Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1913-07-10

And then there was silence.
knock at the door was followed
by the immediate entrance of Mr.. Chal-
loner, who had come in search of the
inspector, and showed some surprise
to find his place occupied by an I'M
known old man.
Mr.. Gryce motioned Sweetwater
from the room. With a woeful look
the young detective withdrew, his last
glance cast at the cutter still lying in
full view on the table.
Mr.. Gryce, not unmindful himself of
this object, took it up, then laid it
down again, with an air of seeming
abstraction
The fathers attention was caught.
what is that?" he cried advanc-
Ing a step and bestowing more than
an ordinary glance at the object thus
brought casually. as it were, to his
notice.
MI. Gryee, observing the others
emotion, motioned him to 4 chair. AS
MS visitor sank into it, he remarked,
with all the consideration exacted by
the situation:
1T is unknown property Mr. Chal-
Toner. But we have some reason to
think it belonged to your daughter"
nave seen 1t. or one like 1t, often
n her hand" Here his eyes suddenly
iliated and the hand stretched forth
10 grasp it quickly drew back. Where
where was it found?" he hoarsely
demanded 7 i
TO the very earth by sorrow,"
Mr.. Gryce FASTENED to give him
such relief as was consistent with
the truth.
IL was picked up-last night-from
the lobby floor. There is seemingly
nothing to connect 1t with her death.
Yet"
The pause was eloquent Mr.. Chal-
Toner gave the detective an agonized
look and turned white to the lips
Then gradually, as the silence contin-
ued. his head fell forward, and he NUT
tered almost unintelligibly:
Il honestly believe her the victim
OF some heartless stranger, do now;
but-but cannot mislead the police.
At any cost | must retract a state
ment | made under false impressions
and with no desire to deceive. I said
that | knew all of the gentlemen who
admired her and aspired to her hand
But it seems that did not know her
secret heart as thoroughly as l had
supposed. Among her effects | have
Just come upon batch of letters
love letters | am forced to acknowf-
edge-slgned by initials totally strange
10 me. The letters are manly in tone
most of them-but one"
What about the one?"
SHOWS that the writer was dis
pleased. 1t may mean nothing. but |
could not let the matter go without
setting myself right with the authori-
ties. II it might be allowed to rest
here-if those letters can remain sa-
cred, it would save me the additional
pang of seeing her inmost concerns
tae secret and hottest recesses of a
woman's heart, laid open to the pub
lic For, from the tenor of most of
these letters, she-she was not averse
to the writer"
Mr.. Gryce moved a little restlessly
In his chair and stared hard at the cut
ter so conveniently placed under his
eye. Then his manner softened and
he remarked:
we will do what we can. But Won
must understand that the matter is
not simple one. That, in fact. it
contains mysteries which demand no
lice investigation. We do not dare
to trifie with any of the facts. The
inspector, and. IL not he, the coroner.
will have to be told about these let
tiers and will probably ask to see
them"
They are the letters of a gentle
man"
with the one exception"
yes, that is understood" Then in
sudden heat and with an almost
sublime trust in his daughter notwith-
standing the duplicity he had just dis
covered, he declared: THE deed
was an accident-incredible stiil
an accident"
Mr.. Gryce had respect for this out
burst. Making no attempt to answer
it, he suggested, with some hesitation.
that Miss Challoner had been seen
writing letter previous to taking
those fatal steps from the desk which
ended so tragically. Was this letter
to one of her lady friends, as reported
and was it as far from suggesting the
awful tragedy which followed. az he
had been told?
1T was a cheerful letter. Such a
one as she often wrote to her little
protegees here and there. I judge
that this was written to some girl like
that, for the person addressed was
not known to her maid, any more than
she was to me. 1t expressed an af-
fectionate interest, and it breathed
encouragement-en and
she meditating her own death at the