y ANNA K&rtiARlNE GREEN1
Author of "the leavbnwohth case"
rrHE FILIGREE BAlT'tllE HOUSE OF HIE WHISPERING PlflEsI
ILLUSTRATIONS BY
CHARLES .W. R0S5ER
COPYRIGHT JOII by STREET & .SMITH
copymutrr ion lay dodp. meap co
I
8YN0PSI3.
Ocorsp Anderson mul wife ? n rr
fimrkntilr looking limn oiiip out of tno
'lnnont hotel, look iiroiinil furtlvoly,
whMi IiIb lianiln In the snow nml linns on.
xoniinotlon nttriivln tlicin to tins Clurmorit.
Tvlii-lc It In rnunil Hint 111.! Iirutltlflll MlHH
MJltli riinlloncr lian fnllon dmid. Antlr- t
'i (kmrlhrs tlio niiin no saw wnsn inn
Imnils In tho (now. Tlio hotel nmniiRiT
l-nro8 hltn to lie Orlando Hrothcrson.
i'liyRlclniiH nml that Mlsa t'lmlloiiiT wns
Kitlwd ami not shot, width seem to
''car lirutlicrHon of atinntcUn.
CHAPTER IV. Continued.
"What kind of a looking person
w.'ih thu mnn who took you outside
last night?" I Inquired ot Ocorgo,
with my eyca still on thin furtive
watcher.
A fellow to rnnke you IntiRli. A
erfect character, Taura; hideously
homely but agreeable enough. I took
juttc a funny to him. Why?"
"I am looking at him now."
"Very llkoly. Ho'b deep In thin af
fair. JuBt an ovoryday detective, but
ambitious, I euppoao, and quite alive
to the, .Importance-of being thor
ough." ' Ho Is watching those people. No,
lie Isn't. How quickly ho disap
peared!" "Yea, ho'a mercurial In all his
movements. Laura, wo must get out
t this, Thcro happens to be some
thing cIbo In tho world for me to do
than to Bit around and follow up mur
lor clues."
Hut wo begun to doubt If others
agreed with him, when on passing
out we were stopped In the lobby by
hls Batno dotectlve, who had some
thing to say to George, and drew him
julckly aside.
"What does ho want?" I asked, ns
-.won oo George had returned to my
uhte
"Ho wants mo to stond ready to
eboy any summons the police may
acnu me."
"Then they still suspect Brother
ton?" "They must."
Ah wq stepped out of tho hotel
"George gave my arm a quiet pinch
which Borvod to direct my attention
to mi elderly gentleman who was just
nllchtlng from u toxical) nt tho kerb.
ilv moved heavily and with some an
4Maranco of pain, but from tho crowd
collected on tho sldownlk. ninny of
V'hom midgod each other ns he pnss
vC, ho waB ovldontly a person of
iomc Importance, and as ho disap
peared within tho liotcl entrance. 1
-U3Ked George who this kind-faced,
.bright-eyed old gentlenum could bo.
Uo uppcarod to know, for ho told
tno at onco that he was Detective
tiryco; n man who had grown old In
nolvlng Just such baffling problems
oh these.
That night I bided George's coming
with an Impatience I could not con
trol IIo was lute, of course, hut
Vrheniho did appear, I almost forgot
cur usual greeting in my hurry to nsk
him If ho had scon the evening pa
;crs, "No," ho grumbled, as ho hung up
fils overcoat. "Been puojiod about
al day, No tlmo for anything."
"Then lot mo toll you"
Tlut ho Would have dinner f'rst.
llowover, a little later wo had a
rginfortubla chut. Mr. Gryce had
rrnado u dftcovory, and tho papciH
-wore full of it,
Tho opinion had bocomo quite gon-
erul with thoso host acquainted with
the details ot this affair, that tho
mystery was ono of those abnormal
ones for which no solution would over
lie found, when tho aged detective
, showed himself in lite building and
War taken to tho room, where an in-
spoctor ot police awaited him
"rhlB is vory good of you," the In
spector began, glancing down at the
aged detccttvo'B bundled up legs, and
gently pushing a chair towards htm.
