Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-09-04

Initials Only" = By Anna Katherine Green
A Thrilling Mystery Story at Modem Times

Yes. ] can bear II; much better than
could bear going 10 Adelas in my pres
ept state Of mind. Don't you think the
man we saw had something 70 do with
this? Don't you believe -
Hush. Let us listen rather than talk.
What are they saying over there? Can
you hear
NO. And l can not bear to look. Yet
don't want to go away. It's all so
dreadful
IT'S deyllish Such beautiful girl
Laura, ! must leave you for moment
DO You mind2'
no. no; yet
did mind; but he was gone before
could take back my word. Alone,
felt ne tragedy much more than when he
was with me. Instead Of watching, as
had hitherto done, every movement In the
room opposite, drew back against the
wall and hid my eyes, waiting feVerlshly
for Georges return.
He came. when he did come, in some
haste and with certain marks Of in
creased agitation.
Laura said he. Slater says that we
may possibly be wanted and proposes
that we stay here all night I have tee-
phoned Adela and have made 1t all right
a. home. VIII YOU come 20 your room?
This Is no place for you"
Nothing could have pleased me bet
ter, to be near and yet not the direct oh
server Of proceedings in which we took
so secret an interest. I showed my graf
itude by following George Immediately.
But | could not 60 without casting an
other glance al the tragic scene | was
leaving A stir was perceptlble there and
! was Just in time to see its cause
tail, angular gentleman was approaching
from the direction Of the musicians gal
lery. and from the manner Of all present
well as from the whispered comment
Of my husband. / recognized in him the
special official for whom an had been
waiting.
Are you going to tell him?" was my
question 10 George az we made our way
down to the lobby.
THAT depends First. ! am going to
see YOU settled in room quite remote
from this business"
If shall not like that"
~ know. my dear. but It is best"
] could not gainsay this.
Nevertheless after the first few min
utes Of relief, / found It very lonesome
upstairs The pictures which crowded
upon me Of the various groups OF ex-
I ana
women through which we had passed on
our way up, mingled themselves with the
solemn horror of the scene in the writing
room, with its fleeing vision Of youth
and beauty lying pulseless in sudden
death. 1 could not escape the one with
out feeling the immediate impress of the
other and If by chance they both yielded
for an instant to that earlier scene if a
desolate street, with its solitary lamp
shining down on the crouched figure of "a
man washing his shaking hands in a
| drift of freshly fallen snow, they immedi-
ately rushed back with a force and clear
ness all the greater for the momentary
lapse.
| was still struggling with these fan
cies when the door opened and George
came m. There was news in his face
as / rushed to meet him
Tell me-teu," / begged
| He tried to smile at my eagerness, but
the attempt was ghastly.
I've been listening and looking" said
| he land this is all have learned Miss
Chaloner died not from a stroke or from
disease Of any kind, but from a wound
reaching the heart 30 one saw the
attack, or even the approach or de
! ldt tult Oh llt person lnIlCllnS inlS
wound. II she was killed by pistol
/ shot, 1T was at a distance, and almost
/ over the heads of the persons sitting at
| the table We saw there. But the doe
tors shake their heads at the word PTS
/ tol shot though they refuse to explain
/ themselves or to express any opinion
until the wound has been probed. This
/ ,hey are going TO do at once, and when
/ that question is decided. | may feel II
my duty to speak and may ask you to
support my story
Il will tell what | saw" said T.
Very good That is all that will be
required We are strangers to the par
/ ties concerned, and only speak from a
sense Of Justice 1t may be that our
story viii make no Impression. and that
we shall he dismissed with but few
/ thanks. But that is nothing to as If
/ the woman has been murdered, he is the
murderer. With such n conviction in my
mind, there can be no doubt as to my
duty"
70 BE Continued in Next Issue.