin show in the blood after four1 perhaps five days8 ,i should say so1 ,walter4 ,if it does not1 by any chance1 ,i will be able to identify the blood1 but that is much more involved and tedious--a great deal more actual work4 ,i've got it straight1 then4 ,now-- ,i paced up and down several times4 ,the finger-nail files should show a trace of the itching salve8 ,is that correct1 ,craig8 ,for a moment he didn't answer1 as his mind was upon his paraphernalia4 ,then he straightened4 ,hardly1 ,walter6 ,the salve is soluble in water4 ,what ,i shall find1 if anything1 is some of the fibers of the towel4 ,you see1 a person's finger nails are great little collectors of bits of foreign matter1 and anyone handling that rag is sure to show some infinitesimal trace for a long while afterward4 ,if the person stealing the towel filed or cleaned his nails there will be evidence of the fibers on his pocket knife or finger-nail file4 ,i impregnated the towel with that chemical so that ,i would be able to identify the fibers positively4 ,the use of the itching salve was unnecessary8 ,a quizzical smile crept across ,kennedy's face4 ,did you think ,i expected some one to go walking around the studio scratching his hands8 ,did you imagine ,i thought the guilty party would betray his or her identity in such childish fashion1 after all the cleverness displayed in the crimes themselves8 ,but you were insistent that ,i rub in the-- ,to force them to wash their hands after touching the towel1 ,walter4 ,oh6 ,i felt rather chagrined4 ,wouldn't some pigment1 some color1 have served the purpose better8 ,no1 because anyone would have understood that and would have taken the proper measures to remove all traces4 ,but the itching salve served two purposes4 ,it was misleading1 because obviously a trap upon reflection1 and so it would distract attention from the impregnated fibers1 my real scheme4 ,then it was the best device of all ,i could think of1 for it set up a local irritation of the sort most calculated to make a person clean his finger nails4 ,the average man and woman is not very neat1 ,walter4 ,i was not sure but a scientific prodding was necessary to transfer my evidence to some object ,i could borrow and examine under a microscope4 ,meanwhile ,kennedy's long fingers were busy at the preliminary operations in his tests4 ,he turned away and ,i asked no more questions1 not wishing to delay him4 ,i noticed that first he examined the blood samples under the microscope4 ,afterward he employed a spectroscope4 ,but none of the operations took any great amount of time1 since he seemed to anticipate his results4 ,mackay burst in upon us1 very elated1 and produced a handkerchief with a bit of blood upon it4 ,i scratched her deliberately with the sharp point of my ring1 he chuckled4 ,i found her in the restaurant and the seat beside her was empty4 ,i--,i talked about everything under the sun and ,i guess she thinks ,i'm a clumsy boob6 ,anyhow she cried out when ,i did it1 and got red in the face for a moment2 but she suspects nothing4 ,kennedy cut the spot from the handkerchief1 put it in an envelope1 and turned back to his table4 ,i drew ,mackay into the corner4 ,as the minutes sped by and ,craig worked in absorbed concentration1 ,mackay grew more and more impatient to get back to the studio4 ,did you find anything8 repeated ,mackay1 for the tenth time4 ,with a gesture of annoyance1 ,kennedy reached out for the nail files4 ,this is a grave matter1 he frowned4 ,i must check it up--and double check it--then ,i'm going back to the studio to triple check it4 ,let me see what the nail files reveal4 ,it will be a bare ten minutes more4 ,insisting that we remain back in the corner1 he spread out the four nail files and the open blades of the three pocket knives1 setting each upon the envelope which identified it4 ,the next quarter of an hour seemed interminable4 ,finally ,kennedy started replacing the files and the pocket knives in their envelopes1 his face still wearing the inscrutable frown4 ,next he packed the blood samples and other evidence in the traveling bag once more4 ,mackay was bursting with impatience1 but ,craig still refused to betray his suspicions4 ,i must get back there--quick1 he hastened4 ,i want everybody in the projection room4 ,in court1 a jury might not grasp the infallibility of the methods ,i've used4 ,there would be a great deal of medical and expert testimony required--and you know1 ,mackay1 what that means4 ,is it a man--or a woman you suspect8 persisted the district attorney4 ,three of the men had pocket knives and-- ,kennedy led the way to the door without answering1 and ,mackay cut short his hopeless quizzing as ,craig nodded to me to carry the bag4 ,,xxx ,,the ,,ballroom ,,scene ,sounds of music caught our ears as we entered the studio courtyard of ,manton ,pictures4 ,carrying the bag with its indisputable proof of some person's guilt1 we made our way through the familiar corridor by the dressing rooms1 out under the roof of the so-called large studio4 ,there a scene of gayety confronted us1 in sharp contrast with the gloomy atmosphere of the rest of the establishment4 ,kauf1 however1 had thoroughly demonstrated his genius as a director4 ,to counteract the depression caused by all the recent melodramatic and tragic happenings1 he had brought in an eight-piece orchestra1 establishing the men in the set itself so as to get full photographic value from their jazz antics4 ,where ,werner and ,manton had dispensed with music1 in a desperate effort at economy1 ,kauf had realized that money saved in that way was lost through time wasted with dispirited people4 ,it was a lesson learned long before by other companies4 ,in other studios ,i had seen music employed in the making of soberly dramatic scenes1 solely as an aid to the actors1 enabling them to get into the atmosphere of their work more quickly and naturally4 ,under the lights the entire set sparkled with a tawdry garishness apt to fool those uninitiated into the secrets of photography4 ,on the screen1 colors which now seemed dull and flat would take on a soft richness and a delicacy characteristic of the society in which ,kauf's characters were supposed to move4 ,obviously fragile scenery would seem as heavy and substantial as the walls and beams of the finest old mansion4 ,even the inferior materials in the gowns of most of the girls would photograph as well as the most expensive silk2 in fact1 by long experience1 many of the extra girls had learned to counterfeit the latest fashions at a cost ridiculous by comparison4 ,kennedy approached ,kauf1 then returned to us4 ,he asks us to wait until he gets this one big scene4 ,it's the climax of the picture1 really1 the unmasking of the ',black ,terror4' ,if we interrupt now he loses the result of half a day of preparation4 ,he may lose more than that6 muttered ,mackay2 and ,i wondered just whom the district attorney suspected4 ,is everyone here8 ,i asked4 ,all seven8 ,gordon and ,shirley1 of the men1 and ,marilyn and ,enid1 of course1 were out on the floor of the supposed ballroom4 ,gordon ,i recognized because ,i remembered that he was to wear the garb of a monk4 ,marilyn was easily picked out1 although the vivacity she assumed seemed unnatural now that we knew her as well as we did4 ,her costume was a glorious ,yama ,yama creation1 of a faint yellow which would photograph dazzling white1 revealing trim stockinged ankles and slender bare arms1 framing face and eyes dancing with merriment and maliciousness4 ,unquestionably she was the prettiest girl beneath the arcs1 never to be suspected as the woman who had braved the terrors of a film fire to rescue the man she loved4 ,enid was stately and serene in the gown of ,marie ,antoinette4 ,in the bright glare her features took on a round innocence and she was as successful in portraying sweetness as ,marilyn was in the simulation of the mocking evil of the vampire4 ,shirley interested me the most1 however4 ,i wondered if ,kennedy still eliminated him in guessing at the identity of the criminal4 ,i called to mind the heavy man's presence in the basement at the time of the explosion and ,mc,groarty's information that he had been hanging about that part of the studio for some time previously4 ,some one had planted a cigarette case and stub to implicate ,gordon1 according to ,kennedy's theory4 ,shirley certainly had had opportunity to steal the towel from the locker as well as to point suspicion toward the leading man4 ,in the midst of my reverie ,shirley approached and passed us4 ,he was in the garb of ,mephisto4 ,like the others1 he had not yet masked his face4 ,a peculiar brightness in his eyes struck me and ,i nudged ,kennedy4 ,belladonna1 ,kennedy explained when he was beyond earshot4 ,oh6 ,i remembered4 ,enid told him to use it4 ,what8 ,i repeated the conversation as near as ,i could reconstruct it4 ,h-m6 ,that's a new cure for smoke-burned eyes2 no cure at all4 ,i was unable to get any more out of ,kennedy1 however4 ,manton ,i detected in the background with ,phelps4 ,the two men were arguing1 as always1 and it was evident that the banker was accomplishing nothing by this constant hanging about the studio4 ,where previously my sympathy had been with ,phelps entirely1 now ,i realized that the promoter had won me4 ,indeed1 ,manton's interest in all the affairs of picture making at this plant had been far too sincere and earnest to permit the belief that he was seeking to wreck the company or to double-cross his backer4 ,millard entered the studio as ,i glanced about for him4 ,he handed some sheets to ,kauf1 then turned to leave4 ,i attracted ,kennedy's attention4 ,you don't want ,millard to get away1 ,i whispered4 ,kennedy sent ,mackay to stop him4 ,the author accompanied the district attorney willingly4 ,yes1 ,mr4 ,kennedy8 ,as soon as this scene is over we're going down to the projection room2 everyone concerned in the death of ,miss ,lamar and of ,mr4 ,werner4 ,the scenario writer looked up quickly4 ,do you--do you know who it is8 he asked1 soberly4 ,not exactly1 but ,i will identify the guilty person just as soon as we are assembled down in front of the screen4 ,shirley had left the studio floor1 apparently to go to his dressing room4 ,now ,i noticed that he returned and passed close just in time to hear ,millard's question and ,kennedy's answer4 ,his eyes dilated4 ,as he turned away his face fell4 ,he went on into the set1 but his legs seemed to wabble beneath him4 ,i was sure it was more than the weakness resulting from his experience in the fire4 ,kauf's voice1 through the megaphone1 echoed suddenly from wall to wall1 reverberating beneath the roof4 ,all ready6 ,everyone in the set6 ,masks on6 ,take your places6 ,at a signal the orchestra struck up and the couples started to dance4 ,it was a wonderfully colorful scene and ,i saw that ,kauf proposed to rehearse it thoroughly1 doing it over and over without the cameras until every detail reached a practiced perfection4 ,in this ,i was certain he achieved results superior to ,werner's slap1 dash1 and bang4 ,then came the call for action4 ,camera6 ,kauf began to bob up and down4 ,into it1 everybody6 ,for fascination and charm this far exceeded the banquet scene which we had witnessed in the taking previously4 ,the music was surprisingly good1 so that it was impossible for the people not to get into the swing1 and the result was a riotous swirling of gracefully dancing pairs2 the girls1 selected for their beauty1 flashing half-revealed faces toward the camera1 displaying eyes which twinkled through their masks in mockery at a wholly ineffectual attempt at concealment4 ,enid maintained her stately carriage1 but made full use of the dazzling whiteness of her teeth4 ,early she permitted the attentions of the cowled monk whom she knew to be her lover4 ,marilyn was everywhere1 making mischief the best she could4 ,shirley stalked about in his satanic red1 which would photograph black and appear even more somber on the screen4 ,of course the whole was not photographed in a continuous strip from one camera position4 ,i saw that ,kauf made several long shots to catch the general atmosphere4 ,then he made close-up scenes of all the principals and of some of the best appearing extras4 ,at one time he ordered a panorama effect1 in which the cameras panned1 swept from one side to the other1 giving a succession of faces at close range4 ,finally everything was ready for the climax4 ,shirley had been playing a sort of ,jekyll and ,hyde role in which he was at once the young lawyer friend of ,enid and the ,black ,terror4 ,unmasked and cornered at this function of a society terrified by the dread unknown menace1 he was to make the transformation directly before the eyes of everyone1 using the mythical drug which changed him from a young man of good appearance and family to the being who was a very incarnation of evil4 ,for once ,kauf did not rehearse the scene4 ,shirley was obviously weakened from his experience and the director wished to spare him4 ,all the details were shouted out through the megaphone1 however1 and ,i grasped that the action of this part of the dance was familiar to everyone2 it was the big scene of the story toward which all other events had built4 ,then came the familiar order4 ,camera6 ,at the start of this episode the orchestra was playing and the dancers were in motion4 ,suddenly ,gordon1 as the hero1 strode up to ,shirley and unmasked him with a few bitter words