Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-10-01
Initials Only By Anna katherine Green
A Thrilling Mystery Story of Modern Times

iihttN enough tildt YOU We seen me not
once, but many times I'm the fellow
who works at the bench next the window
in Schupers repairing shop. Everybody
knows me"
Audacity often carries the day when
suhtler means would fail Brotherson
stared al the youth then ventured an
other question:
"A carpenter, eh?"
Yes, and I'm an Al man at my Job.
Excuse my brag. It's my one card of
Introduction
I've seen you. I've seen you some
where else than in Schuper's shop DO
you remember me?"
NO sir I'm sorry to be imperlite, but
! don't remember you at all. Won't you
sit down? It's not very cheerful but
I'm so glad to get out Of the room ! was
in last night that this looks all right
to me. Back there, other building" he
whispered. Il didn't know and took the
room which had a window in it, but
The stop was significant; so was his smile
which had a touch Of sickness in II,
as well as humor
But Brotherson was not to be caught
You slept In the building last night?
Yes, slept?
The strong lip of the older man curled
disdainfulIy.
II saw YOU" said he You were
standing in the window overlooking the
court. You were not sleeping then
suppose you know that a woman died in
that room?'
Yes; they told me so this morning"
Was that the first you'd heard Of it?"
Sure The word almost Jumped at the
questioner do you suppose I'd have
taken the room il"
But here the intruder. with disdain-
full grunt, turned and went out disgust
in every feature-plain, unmistakable,
downright disguise, and nothing more!
This was what gave Sweetwater his
second bad night; this and a certain dis
covery he made n had counted on hear
ing what went on in the neighboring
room through the partition running back
Of his own closet But he could hear
nothing, unless It was the shutting down
Of a window. a loud sneeze or the rat
Ting of Goals as they were put on the
fire, And these possessed no significance
What he wanted was TO catch the secret
sigh, the muttered word. the involuntary
movement, He was too far removed from
this man stll.
How should he manage to get nearer
him at the door of his mind--of his
his miserable cot into the darkness of
that separating closet and with no re-
suit His task looked hopeless, no won
der that he could get no rest
Next morning he felt III. but he rose all
the same, and tried to get his own break
fast. He had but partially succeeded and
was sitting on the edge Of his bed in
wrctched discomfort, when the very man
ne was thinking Of appeared a his door
i've come to see how you are" said
BrOtherson. II noticed that you did not
look well last night Won't you come in
and share my pot OF Coffee"
II can't eat mumbled Sweetwater,
for once In his life thrown completely
off his balance You're very kind, but
III manage all right I'd rather. I'm
not quite dressed, YOU see, and | must get
to the shop
Then he thought What an opportu-
nifty I'm losing Have 7 any right to turn
tan because he plays his game from the
outset with trumps? No, I've a small
trump somewhere about me to lay on this
trick II ism an ace, but itll show I'm
not chicane.' And smiling, though not
with his usual cheerlulness, Sweetwater
added, is the coffee all made? / might
take drop Of that, But YOU mustn't
l.
Yes, the coffee is made and il isn't
mad either. You'd better put on your
coat the hall is draughty" And wait
ing till Sweetwater did so. he led the way
back to his own room. Brotherson's man
ner expressed perfect ease. Sweetwater's
not lie knew himself changed i'm looks.
IN bearing, in feeling even, but was he
changed enough to deceive this man on
the very spot where they had confronted
each other few days before in a keen
moral struggle? The looking glass he
passed on his way to the table where
the simple breakfast was spread out
showed him figure SO unlike the alert.
businesslike char he had been that night
mat he felt his old assurance revive in
time to case a situation which had no
counterpart In his experience
Il am going out myself today, SO
we viii have to hurry bit" was
Brotherson's first remark as they
seated themselves at table "Do You like
your coffee plain or with milk in it,"
Plain. Gosh, what picturcs Where
do YOU get en-" You must have lot of
com. Sweetwater was staring at the
row of photographs. mostly of very
! high order, tackled along the wall separat-
ing the two rooms They were unframed,
! '''' '''NN N'l Z tb'NtlN copies OF great pie
lures and the effect was rather impos-
| ing I'M contract to the shabby furniture
and the otherwise homely fittings.
I Yes, I've enough for that kind OF
/ thing was his hosts reply But the
tone was reserved, and Sweetwater die
/ not presume along this line Instead ht
! looked at the books piled upon the shelves
/ under these photographs. and wondered
I aloud at their number and at the mar
! who could waste such a lot of time il
\ reading them. But he made no more al,
! rect remarks Was he Cowed by the pen.
! Grating eye he encountered whenever n,
! yielded TO the fascination cxerted by Mr.
/ Rrotherson's personality and looked hi.
| way" He hated to think So, yet some.
! thing held him in check and made him
I listen. open mouthed, when the Other
! chose to speak
! Yet there was one cheerful moment
! II was when he noticed the careless wa,
/ I'm which those books were arranged upol
! their shelves An idea had come to him
! lie hid his relief in his cup, as he draine,
! the last drops of the coffee which realh
! tasted better than he had expected
When he returned from work that aft,
! ernoon it was with an auger under hi,