Tlio elderly man thus addressed
igluncod down at IiIb legB, now propped
Hip on a stool which someone hud
(jrought him, and smiled, with tho
pathos of the old who boob tho lnter
frttn of a lifetime slipping gradually
awny.
' I am not what 1 was. I can no
(ongor got down on my hands and
Uncos to pick up threads from tho nap
of u rug, or spy out a spot ot blood
In tho crimson woof of a carpet."
' You shall have Sweetwater hero
to do tho actlvo work for you. What
-we want ot you Is the directing mind
the tnfalllblo Instinct. It's a cuso
In u thousand, Gryce. It will mako
you young again."
The old nian'B eyes shot tire and
mnconsclouHly one foot slipped lo tho
floor. Then ho bethought himself
und painfully lifted It back again.
"What are tho points? What's tho
difficulty?" ho asked. "A woman has
2oon shot "
"No, not shot, Blabbed. Wo thought
alio hud been shot, for that was Intel
ligible and Involved no imposslbll
UIob. But Drs. Heath and Webster,
under tho eyo of the Chullonors' own
physlclun, havo mado an oxamlnntlon
of tho wound and thoy declare that
uo bullet Is to bo found In the body.
As tho wound extends no further
than tho heart this Hetties ono great
point, tit least. You know the vic
tim? Her name, I mean, and the
character she bore?"
"Yes; so much was told tno on my
way down."
"A lino girl unspoiled by riches and
seeming -Independence. Happy, too,
to all appearance or wo should -he
moro ready to consider the possibil
ity of sulcldo."
"Suicide by stabbing ciiIIb for a
weapon. Yet none lias been found, 1
hear."
"None."
"Yet she wus killed that way?"
"Undoubtedly, and by a long and
very uarrow blade, larger than a
needle but not so largo' ns the or
dinary ntiiotto."
''Stabbed while by herself, or what
you may call by herself? She had no
companion near her?"
"None, If wo can believe the four
mombers of the Parrlah family who
wore seated ut tho' other end of the
loom."
"And you do bolleve them?"
"Would a whole family He and
needlessly?"
"It wouldn't aeem so."
"She fell Just a few feet from the
desk where she had been writing.
No word, no cry, Just a collapse and
suddon fall. She never looked up or
spoke again. What' do you make of
It, Gryce?"
"It's a tough one, and I'm not ready
to vonttire an opinion yet. 1 should
like to sen tho desk you speak of,
and tlio spot where she fell."
A young follow who had been hover
ing in the background nt once stepped
forward. Ho was the plain-faced do
tectlve who had Bpokon to George.
"Will you tako my arm, Blr?"
Mr. Gryce's whole face brightened.
Tills Sweetwater, as thoy called him.
wns, 1 havo since understood, one of
his proteges and more or less of a
favorite.
"lluve you had u chance at this
thing?" ho united.
"Yes, sir: thoy were good enough
to allow It."
"Very well, then, you're In a posi
tion to pioneer me. You've keen It
nil and won't bo In a hurry.'' t
"No; I'm at tho eniPof my rope. I
hnven't an Idea, sir."
"Well, well, that'B honest at all
ovents." Then, ns ho slowly rose with
tho other's cureful assistance,
"There's no crltno without Its clue.
Tho thing Is to recognize that clue
when seen. But I'm In uo position to
make promises."
Tho mezzanine was guarded from
all visitors save such us, hnd ofllclol
sanction. Consequently, the two re
mained quite uninterrupted while
thoy moved about tho place In qulot
consultation. Tho locale was what
Gryce wuntod, and ho got it. Whcth
or ho got anything clso It would he
'Impossible to say from his manner as
ho filially sank Into a chair by one ot
the oponlngs, nml looked down on tho
lobby below. It was full of people
coming and going on all sorts of bus
iness, and presently ho drew back,
nnd, loaning on Sweetwater's arm,
asked htm a few questions.
"Who wero tho first to rush In here
nftor tho I'arrlshers gave the alarm?"
