A fllMistylltokul ~ BABS LEE SYNOPSIS A mysterious assassin cut short the gay career of Syria Verne, artists' model, just as she was answering the telephone in her penthouse apartment to which she had returned soon afer midnight following a quarrel with Pierre Sturgis. art photographer. The police could find no gun, significant fingerprints, nor other evidence of an intruder. The evening of the murder, she had met an old friend. Argus Steele, author and former detective, in the Penguin Club where he was dining with Ellen Curtis, a model. Syria left, accompanied by Sturgis. Bill Carstairs, ill, playboy, introduced his latest blonde, Dorry, to Ellen and Argus. Later, Ellen found Dorry in the ladies' room, weeping because her Hill "was phoning tint awful Syria Verne again." Ellen noticed a snubnosed revolver in IJorry's open purse. . . . Next morning, Ellen phoned Argus to tell him that Syria had been murdered. Police Inspector Grange visited Steele as the investigation got under way. Later, Ellen introduced Argus to Roger Flagg in the latter's model agency. Flagg invited Argus to examine his office files and Ellen acts as guide in showing Argus the routine and records of the model agency. They note Syria's chart; she had four appointments for that day, one of them with Pierre Sturgis. , •' CHAPTER TEN Argus watched Ellen nr. r-hc talked. There was a tonic quality in her very appearance, he thought. "Syria ever get chummy with any of the girls she worked with?" he asked. "No. She was the silent, mysterious type." "But she must've been seen nround. I thought all these glamour girls were always being taken to fancy dives l-y fancy boy friends." "She may have," said Ellen. "Seems to me I did hear a rumor that Syrin had some man on tin1 string, but I never learned who it. was—aside from Sturgis.of couvre." "How was she liked generally 1" "The girls didn't understand her. I don't think they disliked her, but she wasn't exactly friendly with anyone." Ellen paused. "I've been thinking about Dorry — you remember— the girl Bill Car t airs was with in the Penguin club? Ever since I heard about Syria's being shot, I've worried about that gun IJorry was carrying." "Maybe she was going to o=e it on Carstairs," Argus suggested. "It would have been a temptation." "She seemed plenty burned up about Bill's phoning Syria. Did the police mention either <>f them in connection with the murder?" "No." A man with a camera under his arm approached them. In h: wake was the indignant receptionist. "Here!" she called. "You can't barge in here like that without Mr. Klagg's permission. What do you think this is?" The cameraman ignored her and smiled at Argus as though he were a be • in friend. "1 heard you were h* re, Argus, old boy," ho said familiarly. Steele hud never soon the man before. "I'm still on the llladc—you remember." He winked at Argus broadly. "I just want to trot some shots of you with some <>f those models." He turned. There were four girls coming up behind him. The receptionist shrugged a gesture of hopelessness and rein i tied to her duties. "I've never seen you before, and I'm not at all sure that I'm going to work on this ease," Argus said. "Sure, I know. Hut give me a break, will you? I was sent up hero to trot picture of the oflieo and Mr. Flagg and the cirls. 1 find you hero—one of the greatest gumshoos in the business. It's a natural, isn't it?" lie began to adjust his camera. "Now trirls stand over (u ii* by Mr. Steele and sort of drape yourselves around. You too, sister." lie motioned to Kllcn. She tried to hide a grin. The girls clustered around Argus. "That's it," said the bulb-liombor. "(let closer. Look at Mr. Steele and smile. 1 *nt your arm around 'em, Mr. Steele." Two of them, a blonde and a brunette, snuggled against him. Arcus frowned — a mock frown, to be sure. "Look pleasant, Mr. Steele. Maylie you don't want any publicity, but think of the. •• girls here. It's going to help their careers." lie winked again. "Ilow's this?" Argus asked, grinning. his arms full of models. "That's it." paid liie pluitographor. A flash bulb exploded in their Taces. Argus blinked. The girls lausrhed. "What's going on here?" Flagg aslced, coming into the room. "Just taking a few pictures for the Hlntlr." the lens ranger replied. "I'd like to gel a : hot of you with those model-:." ••Sorry," said Flaprg. "Some other time." "I'.ut, just one—" "Xn," declared Flngg. "Oko!" grinned the youlli with a shrug. "Thanks, Mr. Steele," ho said. "Much obliged, girls." He put away bis camera and