The sun., 1881-01-30
THE CRYSTAL MAN.

Rapidly turning into the Fifth avenue
from ono OF the cross streets above tho old
reservoir. Mt quarter past eleven o'clock on tho
night OF November G. 1870 / ran plump into an
individual coming the other way.
II was very dark on this corner. ] could SEQ
nothing OF the person with whom had tho
honor to be in collision. Nevertheless. the quick
habit OF q mind accustomed to induction had
furnished mo with several we'll defined facts re-
uardinR him before fairly recovered from the
shock OF the encounter.
These were sono OF tho facts: Ho was
heavier man myself. and sitter In the legs but
ho lacked precisely thrco inches and half OF
my stature. Io wore n silk hat. cape or cloak
OF heavy woollen material. and rubber ovcrshocs
or arctics. He was about thrty-nvo years old.
born in America educated at n German uniyor-
sty, either Heidelberg or Freiburg. naturally
Of hasty temper but considerato and courteous
In his demeanor to others. He was not entirely
ut peace with society: there was something In
his life or in his present GRAND which ho de-
sired to conceal
How did know all this when had not seen
The stranger and when only single monosyl-
liable had escaped his lips2 We'll. knew that
no was stoutCr than myself. and ilrmer on his
feot because 1t was i, not no. who rocoiled. |
know that wa9 just three inches and n half
ialler than no, for the tip OF my nose was still
inglina from it's contact with the stifT. sharp
prim OF his hat. My hand. involuntary raised.
aad come under tho edge OF his cape. He wore
'ubber shoes, for had not heard football To
IN observant ear. the indications Of age are as
plain In the tones Of the voice ma to the eve in
he lines OF tho countenancc. In tho fret mo-
mont OF evaporation at my mnladroitness he
Tad muttered OXv' n term that would occur
onobody except German Mt such a time. Tho
pronunciation OF tho cultural. however. told
ne that the speaker was an American German
iot a German American. and that his German
,ducation had been derived south Of tho river
daln. Moreover. tho tone OF tho gentleman
md scholar was manifest even in tho utteranco
" wrath. That the gentleman was in no par
icular hurry. but for some reason anxious to
emain unknown. was conclusion drawn from
he fact that after listening in silence to my po-
ito apology. he stopped to recover and restore
mo my umbrella. and then passed on as
loisslessly as he had approached.
l make it a point to verify my conclusions
vhen possible. SO turned back into the cross
treet and followed the stranger toward lamp
,art way down the block. Certainly. ] was not
more than five seconds behind him. There was
10 other road that he could have taken. No
iouse door had opened and closed along the
way. And yet, when we came into the light
he form that ought to have been directly in
ront OF me did not appear. Neither man nor
mans shadow was visible.
Hurrying on as fast ne I could walk to the
iext gasight. / paused under the lamp and
listened. The street was apparently deserted.
The rays from the yellow fame reached only
title way into the darkness. The steps and
doorway. however, OF the brown stone house
acing the street lamp were sufficiently illu-
minated. The gilt figures above the door were
listinct. recognized the house; the number
gas familiar one. While l stood under the
saslight. waiting. heard slight noise on
hese steDs. and the click OF a key in a lock.
The vestibule door Of the house was slowly
,pened. and then closed with q slam that
echoed across the street. Almost Immediately
ollowed the sound OF the opening and shutting
VI the inner door. Nobody had come out. As
ar as my eyes could be trusted to report an
went hardly ten feet away and in broad light.
lobody had gone In.
With q notion that here was scanty material
or an exact application OF the inductve pro-
Hess. Sood long time wildly guessing at the
PHILOSOPHY Of the strange occurrence. / felt
hat vatue sense Of the unexplainable which
amounts almost to dread. 1t was O relief to
tear steps on the sidewalk opposite. and. turn
ng. to see policeman swinging his long night
hub and watching me.