"Ono or two of tho niiiBlclniih from
tho end of tho hall. They had Just
Mulshed their program nnd were pre-
He Wat Evidently a Person of Some
Importance,
paring to leave tho gnllery. Natural
ly they reached her llrst."
"And who followed thorn? Who
camu noxt on tho scone?"
"Some people from tho lobby. Thoy
heard tho disturbance and rushed up
pell-mell. But not ono of these touch
ed her. Later her father came."
"Who did touch her? Anybody,
before tho father camo In?"
"Yes; Miss Clarke, tho middle
aged lady, with the Pnrrlslos. She
had run towards Miss Challoner as
soon as sho heard her full, and was
sitting there with tho doad girl's
head in her lap when tho musicians
allowed themselves."
Jfivmum-
w Vj Wwy I'u ID
"I supposo she hus been carefully
questioned?"
"Very, I should bay." i
"And fihe speaks of no weapon?"
"No. Neither she nor nny ono else
nt Hint moment suspected murder or
oven a violent death. All thought It
a natural one sudden, but tho re
sult of some secret disease."
"Hut the blood? Surely there must
have been some shout of blood?"
"No ono noticed any. Not ( till tho
doctor enine her doctor, who was
happily In his ofllce In this very
building. He saw the drops, nnd ut
tered tho llrst suggestion of murder."
"How long after wns this? Is thero
nny one who hns ventured to mako
an estimate of the number of min
utes which elapsed from the time sho
fell, to the moment when the doctor
llrst raised tho cry ot murder?"
"Yes. Mr. Slater, the assistant
manager, who was in the lobby at
the time, says that ten minutes at
least must havo claimed.'
"Ten minutes and no blood! The
weapon must still have been there.
Some weapon with a short, and in
conspicuous hnndle. I think they
said there were flowers over and
around the place where It struck?"
"Yes, great big scarlet ones."
"Ten minutes! I mint see every
ono who approached .iur during those
ton minutes. Kvery one, Sweetwater,
and I must myself tnlk with Miss
Clarke."
"You will believe ivery word sho
says."
"No doubt? All the more reason
why I must Bee her. SweetwateV,
someone drew that weapon out. Tho
question Is who? We must leave no
stone unturned to find that out."
' Where will you see MIbb Clarke?"
"Wherever she pleases only I
can't wnlk far."
"I think I know the place. You shall
havo the use ot this elnvntor. It has
not. been running since last night or
It would be full of curious people all
the time, hustling to get a glimpse ot
this place. But thoy'll put a 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, hut ho hoped to be fully
enlightened when the time came.
And ho was. Mr. Gryce had under
taken to educate him for this work
and never missed tho opportunity of
giving hltn a lesson. The three mot
In a private sitting-room on an upper
floor, tho detectives entering llrst
and the lady coining In soon after.
Miss Clarke wns not a woman to
rouse an unfavorable opinion In vany
tnan'B mind. Of slight, almost frail
build, she had that peculiar anima
tion which goes with a speaking eye
and a jvldely sympathetic nature.
Without any substantial vhiims to
beauty, her expression wns so wom
anly and so sweet that she was In
variably culled lovely.
Mr. Gryce was engaged at tho mo
ment In shifting his cauo from tho
right hand to the left, but his man
ner waB never more encouraging or
his smile more benevolent.
"Pardon me," he apologized, with
one of his old-fashioned bowa. "I'm
sorry to troublo you after all tho dis
tress you must have been under this
morning." But there Is something I
wish especially' to aBk yd. it In regard
to tho dreadful occurrence In which
you played so kind a part. You wero
tho llrst to reach tho prostrate wom
an, 1 hellovo."
'Yes. Tho boys jumped up and ran
towards her, but they wero fright
ened by her looks and left It for mo
to put my hundA under and try to
life her up."
Did you manage It?"
1 succeeded In getting her head
Into my lap, nothing more!"
' And sat so?
For some little 'time."
'You knew she was dead, thon?"
"1 felt her to be, so."
' How felt?"
"1 was sure 1 never questioned It."
"You havo seen women In a faint?"
