The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-12-15

visits at a distance always rode ON
horseback with his only daughter
mounted on a pillion behind him.
She minded the horse while he went
within, and thus with great simplicity
he combined economy, health and affec-
ton, and many "a pleasant hour did the
two little bodies spend jogging along
the Devonshire lanes. or climbing the
hogbacked hills, even enjoying now
and again springy gallop across the
ling and heather of the all embracing,
glorious Mutter's moor.
He was abroad ON one Of these pleas
ant expeditions when sent for 10 the
scene of murder, and when he arrived
the police were in possession Of the
place, if the sole custodian of the Chud-
leigh Salterton safety, as represented by
ruddy faced and frightened young
man, could be so designated.
The little garden. choked with sum-
mer flowers, was crowded with peppers,
who pushed each other away to look
through the window at the dead man
huddled up in his chair, his open eyes
staring ont straight before him with
curious blending of mockery and sur
prise overriding TIE physical agony of
his death.
He had been taken at disadvantage,
the peculiar shape of the chair holding
him down as i'll a trap, so that once
seized he had found it impossible to
rise, and he had evidently been reading
when Nemesis came up with him, for a
French book lay open at his elbow, and
the table was heaped with others, while
the only furniture in the room consisted
of long, peculiarly shaped couch and
a shelf laden with what looked like the
chemical contents Of laboratory.
The little doctor looked at the man
and shook his head. 1t was a case of
strangulation, of course, but the marks
were so slight as to suggest that heart
failure had set in before the murderer
had half done his work, but the inquest,
of course. would decide that point.
He heard all the frightened policeman
had to say, which was little; also the
charlady, which was much, but nothing
in the least relevant to the case save
that the good woman had left letter
behind her when she went away that
morning, and though forbidden to enter
save at stated hours had stolen in to
fetch it, and through the window saw
the old gentleman-but here came hys-
terics and full enjoyment of the situ-
alton, so she was promptly suppressed
and led away weeping.
Where is the young lady?" said DIR.
Martin.
A chorus of voices came from the
window, "She do be with the great
lord, she be, and she says she's glad !"
DR.. Martin shuddered. There was
something eerie, horrible even, in the
room and its belongings that he could
| not fathom. Does indeed the
earth, the air record secrets that, close
hidden, were best left unrevealed?
He lifted book from the table and
glanced at its subject, at another and
another. They were all the same. The
name written upon each was Silas
Gregorias.
He investigated the contents of the
| shelf, glanced at the couch, shook his
head, and if he had been Roman Cath
| Ole would have crossed himself AS 1t
was, the color in his healthy old face
paled, and he muttered Victim" under
his breath as he turned to the door,
"I'll see to the coroner, and so on, "
he said to the young policeman, "and
send some woman in. You've wired to
Sidmouth? Quite right I'm going down
now to Miss Gregorias.
| He stumbled little over the name,
for he had never heard it before. In the
place the strange pair were known only
as the wizard and his daughter, and the
very landlord, who was paid week by
week in advance, was as ignorant as the
rest Of who his tenants were.
They received no letters, no visitors,
save the single one who had come and
gone in such haste that day. The stran.
ger had been seen by great many peo
pie, as clamor of soft Devonshirt
tongues fastened to inform the doctor
when he issued from the door, and they
all thought he had come after the poor
| young lady, but she was out, and he
didn't stop half an hour.
Sounds of quarreling had been heard,
but not very loud, and DR.. Gregorias
voice had not even been raised, and then
out the young man had rushed and down
the steep path headlong.
The little doctor put them all by and
went slowly down, the royal blue of the
sea seeming to rise mp to meet him as he
descended.
Strange, but he felt none of the shock,
the revolt against the murderer that he
ought to feel, no pity for the murdered
man, whose evil perchance had ceased
with him, leaving the young shoots of a
fresh life free to spring and thrive, now
his baleful shadow was removed.
To the man who lives in constant and
loving companionship with nature there
is always something pitiful in the sight
of one who shuts himself closely up
with dead mems thoughts, however no
BILE, for sole company, and one can but
think Of that great one who had a Ii
brary indeed, but studied in the fields, "
as his little maid said when she showed