which later would be flashed upon the screen in a spoken title4 ,instantly a crowd gathered about1 but in such a way as not to obstruct the camera view4 ,cornered1 seeing that flight was impossible unless he became the ,black ,terror and possessed the strength and fearlessness of that strange other self1 ,shirley drew a little vial from his breast pocket and drank the contents4 ,evidently he knew his ,mansfield well4 ,slowly he began to act out the change in his appearance which corresponded with the assumption of control by the evil within4 ,his body writhed1 went through contortions which were horrible yet fascinating4 ,it was almost as though a new fearful being was created within sight of the onlookers4 ,not only was the face altered1 but the man's stature seemed to shrink1 to lose actual inches4 ,i thought it a wonderful exhibition4 ,the very next instant there came a groan from ,shirley1 something which at once indicated pain and realization and fear4 ,he lost all control of himself and in a moment pitched forward upon the floor1 sputtering and clutching at the empty air4 ,another cry broke from between his lips1 a ghastly contracted shriek as treble as though from the throat of a woman4 ,this was no part of the story1 no skillful bit of acting6 ,it was real6 ,even before ,i had grasped the full significance of the happening ,kennedy had dashed forward4 ,the cameras still were grinding and they caught him as he kneeled at the side of the stricken man4 ,hardly a second afterward ,mackay and ,i followed and were at ,kennedy's side4 ,kauf and the others1 their faces weirdly ashen1 clustered about in fright4 ,a third time the invisible hand had struck at a member of the company4 ,the ,black ,terror1 with all the horror written into that story1 contained nothing as fearful as the menace to the people engaged in its production4 ,shirley's skin was cold and clammy1 his face almost rigid4 ,while conscious1 he was helpless4 ,kennedy found the little vial and examined it4 ,atropin6 he ejaculated4 ,walter6 ,he turned to me4 ,get some physostigmin1 quick6 ,have ,mackay drive you6 ,it's--it's life or death6 ,here--,i'll write it down6 ,physostigmin6 ,as ,i raced madly out and down the stairs1 ,mackay at my heels1 ,i heard a woman's scream4 ,marilyn6 ,did she think him dead8 ,once in the car1 headed for the nearest drug store1 grasping wildly at the side or at the back of the seat every few moments as the district attorney skidded around curves and literally hurdled obstacles1 ,i remembered a forgotten fact4 ,atropin6 ,that was belladonna1 simply another name for the drug4 ,shirley had procured the stuff for use in his eyes4 ,nevertheless1 he had been aware1 undoubtedly1 of its deadly nature4 ,passing by ,kennedy and the rest of us1 he had overheard ,kennedy state that the murderer would be identified as soon as all could be assembled in the projection room4 ,the heavy man had not cared to face justice in so prosaic a manner4 ,with the same sense of the melodramatic which had led him to slay ,stella ,lamar in the taking of a scene1 ,werner in the photographing of another1 he had preferred suicide and had selected the most spectacular moment possible for his last upon earth4 ,yes1 ,shirley was guilty4 ,rather than wait the slow processes of legal justice he had attempted suicide4 ,now we raced to save his life1 to preserve it for a more fitting end in the electric chair4 ,,xxxi ,,physostigmin ,the first drug store we found was unable to supply us4 ,at a second we had better luck4 ,all in all1 we were back at the ,manton ,pictures plant in a relatively few minutes1 a remarkable bit of driving on the part of the district attorney4 ,shirley was still in the set4 ,kennedy at once administered the physostigmin1 ,i thought with an air of great relief4 ,this is one of the rare cases in which two drugs1 both highly poisonous1 are definitely antagonistic1 he explained4 ,each1 therefore1 is an antidote for the other when properly administered4 ,marilyn was chafing ,shirley's cold hands1 tears resting shamelessly upon her lids1 a look of deep inexpressible fear in her expression4 ,will--will you be able to save him1 ,professor8 she asked1 not once1 but a dozen different times4 ,none of the rest of us spoke4 ,we waited anxiously for the first signs of hope1 the first indication that the heavy man's life might be preserved4 ,it was wholly a question whether the physostigmin had been given to him quickly enough4 ,kennedy straightened finally1 and we knew that the crisis was over4 ,marilyn broke down completely and had to be supported to a chair4 ,strong1 willing arms lifted ,shirley to take him to his dressing room4 ,at that moment ,kennedy stood up1 raising his voice so as to demand the attention of everyone1 taking charge of matters through sheer force of personality4 ,i have come here this afternoon1 he began1 to apprehend the man or woman responsible for the death of ,miss ,lamar and ,mr4 ,werner1 for the fire in the negative vault1 and now for this attempt upon the life of ,mr4 ,shirley4 ,not a sound was evident as he paused1 no movement save a vague1 uneasy shifting of position on the part of some of those who had been on the point of leaving4 ,i have indisputable evidence of the guilty person's identity1 but1 nevertheless1 for reasons which ,i will explain to you ,i have not yet completed my identification4 ,to do so it is necessary that certain photographed scenes be projected on the screen and that certain other matters be made perfectly clear4 ,i am very anxious1 you see1 to eliminate the slightest possibility of error4 ,mr4 ,mackay here--,kennedy smiled1 very slightly--is the district attorney with jurisdiction at ,tarrytown4 ,at my request1 since yesterday--or1 to be exact1 since the death of ,mr4 ,werner warned us that no time could be lost--he has carried a ',john ,doe' warrant4 ,immediately following my identification of the guilty person he--or she--will be placed under arrest4 ,the charge will be the murder of ,stella ,lamar by the use of poison in a manner which ,i will explain to you4 ,the trial will take place at ,white ,plains1 the county seat of ,westchester ,county1 where the murder occurred4 ,mr4 ,mackay informs me that the courts there are not crowded2 in fact1 he personally has been able to devote most of his time to this case4 ,therefore the trial will be speedy and ,i am sure that the cold-blooded methods used by this criminal will guarantee a quick sentence and an early trip to the electric chair at ,ossining4 ,now--suddenly grim--if everyone will go down to the projection room1 the larger one1 we will bring matters to their proper conclusion4 ,i imagined that ,kennedy's speech was calculated to spread a little wholesome