Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1902-02-20
CHAPTER 1.
AN ITEM OF NEWS.

looking straight up into her face.
Often the eyes of children seem tc
read our hearts. 1t is because they are
superficial views Adults try to lool
In through our eyes, and they fail, anC
we note the failure; but children do no
try. and we. sosIng them satisfied, trem
bic for our .nmost secrets.
Brenda shook her head to intimate
that she had no wish to buy the news
but the boy did not move. He contin
ued to hold bis papers before her, eaz
ing over them into her face meanwhile
with an unwinking stare.
II was probable that IL she bought
paper the boy would pass on, so Bren
da laid a hand upon her purse. The
hand remained there rigid, and fol
some slow seconds the ragged urchir
and the smooth product of all the socia
refinements were like figures on can
vas, both for fixlty of pose and for bal
ance Of contrasting expressions, The
child still calmly staring. his utter ig
norance counterfeiting wisdom, the wo
man tense and eager, her eyes search
Ing and unsatisfied.
81 will take this paper" she said
speaking with considerable effort, anC
she gave the boy n coin.
Presently she stood upon the side
walk Of Broadway, gazing across ut the
ugly brick front of the opera house
with a confused notion that it could
give her important information, but
was perversely refusing to do so.
She merely wished to know where
she was. and the familiar scene Inn
pressed Ler as if she had not beer
there In long time and had forgotten
Then her mind became clear. She
paused in deep thought and at its end
raised her hand as If to beckon to q
cabman; but, changing her purpose
she stepped into n doorway and read
once moro the item in the paper that
the little boy had thrust under her eyes
At the first glance one who knew
Brenda might have said that the story
lay outside her world and could not in
terest her. However, 1t was what O
journalist might call good news" and
therefore 1t was printed with the lines
very far apart by way Of emphasis
and 1t bore the marks of haste. Thus
1t ran:
Elsie Miller. en- actress living at 14s West Thir-
ty-eighth street. was stabbed by some person un-
known in her room this afternoon.
IL ~ To- ing house owned and occupied by
Mrs Alice s:nmons. Miss Miller had lived In the
rear room OH the first floor for some months.
The crime vss discovered by n servant, who cn.
tered the room and found Miss Miller unconscious
on the floor. DR.. A. q. Blair OF 100 West Thirty
eighth street was hastily summoned and ne pro-
nounced the wound mortal. II Is Just below the
collar bone, on the left side, extending sharply
downward within the body and undoubtedly pierc.
ing the outer wall Of the heart. That Miss Miller
should have survived the wound longer than few
seconds is regarded miraculous by DIR. Blair
and other physicians, several Of whom, including
Ambulance Surgeon Darlington Of 81. Winfred's
hospital, were at the house within few minutes
after the discovery Of the crime.
The weapon n hunting knife having long
blade and deer's foot handle The blade is Pc
cular. being much thinner than that Of the ordi.
nary hunting knife. II was found on the floor
beside the body. A servant says that she has seen
the knife In Miss Millcr's room within the last
few days.
On table in tho room was letter which may
explain the whole affair. The police have II and
refuse 10 dlvulge its contents. but II Is known
that the writer 10 Clarence NJ. Alden. q broker
with Office on Broad street. He is the only son
Of the late ST. Clair Alden, who practically dis
inherited him.
Miss Miller is a very beautiful girl, tall and OF
the brunette type. She is 20 years old. She play.
ed tho part OF Mamie in THE Honeybcc." an
years ago. Since then her work has not been seen
here.
Brenda walked down Broadway to
Thirty-eighth street and turned west
ward. Immediately she perceived the
motley crowd which the news OF the
crime had brought together. and she
hesitated. Then, shutting her lips
firmly together, she resumed her orig
inal purpose.
The house numbered 149 had a high
stoop and yard the size OF dinner
liable. In which the grass was green and
well wntered, though the neighboring
yards were brown with the heat and
drought OF that remarkable month Of
June. The house itself had an air Of
It's privacy had been invaded first by
crime and then by all the train that fol-
lows II. The door stood aJar for pry-
ing eyes, and tho two gigantic police
men lounglng at the head OF the steps
seemed the chief intruders rather than
the guardians OF the place. Brenda.
for all that was upon her mind. felt the
desecration and shuddered ut IT.
The policemen. who had been leaning
against the railings. stood erect and
put their shoulders together as Brenda
ascended the steps. They seemed TO
I'll all the space and their hends TO tow
er to the house top. But the thing must
be gone through with now. and Brenda
gathered all her force.
II am a friend OF Miss Miller" sho
said. "Pleaso let me go In"
Nobody can go In now," replied ono
Of the men.
lis she deadT
Brenda was framing other questions
In her mind, but this one uttered itself
The policemen exchanged II glance.
Then one of them replied with a single
word, mo" AT this moment there was
stir I'm the hall. Hearing II, the po-
llcemen began slowly to descend the
steps. Brenda rctrcated before them
and not word was spoken. She was
pressed into the edge OF the crowd al
the foot Of the stone stairs. and she re
malncd there while litter was brought
out on which lay something perfectly
still and covered from end TO end with
white cloth. II was put into n greal
black vehicle. A brisk young man
wearing blue cap, and "A grave, elderly
man with long white beard climbed
In after II, and then the somber equi
page moved away by the power resi-
dent within It. And to Brenda the IA
miliar spectacle OF n self propellInl
carriage assumed the inspect OF n mira
Gle, and all things seemed TO move ol
stand by virtue Of Il new force. sllcn
and rcsstlcss.
"Could | go inT' she whispered I,
the policeman who had stationed him
self beside her. "Can | speak will
some one who lsnowsW
"Knows whatT he replied.