Page:The Mystery of Central Park.djvu/26

20 brought in any way to public notice is considered almost a disgrace.

And to add to the mystery of the case the most thorough examination of the girl's body had failed to show the slightest wound or discoloration, or the faintest clue to the cause of the girl's death.

The newspapers had all their own theories. Some were firm in their belief of foul play, but they could not even hint at the cause of death, and how such a lovely creature could have been murdered, if murder it was, in Central Park and the assassin or assassins escape unseen, were riddles they could not solve.

Other journals hooted at the idea of foul play. They claimed the girl had, while walking in Central Park, sat down on the bench, and died either of heart disease or of poison administered by her own hand.

The police authorities maintained an air of