Yes. ninny times."
'What mnde tho difference? Why
should ou believe .Miss Challoner
dead simply because she lay still and
apparently lifeless?"
'I cannot tell you. Possibly, death
tells Its rtwn Btor. I only know how
I felt."
"Perhaps thero was another rea
son? Perhaps, that, consciously or
unconsciously, you laid your palm
upon her heart?"
Miss Clarke started, and her sweet
face showed n moment's porploxlty.
"Did I?" sho queried, musingly.
Then with u Biiddon tccoss of feeling,
"I may have done so, Indeed, I be
lieve I did. My nrms wero around
her; It would not, have been nn un
natural action."
"No; a very natural ono, I should
say. Cannot you' tolj mo positively
whothor you did this or not?"
"Yes, I did. 1 had forgotten It, but
1 remetnbor now." And tho glnnco
hc cast him while not meeting his
eye showed Hint sho understood tho
Importance of tho admission. "I
know. "'she Bald, "what you are go
ing to ask mo now. Did I feel any
thing there but tho flowers and the,
tulle? No, Mr. Gryce, I did not.
There was no poniard in the wound."
Mr Gryco felt around, found a
chair and sank into It.
' You are u truthful woman," said
he. "And," he added moro slowly,
"composed onough In character I
should Judge not to have made nny
Tulstnko on' this very vital point."
"I think bo, Mr. Gryce. 1 was In
a state of oxcltement, ot course; but
the woman was a stranger to me, and
my feelings were not "unduly agi
tated." "Sweetwater, we can let my sug
gestion go In regard to those ten min
utes I Bpoke or. The time is nar
rowed down to one, and In that one,
Miss Clarko was the only person to
touch her."
"The only ow," echoed the lady,
catching perhaps the slight rising
sound of query In his voice.
"I will trouble you no further." So
i i.
"You Are a Truthful Woman," He
Said.
said the old detective, thoughtfully.
"Sweetwater, help mo out ot this,"
"But one possibility remains," he
conllded to Sweetwater, as they stood
waiting ut the elevator door. "Miss
Challoner died from a stab. What
follows? Sho struck the blow herself,
and the strength of purpose which
led her to do this, gave her the addi
tional force to pull tho weapon out
and fling It from her. It did not fall
upon the floor around her; Uieroforo,
It flow through ono of thoso open
ings into the lobby, and 'there It either
will be, or has been found."
CHAPTER V.
The Rid Cloak.
''What results? Speak up, Sweet
water." "None. Kvery man, woman and boy
connected with tho hotel has been
questioned, but not, ono of them plck
cdup anything Crom tho floor ot tho
lobby, or knows of any ono who did."
A bulletin was put up.
Somo hourB later, Sweetwater re
entered tho room, and, approaching
Mr. Gryco with a smile, blurted out:
"Tho bulletin is a great go. 1'vo
watched every ono who stopped to
rend It, Many showed lntorest and
many emotion; sho' seems to havo a
troop ot frieiu.s. But embarrass
ment! only oud showed that."
"Embarrassment? Humph! a man?"
"No, a oiiiiin; a lady, sir; ono ot
tho transients."
"A woman! Wuero is sho? Still
in tho lobby?"
''No, sir. Uha took the elevator
while I was talking with the clerk."
"You mistook her expression."
"I don't-ahlng so I had noticed her
when sho Hist came into the lobby.
Sho wns talking to hur daughter who
was with her, and looked natural and
happy. But no sooner hnd she seen
and rond that bulletin, than tho blood
shot tin Into her face and her manner
became furtive and hasty. Almost be
foro 1 could point her out, she hnd
seized her daughter by the arm and
hurried her towurds tho elevator. Her
room ,1s on the seventh floor, number
712, and her name Is Wntklns. Mrs.
Horace Watklns of Niishvlllo "
"Cull tho desk. Say that I'm to be
told If Mrs. Wntklns of Nahhvlllo
rings up during the next ten min
utes. Wo'll give her thnt long to take
somo action "
Sweetwater did as he was bid,
thou went back to his place in tho
lobby.