left. "What time is it?" Kllen asked. Flagg glanced at his wrist. It was bare. "I must'vo forgotten my watcli today," he said. "It's ten after twelve," answered Argus. '•I'll have to dash." said Ellen. "My appointment—Oh, by the way, you're coming to the fashion show this afternoon aren't yon, Argus? It's at the Park Hotel at four. Meet me outside the models' dressing room and I'll trive you a ticket." "Now what would I do at a fashion show?" "They arc highly educational," said Kllcn. "Aren't they, Roger? And besides, there arc going to be some bathing-suit numbers." "Well—in that tase—faltered Argus. "I'll sec you there, then," said Flagg. "I'm to be one of the judges." As Argus came out of Flagg's building he saw Inspector Grange emerging from a police car several doors down the block. "Well," said Argus, coming up to him, "this seems to be my day for running into the law. Where are you hound for'!" "Hello!" greeted Grange, shoving his hat back on his head. "I wan just Retting around to paying * little call on Mr. Sturgis." "So? Mind if 1 join you? I'm getting quite interested in this modeling business." Grange looked doubtful. "Well, what are wc waiting for, Inspector? Come on." lie took Grange's arm and propelled him across the sidewalk. "Now listen, Steele, tliia isn't in the regulations. 1—" "Regulations. Rules. Are you man or sheep? If anybody ask ; any questions just tell 'em I followed you." Reluctantly, Grange agreed. "Thinking of doing some investigating on your own hook in this ease, Steele?" the Ispeetor asked as they stepped into an elevator. "Maybe. Anything new on the case?" "Sure," saiil Grange sourly. "I know what kind of toothpaste Syria Verne used, what she had for dinner Monday night and how many brassieres she owned, but as to who shot her—" He shrugged. Argus followed Grange through a frosted-glnss door marked "Slurgis" in large gold letters, inside, a sedate, bespectacled woman sat hehind a switchboard. ".Mr. Sturgis here?" Grange asked. "lie's in conference," she said. "Well, tell him Inspector Grant;o wants to see him." "Yes, sir." She eyed the police officer with apprehension, then turned to the switchboard and plugged in a line. Apparently there was 110 answer. Sue tried another line. Argus heard her mumble something; then she turned to Grange and said: "Mr. Sturgis just stepped out for a minute. Will you wail?" "Sure," declared Grange. "We'll wait." "Mind if T have a look around the studio?" Argus a.-kcd. "I suppose it's all right." answered the receptioni.;t. ".Mr. Sturuis' assistant, l'aul, may be shooting a picture. I—" "Thanks," said Argus. lie walked as far as the door marked "Studio" and paused with his hand 011 the knob. "Want to join 1110, Inspector?" "Might take a look around at that," said Grange. "But let me know the instant Mr. Sturgis returns," ho cautioned the receptionist. Inside the studio a number of bright lights, similar to the Kleigs used in Hollywood, were clustered together in one corner of the room. They threw a light of devastating brilliance on a raised platform that resembled a stage set. A beautiful blonde, with long wavy hair that hung down to her shoulders, wearing only a brassiere and panties, was seated on a red and white striped dais. She was about nineteen and her skin, tinder the lights, had a peachcs-and-cream texture. One shapely leg was stretched out in front of her as she posed in the act of pulling up a sheer, silk stocking (To be continued) rnpfild.t. It r.jr. <■": DtitrlLutcJ 1» I'xtuiu d,wheat* u» SOLDIER ARTISTS AT CAMP DAVIS Thirteen artists ot the anti-aircraft a rMlei" jehvid s ilwrilrd iJ'ist'"1: fur sales "'jftiim in iltr fcurlh war loan drive at Camp Davis, N. ('. Here the artist display tiirir work. N. C. PI ANT BUH.DS PLYWOOD GUNNERS four KntrrliHri ,-runners, advanced Iralncrs for Riinncr«, arc shown on the field of ihe. HiirliitRton plan!. •Walling (Icll-cry lc llir Army air fnrrrs. The Falrr'11(1 (runners arc Ihr only large plywood tdancs now being produced in (lie l ulled Slate*. AIR-SWALLOWING A UNIVERSAL ILL By I.OCAN ai'NIiKMXi;, V. |( I!' \0U wish to be euphemistic mill polite ami at tin- same iillu. soientilii* jim will say that the fcelltll ill III \l l| liUVO just hl'ltl Mllr. ("loudening will tiihui r quest inns of central inteiest only, mill then only through lus cmuiiin. versing with — is troubled wi'h neiophagia. lint y«m will not ho Ileal ly so intelligible to tiie average person us if yon sail,—"lie hm*|>s." t>r In ilcsmud n ally into the language of the stri ot you may say—"lie