The Dickinson press., 1894-09-15
OeQ9ea3eQ a3d
~NaPors

Z mach Scruplc of c~onScicnce-but that,
my friend. Is altogether too hOriiblc!--
too Incredible! Besides, why he
stopped. but I could see what he would
say in the careful, considering look he
gave me.
YES" said /, II know; YOU think
why should 1 imagine that this should
have remainsl Observation-Disclosures
Eccted, il you likc-for Il yca:., only for
me TO find out. Or suSpcct-me, a man
Of no extraordinary perception or dis
elimination"
well. Enwin." said he. Il will con-
fess l did think something like that.
You must cXcusc me-"
Certainly. But l don't pretend to
have lighted on the things that make
me suspect through my W shrcwd-
ness Of suspicion: l don't pretend to
deed. when l look back e the few
months / have been here, 1 anu sur.
plfscd to sec how the several y, ints
of my suspicion have been almost fore
cd on my attention in ways that appear
to ne quite unusually pr~ovidcntial.'
Freeman turned and looked through
the window, very grave and thought
full.
ut is perhaps" said I, .low reused
to q considerable pitch of feeling, mot
Il very Christian doctrine, but l believe.
or I imagine. there is a conscious d.
vine Vengeance that breeds upon the
world, and that takes severe note of
the persistent evil deeds of evil doors,
and marks them out for unrelcnting
punishment. secret or open, slow or
swift, and that chooses its instruments,
or agents, Of punishment In Il fashion
of its own"
Good gracious! Unwin-wlat a
dreadful belief"
II don't think you would have much
to soy against Il If you had l"en With
me last night IN the dining room Of
%1inpcrlcy Hall aud seen ,ur dear
friend Rirlcv moved almost to tears he-
foe that German rutIian. and then seen
linn leave the lDuse a ruined aad heart
broker, man,"
He sat In silent amaZemelt; and re-
lated the srcl.c ! hid witnessed.
After hearing all that" l sail. and
seeing how Steinhard behaved and
locked. l can believe any cruelty or
wickcdness of him. l do not think
that even you now will consider my
horrible" suspicion SO preposterous."
Freeman sat silent, pulling his big
l beard.
!, II Think" said he mt length, with a
! thin smile. Mature after all can't have
l intended me for a criminal investigator;
. l couldn't find it In me to think any
v human being capable of such a crime
as that; then perhaps you would say
fSteinhardt Is not a human being; he Is
only Il foreigner sent for u sins to
: poison us with his diabolical chemis.
: try"
Perhaps" said ], II have happened
o to see Steinhardt frequently at his
Q worst; l know that he car make q
n clear, shrewd speech on a public plat
l form, that he il cheered whenever he
appears, that people who see him only
in public and hear of him from a COM
Portable distance respect him immense
ly as one of the most distinguished OF
'self-made men, that he is q pillar OF
the church. and a supporter of chart
n ties.-,and in spite of all that I think
him utterly without pity or scruple
I even think with anxiety now Of Miss
9 Lacroix's being in the same house with
= him. But of curse you understand
that l would never think of saying this
to another, or Of limiting Mt the sus
Z picion that haunts me; indeed I had nc
= intention of mentio ning 1t to you when
= I came in"
|! "Well," said Freeman, II suppose
y as I said, the instinct of detection, OF
. me. But I will do my best for you II
London"
"And," said I, II think I al make
+ particular inquiry Mt Kings Cross eas
Ter for you. I used to be very friendly
with an official there of high stand
. ing; l will write to him."
q l wrote to my old friend as soon q,
q 1 returned to my lodgings; I related
e the circumstances of Lacr1ix's disap
pearance and mentioned the suspicion
which "those who are most interested
y in his fate entertain" that he really
e set out by train. probably from Kings
d Cross, to return home, and asked him t.
be 10 good as to give such help as hi
d could to my friend Freeman in his Mt
tempt to find out whether that wert
so or not. I wrote the letter, and pest
ed it; yet ! had not such hopes as be
fore IF Freeman's success-a conse
, quence, probably, of my talk with him
doubts were soon melted and merged
- into n passionate conviction that til,
= mystery would yet be cleared up, and {
). fervent longing to take a more activ.
: part myself in effecting that. /.
:. 1t was the very next morning OF
returning along the Lacroix lane from
u the little station to which I had &C
e cOmpanied Freeman and his wife tina
y l me- Louise near the pond again. Sh,
u came toward me at once with a l0Ol
y = of premediation.
q II have been looking for you," sale
e she. (How sweet those words sound
e cd! II knew you were gone TO the sta
q ton. l have something I wish to say
u Will you come with me into INCL
/ JaQues's cottage?-we shall be Their,
y safe from being watched"
What suspicion, l wondered, prompt
ed that? ! entered the little octagona
building for the first time, and was i'm
n mediately in the presence of the oil
n paralytic, who sat huddled and wrap
ped in blankets in q great armchair
with his lifeless hands lying limp in hil
Is lap. 1t was with a strange feeling O
pity, and something like awe, that
n looked upon this feeble, almost lifeless
- remnant Of a famous historic family
L spending the last tlickers of his exist
d ence In a humble cottage in a f0reigl
I land.
4 He cannot speak a word,' sale
Louise to me; 'and l do not think b,
can quite hear now" but for all tina
II she spoke in a low voice. He look
le better, though, since the summer began
d, poor Uncle Jaques. The old man VIII
looks after him has gone .,ut, &c "
e. may talk as IL there were no n here.
She threw off her hat and jacket
II for the air Of the room was very close
s. a small fire burned in the crate. I fel
te impelled to sit n that I co,ld observ
H. appearance fascinated MI.
ST 1v,Nnt IN Co u y,uv Mr. lin CVfn ~ oh