The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-09-26

werp-in one OF the back streets near tnz
cathedral; and with glass Of his fayorite
Boonjekamp in front of him. he seated him
self, and told me the following seau-l 10 the
mysterious disappearance.
''You must remember me friend " he be-.
gan CIV hen ! was IN better condition than
you see me now - and he scanned his
wTetched garments. Struggling his shoulders
with an impatient air.
l nodded acquieScence.
'Wel, said he, ''you must also know in
Your long experience of travel that all class
eS Of society on the continent, and Uarticu-
larly in Vienna have their secret club. The
positions had theirs but il was suaiect 10
the rule Of the Chief Secret Societ- In my
younger days, friend. ] was induced an su
unlucky moment, TO enroll myself as a mem
beT, and take the oaths Of tie Secret SOcletv
of Positions. Bitterly have 1 Tepeuted
since, for it j, to that circumstance i owe
my present deplorable state OF mind and po-
sitiOn." F."
'.But what has that to do with thu nvs-
tericus case of his EXceIleucy 1 asked OF
him. somewhat impatienIly.
''Much more than yea imagine or can ever
know, friend" replied ne, seuteutiousiy
wagging his head. He paused for q mo-
ment ''Wen. I viii tell You, continued
he. Though YOU must not break my story
with your inquiring comments Firstly.
/ then. YOU must know that l was on the Is
( tablishmeut OF Herr SputZeu, the carriage
master and stable lleepeT from whom his EX-
cellency the Honorable ESlIugton hired his
/ travelling carriage and horses for his return
i journey. It was known 10 the Chief Secret
+ Society that his Excellency was in posses
sion Of important papers, and it was also
known that he was on the point of starting
with them for England The Chief Com
mander had important reasons for obtaining
| these papers, OF copies of them. and Of one
+ in particular far above an others, oy fair
means or foul and what the Chief saws Is
to be done, Is done invariably at any cost
! The Committee had hallOted for the person
who must execute their orders. and their
choice had fallen on me aS position, and the
more likely 10 effect successful result bE
virtue of my oath / was bound 10 ohe-. or /
should have suffered secret death. by as
SaSsiuatiCr probably. ! need usL tell YOU
my Instructions but a dreadful fate await
ed YOU IN tire event OF You OF nl5 ENcelIgHCy
ObStructinC our wishes. la every town
through which We pass ed there we've ennis
saTleS OF the Chief society 10 assist me. so
great Is its organization. and when recrIT-
ed your instructions 10 pun uH al the next
town, which ii You remember WAS S---. /
knew the wishes Of the Chief Commander
would be effectually carried out The land
lord Of the hotel YOU St8id n and the bead
. hoStler were known to me as members OF
. the Chief Society, and there were other Te-I-
dents ia the town also members, whom did
F not know 30 YOU see, my friend lllF his
EXceileucy and You were encDwuas-ad I'm
net from which there was nO escape ~ ana
he chucklCd To himself aS he said il. ~ 1w
YOU remember how his ExeellenEy vas al
ways engaged in writing his dispatches and
great difficulty ia getting a view uf t.i- I8-
peTs without adopting foul means and time
was Of great Importance 10 the Chief Conn
mandcT'
What l exclaimed iu great ast5ui5h-
ment, my hair almost uu END with the sud-
dennpSSS of the coufeSSio1l--'v what Do TCu
mean 10 tell me. Carl Johann RaecEei. lhat
sou murdered his eNceileuey in cold blood go
Not exactly that. friend, be quietly re-
piled -Wheu lis Excrieucv went for that
HFf-I |Hsr q f.Hr 3
stroll in the same direction 4 short distance
from the town the h1Stler met friend also
member, and they quickly bound ana gag
ged his EXCelleHey ana carried him 10 the
cellar of the lattcT's house. where they kept
him secretly until after the excitement of the
disappearance and search had subsidized 81 ugu
lac was takyu TO Vienna in tire Involuntary
disguise Of q dangerous lunatle peasant and
afterwardS-' And he made si-II.- -l5Iut
. sign Indicative Of StranEUlatiun- --IHe pa
pers were abstracted 10y Tie landlord and
handed to me and I in turn delivered them
to the Chief Commander personally. Nu-t-
ing was ever said about the MISSING o1ru-
mputs if Won rec0lleCt. because only one
other person besides his EzceleuCv and the
Chief Commander knew Of them and Le
dared not say what they were
'But how" askedI. t',yas everything kept
so quietly, rs the British government made
q great stir over the matter and large rewards
Were offered 30
.'NNclI" replied he. ''those To whom the
matter was referred were mostly members u
the Chief Society. which, you mus. Temgm-
Der. numbered in lis roll members uf all
ranks and stations. The pair Of overall g
found in The cuTSe some DAYS after the dis
appearance were pUrposely placed there t.
lead and encourage the belief THAI his Excel
lency had been robbed and then murdered
But you do not account for Your being
. here in Antwerp now, said /.
s'WCl friend. ." continued he. and DE drew
himself closer to me ard poke IT. very l0H
tone-''vell. the Chief Commando. tn con-
. sequence of the Stirmade bV both the British
and our government and fearing disclosure
ON account of the large rewards offered, took
effective steps to prevent il by ordering the
deaths of those concerned in the tragedy.
decamped to America-where De VIII be
tracked, never fe3r-a1ter hearing of the
deaths of the hOstler and ills friend, who
were found stabbed in bed and c-s8ped
here, 10y circuitouS routes, and ] have re
manned in hiding ever since. But / am a.
ready known and discovered, and L 80 daily
in fear OF my life The sign OF the black
dagger here''-and he tore open his vest and
shirt, disclosing the print of a dagger oG lis
breasts known TO all members of the Sc
cret society. Nv death warrant las long go
been signed, and ! AIN studiauSiy watched,
feel certain. Even now. p" And hc suddenly
stopped, casting a cautious glance around
silently smoking and drinking, to all appear
ance engrOSSed in their ninymPuI 81 must
leave You, he said. in q hurried E1.rse
whisper. ''Good-by- friend 80 and He Cr6pt
out Of the c75arc: quickly.
The next morning Ludwig kuAl5 body
was found floating in the canal, near its en-
trance 10 the Scheldt, pierced in the breast
10y sharh dagger. with the device III German
on it, fiat black handle, We wait.