Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-09-20
Copyright, 1911, Street & Smith.)
1911, by Dodd, Mead & Coz
TODAY'S INSTALLMENT.

arvcuse me, l had rather not. l am
on.sra that they were bitter and should
h. fine cause of great regret. l was angry
when / wrote them"
.rhat is evident. But the cause of
,.,,,- anger is not so clear, Mr.. Brother
s,n Miss Challoner was a woman of
1ofrv character, or such was the univer-
col opinion of her friends. What could
che have done to a gentleman like your
self 10 draw forth such a tirade?"
,'You ask that?'
"r am obliged to. There is mystery
surrounding her death-the kind of mys-
+ery which demands perfect frankness on
+ba mart of all who were near her on that
evening. or whose relations to her were
in anv way peculiar. You acknowledge
that YOUR friendship was of such guard
ell nature that it surprised you greatly
ro hear it recognized Yet you could
write her a letter of this nature. Why?"
"Because-" the word came glibly; but
tna next one was long in following. Be
cause" he repeated, letting the fire of
some strong feeling disturb for a moment
his dignihed reserve, 81 offered myself to
Miss Challoner, and she dismissed me
with great dsdain."
"Ah, and so you thought a threat was
due her?'
"a threat?"
These words contain a threat, do they
not"
"They may. l was hardly master OF
myself at the time. | may have ex-
pressed myself in an unfortunate man
ner"
Read the words. Mr.. Brotherson.
really must insist that you do so"
There was no hesitancy now. Rising
he leaned over the table and read the
few words the other had spread out for
his perusal Then he slowly rose to his
full height, as he answered, with some
slight display of compunction:
u remember it perfectly now. 1t is
not letter to be proud of. I hope"
"Pray finish, Mr.. Brotherson."
That you are not seeking to establish
a connection between this letter and her
violent death?"
Letters of this sort are often very
mischievous, Mr. Brotherson The harsh
ness with which this is written might
easily arouse emotions of a most UNI
happy nature in the breast of a woman
as sensitive as Miss Challoner"
Pardon me, DR.. Heath l can not fiat
ter myself so far. You overrate my in
0uenCe WIN IlS lduS you name.
You believe, then, that She was sin
cere in her rejection of your addresses"
A start, too slight to be noted by any
one but the watchful Sweetwater showed
that this question had gone home But
the self-poise and mentral control of this
man were perfect, and in an instant he
was facing the coroner again, with d
dignity which gave no clew to the dis
turbance into which his thought had just
been thrown. Nor was this disturbance
apparent in his tones when he made his
reply:
Il have never allowed myself to think
otherwise have seen no reason why
should. The suggestion you would convey
by such a question is hardly welcome
now. | pray you to be careful in your
Judgment of such a woman's impulses
They often spring from sources not tc
be sounded even by her dearest friends"
Just; but how cold, Dr. Heath, eye
ing him with admiration rather than
sympathy hesitated how to proceed while
Sweetwater, peering up from his papers
sought in vain for some evidence of the
bereaVed lover in the impressive but
wholly dispassionate figure of him who
mad just spoken. Had pride got the bet
Ter Of his heaTt2 Or had that organ al
ways been subordinate to the will ir
This man of instincts so varying that al
one time he impressed you simply as q
typical gentleman of leisure, at another
as no more than a fiery agitator witt
powers absorbed by, if not limited to the
cause he advocated; and again-and this
seemed the most contradictory of all
Just the ardent inventor, living in tene
ment with Science for his goddess anC
work always under his hand? As the
Young detective weighed these possibli-
ueS and marveled over the contradictions
ihey offered, he forgot the papers now ly-
ing quit under his hand. He was toe
interested to remember his own part
something which could not often be sale
OF SWeetwater.
Meantime, the coroner had collected
MS thoughts. With an apology for the
extremely personal nature of his inquiry
ne asked Mr. Brotherson if he would OBJ
Jeol TO giving him some further details
~. ans mountaineering with Miss Chal-
I"her; where he first met her and under
what circumstances their friendship haC
developed
Not at ALL was the ready reply. %
nave nothing to conceal in the matter
Only wish that her father was present
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