The Argosy, Vol. 90 No. 1 — page 20: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

14 ‘What does Miss Van Allen look like?” asked the detective. ‘‘ She’s pretty,” replied Mrs. Reeves— “awfully pretty, but not a raving beauty. Black hair, and bright, fresh coloring—”’ “How was she dressed? Giddy clothes?” ‘In an evening gown,” returned Mrs. Reeves, resentful of the detective’s man- ner. ‘A beautiful French gown, of tulle and gold trimmings.” ‘“‘Low-necked and all that? Jewels?” ‘“* Yes,” I said, as Mrs. Reeves disdained to answer. ‘ Full evening costume, and a necklace and earrings of amber set in gold.” “What I’m getting at,” said Lowney, ‘‘is that a woman dressed like that couldn’t go very far in the streets witheut being noticed. We'll surely be able to trace Miss Van Allen. Where would she be likely to go?” “T don’t know,” said Mrs. Reeves. ‘“‘ She wouldn’t go to my home. I live way down in Washington Square.” ‘Nor to mine,” chirped Ariadne. over on the West Side.” “‘T don’t believe she left the house,” de- clared the coroner. “Tell us again, Luigi,” asked Lowney. ‘ Just where did the lady seem to go when you saw her leave this room?” “T can’t say, sir. I was looking through a door crack, and I was so amazed at what I saw that I was sort of paralyzed and didn’t dare open the door farther.” ‘‘Go back to the pantry,’ commanded Fenn, ‘‘ and look in, just as you did.” The waiter retreated to the post he had held, and, setting the door a few inches ajar, proved that he could see the body by the sideboard, but could not command a view of the hall.” “Now, I'll represent Miss Van Allen,” and Lowney stood over the body of Somers. “Ts this the place?” ‘A little farther to the right, sir.” Luigi’s earnestness and good faith were unmistakable. ‘‘ Yes, sir, just there.” “ Now, I walk out into the hall. Is this the way she went?” “ Yes, sir; the same.” Lowney went from the dining-room to “ Tt’s THE ARGOSY. the hali; and it was clear that his further progress could not be seen by the peeping waiter. ‘You see, Fenn,” the detective went on, “from here, in the back of this long hall, Miss Van Allen could have left the house by two ways. She could have gone out at the front door, passing the parlor, or she could have gone down these basement Stairs, which are just under the stairs to the second story. Then she could have gone out by the front area door, which would give her access to the street. She could have caught up a cloak as she went.” ‘“‘ Or,” said Fenn musingly, ‘ she could have run up-stairs. The staircase is so far back in the hall that the guests in the par- lor would not have seen her.”’ It was true. The stairs began so far back in the long hall that Vicky could easily have slipped up-stairs after leaving the dining-room without being seen by any of us in the living-room unless we were in its doorway, looking out. Was anybody? So many guests had left that this point could not be revealed. | “JT didn’t see her,’ declared Mrs. Reeves, “‘ and I don’t believe she was in the dining-room at all. I don’t care what that waiter says!” “Oh, yes, madam,” reiterated Luigi. “It was Miss Van Allen. I know her well. Often she comes to Fraschini’s, and always I take her orders. She came even this af- ternoon, to make sure the great cake—the Jack Horner—was all right. And she ap- proved it; she clapped her hands at sight of it. We all do our best for Miss Van Allen, she is such a lovely lady.” ‘Miss Van Allen is one of your regular customers?” “One of our best. Very often we serve her, and always she orders our finest wares.” “You provide everything?” ‘“‘ Everything. Candles, flowers, decora- tions—all.”’ ‘¢ And she pays her bills?” ‘* Most promptly.” ‘“* By check?” “Yes, sir.” ‘“ And there are no servants here but the maid Julie?” comicbool< CO