Frederick citizen., 1895-01-11

as opening q IOld OF the Sheet, he dis
covered polished metal tube, about
three feet in length, looking something
ike an iron walking stick. ''I do not
profess to be much of a reading man
myself" he added, examining the arti-
Gle curiously, but surely the monarchs
or the land of the Pharoah's did not
go to war armed with air guns!''
Air guns" repeated the professor.
as sudden thought appeared to cross
his brain. What horrible mystery
are We on the eve of solving?"
With these words he twitched away
the sheet and all started back aghast
at the hideous sight which met their
eyes. For the contents of the sarcoph-
agus was no mummy no dead and
gone royal Egyptian. but the body of
giuseppe Voltoni, with the livid spots
OF decomposition marbling his sallow
features. Now the mystery seemed
clear, and the police official hurrying
from the room, returned with Gluck-
stein, who happened to be in the ad-
1acent office. Fool that was, never
to have thought of an air gun. Now
we can account for no one hearing any
report. Of course, sir" he added. ad-
dressing the head official, there is
no doubt as to the perpetrator of the
double murder; shall go and make
sure of him at once?"
Stop" exclaimed Herr Ruprecht as
at sign from his superior the detec-
tive was about to leave the room do
some of you recollect the English stu
dent Herr Brandon, who died here five
or six years ago, of fever?"
Yes" answered one of the profess
sor's friends" he lived with Heinrich
! Klippendorf"
| Exactly so," returned the old man.
He used to go down to the NeckaI
| and shoot the pretty little moorhens
with certain noseless weapon which
he possessed"
There was no one to claim the
property 1 remember" remarked the
! police official, and as Klippendorf
paid his funeral expenses, 1t was all
handed over to him. Go, Gluckstein,
/ you know what has to be done"
The rooms occupied by Heinrich
Klippendorf were in a state of su-
| preme disorder, evidently betokening a
fitting on the part of the tenant The
student was bending over a small va
! lise, when a knock sounded on the
| panels of the door. Come in" said
he, without raising his head, and in
another moment Gluckstein entered
the room. You are leaving Heidel-
berg suddenly, Herr Klippendorf." re,
marked the detective.
| And cannot I leave withC"t the in
reference of the police?" demanded
Klippendorf, scowling at his visitor.
why, hardly" answered the detec-
tive, "the police you see, are very use.
full in preventing people from leaving
any of their property behind them"
And what, pray, am 1 going to
leave behind" retorted the student.
"The air gun you inherited from Herr
Brandon, and with which you shot
Cornelius Van Heuvel," replied the de-
tective. calmly. Hiatt throw up your
hands he continued, quickly, as he
saw the fingers of Khppendorf stealing
softly to the breast Of his coat, mot a
move or you are dead man." and to
enforce his command he levelled a re.
volver at the students head.
Klippendorf cast a glance around
him like that of hunted beast driven
to his corner. A moments reflection
however, showed him that the game
was Up, and he sulkily extended his
wrists for the hand-cuffs, which Gluck.
stein adjusted with professional dex-
ter1ty, then thrusting his hand into
the breast of his coat, he drew out a
small steel hammer, one end of which
tapered into sharp spike. whats
this?" ne asked
1T Is all over with me-" returned
Klippendorf, "and / may as we'll make
a clean breast of 1t. I have a theory
about diamonds and I wanted those
LaIo t~t I'D -
with. ! made my plans and thought
there was not single flaw in them.
Drained Giuseppe with one blow as ht
turned his back to me, then I barred
the door and unscrewing the sarcopha
gus, took out King Rameses and put
my late friend in his place. Then
half opened the window. and taking my
place beside it. waited until 1 could
get a fair shot with the air-gun l had
brought with me. and which looked like
a walking stick. at the old man. / am
a dead shot and hit him Just where
intended. severing the jugular vein
with my bullet. Then l put a sheet
over Giuseppe and placing the air gun
on the top screwed down the sarcopha-
gus as tightly as ever"
"And what did you do with the mum,
N.Y." asked GluckStein, disgusted, In
spite of his wide experience at the
cold -biooded cynicism with which his
prisoner narrated the details OF his
crime.
There was loose board in the
flooring" replied Klippendorf. "and
pried up that with a ripping chisel:
the space between 1t and the ceiling OF
the next room formed capital rest
ing place for the Egyptian Monarch,
though fear ! may have knocked off
a toe or so. In squeezeing him through
the narrow aperture. Then | went
home exactly as l told you. only on
my visit to the old mans room
forced the bureau, and found that
had had all my trouble for nothing.
Curses on the dotard for cheating ma
with his false gems OF course. call
culated the blame would fall on my
friend Giuseppe and had been able
to secure the Sarcophagus, I should
soon have had him out Of 1t and bur-
led in the cellar. where l had dug n
deep hole. Circumstances have Sonc
against me, however. and to-day, only
with a view to possible discovery.
made up my mind to fly. l was, how
ever. as you see. just too late and
must pay for my tardiness."
The German government are very
averse to capital punishment, but in
this case the crime seemed so cold
blooded that Heinrich Klippendorf was
left TO his fate and suffered after a
protracted trial in the criminal court,
A. distant relation came forward and
inherited the possessions OF both uncle