The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1879-11-08

yen my instructions; but . dreadful fate
awaited you in the event of yon or his
Excelleney obstructing orr wishes. In
every town through which We passed
thore were emissaries Of the Chief oocl-
city to assist me, 70 great as the organiza-
ton; and when received your orders 70
pull up ut the next town. which, II You
remember. was S., knew the wishes
~ fbe Chief Commander would be
effeetuaIIy carried out The landlord OF
the hotel you staid at, and the head host
Ter were known to me as members of the
Chief Society, and there we're other resi-
dents in the town also members, whom /
did not know. So You see my friend,
how his Excellency and you were encom-
rassed In q net from which there was no
escape" and he chuckled to himself as
lie said it. Now you remember how his
Excellency was always engaged in
writing his dispatches and documents.
Well, there was consequently great diff
Guilty in getting view of the papers
without adopting foul means, and time
was Of great Importance to the Chief
Commander.
ssWhatr' / exclaimed, in great aston
ishment, my hair almost on end with the
suddenness of the confession what Do
you mean to tell me, Carl Johann
Roeckel, that you murdered his Excel
lency in cold blood?"
Not exactly that, friend, he quietly
replied. When His Excellency went
for that short walk, the head hostler also
went for stroll in the same direction.
A short distance from the town the host
ler met q friend, also member, and they
quickly bound and gagged His Excel
lency and carried him to the cellar of the
iatter's house, where they kept him
secretly until after the excitement of the
disappearance and search had subsidized,
whea he was taken to Vienna in the in
voluntary disguise of a dangerous luna
tie peasant, and afterward And he
made significant sign indicative of
strangulation. The papers were abb
stracted by the landlord, and handed to
me, and in turn delivered them to the
Chief Commander personally. Nothing
was eyer said about the missing docu-
ments if You recollect, because only one
other person besides His Excelleney
and the Chief Commander knew Of them,
and he dared not say what they were. !"
But how, asked !, s'was everything
kept so quietly, as the British Govern
ment made great ado over the matter,
and large rewards were offered ?"
We'll, /" replied he, those to whom
the matter was referred were mostly
members of the Chief Society, which,
yeu must remember, numbered in its
roll members Of all ranks and stations.
The pair Of overalls found in the copse
some days after the disappearance were
purpose1y placed there to lead and en-
courage the belief that His Excellency
had been robbed and then murdered.
But you do not account for your be-
ing here in Antwerp now, said /.
tWell, friend, /" continued he, and he
drew himself closer to me and spoke in
a very low tome. well, the Chief Conn
mander, in consequence of the stir made
by both the British and our Government,
and fearing disclosure on account of the
large rewards offered, took effective
steps to prevent it by ordering the
| deaths Of those concerned in the tragedy
/ The landlord of the hotel, however, sud-
denly decamped to America where he
will be tracked, never fear-after hear
ing of the deaths of the hostler and his
friend, who were found stabbed in their
beds; and escaped here, by eircuitous
routes, and I have remained IN hiding
ever since. But am really known and
/ discovered, and go daily In fear of my
4 life. The sign of the Black Dagger
here he tore open his vest and
shirt, disclosing the print of dagger on
his breast-''is is known to all members of
the Secret Society Ny death-warrant
has long ago been signed, and I am
studiously watched, feel certain. Even
now And he suddenly stopped, cast
ing cautious glance around the room,
and pointing to stranger who was
silently smoking and drinking, to all APP
pearance engrossed in their enjoyment.
..I must leave you" he said, in a hur-
ried hoarse whisper, "Good-by, friend;'
and he crept out of the cabaret quickly.
The next morning Ludwig Kuhls
body was found floating in the canal,
near its entrance to the Scheldt, pierced
in the breast by short dagger with the
device in German on its fiat black han
die, I'VE wait. !"