The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-06-17


Papa Rudolph and Slurk-par mobile
fratrum-it may be well to be on the
safe side Yes, that shall be cleared up
today~
Having arrived at this sapient de-
termination, set to work writing my
letters, and scrubbed away diligently
for an hour or two. At length, as was
looking vacantly up from my paper, at
a loss for something interesting to set
down upon it, my eyes happened to rest
upon the pane of my open window.
Like nearly all German windows, it
opened inward on hinges, instead of
running up and down in grooves The
pane on my left, therefore, having the
dark room as a background, acted as a
mirror of the sunlit landscape outside on
the right, showing me portion thereof
which was directly invisible to me from
where | sat, and to any person standing
in which | must myself be invisible.
Now, my window was on the southern
side of the house. which fronted west
ward on the road. On the opposite side
of the road was a narrow strip OF land
planted with vegetables, and above this
rose the abrupt side of a hill, assembled
by winding path partly hidden by the
trees. could not see this bill and path
without leaning ont of the window and
looking toward the right: but consider
able part of it was reflected in my win
dow pane mirror and could thus DC
readily observed without rising from
my chair. Happening then. rs said. TO
cast my eyes upon this mirror. | saw two
persons standing together on the pain
upon the hillside and conversing IN a
very animated manner
had no difficulty in recognizing
them; they were Mr.. BirchmOre and his
valet. So far there was nothing surpris
ing in the spectacle. That which did
surprise and even astonish me. however
was the mutual bearing of the two men
toward each other.
| have already mentioned the per
emptory tone in which Mr.. Blrchmore
uniformly addressed the man Slurk and
the generally overbearing attitude ne
assumed toward him; but in the CONVEX
sation now going forward ali this was
changed To judge by appearances,
should have said that Sunk was the
master and Mr.. Birchmore the valet.
The former was gesticulating fOrcibly
and evidently laying down the law in Il
very decided and autocratic way His
square, uIgIinly figure seemed to dllate
and take on a masterful and almost
hectOring air; while Mr.. Birchmore
stood with his hands in his coat pockets.
uudemOnstrative and submissive appar
entity accepting with 1neekness all that
the other advanced, and only occasion
nI.ly y
ton to which Slurk would pay but slight
or inpatient attention. Both We're evi
IDENTITY talking in n low tone; FOR, though
they were not more than fifty or sixty
yards from where | sat. could not eaten
a single word or even so much rs an IN
articulate murmur, unless by deliber
ately strainiug my ears But | did not
need nor care to hear anything; what /
saw was quite enough to startle and
mystify me.
After a few minutes the two inter
| locutors moved slowly OH up the path
/ and were soon beyond the field of my
mirror But the unexpected scene which
/ | had witnessed did not so soon pass Out
/ of my mind.
| got up from my table and began
walking about the room with the rest
| Iessness of one who cannot make his new
/ facts tally with his preconceived ideas
! Who and what was Slurk, and how had
he obtained ascendency over a man like
! Birchmore? Certainly it could not be d
natural ascendency. Birchnore must
| have put himself in the others power
In other words, Slurk must be black
| mailing him And this was the trouble
was it?-this was the mystery? 1t WAS
an ugly and awkward business, certain
ly; but the main question remained after
! all unanswered. What was it thai
| Birchmore had done to give Slurk a hold
upon him? and had that act. whatever il
was, compromised his daughter along
with him?
| For now that l gathered up in my
/ memory all the hints and signs which
! had come under my notice in relation t
| this affair, could not help thinking tina
| Kate's attitude had in it something sug
gestive of more than mere flial sympa
| thy with her fathers misfortune. II
that misfortune or disgrace she had I
1 personal and separate, in addition to /
sympathetic, share. And yet in wha
| conceivable way could a low william hk'
Slurl fasten his grip upon pure an'
spotless young girl? And what hid
eOus thought-that such girl should u
in any way at his mercyi The more
turned the matter over in my mind tin
more ugly did it appear. No wonde
that father and daughter had warneC
me away.
Some men in my position, having seel
thus far, might have shrunk back ant
given up the enterprise. But | was no
in that category | was more than eve
determined to see tine adventure to 1t
end-nay, to gain my own end in it toe
The conditions of the contest were at al
events narrowing themselves down I
recognizable form 1t was to be- a tria
of strength mainly between myself AM
Slurk- between an educated, pluck.
Engiishman and base German rutfial
between one, moreover, who ia,
right, moral and legal, on his side AM
love as his goal--and one armed onl,
with underhand cunning and terrorism
and aiming at nothing higher than tn
extortion Of money This was the wa
read the situation, and tattered my
self that | WIS equal to the emergency
Upon consideration however. | de
cided to alter my intention OF askln!
Mr. Birchmore about his valet. 1t wa
tolerably clear that he was not in posl
ton to give me any information. and
besides, had already learned everything
except the particulars. Those partlcu
lars. if | did not succeed in discovering
them uuaided, must be extracted fror
Kate. She would not withhold the!
from me if questioned her resOlutei
and directly, enforcing my inquire
with disclosure of the knowledge ha
already obtained This. then, should b
my next step. 1 sealed mp my letters
locked them in my desk and, it bein
now nearly seven o'clock, | went dow
to supper.
no BE CONTINUED.
Dr.. Haie'S Household Ointment