But he returned nlmost Instantly.
"Mrs. Watklns hus just telephoned
down that she Is going to to leave,
sir."
To leavo?"
Tho old man struggled to his feet.
"No. 712, do you say? Seven' stories,"
he sighed. But bb ho turned with n
hobble, ho stopped. "Thero uro dif
ficulties In tho way of this Interview,"
lie remarked. "A blush Is 'not much
to go upon. I'm afraid we shall have
to resort to tho shadow business nnd
that Is your work, not mine."
But hero tho door opened and a
boy brought In a line which had been
left at tho desk. It related to the
very matter then engaging them, and
ran thus:
"I sec that Information Is desired as
to whether any person was seen to
stoop to the lobby floor last night at
or shortly after tho .critical moment
of Ml3s Chnlloner's fall in the half
atory nbove. I can give such Infor
mation. I waB in tho lobby at the time,
nnd In the height'of the confusion fol
lowing this alarming incident, I re
member weeing a lady ono of the
now arrivals (thero wero several com-4
Ing in at Uie tlmo) stoop quickly
down and pick up Bomethlng from the
floor. I thought nothing of It at the
time, and bo paid little attention to
her appearance. I can only,, recall
the suddenness with which she
stooped and the color of the cloak she
wore. It waa red, and the whole gar
ment was voluminous. If you wish fur
thef particulars though In truth, I
have no moro to give, you can find me
in room 6G.
"HENRY A. M'ELROY."
"Hunrph! This should simplify our
task," was Mr. Gryco's comment, as
he handed the note over to Sweetwa
ter. "You can easily find out if the
lady, now on the point of departure,
can be Identified with tho one de
scribed by Mr. McElroy. If she can, I
am ready to meet her anywhere."
And so It hnppened thnt just as Mrs.
Watklns was watching the wheeling
out of her trunks, there appeared In
the doorway before her, an elderly
gentleman, whose expression, always
benevolent, save nt moments when
benevolence would bc quite out of
keeping with the situation, had for
some reason, so marked an effect up
on her, that she colored under his eye,
nnd, Indeed, showed such embarrass
ment, that all doubt of tho propriety
of his Intrusion vanished from the old
man's mind, and with the ease of one
only too well accustomed to such
scenes, he kindly remarked:
"Am I speaking "to Mrs. Watklns
of Nashville?"
"You are," she faltered, with anoth
er rapid change of color. "I I am
just leaving. I hope you will excuse
ine. I "
"I wish 1 could," he smiled, hobbling
In and confronting her quietly in her
own room. "But circumstances make
it quite imperative that I should have
a few words with you on a topic which
need not bo disngreeable to you, and
probably will not be. My name Is
Gryce. A beautiful and charming
young womnn died here last night.
May I ask if you knew her?" ,
"I? I never saw tho young lady.
Why do you ask? I do not recognize
your right. I I "
Mr. Gryco made ono of his low bows
and propping himself against tho
table he stood before, remarked
civilly:
"I had rather not force my rights. I
thought perhaps you coujd, tell me
something which would aid me In my
effort to elicit the real facts of the
case. You wore croasing tho lobby at
the time "
"Yes." She raised her head. "So
were a dozen others "
"Madam" the Interruption wan
made in his kindliest tones, but in a
way which nevertheless, suggested au
thority. "Something was picked up
from tho floor nt that hiomont. Am I
not correct? Didn't you boo a certain
person I will mention no names
stoop am) pick up something from
tho lobby floor?"
"No." Tho word came out with
startling violence. But her lips quiv
ered, and her cheeks wore white, too
white now for simnle indlnimtion.
"Then I havo mado a big mistake,"'
apologized the over-courteous detect
ive. "Will you pardon mo? It would
have settled a very Berlous question If
it could bo found that the object thus
picked up was the weapon which
killed Miss Challoner. That Is my ex
cuse for tho trouble I have given you."
Tho dcor burst open, nnd a young
girl boiih.lcd into thu room, with tho
merry crj .
"All ready, mother. I'm glad wo
am going to tho Clarendon. I hate ho
tels whore peoplo die almost before
jour eyes."
