Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-09-09
Initials Only" V By Anna katherine Green
A Thrilling Mystery Story at Modern Times

! down
"A fine girl. unsponed by riches and
| seeming independence, Happy. too, to all
appearance or we should he more ready
10 consider the possibility Of suicide"
Suicide by stabbing calls for a weapon.
Yet none has been found, l hear
None"
Yet she was killed that way"
Undoubtedly, and by a long and very
narrow blade. larger than needle but
not so large as the ordinary stiletto."
stabbed while 10y herself or what you
may call by herself She had no com
pauion near her?
None, il we can believe the four mem
bers Of the Parrish family who were seat
ed at the other end of the room"
And do you believe them"
Would a whole family leland need
lessly? They never knew the woman
father, maiden aunt and two boys clear
eyed, jolly young chaps whom even the
horror Of this tragedy. perpetrated as it
were under their very nose, can not make
serious for more than a passing moment
1T wouldn't seem so"
yet they swear up and down that no.
BODY crossed the room toward Miss Chal-
louer?"
80 they tell me-
"She fell just a few feet from the desk
where she had been writing No word, no
cry, Just collapse and sudden fall, In
olden days they would have said. struck
by bolt from heaven. But it was a
bolt which drew blood, not much blood.
hear, but sufficient to end life almost
instantly She never looked up or spoke
again. What do YOU make of it, Gryce?'
IT'S a tough one. and I'm not ready
an Gpipign vet I aIn Lyo
to see the desk you speak Of and the spot
where she fen"
young fellow who had been hover
ing in the background at once stepped
forward He was the plain faced detective
who had spoken to George.
"Wil you take my arm. sir?"
Mr.. Gryce's whole face frightened. This
Sweetwater as they called him, was, /
have since understood, one Of his pro-
teges, and more or less Of favorite
Have you had chance al this thing"
he asked. Been over the ground-stud-
led the affair carefully"
Yes sir; they were good enough to
allow it,"
VERY well, then, you're in a position
to pioneer me. You've seen II all and
won't be in a hurry"
'No; I'm at the end of my rope
haven't an idea, sir
"Weu, well; that's honest. at all
events" Then. as he slowly rose with the
others careful assistance, There's no
crime without its clew. The thing is to
recognize that clew when seen. But I'm
in no position to make promises. Old
days don't return for the asking"
Nevertheless. he Looked ten years young
err than when he came in, or SO thought
those who knew him
The mezzanine was guarded from all
visitors save such as had official sanction.
Consequently, the two remained quite un-
interrupted while they moved about the
place in quiet consultation Others had
preceded them, had examined the plain
little desk and found nothing: had paced
off the distances; had looked with longing
and inquirlng eyes at the elevator cage
and the open archway leading to the lit
tie staircase and the musicians gallery.
The locale was what he wanted. and he
got it, Whether he got anything else
1t would be impossible to say from his
manner as he finally sank into a chair
by one of the openings, and looked down
on the lobby below. 1t was fun of peo-
pie coming and going on all sorts of bust
ness, and presently he drew back and
leanig on Sweetwater's arm. asked him
a few questions.
who were the first to rush IN here
after the Parishes gave the alarm"
'Oue or two of the musicians from the
end of the hall They had just finished
their program and We're preparing to leave
the gallery Naturally they reached her
first"
Good Their uames?"
Mark Sowerby and claus Hennerberg
Honest Germans-men who have played
here for years"
And who followed them Who came
next on the scene?"
Some people from the lobby They
heard the disturbance and rushed up pell-
NELL. But not one OF these touched her
Later her father came"
who did touch her? Anybody. before
The father came in2'
Yes: Miss Clarke. the middle aged lady
with the Parishes She had run toward
Miss Challoner as soon as she heard her
raj. and was sitting there with the dead
girls head in her lap when the must
clans showed themselves"
81 suppose she has been carefully ques-
Uoned2'
VERY. ! should say
And she speaks OF no weapon? ."
NO +Ntllatt sue nor any one tiSe AT
that moment suspected murder or even
"a violent death. Al thought it a natural
oue-suddeu, but the result of some secret
disease"
"Father and alI?'
yes"
"But the blood Surely there must
have been some show OF blood?'
"They say not 40 one noticed any
Not tin the doctor came-her doctor, who
was happily in his office In this building
He saw the drops, and uttered the first
I suggestion az murder
'Now long after was this2 Is there
| any one who has veutured to make
an estimate of the number of minutes
/ which elapsed from the time she fell
/ TO the moment when tho doctor first
/ raised the cry ~ MURDER"
/ yes MIR slater the assistant mana
ger. who was in the lobby at the time.
says that ten minutes az least must have
/ elapsed"
Ten minutes and no blood The
1 weapon must stin have been there Some
T %