Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-10-15

He took occasion to toll me that the
ruby had been sent that afternoon to
Amsterdam, and am sure ho felt that
a great load had been lifted from his
mind.
Human nature seeks con6dant ]
am told that n large number OF crimi.
nails owe their punishment to this law,
which leads them to impart their fatal
secrets to others.
take to myself some credit that
never dropped hint for days and weeks
about Mana Sahib's ruby to any living
person, except Geoffrey Sandhusen, who
already knew as much as did. was
OH the point several times Of telling my
wife or Burling. and i fear that some-
thing Of tho kind would have been done
but for the safety escape in the form Of
my friend at tho Windsor. We fre-
quentiy dined together, even after he
went back to his home on the return OF
his family from abroad. When we were
alone, there was only one theme OF con-
yersation, and we remained in the dark
as much rs ever.
II was easy to learn from inquiry at
the Windsor that Mrs. Howard had left,
but IL any one knew whittier she had
gone such knowledge was not impaired
TO us. Whom Iprosented my card in the
Office Of the Astor House, with a re-
quest that it be sent to the room OF Mr..
Howard Il could easily make o pretext
for calling on HIM, was told that he
had been gone several days. ! fell to
looking for him on the street, but was
not fortunate enough to SEQ him.
When two weeks had passed without
the slightest word from Carl Wittner, a
new cause OF anxiety arose. Inquiries
sent to his house were answered that IL
was not known when he would return.
Nothing had been heard from him for a
week. Ordinarily this would have been
cause for alarm, hut Wittner had taught
his wife never to feel misgiving, even
il she failed 10 get word from him for a
much longer period His situation was
often such that it was indiscreet for
him to send anything through the mails.
"She may not DO alarmed for her
husband. remarked Sandhusen, "but
/ am.
"Why?"
Those East Indians are as treacher-
Gus as the cobras Of their own country,
and there is mono subtler and more dan
gerous than this Howard. "
But IL any i'll has befallen Witt
ner," a." said /, more disturbed than / was
willing 10 admit. something would
have been known OF il by this time.
Ordinarily you would be right, but
recall how many crimes Of that kind
have been committed which did not
come to light for years. Wittner has
probably used some sort Of disguise,
which, II harm has come to him, has
prevented his Identification. Ii may be
that his fate will never be known"
IL am not prepared 70 give up hope.
Nor am |, but cannot conceive that
he should remain all this time as utter
ly lost TO the world, or at least to u. rs
IL he had never existed.
Greatly depressed. left the home OF
my fr end and went TO my own. i man
aged ID conceal from my family the irou-
bic that was with me in my dreams n
well as waking hours. Somehow or 9th
er | iould not rid myself OF certain
feeling that | was responsible TO par
tial extent for tho misfortune.
Il ought TO have known that that
man was miscreant when he offered
me q priceless ruby for nominal sum.
should not hayo dallied. but refused to
have anything TO do with him when
knew something was wrong
IF il be really the matchless stone
which Mana Sahib carried with him
into the jungles of tho Himalayas, II
has we'll preserved its character. IL was
associated with one Of the greatest
crimes Of history and now has been the
means Of bringing about the death CT
another innocent person. When will IT.
career Of evil end:'
Every time entered my store in
quired whether Wittner had been seen,
and the answer was always negative.
| glanced over each envelope that was
received, hoping to recognize his hand
writing, bat was disappointed. | ven
turod even TO call ut his house. though
with much hesitation. His wife told me
that she had not had word from him
for more than two weeks.
"He was once absent in tho west,
she said, "for full month without
sending me so much as telegram, and
yet am beginning to grow anxious,
she added, with sigh which told me
her grief was deeper than she would ad'
nit
IF he has been away so long before,
said |, making brave effort to play
the role Of comforter, I'VE must wait
as long before giving way to any iais'
giving. His profession is very pecul'
lar one.
Il have tried to persuade him to give
1t mp, and he has half promised, but
there seems to be fascination Ill i!
which no other presents. "
Undoubtedly, and then he Is s
skillful that it pays better than any
thing else that he could take up.
eyes, but what is that compared t.
ones peace Of mind?
IF he succeeds in this case, he will
be paid well enough to enjoy good va
cation"
"Do you think he has succcedcd?'
suddenly asked the wife, turning sc
sharply on me that flushed.
81 hope SO, but must admit that Ee
! has q most difficult problem to solve. "
Then, noting the expression of alarm
Oh her face, hastened to add:
"Imean difficult, but not necessarily
dangerous. He has not been set to trace
o murder, but simply to find out the
, facts about certain robbery"
'But in such cases the criminals
would not hesitate to become murderors
to protect themselves.
could not question this truth. Ead
, I said what / believed it would have
been that no murderer could be more
dangerous than the two East Indians,
, for include the woman whose beauty
! might prove tenfold more effective than
the cunning Of the man, but had striv
en-, however, to give the wife q few
words of consolation, and much doubt
ing my success bade her good evening,
regretting that called and resolved nol
to disturb her again until there wa:
, good reason to do so.
Led by feeling akin to that which
leads q drowning man to catch ut