Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1913-07-03

questioned?"
Very, | should say"
"And she speaks of no weapon"
mo. Neither she nor any one else
at that moment suspected murder OF
even violent death. All thought i
natural one-sudden, but the re
suit of some secret disease"
But the blood? Surely there mus
have been some show Of blood?"
mo one noticed any Not till the
doctor came-her doctor. who was
happily in his Office in this very
building. He saw the drops, and ut
tered the first suggestion of murder
How long after was this? Is there
any one who has ventured to make
an estimate of the number OF min
utes which elapsed from the time she
fell, to the moment when the doctor
first raised the cry OF murder?'
yes Mr. Slater, the assistant
manager, who was in the lobby al
the time, says that ten minutes al
least must have elapsed"
'Ten minutes and no bloodi The
weapon must still have been there
Some weapon with short and in
conspicuous handle. / think they
said there were flowers over an6
around the place where it struck"
yes, great big scarlet ones"
Ten minutes! | must see every
one who approached her during those
ton r,,iputao Evorxy ono CuoatWa Z or
and l must myself talk with Miss
Clarke"
you VIII believe every word she
says"
No doubt. All the more reason
why l must see her. Sweetwater
someone drew that weapon out The
question is who? We must leave nc
stone unturned to find that out"
Where will you see Miss Clarke?'
Wherever she pleases-only
can't walk far"
Il think l know the place. You shall
have the use Of this elevator. 1t has
not been running since last night or
it would be full of curious people all
the time. hustling to get glimpse of
this place. But they'll put man on
for you"
Very good; manage it as you will
I'll wait here till you're ready. I'll
not trouble her much. But there is
one point she must make clear to
me-"
Sweetwater did not presume to ask
what point, but he hoped to be fully
enlightened when the time came.
And he was. Mr.. Gryce had under
taken to educate him for this work
and never missed the opportunity of
giving him a lesson The three met
in a private sitting-room on an upper
floor, the detectives entering first
and the lady coming In soon after.
Miss Clarke was not woman to
rouse an unfavorable opinion In any
mans mind. OF slight, almost frail
build, she had that peculiar ANNA
ton which goes with a speaking eye
and a widely sympathetic nature.
Without any substantial claims to
beauty, her expression was so WON
anly and so sweet that she was in
variably called lovely.
Mr.. Gryce was engaged at the mo-
ment in shifting his cane from the
right hand to the left, but his man
ner was never more encouraging or
his smile more benevolent.
Pardon me-" he apologized, with
one of his old-fashioned bows. I'm
sorry to trouble you after all the dis
tress you must have been under this
morning. But there is something I
wish especially to ask you in regard
to the dreadful occurrence in which
you played so kind part You were
the first to reach the PROSTATE WON
an, believe"
yes. The boys jumped up and ran
towards her, but they were fright
ened by her looks and left it for me
to put my hands under and try to
life her up"
Did you manage it?"
Il succeeded in getting her head
into my lap, nothing more"
And sat so?"
For some little time"
You knew she was dead, then?"
Il felt her to be So"
How felt?"
Il was sure-I never questioned it,
You have seen women in faint?''
Yes, many times
What made the difference? Why
should you believe Miss Challoner
dead simply because she lay still and
apparently lifeless?"
a cannot tell you. Possibly, death
tells its own story. l only know how
l felt"
Perhaps there was another rea
son? Perhaps, that, consciously OF
unconsciously. you laid your palm
upon her hearth"
Miss Clarke started, and her sweet
face showed moments perplexity.