Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-02-16

Mis- Revere and then little Mis-
Willis. Po' Mistuh Fowler was just
escortin' the last one, Mis- Howard,
to her cyar when 1 started for home
aftuh putin the study to rights"
did you see anyone outsider?
"Nossuh, nobody but Mr.. Oran
Beach, who used to visit Mr.. FoW.
ler."
"Then you knew him?'
Star Is Weeping
"Reckon I does" Hiram's tone.
was scathing. "Spent mos of my
time pickin' up his cigarette butts
all over the placer
'Then you ought to know what
brand he smoked" Hoey laughed
indifferently.
Done roll his own, in brown pa
per!' The cook-valet shifted and
then cooked an anxious ear upward.
"Spec' one of the ladies haNin' n.y.
stericsr
| An unmistakable sound of femi-
nine weeping had drifted down to
them and in another moment Hoey
had sprung lightly up the stairs and
knocked upon the door from behind
which it came. A soft, reluctant
footstep reached his ears and the
door opened to reveal a demure lit
tie blonde with tear-drenched eyes.
ooh, please let me go homer she
walled "This dreadful place will
drive me mad!'
"Iu Just minute, Miss Willis"
Hoey replied gently. ''You dined
here last night. Did Mr.. Fowler es-
cort you to your carp"
Eyes. The--the very last thing he
said to me was that he was going to
be proud of me in his new produc-
! ton! Oh, I can't bear to talk about
| it! He-he was almost like father
to me"
She broke into tumultous sobbing
once more and the detective could
get nothing further from her, but
he had seen enough to satisfy him.
Trapping upon the door across the
| hall he found himself confronted by
the wide-eyed, puiquant face of the
Coincidence, Pierret Howard. There
/ were traces of tears upon it, but she
replied to his questions in a low,
steady tone. She had been the last
Of the guests to leave on the preced-
| ing evening, had remained for a few
moments to talk over her part. The
| tragedy was naturally a frlghtful
shock to her, for she and Mr.. Fowler
| had been the best of pals for ages.
| No, certainly there had never been
anything of a sentimental nature
| between them. Was she at liberty to
return to her home?
AS she asked the question a mass
culine voice sounded from below and
oh, Il hao Iy a111 in
almost in the detectives face. He
shrugged slightly and turned to
door at the end of the hall.
A contralto voice in tones Of stud
led tragedy babe him enter and the.
stately figure Of the famous star,
Justine Revelle, arose slowly from
couch. Her classic but somewhat
mature features were as iInmobile as
though carved in marble and they
did not change as she assured her
questioner that she had looked upon
Mr.. Fowler as the master who had.
revealed her genius to the world
when she had all but given up hope
Of recognition. It was evident that
she meant to talk of nothing but
herself and Hoey at length withdrew
and descended to the dining room.
There the chief presented him to
| a tall, narrow-shouldered youth with
! Vapid face upon which an express
| sion Of stunned horror was stamped.
| Jason Brooks hadn't known Fowler.
poor chap, very well, but he admired
! him immensely. No, he had not
been invited to the dinner, but had
spent the evening at the club as the
doorman, stewards and a dozen OF
his friends could testify.
Identical Initials
"And you, Mr.. Benedict? You did
not dine here either?" Hoey turned
tC the traction king.
| ',"No. I remained in my own rooms
| as my man will tell YOU" Benedict
replied, taking a handkerchief from
his pocket and rubbing it nervously.
between his hands as he spoke. 81
had some important papers to look
over-r'
every good, sir. Chief, Mrs. Max
we'll and-the other witness were
right" Hoey turned to his superior.
| ''Oren Beach was here last night.
! 81 told you it was an openand-
shut Chief Newton began, but
paused at something in the others
expression.
'TIe was here but outside the win
that door which leads into the study.
Here are six stubs of his own pecu-
liar cigarettes which he smoked there
while he watched a scene in which
he had no part. Mr. Brooks, you
| have loyal friends who will swear
4 to your alibi but you dropped half
of one of your cuff-links as you
crouched beneath the desk in that
room last night. Its monogram is
identical with that of the old-fasE-
Toned seal you are wearing on your
watch chain"
Brooks covered back, his ashen
face suddenly gray.
| II swear-I swear didn't kill
him" he Gasped. 81 was jealous,
foolishly and without cause, and I
came to have it out with him but 1
! didn't fire the shot don't even
know who did! 1 slipped in while
he and Miss Howard were talking
in the dining room and hid under
the desk when he escorted her out.
| Some one else came in and I thought
it was he returning, but tit wasn't.
From where 1 crouchediI could see
! only the feet OF the intruder, but
they were not FoWler's. He came
! in a minute after, though, and with
out word the shot was fired and
| he fell. The-the other man went
| out at once but it seemed ages until
I could get up courage enough to
go too, and slam the door behind me
so that the spring lock would catch.
[ did not even have a revolver with
me-
ut is an odd coincidence that your
name and that of the man who
watched outside should have com
nlenced with the same letter. Beach
and BrooEs-and Benedict" Hoey
wheeled suddenly upon the latter
''Be careful Mr.. Benedict, that when
you put that handkerchief back in
your pocket it remains there and