fear among the people we had considered suspects4 ,in any case that was the result1 for an outsider1 from the expressions upon the various faces1 might have concluded that several of them were guilty4 ,each seemed to start off across the studio floor reluctantly1 as though afraid to obey ,kennedy1 yet unable to resist the fascination of witnessing the identification of the criminal1 as though feeling that he or she individually might be accused1 and yet unwilling to seek safety at the expense of missing ,kennedy's revelation of his methods and explanation of their result4 ,i drew him aside as quickly as ,i could4 ,craig1 ,i started1 eagerly1 isn't this all unnecessary8 ,can't you see that ,shirley is the guilty man8 ,if you will hurry into his room with paper and pencil and get his confession before he recovers from his fright and regains his assurance-- ,what on earth1 ,walter6 ,kennedy interrupted me with a look of surprise which ,i did not miss even in my excitement4 ,what are you driving at1 anyway8 ,why1 ,shirley is the criminal4 ,he-- ,nonsense6 ,wasn't an attempt made to kill him just now8 ,wasn't it evident that he was considered as dangerous to the unknown as ,werner1 the director8 ,hasn't he been eliminated from our calculations as surely as the man slain yesterday8 ,no6 ,i flushed4 ,not at all1 ,craig6 ,this was not an attempt at murder4 ,there were none of the criminal's earmarks noticeable at ,tarrytown or in the banquet scene4 ,how do you mean1 ,walter8 ,for once ,kennedy regarded me seriously4 ,why1 you pointed out yourself that this unknown was exceptionally clever4 ,the attempt on ,shirley1 if it were an attempt1 was not clever at all4 ,why8 ,why8 ,i was a little sarcastic1 because ,i was sure of myself4 ,because the poison was atropin--belladonna4 ,that is common4 ,i've read of any number of crimes where that was used4 ,do you think for a moment that the mind which figured out how to use snake venom1 and botulin toxin1 would descend to anything as ordinary as all this8 ,well1 if it was not an attempt at murder1 what was it8 ,suicide6 ,it's as plain as the nose on your face4 ,shirley was passing us as we were standing with ,millard and as you told ,millard we all were to go to the projection room to identify the criminal4 ,therefore ,shirley knew he was at the end of his rope4 ,with the theatrical temperament1 he took the poison just as he finished playing his last great scene4 ,it--it was a sort of swan song4 ,quite a theory1 ,walter6 ,now ,i knew ,kennedy was unimpressed4 ,but1 where did he get the belladonna8 ,for his eyes4 ,after the smoke smart4 ,the drug is of no use against such inflammation4 ,no1 but it served to brighten his eyes4 ,enid suggested it to him and he went out and got it4 ,it helped him play his scenes4 ,it gave him the glittering expression he needed in his characterization4 ,again ,kennedy seemed to grasp my view4 ,he hesitated for several moments4 ,finally he looked up4 ,if ,shirley is the criminal1 and if he is above using as common a drug as atropin for killing another man1 then--then why isn't he above using it upon himself8 ,that struck me as easy to answer4 ,because if he is killing himself it is not necessary for him to cover his tracks1 or to do it cleverly1 and besides--it was my big point--he probably didn't decide to try to do it until he overheard us and realized the menace4 ,at that time he had the belladonna in his pocket4 ,he did not have an opportunity to procure anything else4 ,kennedy grinned4 ,you're all wrong1 ,walter1 and ,i'll show you where your reasoning is faulty4 ,in the first place if this criminal was the type to commit suicide at the moment he thought he was about to be caught he would be the type who would reflect upon that idea beforehand4 ,as his crimes show a great deal of previous preparation1 so we may assume that he would prepare for suicide1 or rather for the possibility that he might wish to attempt it4 ,therefore he would have something better for that purpose than atropin4 ,i shook my head1 but ,kennedy continued4 ,as a matter of fact1 the use of that drug is not less clever than the use of the venom or the toxin2 it is more so4 ,stop and think a minute6 ,the snake venom was employed in the case of ,miss ,lamar's death because it offered about the least possible chance of leaving telltale clues behind4 ,the snake poison could be inflicted with a tiny scratch1 and in such a way that an outcry from the girl would never be noticed4 ,nothing but my pocket lens caught the scratch2 only the great care ,i used in my examination put us on the trail at all4 ,now remember how ,werner met his death4 ,the toxin gave every symptom of food poisoning4 ,except that we discovered the broken stem of the wineglass we would never have been able to prove the tragedy anything but accident4 ,very possibly we have ,shirley to thank for the fact that our one clue there was not removed or destroyed4 ,in both cases the selection of the poison was suited to the conditions4 ,therefore1 if an attempt was made to kill ,shirley--and of the fact ,i am sure--we might expect that the agent likewise would be one least apt to create suspicion4 ,there are no portieres1 no opportunity for the use of another venom2 and besides1 that has lost its novelty1 and so its value4 ,similarly there is no use of food or wine in the scene1 precluding something else along the toxin order4 ,our unknown realizes that the safest place to commit murder is where there is a crowd4 ,he has followed that principle consistently4 ,in the case of the heavy man1 who has a bit of business before the camera where he drinks the contents of a little bottle1 the very cleverest thing is to use belladonna1 because ,shirley has employed it for his eyes1 and because--maliciously1 almost--it leads immediately to the hypothesis of suicide4 ,ye gods1 ,craig6 ,a sudden thought struck me and rather terrified me4 ,do you suppose ,enid ,faye suggested the use of the drug to ,shirley as part of the scheme to kill him8 ,is she-- ,i prefer1 ,kennedy interrupted--,i prefer to suppose that the guilty person overheard her1 or perhaps saw him buy it or learned in some other way that he was going to use it4 ,completely taken up with this new line of thought1 ,i failed to question ,kennedy further1 and it was just as well because most of the people were on their way down to the projection room1 not only those we wished present1 but practically everyone of sufficient importance about the studio to feel that he could intrude4 ,kennedy turned to ,mackay1 who had taken no part in our discussion1 although an interested listener4 ,you have the bag and all the evidence8 ,yes6 ,mackay picked it up4 ,watkins1 the camera man1 watched it for me while ,jameson and ,i went after that drug4 ,kennedy stooped down quickly1 but it was locked and had not been tampered with4 ,in the corridor by the dressing rooms we met ,kauf1 and ,kennedy stopped him4 ,how long would it take to make a print from the scene where ,shirley took the poison8 ,we could have it ready in half an hour1 in a case of grim necessity4 ,half an hour8 ,i exclaimed at that1 in disbelief4 ,you couldn't begin to dry the negative in that time1 ,kauf4 ,he glanced at me tolerantly4 ,we make what is called a wet print2 that is1 we print from the negative while it is still wet and so we only have the positive to dry4 ,then we put it on drums in a forced draught of hot air4 ,the result is not very good1 but it's a fine thing sometimes to get a picture of a parade or some accident in a theater right after it happens4 ,will you do it for me1 ,kauf8 ,kennedy broke in1 impatiently4 ,this is a case of grim necessity1 he added4 ,kauf hurried off and we made our way across the yard to the stairs leading down into the basement and to the projection room specified by ,kennedy4 ,here ,manton was waiting1 uneasy1 flushed1 his face gathered in a frown and his hands clenching and unclenching in his nervousness4 ,do you--do you know who it is8 he demanded4 ,not yet1 ,kennedy replied4 ,first ,i must marshal all my evidence4 ,who--who do you want present in the projection room8 ,mr4 ,phelps1 ,mr4 ,millard1 and--yourself1 ,mr4 ,manton4 ,miss ,loring and ,miss ,faye4 ,mr4 ,gordon4 ,anyone else who wishes1 if there is room4 ,phelps1 ,millard1 ,gordon1 and the two girls are inside already4 ,good6 ,we will start at once4 ,manton turned1 to lead the way in4 ,at that moment there was a call from the yard4 ,we stopped1 looking up4 ,it was ,shirley4 ,wait just a minute1 he cried4 ,he was so weak that the two extra men who were helping him virtually supported his weight4 ,on his face was a look of desperate determination4 ,i--,i must see this too6 he gasped4 ,,xxxii ,,camera ,,evidence ,coming in from the bright light of open day1 the projection room seemed a gloomy1 forbidding place1 certainly well calculated to break down the reserve of perhaps the cleverest criminal ever pitting his skill against the science of ,craig ,kennedy4 ,it was a small room1 long and not so wide1 with a comparatively low ceiling4 ,in order to obviate eye strain the walls were painted somberly and there were no light colors in evidence except for a nearly square patch of white at the farther end1 the screen upon which the pictures were projected4 ,the illumination was very dim4 ,this was so that there would be no great contrast between the light reflected from the images cast upon the screen during pictures and the illumination in the room itself between reels2 again designed to prevent strain upon the eyes of the employees whose work was the constant examination of film in various stages of its assembly4 ,the chairs were fastened to the floor1 arranged in tiny crescents and placed so as not to interfere with the throw of the pictures from behind4 ,the projection machines themselves1 two in number in order to provide continuous projection by alternating the reels and so threading one machine while running the other1 were in a fireproof booth or separate room1 connected with the tiny auditorium only by slits in the wall and a sort of porthole through which the operator could talk or take his instructions4 ,directly beneath the openings to the booth were a table equipped with a shaded lamp1 a stand for manuscripts1 and a signal button4 ,here the film cutters and editors sat1 watching the subject upon which they worked and making notes for changes1 for bits of superfluous action to be cut out1 or for titles or spoken inserts to be moved4 ,at a signal the operator could be instructed to stop at any point1 or to start1 or to wind back and run some given piece over again4 ,the lights in the room were controlled from within the booth and also by a switch just at the side of the door4 ,a telephone on the table offered a connection with any part of the studio or with the city exchanges1 so that an official of the company could be reached while viewing a picture4 ,as we entered ,i tried to study the different faces1 but found it a hopeless task on account of the poor light4 ,kennedy took his place at the little table1 switching on the little shaded lamp and motioning for ,mackay to set the traveling bag so he could open it and view the contents4 ,then ,mackay took post at the door1 a hand in his pocket1 and ,i realized that the district attorney clasped a weapon beneath the cover of his clothing1 and was prepared for trouble4 ,i moved over to be ready to help ,kennedy if necessary4 ,as ,kennedy took his key1 unlocking the bag1 it would have been possible to have heard the slightest movement of a hand or foot1 the faintest gasp of breath1 so tense was the silence4 ,first ,kennedy took out the various rolls of film4 ,looking up1 he caught the face of the operator at the opening in the wall and handed them to him one by one4 ,here are two sections of the opening of the story1 scenes one to thirteen of ',the ,black ,terror' put together in order1 but without subtitles4 ,one is printed from the negative of the head camera man1 ,watkins4 ,the other is exactly the same action as taken by the other photographer4 ,we will run both1 but wait for my signal between each piece4 ,understand8 ,yes1 sir6 ,now ,i am giving you two rolls which contain prints of the negative from both cameras of the action at the moment of ,werner's death4 ,those are to be projected in the same way when ,i give you the signal4 ,following that there will be two very short pieces which show the attempt upon the life of ,mr4 ,shirley4 ,they are being rushed through the laboratory at this moment and will be brought to you by the time we are ready for them4 ,finally--,kennedy paused and as he took the rolls of negative of the snake film ,i could see that he hesitated to allow them out of his hands even for a few moments--here is some negative which will be my little climax4 ,it--it is very valuable indeed1 so please be careful4 ,you--you want to project the ,,negative8 queried the operator4 ,yes4 ,they tell me it can be done1 even with negative as old and brittle as this1 if you are careful4 ,i'll be careful1 sir6 ,you punch the button there once to stop and two to go4 ,i'll be ready in a moment4 ,as he spoke he disappeared and soon we heard the unmistakable hiss of the arcs in his machines4 ,kennedy stooped and from the bag produced the little envelopes with the pocket knives and nail files1 the set of envelopes with the samples of blood1 the piece of silk he had cut from the portiere at ,tarrytown1 the tiny bits he