Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-09-20
Initials Only" By Anna katherine Greer
A Thrilling Mystery Story Of Modern Times

mountaineering with his daughter He
might possibly understand her better and
regard with more leniency the presump-
ton into which l was led by my ig-
noranee of the pride inherent in great
families"
Your wish can very easily be graft
ned returned the official. pressing an
electric button on his desk. Mr. Chal-
Toner is in the adjoining room" Then,
as the door communicating with the room
ne had mentioned swung ajar and stood
so, DR.. Heath added, without apparent
consciousness of the dramatic character of
| this episode, You will not need to raise
your voice beyond its natural pitch He
can near perfectly from where he sits
Ihank you. l am glad to speak in
MS presence came in undisturbed self
possession from this not easily surprised
witness. Il shall relate the facts exactly
as they occurred, adding nothing and con-
ceallng nothing. If | mistook nv posi-
ton, or Miss Challoners position, it is
not for me to apologize. l never hid my
business from her, nor the moderate ex-
tent of my fortune. If she knew me at
all, she knew me for what | ans a man
OF the people who glories in work and
VINO mas risen by it to a position some
what unique in this city | feel no lack
a
Miss Challoner"
"A most unnecessary preamble, no doubt
and of doubtful efficacy in smoothing his
way to correct understanding with the
deeply bereaved father. But he looked
! so handsome as he thus asserted him
sell and made so much of his inches and
the noble poise of his head-though cold
| or eye and always cold of manner-that
those VINO saw, as well as heard him, for
gave this display of egotsm in consid-
Grafton of its honesty and the dignity it
impaired to his person
i hrst met Miss Challoner in the Berk-
shlres, he began, after a moment of
quiet listening for any possible sound
from the other room. II had been on the
tramp, and had stopped at one of the
great hotels for a seven days rest
VIII acknowledge that | chose this spot
at the instig&tior of relative who knew
my tastes and how perfectly they might
be gratified there. That | should mingIe
with the guests may not have been in his
thought, any more than it was in mine at
the beginning of my stay. The panorama
of beauty spread out before me on every
side was sufficient in itself for my enjoy
ment, and might have continued so to the
END II my attention had not been very
IorclOly drawn on one memorable morn
ing to young lady-Mss Challoner-by
the very earnest look she gave me as |
was crossing the office from one veranda
to another. | must insist on this look.
even if it shock the delicacy of my lis
teners, for without the interest IT awak-
ened in me, | might not have noticed
the blush with which she turned aside to
join her friends on the veranda 1t was
an overwhelming blush which could not
q Fv.>.
ment, and though | hate the preten-
sions of those cyclists who see in
womans smile more than it by right con-
wells, l could not help being moved by this
display of feeling in one SO gifted with
eeVry grace and attribute of the perfect
woman. With less caution than | usually
display, | approached the desk where she
had been standing, and, meeting the eyes
of the clerk, asked the young ladys
name He gave it. and waited for me
to express the surprise he expected il to
evoke. But | felt none and showed none
Other feelings seized me. | had heard
of this gracious woman from many
sources, in my life among the suffering
| masses of New York and now that | had
seen her and found her to be not only my
ideal of personal loveliness but seemingly
approachable and not uninterested in N.Y.
| heart to become touched. fact which
| the clerk now Confided to me naturally
deepened the impression. Miss Challoner
had seen my name in the guest book and
asked to have me pointed out to her.
Perhaps she had heard my. name spoken
in the same quarter where | had heard
| hers We have never exchanged conf
dences on the subject, and | can not say.
can only give you my reason for the
interest I felt in Miss Challoner and why
forgot. in the glamour of this episode,
the aims and purposes of a not unambi-
tOus life and the distance which the
world and the so-called aristOcratic class
put between a woman of her wealth and
standing and a simple worker like myself.
II must be pardoned. She had smiled
upon me once. and she smiled again.
Days before we were formally presented,
l caught her softened look turned my
way, as we passed each other in hall or
corridor. We were friends, or so it APP
peared to me, before ever word passed
between us, and when fortune favored us
and we were duly introduced, our minds
met in a strange sympathy which made
this one interview a memorable one to
me. Unhappily, as | then considered it,
this was my last day at the hotel and
our conversation, interrupted frequently
by passing acquaintances, was never re-
sumed. | exchanged a few words with
her by way of good-by but nothing more
| came to New York, and she remained
in LenoX. A month after and she too
came to New York
To Be Continued in Next Issue