The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-27
THE MYSTERY GIRL
STORY
A DEFECTIVE STORY
 By WELLS -. c-r 
 Syndicate for Age-Herald

body was found there was the tm- press of a ring on the forehead"
 "A seal ring?"
 "Oh. no. Not a finger ring, but . circle about two inches across red mark, as if 1t had been made as a sign or symbol of some sort"
 Tt remained on the flesh?"
 Until the embalming process took place. That removed 1t. I didn't see it, but I'm told it was clearly de- fined circle, quite evidently impressed with some intent"
 sounds like a sign of secret so- ciety," FIbsy suggested, but stone paid no heed.
 Lets reconstruct the case" he said: "Waring sat at his desk, his secretary outside in the hall.
 "Yes, the Japanese, the other one, the one that disappeared, brought Tn water and then Doctor Waring cioseo the door and locked it."
 Immediately
 "I don't know that, but anyway, no one that we know of saw him again alive, Nogi Is under no suspicion, for after he came out of the room, the doctor rose and locked the door. Lock- wood can't be suspected, as he heard the door locked, and couldn't get In. He is more or less suspected because of his penholder, but as much as should like to think him the crimlnal' l know he isn't"
 "You're very honest. Mr. Trask.
 "Yes. because want the truth. Can you get it2'
 T think so."
 You eliminate suicideT
 q can't see how I can think if, with no weapon. You say that death was instantaneous-?
 "Yes, the doctors agree that he was. Positively he had no chance to hide or dispose of the instrument or
 And why should he? suicidessnevsr make their death seem murder, though often 8 murderer tries to simulate a suicide"
 \"Yet that wasn't done in this case, or the murderer would have left the weapon"
 neglected Now. how did the mur- | derer get out? Get busy, Fibs."
 For nearly half an hour, the three men searched the room. Had there been any secret exit, or any con cealed passage, it must have been found. Flemming Stones knowledge of architecture would not let him overlook any thing of the sort, and Fibsys alert eyes and quick wits would have found anything out Of the ordinary.
 "No way out" stone concluded finally; "and no way of locking door or a window after departure from the room. Looks as if the mur- der theory was as untenable as the other. No chance of natural death?"
 with a round hole in his tuguiar vein? No sir The doctors here won't stand for that. Try again"
 q shall. l don't know when I've had such a baffling, intriguing case as this appears to be at first sight. It may resolve itself into a simple problem but I can't think so now. Even If 1t were the work of your Miss Austin-how did she get in and out?"
 "Oh, she got in, all right. Waring let her In, at the French window. Probably that's when he locked the door. But-say she killed him-how did she get out and lock the room behind herr"
 She couldn't. The window locks are bolts, and could not be shot from outside. For the moment see no ex- plantation. It Is blank, utter mystery When can I see Miss AustinY
 "Too late tonight, tomorrow morn ing will have to do. But she won't run away. The police won't let her.
 Yet, they can't hold her"
 "They are doing so. They claim she was the last one to see the Vlc-
 Does she admit that?"
 Not shel She admits nothing