had cut from the towel found by me in the washroom of this studio1 and a microscope--the last1 ,i guessed1 for effect4 ,around in the semidarkness ,i could see the faces as necks were craned to watch us4 ,kennedy's deliberateness1 his air of certainty1 must have struck terror home to some one person in the little audience4 ,often ,kennedy depended upon hidden scientific instruments to catch the faint outward signs of the emotions of his people in a seance of this sort1 to allow the comparison of their reactions in the course of his review of the evidence1 to give him what amounted to a very sure proof of the one person's guilt4 ,the very absence of some such preparation indicated to me the extent of his confidence4 ,at length he began his little lecture1 for all the world as though this were one of his classes at the ,university1 as though there were at stake some matter of chemical reaction4 ,i need not tell you1 ladies and gentlemen1 that this is a highly scientific age in which we live4 ,his tones were leisurely1 businesslike1 cool4 ,your own profession1 the moving picture1 with all its detail of photography and electricity1 its blending of art and drama and mechanics1 is indicative of that1 but--a pause for emphasis--it is of my own profession ,i wish to talk just now1 the detection and prevention of crime4 ,criminals as a whole were probably the very first class of society to realize the full benefit of modern science4 ,banks and business institutions1 the various detective and police forces1 all grades and walks of life have been put to it to keep abreast of the development of scientific crime4 ,so true has this been that it is a matter of common belief with many people that the hand of the law may be defied with impunity1 that justice may be cheated with absolute certainty1 just so long as a guilty man or woman is sufficiently clever and sufficiently careful4 ,fortunately1 the real truth is quite the reverse4 ,science has extended itself in many dimensions of space4 ,with the use of a microscope1 for instance1 a whole new world is opened up to the trained detective4 ,everyone knows now that the examination of hands and fingers is an infallible aid in the identification of criminals and in the proof of the presence of a suspect at the scene of a crime--,i refer to fingerprints1 of course4 ,but fingerprints are only one small detail in this department of investigation4 ,our criminals know that gloves must be worn1 or any smooth surface wiped so as to remove the prints4 ,in that way they believe they cheat the microscope or the pocket lens4 ,as a matter of fact few people have thought of another way of gaining evidence from the finger tips1 but it is a method possible to the scientist1 and is not only practicable but exceedingly effective4 ,in time it will be recognized by all specialists in crime4 ,now ,i refer to the deposits under the finger nail4 ,indeed1 it is surprising how many things find their way under the nail and into the corners of the cuticle4 ,kennedy indicated the files and pocket knives visible in the shaded square of light before him4 ,the value of examining finger-nail deposits becomes evident when we realize that everyone carries away in that fashion a sample of every bit of material he handles4 ,to touch a piece of cloth1 even lightly1 will result in the catching of a few of its fibers4 ,similarly1 the finger nails will deposit either a small or large portion of their accumulation upon such things as the knife blades or files used to clean them2 and there identification still is possible4 ,nothing in the world is too infinitesimal for use as evidence beneath the microscope4 ,in classifying these accumulations--,kennedy paused and the silence in the little room was death-like--we may say that there are some which are legitimate and some which are not4 ,it is the latter which concern us now4 ,the first day we were here at the studio1 just four days ago now1 and immediately following the murder of ,miss ,lamar1 ,mr4 ,jameson discovered a towel in the washroom on the second floor of the office building4 ,on that towel there were spots of ,chinese yellow1 make-up1 as though it had been used to wipe a face or hands by some actor or actress4 ,those spots were unimportant4 ,there were others1 however1 of an entirely different nature1 together with the mark of blood and a stain which showed that a hypodermic needle had been cleaned upon the towel before it was thrown in the basket4 ,kennedy leaned forward4 ,his eyes traveled from face to face4 ,that towel was a dangerous clue4 ,now there was a new grim element in his voice4 ,that towel alone has given me the evidence on which ,i shall obtain a conviction in this case4 ,to-day ,i let it be known that it was in my possession and the guilty man or woman understood at once the value it would be to me4 ,in order to gain additional clues ,i purposely gave the impression that ,i had yet to analyze either the spots or the trace of blood4 ,i wanted the towel stolen1 and for that purpose ,i placed the bag containing it in a locker and left the locker unguarded4 ,i coated the towel with a substance which would cause discomfort and alarm--itching salve--not with the idea that anyone would be foolish enough to go about scratching before my eyes1 but with the idea of making that person believe that such was my purpose and with the idea of driving him--or her--to washing his hands at once and1 more1 with the idea of forcing him or scaring him into cleaning his fingernails4 ,i succeeded4 ,on one of these files or knife blades ,i have found and identified the fibers of that towel4 ,i do not yet know the person1 but ,i know the mark placed by ,mackay on the outside of the little envelope1 and when ,i tell ,mackay the mark he will name the guilty person4 ,mr4 ,kennedy6 ,manton spoke up1 impulsively1 every towel in the studio is the same4 ,i bought them all at the same time4 ,the fibers would all be alike4 ,you have named seven people to me1 including myself1 as possibly guilty of these--these murders4 ,your conclusions may be very unjust--and may lead to a serious miscarriage of justice4 ,kennedy was unperturbed4 ,this particular towel1 in addition to the itching salve1 was thoroughly impregnated with a colorless chemical which changed the composition of the fibers in a way easily distinguishing them from the others under the microscope4 ,do you see1 ,mr4 ,manton8 ,the promoter had no more to say4 ,now what connection has the towel with the case8 ,simply this6 ,kennedy picked up one of the tiny pieces he had cut out of it4 ,the poison used to kill ,miss ,lamar was snake venom4 ,he paused while a little murmur went through his audience1 the first sound ,i had detected4 ,these spots