The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-02-18


awaiting the autopsy. 1t was covered by a
long white cloth, but the grim outlines Of
the ever-speaking presence showed clearly.
The physician withdrew the covering from
the upper portion of the body.
'Lookv' he said tensely.
Bristow gave one glance and a wondering
cry rose to his lips. On the dead mans
breast was the representation of circled
dagger!
The lawyer was the first to break the
silence that followed.
"The samep' he calculated.
"The roughness of the outline is ac-
counted for by the fact that after having
been tattooed, it was branded into the skin !"
finished the physician onlinously.
"Brandedr'
Precisely. There is no mistaking the
origin of those parchment-ifke lines. They
were made by a red-hot ironr'
How fiendishr' exclaimed the lawyer,
with shudder of repulsion.
mot necessarily so,' said the doctor
slowly and impressively. II have reason
to believe they were made with DR.. Selden's
consent-even at his request:-
For moment Bristow was unable to
grasp the full significance of the physicians
astounding statement.
at seems too utterly improbable, melo-
dramatic"
"Not when you consider the fact that in
all probability the branding was part of
his initiation into some secret band or or
der" explained the physician.
'To which he may have turned traitor,
with the result we have SEEM" added Bris-
tow, falling in with the old mans train Of
conjecture.
at is not improbable. Possibly the draw
ing you have shown me was intended as a
warning. The dagger through the red circle
would seem to Indicate that the doctors
death had been decreed or even accom-
plished.'
Il did not find the paper until several
hours-six at least-after the commission
of the crime, if crime it were"
sit might have been there much greater
length of time.' hazarded the doctor. "But
then, we have not as yet determined that
it was intended as warning"
..T took for the basis OF my objection
the hypothesis that it was affixed to the door
by the man in gray" explained the lawyer.
81 mean the individual I met as / entered
the grounds"
"He, of course, might have been respon-
sible for its presence there" agreed DIR.
Craig, replacing the covering over the body,
land again his might have been an entirely
IL r.,s@ R,,f off rrf INST
be made to find Miss Selden. Her disap-
pearance at this time has sinister signifi-
canoe. What construction do you suppose
the police will place upon her absence if it
proves that DR.. Selden was murdered? This
in view of the fact that she apparently left
hurriediy and of her own free WILL We,
naturally, feel that she could have had no
hand in the death of her father. But the
authorities probably will suspect her at
once"
''They would not dares' blazed Bristow.
The men left the library, Bristow to seek
a telephone; DR.. >Craig to rejoin the coroner.
The Laurens police force consisted of a
marshal and three patrolmen. Efficiency
not their saving grace. What few
talents they possessed had always proved
inadequate to cope with anything more
subtle than petty larceny and disorderly
conduct. Before the mystifying events of
the last few hours Bristow felt they would
stand appalled, But, while fully sharing
DIR. Craig's belief that they would view
Miss Selden's disappearance in its darkest
light, the lawyer realized the futility Of
attempting to withhold from saem any of
the essential facts thus far disclosed, al
though he knew the nolice would seek the