The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-10-21

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of the rooms on the same
door came out, ladies with the rest, in
various phases Of dressing, some in COM
plete deshabille. I could not help re-
marking one girl in particular, dark
brunette, whom I had noticed for some
Eme past and greatly admired. Her pale,
plive-tinted cheeks, diffused with fine
color, her large brown eyes wide open
with terror, her magnificent raven hair
hanging loose over pale blue pelgnolr,
which betrayed, rather than concealed, her
tall but e1quisitefy nodded figure. pre-
sented vision Of such rare and ravlshlng
beauty that for moment l paused spell
bound.
But the noise and commotion now in
creased, and pushed forward to learn
It's cause, Just as second female face,
older, but with strong family resem-
blance, appeared behind that already de-
scribed, and I heard the wc.ds, What
is 1t, Clara? Tell me-quick J" as !
passed on.
By this time the disturbance had be-
come general. A crowd-visitors like my.
self, porters, walters, other chamber
maids surrounding the one who had been
Shrieking, and who seemed on the verge
Of Mysteries, and all were asking her what
1t meant.
Her only answer was to point to the end
Of the corridor, and gasp out hysterically
at intervals, NO. SO! No. 99!"
Thither every one rushed in body. The
door Of the bedroom. No. SO, stood open.
We crowded in, and soon saw the cause
Of the chambermaids screams.
The body of q man lay there motion
less on the floor. He was On his back,
in his clothes, and fully dressed, with
3lce horribly drawn, and great, staring,
wide -open eyes.
rs he dead9" asked someone, breath.
iessly.
.send for doctor, quick!" cried an
other.
: Il am q medical man." said a third,
pushing forward throug b the crowd OF
bystanders. ALLOW me"
The doctor placed his hand upon the
heart, turned down an eyelid and looked
into the face of the PROSTATE man.
He is dead, quite dead, stone cod, in
fact. Life must have been extinct fol
many hours"
Who is he?" the same question rose tc
many lips.
mo. So, the gentleman who had this
room, answered one of the porters.
But what is his name? Didn't you
know anything about him?" asked.
NO, sir; he only came in yesterday.
They will know his name in the office, OF
course. But up here he's only No. 99."
was too we'll acquainted with the
modern hotel custom of sacrificing indi.
Iiduality to numerical convenience tc
press my inquiry, and already another by.
stander had carried the discussion q stage
further by asking the doctor:
What was the cause Of death?"
It was question that had presented it.
self to most of Us.
But the doctor did not answer. He
was examining the corpse closely. There
was blood upon the carpet, dabs Of black,
clotted gore, that had oozed out from
nnder the body on the left side.
STRANGE, he muttered, most strange.
Death must have been very sudden, in.
Simultaneous in fact; and"-he paused
Il fear, violent"
As he spoke he turned the body over
gently, on its face.
movement disclosed great pool of half.
OOukcdleu DJOOu duQ
drabbled now from the back of the corpse
and made great splashes upon the carpet.
There has been foul play; this man has
died violent DEATH"
.Murdered?" asked several voices, all
agitated and horror stricken.
Murdered" replied the doctor, de-
cidedly.
Come, sir, be careful; you must not
say that" cried a fresh voice, per.
emptorily. It was the manager, who had
been summoned from his Office on the
ground floor. A sharp-speaking, bustling
person, tall, erect, authoritative, with o
soldierly air, but not too intelligent
face. "A MURDER" he went on. Here
In the Grand Hotel? Impossible!"
There is evidence enough. See TO,
yourself" said the doctor. shortly.
Here is the wound. The knife has left
its mark"
The manager stopped to look at the
eorpse, after which he could no longer
dispute the doctors statement.
"A murder in the Grand Hotel!" he
muttered between his teeth; most unfor-
tunate!" He was thinking first of all of
It's effect upon business; but more hu-
name considerations came to him, and he
added: "A most deplorable affair"
There was no robbery in this case,
psid the doctor, whose eye had been
travelling round the room. AT least the
murderer was no common thief"
-How? What do you mean?"
There, on the dressing-table. lies the
Head mans watch"
1T would have been dangerous to take
that. 1t might lead to identification.
But there is money, loose gold and
silver. lying near it. thief would never
have left the cash had robbery alone been
the motive Of the crime"
The manager again interposed.
who is the poor gentleman" he went
ON, addressing himself first to the portera
and servants who stood near.
To them, as had already ascertained
;he was only NO. &c."
.One of you run to the pips and whistle
down to the oureau for nls nsme," said
the manager. But perhaps some OF
you gentlemen knew him." now speak.
ing to the whole roomsul- dozen of us
Mt least.
There was dead silence. We looked
- 1n.l 4. o,J ,rtarroOafiva1v