on the towel are antivenin4 ,the venom itself is exceedingly dangerous to handle4 ,the guilty man--or woman--took no chances1 but inoculated himself with antivenin1 protection against any chance action of the poison4 ,the marks on the towel are the marks made by the needle used by that person in taking the inoculation4 ,if you will follow me closely you will understand the significance of this4 ,miss ,lamar was killed by the scratch of a needle secreted in the portieres through which she came1 playing the scene in ,mr4 ,phelps's library4 ,that ,i will prove to you when ,i show you the film4 ,the night following her death some one broke into the room there at ,tarrytown and removed the needle4 ,in removing the needle that person scratched himself1 or herself4 ,on the portieres ,i found some tiny spots of blood4 ,kennedy paused to hold up the bit of heavy silk4 ,i analyzed them and found that the blood serum had changed in character very subtly4 ,i demonstrated that the blood of the person who took the needle contained antivenin1 and if necessary ,i can prove the blood to come from the same individual who wiped the needle on the towel in the studio4 ,kennedy pressed the button before him1 twice4 ,now ,i want you to see1 actually see ,miss ,lamar meet her death4 ,the lights went out1 then the picture flashed on the screen before us1 revealing the gloom and mystery of the opening scene of ,the ,black ,terror4 ,we saw the play of the flashlight1 finally the fingers and next the arm of ,stella as she parted the curtains4 ,in the close-up we witnessed the repetition of her appearance1 since the film was simply spliced together1 not matched or trimmed4 ,following came all the action down to the point where she collapsed over the figure of ,werner on the floor4 ,before the camera man stopped1 ,manton rushed in and was photographed bending over her4 ,kennedy's voice was dramatically tense1 for not one of us but had been profoundly affected by the reproduction of the tragedy4 ,did you notice the terror in her face when she cried out8 ,was that terror1 really8 ,if you were watching1 you would have detected a slight flinch as she brushed her arm up against the silk4 ,for just a moment she was not acting4 ,it was pain1 not pretended terror1 which made her scream4 ,the devilish feature to this whole plot was the care taken to cover just that thing-her inevitable exclamation4 ,now watch closely as ,i signal the operator to run the same action from the other camera4 ,notice the gradual effect of the poison1 how she forces herself to keep going without realization of the fact that death is at hand1 how she collapses finally through sheer inability to maintain her control of herself a moment longer4 ,during the running of the second piece the tense silence in the room was ghastly4 ,who was the guilty person8 ,who possessed such amazing callousness that an exhibition of this sort brought no outcry8 ,now--,kennedy glanced around in the dim light1 switched on between the running of the different strips--,i'm going to project the banquet scenes and show you the manner of ,werner's death4 ,scene after scene of the banquet flashed before us4 ,here the cutter had not been sure just what ,kennedy wanted and had spliced up everything4 ,we saw the marvelous direction of ,werner1 who little realized that it was to be his last few moments on earth1 and we grasped the beauty and illusion of the set caused by the mirrors and the man's skill in placing his people4 ,yet there was not a sound1 because we knew that this was a tragedy1 a grim episode in which there was no human justification whatever4 ,werner rose at his place4 ,he proposed his toast4 ,he drank the contents of his glass4 ,then1 his expression changed to wonderment and from that to fear and realization1 and he dropped to the floor4 ,kennedy's voice1 interrupting1 seemed to me to come from a great distance1 so powerfully was ,i affected by the bit of film4 ,the poison used to kill ,mr4 ,werner was botulin toxin1 selected because its effects could not be diagnosed as anything other than ordinary food poisoning4 ,when we look at the print from the second camera's negative you will notice how quickly it acted4 ,it was the pure toxin1 placed in his glass before the wine was poured4 ,once more the unfortunate director's death was reproduced before us4 ,struck down1 exclaimed ,craig1 as though by some invisible lightning bolt1 without mercy1 without a chance1 without the slightest bit of compunction6 ,why8 ,i'll tell you4 ,because he suspected1 in fact knew1 who the guilty person was4 ,because he followed that person out to ,tarrytown the night the needle was removed from the portieres4 ,because he was a menace to that person's life6 ,kennedy turned to the operator4 ,have those other scenes come down8 ,yes1 sir6 ,all right6 ,kennedy faced the rest of us again4 ,there was1 or rather is1 another person who suspects the identity of the criminal4 ,to-day an attempt was made upon the life of ,shirley4 ,shirley will not tell whom he suspects because he has no definite proof1 yet for the mere fact that he suspects he narrowly escaped the fate of ,stella ,lamar and ,werner4 ,kennedy pressed the button4 ,witness the effort to kill the man playing the part of the ,black ,terror4 ,the print was terribly bad1 in appearance almost a dupe1 due to the speed with which it had been made4 ,nevertheless the two very brief scenes rushed through for this showing were more absorbingly thrilling1 more graphic than anything ever to be seen even in a news reel at a movie theater4 ,notice6 ,kennedy exclaimed4 ,he puts his hand in one pocket1 he fumbles1 hesitates1 then finds the bottle in the other4 ,whoever put the poison in the vial replaced it in the wrong pocket4 ,the film shows that very clearly4 ,the camera proves that it was not an attempt at suicide4 ,yet the poison used was belladonna1 selected because this victim had purchased some and because it would seem sure1 therefore1 that he had committed suicide4 ,we sat in silence1 listening1 horrified4 ,there is still another matter1 ,kennedy went on1 after a moment4 ,the fire in the negative vault this morning was incendiary4 ,i have proved to the satisfaction of several of us that a bomb was constructed of wet phosphorus and old film and placed in the vault by trickery four days ago1 the same day ,stella ,lamar was killed4 ,through a miscalculation the phosphorus was slow in drying and the fire did not occur until to-day4 ,thanks to that fact ,i have in my possession a bit of negative which the murderer very likely wished to have destroyed2 in fact1 ,i believe its destruction to be the motive in planning the fire in the vault4 ,he faced the operator4 ,ready to run the negative8 ,yes1 sir6 ,kennedy pressed the button and when the projection machine threw its picture upon the screen ,i saw something such as ,i had never imagined before4 ,everything was black which should have been white and everything white which should have been black4 ,the two extremes shaded into each other in weird fashion4 ,in fact it was uncanny to watch a negative projected and ,i followed1 fascinated4 ,this is a film made with the co-operation of ,doctor ,nagoya of the ,castleton ,institute and ,i am told by ,mr4 ,manton that it is one of the finest snake pictures ever made4 ,kennedy spoke fast1 so that we would get the full benefit of his explanation and so that it would not be necessary to subject the negative to the wear and tear of the sprocket wheels in the projection machine again4 ,i am running this for you to show you the action of the rattlesnake1 whose venom was used to kill ,miss ,lamar1 and to give you an idea of the source of the murderer's knowledge of snake poison4 ,at this moment ,doctor ,nagoya1 whom ,i could barely recognize in the inverted photography1 seized one of the rattlers4 ,it was a close-up and we could see the reptile dart out its forked tongue1 seeking to get at the hands of the ,japanese1 locked firmly about its neck4 ,then another man walked into the picture1 holding a jar4 ,at once the snake struck at the glass4 ,as it did so it was possible to see drops of the venom projected into the jar4 ,other details followed and there were views of other sorts and breeds of snakes1 from the poisonous to the most harmless4 ,the principal scene1 however1 had been the one showing the venom4 ,lights up6 ,the operator threw the switch again1 stopping the film and at the same time lighting the projection room4 ,kennedy stepped forward and turned to face us4 ,there was this negative in the vaults4 ,he spoke rapidly4 ,it bore a certain name on the film1 as editor4 ,some one knew that proof of the possession of this knowledge of snakes might prove a powerful link in the chain against him4 ,if that had been a positive instead of a negative1 you would have recognized ,doctor ,nagoya's 'assistant4' ,there was a double motive in blowing that vault--to destroy the company and to protect himself4 ,in fact1 all the rest of the negative was destroyed4 ,only by chance ,i saved this piece--the very one that he wanted to destroy4 ,everyone waited breathlessly for ,kennedy's next move4 ,suddenly ,kennedy flushed4 ,i could see that he became genuinely angry4 ,in this room1 he exclaimed1 there sits the most unscrupulous1 cold-blooded1 inhuman being ,i have ever known4 ,yet he maintains silence1 believing still that he can defy the scientific evidence of his crimes4 ,i have not yet mentioned1 however1 the real proof of his guilt4 ,kennedy picked up one of the little envelopes1 one which contained a blood smear4 ,during the explosion this morning a number of you were cut by falling glass4 ,you will remember that ,i bound up your cuts1 carefully cleansing each one and wiping away the blood4 ,that gave me a sample of the blood of everyone but ,miss ,loring and ,mr4 ,shirley4 ,subsequently1 without their knowledge1 ,i obtained a sample from each of them4 ,thus ,i have a specimen from everyone concerned1 or possibly concerned in the murders4 ,he glanced about1 but even now there was no telltale revelation4 ,i have analyzed these and one shows that the person from whom ,i obtained the sample has been inoculated with antivenin4 ,the mark on the envelope is the same as the mark on the envelope containing the towel fibers1 a double proof4 ,furthermore1 ,i am prepared to show that it is the same blood as the blood upon the portiere4 ,he faced me4 ,all at once his voice carried the sharpness of a whip4 ,walter1 relieve ,mackay at the door and take his weapon4 ,let no one out4 ,mackay1 come here6 ,an instant later the district attorney leaned over4 ,he glanced at the mark indicated by ,kennedy1 then whispered a name4 ,the next instant ,kennedy rose4 ,i thought so1 he muttered4 ,raising his voice1 he addressed all of us4 ,here is a man who thought crime so long that he believed he could get away with--murder6 ,not only did he commit a second murder and plan a third to cover the first1 but he planted evidence against nearly all of you4 ,he dropped the ampulla in ,mc,groarty's car to implicate any one of four people4 ,he coolly stole a cigarette case to put it where it would be found after the film fire and clinch suspicion4 ,for all this1 what justification has he had8 ,jealousy1 jealousy of the narrowest1 most primitive1 sort actuated him4 ,not only was he willing to kill ,stella ,lamar1 but he sought to destroy every foot of negative in which she had appeared4 ,he was jealous of her success1 greater than his1 jealous of her interest in other men1 greater than her interest in him4 ,her divorce was maneuvered directly by him simply because he thought it would hurt and humiliate her1 and for no other reason4 ,when nothing seemed to stop her1 on her upward climb1 when he realized that she was as ambitious as he was and that her position in the picture world alone interested her1 he sought by devious means1 by subtle schemes1 by spreading dissatisfaction and encouraging dissension1 to wreck the company which had made her4 ,at the end--he killed her--waiting craftily until she was at the very climax of her finest piece of work1 the opening scenes of ',the ,black ,terror4' ,there was bitterness in ,kennedy's tones4 ,before1 ,i would not believe that a man-- ,suddenly the projection room was plunged into darkness4 ,some one had pushed the wall switch close by me4 ,i backed into the doorway1 raising my weapon to resist any attempt to escape4 ,almost at the same instant there were the sounds of a struggle4 ,kennedy had dashed forward in the darkness1 sure of the position of his man1 unafraid4 ,a scream ,i recognized from the throat of ,enid4 ,i groped for the switch1 but the operator in the booth anticipated me4 ,in the first burst of illumination ,i saw that ,kennedy had forced his antagonist back over the front row of chairs4 ,almost ,i heard the crack of the man's spine4 ,i caught a glimpse of the man's face and gasped at the murderous rage as he struggled and strove to break ,kennedy's iron grip4 ,enid was the first at ,kennedy's side4 ,with an expression ,i failed to analyze until long afterward she sought to claw at the murderer's unprotected features1 twitching now in impotent fury4 ,you wrote that note for her to meet you at the tearoom1 ,kennedy muttered1 eyes narrowing grimly1 knowing she would be dead before that time4 ,you protected yourself against the poisoned needle in the portieres--but--your own blood convicts you--,millard6 ,,the ,,end