Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1895-06-17

ferrous interference, until l found that
Louise with her french education ana
sentiment, was disposed to take 1t Serl-
ously. In alarm / took the matter to
Birley. who advised me to ''let bide; 1t
will come all right"
SO Wednesday and Thursday passed
away, and the Friday arrived, which to
think Of even now makes me tremble.
1t was Il daring experiment we were
about to attempt. and so very little
would make it ridiculous! [ had taken
partly into my confidence the big son
of my landlady "a staunch Lancashire
lad of tie old breed. With him l went
through the slides of nv story several
times, and showed him how to manage
them with effect.
The evening came and I was almost
sinking under excitement. The place
of entertainment was that Public Hall
in which Freeman had delivered his
famous lecture. The kind of thing was
rather new in the village, AMI there
was a crowded attendance OF work
people. especially of Steinhardts own.
Steinhardt, with his wife and son, sat
right in front, where the reflection from
the sheet fell full upon him. When the
lights were turned, some out and others
low, Freeman and I crept up behind the
sheet, where I waited with trembling
pulse and sudden creeping chllls till
the to me uninteresting part OF the en-
tertainment came TO an end. The GU
ate acted as lecturer. and explained
with fuency what the news meant, or
told something about the places repre-
sented. I cannot tell what it was
about At length his series of views
and his lecture was finished. There
was a moments pause-tO me a wild
throb of anXiety-and then the bass
voice of the manager of the lantern
doomed forth the announcement, "A
Lancashire Mystery" Without another
word the first picture came upon the
sheet Ct creDt to it's corner to watch
SteinhardO It was two men in an at
titude of quarrel, surrounded by color
ed vapcrs. The second followed quick
ly without word of explanation; the
same two men-the one half SutfOcated,
struggling to get out of vat or bath
of vapors, while the other, with mouth
muffled, forced him down. Still no
word of explanation. Rapidly came
the third picture; the one man lying
dead and dyed before the other, and
beside an open box. Awful whispers
began to stir the spectators, who were
the more impressed no doubt by the
silence amid which the pictures appear
ed. / ventured to peep at Stelnhardt;
he was gazing fixedly with parted lips.
The fourth picture called forth an in
Simultaneous cry of horror; it was, per-
haps. too realistic. The dead body lay
stripped and quartered before the living
man, who stopped over from the front
ok ot fni1 nh Y.df
saw him sitting as before as if fixed as
much by utter establishment as by hor-
ror The next picture rapidly blotted
out the grewsomeness Of the other; the
portions of the body wrapped in three
canvas packages, and the man stood
by as if bordering. Quickly came the
next; the man digging near ruined
building. with the three packages by
him. 9TH ovid spinning millv' some
one exclaimed aloud; had not thought
the resemblance was so recognizable
That was almost Immediately succeed
ed by the same view of the mill, with
the packages gone. the hole covered in
and the man standing as II pulling 9
rope which passed over the top Of the
wall.
'The devil" exclaimed Steinhardt
starting suddenly to his feet. But he
recollected himself, and sat dowI
again.
At once the last picture Of all flash.
cd upon the sheet; the wall lay fiat on
the ground, and the man stood by with
the loose rope in his hand!
Up started Steinhardt, and STROBE
down the room, amid an ominous 81
lence, to where the big Dick stood by
his apparatus.
'Where the devil" I heard him ex.
claim, did thos horrible pictures come
from? They were not among the lot
bought. Come, no ID nonsense
You must tell me where you got them
Who gave them to your
There was now a wild hubbub Of
talk Dick, I was sure, had refused tc
tell him anything about them. In the
midst Of this the lights flashed forth
again, and the people began slowly to
dispense, with hushed and earnest
speech. Freeman and I slipped out by
a side door.
I went straight to Jaqnes's cottage
There I found Birley. In low anxious
voices we began to discuss what would
'he (meaning SteinhardD DO now
Louise wished she had been there, and
Birley had just said it was as well she
had not, when neaVy f0Ot rapidly ap
preached the latch was noisily raised
the door was dashed open, and Stein
hardt stood before us.
"Soh!' he exclaimed glazing at Biz
ley and me, 81 have found you. sneaks
and towards! You think with youl
FOOLS tricks and your pictures you will
annoy me, and spoil me! Pitf! You are
nothing!-you are beggars!-you are
dirt! I will have you, Sir Parson, arrest
ed for making calumnious charges
against mev'
How in his fury he had committed
himself!
Herr Steinhardt,'' said /, at once
''the pictures, so far as heard, were
unaccompanied by a single word OF
comment. except what they drew from
the people, and no one could say that
the figures represented were likenesses
But your guilty, black heart has charg-
ed you AS it says, I say: You are the
murderer Of your partner, Mr.. LacroiX,
and his remains will now be found Sc
curely locked. whence you can't move
them, under that fallen wallv
His jaw dropped and his great body