Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-09-04
Initials Only" y By Anna katherine Green
A Thrilling Mystery Story of Nfoderm Times

the alarm had indeed had its origin ind
the very place we had anticipated. Ill
felt my husbands arm press me closerA
TO his side as we worked our way toll
wards the entrance, and presently caughtN
warning sound from his lips as theIl
osths and confused cries everywhere sur-si
| rounding us were broken here and thereII
| by artculate words and we heard: II
rs it murder"
=, The beautiful Miss Challoner,''
"A millionairess in her own right Il
Killed they say
NO. No suddenly dead; that's all'f
| Woman's Curiosity. il
| George, what shall we do?" I man al
aged to cry into my husbands ear.
Get out of this. There is no chanceII
of our reaching that door. and [ can til
have you standing round any longer inn
this icy slush."
"But-but is it right" urged, in anil
lmportunate whisper. should we go@I
home while he'-
Hush My first duty is to you. well
| will go make our visit; but tomor-k
row
Il can't wait till tomorrow" 1 pleaded,l
wild to satisfy my curiosity in regard
to an event in which l naturally felt al
keen personal interest
|
the crowd as he could, There were newt
murmurs all about u.s.
If it's a case of heart failure, . why
send for the police?' asked one.
It's better to have an officer or@tw }
here grumbled another.
Here comes a cop
| We'll, I'm going to vamoose."
! 'IH tell you what I'll do" whisper ed
George, who for all his buster was as
curious as myself I'VE will try the ear
| door, where there are fewer persf ms
Possibly we can make our way in th ere
and If we can Slater will tell us all we
want to know
| Slater was the assistant manage r of
the Clermont and one of Georges old
| est friends.
Then hurry" said L Il am being
| crushed here"
| George did hurry, and in few min
utes we were before the rear entrs tnce of
the great hotel There was moi gath
cred there also, but il was nei Their so
large nor rough as the one on Broad
way. Yet | doubt if we should he we been
a BILE to work our way through it if Slater
| has not. at that very instant shown
| himself in the doorway, in comT any with
an officer to whom he was ct wing final
instructions, George caught is eye as
| soon as he was through with the man,
and ventured on what l thoug5 1t rather
| uncalled-for plea.
A Hasty Refugee
Let u.s. in, Slater" he b legged. My
wife feels a little faint; she has been
knocked about so by the Gro wd."
| The manager glanced at Vmy face, and
shouted ,to the people arounad US to make
room. I felt myself lifted ut, and that is
all | remember of this part s,f our adven-
ture. For affected more tn an | realized
by the excitement OF the event, no soon
err saw the way cleared for our entrance
than made good my husbands words by
| faIntlng away in earnest.
| When I ecame to, it was suddenly and
with perfect recognition of my surround
ings The mall reception room to which
had been, taken was one | had often
visited, and its familiar features did not
hold my alta ntion for a moment. What
/ did see and welcome was my husbands
face bending close over me- and to him
spoke first My words must have sound
ed oddly to those about. Have they
told you anyh hing about it?" / asked.
Did he"
! A quick press sure on my arm silenced
me- and then tnoticed that We were not
alone Two or three ladies stood near,
watching me, and one had evidently been
using some restG rative, for she held a
small vinaigrette, in her hand. To this
lady George made haste to introduce me,
and from her l presently learned the
cause of the distA 'banee in the hotel
Big Mystery.
1t was of a some what different nature
from what | expected, and during the re-
citaI / could not prevent myself from
casting furtve and'vnquiring glances at
George.
Edith. the well known daughter of
Moses Chalboner. had fallen suddenly
dead on the floor of ttse tmezzanine She
was not known to have been in poor
health, still less in danger of a fatal at
tack. and the shock was consequently
great to her friends, several of whom
were in the bsilding. Indeed, it was
likely to prove a shock to the whole COM
munity, for she had great claims for
general admiration and her death must
be regar ded as a calamity to persons in
all stations of life
l realized this myself. for l had heard
much of the young lady's private virtues
as well as of her great beauty and dis
tinguished manner. A heavy loss, in
deed but
WAS she alone when she fell?' I
asked
VIRTUALLY alone Some persons sat on
| the OIneT Slue VI the iiOCill' iC1N1Ab at
the big round table. They did not e. zen
hear her fall. They say that the land
was playing unusually aloud in the T husi-
clans gallery
Are you feeling quite well. nowy""
| quite myself" / grs tefullyj replied as
| rose slowly from thu sofa Then, as
my kind informer stepp ed aside, II turned
to George with the pi'oposal& that we
should 60 now.
Anxious to aLeavtI.
He seemed as anxious SIS myself to
leave, and together we m owed towards
the door. while the hum Off excited com
ment which the intrushoDJof a fainting
woman had undoubtedly interrupted, re =.
commenced behind us tAHthe whole room
buzzed.
In the hall was encountered Mr. Slater
| whom | have beforeI mentioned He was
trying to maintafni order whHei himself
in state of great citation. Seeing us,
he could not refrain from Whispering
| Fam 1uorda into my b11Wffa nd = ear