The cloak which enveloped the girl
wnB red, und full enough to bo called
voluminous.
"Who Is this?" demanded tho girl,
her Indignant glances flashing from
one to tho other.
"I don't know." faltered the mother
In vory evident distress. "He says
he has a right to ask us questions
and hu has been asking questions
about about "
"Not about me." laughed tho girl,
with a toss of her head. "Ho ran havo
nothing to say about me."- And she
began to movo about the room in an
aimless, halMnsolont way,
Mr. Gryco stared hnrd nt tho few re
maining belongings of tho two womon,
lying in a heap on tho table, and half
musingly, half deprccntingly, re
marked: "The person who stooped woro a
long red cloak. Probably you pro
coded your daughter, Mrs. Watklns."
The lady thus brought to the point
made a quick gesture towards tho girl
who suddenly stood still, and, with n
rising color In her cheeks, answered,
with somo show of resolution, on her
own part:
"You say .your name is Gryco and
that you have a right to address mo
thus pointedly on a subject which you
evidently regard as seriouB. That Is'
not exact enough for me. Who uro
you, air? What is your business?"
"I think you havo guessed it. I am
a detective from headquarters. Per
haps this young lady can tell me
what you cannot."
"Caroline" Thon the mother broke
down. "Show the gentleman what you
picked up from the lobby floor last
night."
Tho girl laughed again, loudly and'
with evident bravado, before she
threw the cloak back and showed
what she had evidently been holding
In her hand from the first, a sharp
pointed, gold-handled paper-cutter.
"It was lying there and 1 picked It
up. I don't see nny harm In that."
"You probably meant none. You
couldn't have known tho part It had
Just played In this tragic drama,"
said the old detective, looking careful
ly at tho cutter which he had taken
in his hand.
"You have washed this?" ho asked.
"No. Why should I wash it? It
was clean enough. I was just going
down to give it in at the deslj." And
she turned asl.do to the window and.
began to hum, as though dono with
the whole matter.
The old detective rubbed his chin
glancd again at the paper-cutter,
thon at the girl in tho window, and
lastly at the mother, who had lifted
her head again and was facing him
bravely.
"It Is very Important," he observed
to the latter, "that your daughter
should be correct in her statement as
to the condition of this article when
she picked it up. Are you sure she
did not wash It?"
"I don't think she did. But I'm sure
she will tell you the truth about that
Caroline, this is a police matter. Any
mistake about It may involve us in a
world of trouble and keep you from
getting back home in tlmo for your
coming-out party. Did you did you
wash this cutter when you got up
stairs, or or " sho added, with a
propitiatory glance at Mr. Gryce
"wipe it off at any time between then
and now? Be Bure."
"Mother, how can I tell what I did?
flashed out tho girl, wheeling round on
her heel till she faced them booth
"Such a lot of talk about a paltry
thing which couldn't have cost ten
dollars." And she wheeled back.
"It isn't the value." Mr. Gryce
could be very patient. "It's the fact
that wo bolleve it to have been an
swerable for Miss Challonor's death
that is, if thero was any blood on it
when you picked It up."
"Blood!" Tho girl was facing them
again, astonishment struggling with
disgust on her plain but mobllo fea
tures. "Blood! Is that what you mean!
Tako It away," she cried. "Blood!"
"Blood!" She Reiterated With Horror,
Flinging Herself. Into Her Mother'!
Arm.
she repeated In horror, flinging her
self Into her mother's arms.
Mr. Gryce thought he understood
the situation. Here was a little klep
tomaniac whoso weakness the mother
was struggling' to hide.
iTO BK CONTINITRD.)
Just Married, Too.
"Young man," said the magistrate,
severely, "the assault you have com
mitted on your poor wife Is a most
brutal one. Do you know or nny roa
son why I should not Bond you to
prison?" "If you do, your honor," re
plied the prisoner at tho bar, hope
fully, "It will break up our honeymoon."
f "
p V M'-
Hipi0v,''-
--y.-,.- y -
:. -,
