Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-09-11
Initials Only By Anna katherine Green
A Thrilling Mystery Story Q Mode,u Times

Then / have made a big. mistake"
apologized the ever courteous detective.
win YOU pardon me? II would have
settled d very serious question If it could
he found that the object thus picked up
was the weapon which killed Miss Chal-
loner. That is my excuse for the trou-
bic / have given you"
lie was not looking at her; he was
looking at her hand which rested on the
table before which be himself stood.
Lid the fingers tighten a little and dig
into the palm they concealed? He thought
So and was very slow in turning limping-
y about toward the door Meanwhile.
would she speak? No. The silence was
so marked, he felt it an excuse for steal
ing another glance in her direction She
was not looking his way but at door in
the partition wall on her right. and the
look was one very akin to anxious fear
The next moment he understood it. The
door burst open. and a young girl bound
ed into the room with the merry cry:
IAN ready, mother I'm glad we are
going to the Clarendon hate hotels
where people die almost before your
eyes"
What the mother said at this outburst
Is mmaterial What the detective did is
not Keeping on his way he reached
the door, but not to open II wider: rath-
or 20 close II softly but with unmistak-
able decision. The cloak which envel-
oped the girl was red and fun enough
10 be called voluminous
"Who is this?' demanded the girl, her
indignant glances flashing from one to
the other.
II don't know" faltered the mother in
very evident distress He says he has
right 20 ask us questions and he has
been asking questions about-about
''Not about me- laughed the girl. with
toss of her head Mr. Gryce would have
corrected in one Of his grandchildren
He can have nothing to say about me"
And she began to move about the room
In nm aimless, half-insolent way.
Mr. Gryce stared hard at the few re-
naming belongings Of the two women.
lying n a heap on the table, and half
musingly. half deprecstinglv, remarked
''Ihe person who stopped wore a long
red cloak Probably YOU preceded your
daughter, Mrs Watkins"
The lady thus brought to the point
made a quiet gesture toward the girl
who suddenly stood still. and, with ris-
ing color In her cheeks, answered. with
some show Of resolution on her own part:
you say your name is Gryce and that
YOU have a right to address me thus
pontedly on a subject which YOU evil
IDENTIFY regard as serious That is not eX-
act enough for me Who are you, sir?
What is your business"
II think YOU have guessed IT, l am a
detective from headquarters What
want Of YOU | have already stated.
Perhaps this young lady can tell me what
you can not, shall he pleased If this
is so"
Caroline Then the mother broke
down. SHOW the gentleman what you
picked up from the lobby floor last night"
The girl laughed again, loudly and with
evident bravado, before she threw the
cloak back and showed what she had
evidently been holding in her hand from
the first. a sharp pointed, gold handled
paper-cu
1T was lying there and | picked it up.
don't see any harm in that
You probably meant none. You
played in this tragic drama" said the Old
detective looking carefully at the cutter
which he had taken in his hand. but not
so carefully that he failed to note that
the look of distress was not lifted from
the mothers face either by her daugh-
ter's words or manner.
You have washed this" he asked
mo. why should l wash it? 1t was
clean enough. was Just going to give
it in at the desk | wasn't going to car
ry it away And she turned aside to
the window ana began to hum, as though
done with the whole matter
The old detective rubbed his chin
glanced aenin M the manor cutter then
AT the girl in the window and lastly at
the mother who had nfted her head