Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1902-02-20

Her gaze l0ds fired upon the coarse, scar
rcd face of the captain.
that is, he looked like human being,
and Brenda noticed little else about
him. Her gaze was fixed upon the
coarse, SCARED face Of the captain, bru-
tally cynical and smiling without pur-
pose. like an image hacked out of wood.
The policeman saluted his superior
and addressed him in a low voice.
Without waiting for him to finish the
captain turned quickly to the man who
had come out of the house with him
and asked a question which Brenda
did not hear. When this man looked
at her. Brenda became aware that he
was tall and thin and that he wore O
loose gray suit
81 don't know" said the man in gray
thoughtfully. ~ can't be sure"
The captain descended the steps and
lifted his cap with the pollteness Of
trained animal.
miss WllllamsY said he. Eyes, In
deed. | understand that you are a
friend of Miss Miller, the girl that got
hurt. and that you'd like to talk TO DR..
Blair. This gentleman is DR.. Blair.
30 perhaps we'd better all go into the
house, where we can talk more conven-
lent"
Brenda tried to pass him, but she i'm
mediately found herself between the
captain and one Of the policemen, by
whom she was escorted into the house,
the physician walking ahead. Thus
they came TO n small parlor, opening
from the hall, to the right.
In the presence Of Dr. Blair, whose
manner was that of the world wherein
she had moved, Brenda regalned part
of her self possession. The simple ele-
gance OF the room, far beyond anything
that she lad expected. helped to put
her at her ease. and she began to feel
the sense of personal dominance to
which she was accustomed.
"Dr. Blair" she said, 81 really don't
know why should have come here. i
am not a friend Of Miss Miller. / am
merely Interested In her. Seeing the
story Of her terrible misfortune In n
newspaper by the merest accident, ]
obeyed an unaccountable impulse and
came TO this house"
"An unaccountable impulse" said the
captain In perfectly meaningless
voice, as IL he had been nm echo.
81 can tell you very little," replied
Dr. Blair. mo one knows who commit
ted the crime nor why IL was DONE
"But will she die? Such young
girl, with so much to hope for. and they
say she was very beautiful"
"She was, poor chlldp' responded the
physician. "And that fact may or may
not have had something to do with her
misfortune. AS to her chance OF recov-
cry greatly fenr-Indeed, TO be frank
with you, doubt whether she is living
ut this moment"
Brenda was as white as paper. and
her hands were twined together.
"She has not spoken she began,
and 1t was the captain who replied.
mot word" said he. But wc
shant need anything from her. We
shall get TO the bottom of this affair all
right"
Brenda turned slowly toward him.
"rhe name Of a gentleman" said she,
toned in tho newspaper account, Mr..
Alden. or course II is impossible that
he should have had any connection
with this wretched crime, but perhaps
he knew the young woman and"-
"Yes," responded the captain, they
were acquainted. And. by the way.
perhaps you're familiar with the young
II ~. Ian nd
note on the letter head OF his firm.
Let me see, what did do with it2 oh,
here II IN. Perhaps you'd like to glance
II through"
He extended his hand, but Brenda
did not take the sheet OF paper which
he offered.
II could not read this" she said
with slight sbudder. at was not
meant for me-"
A falnt expression OF surprise hu-
mnnizcd the officers face for n mo-
ment
"That don't make nny difference" he
said. "Itll have to be published. Every
body II read t."
Brenda glanced mt DR.. Blair. who
bowed his head.
"In that case" she said, though II
seems nm outrageous intrusion
"rhcrc's no help for IT," reJolncd the
captain, with grin, which he used In
place OF a frown. "We've got TO find
the person that done this deed, md
we've got to make use OF this note to
do It,"
Brenda took the paper and read these
words:
my Dearest Dcar-All goes 50 well that must