The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1898-11-03
THE BLACK DAGGER.

| Dy Dllbu dllu udllOudlllN dul a
Swede, but cosmopolitan in every
taste and habit. In my early days |
regularly followed the profession of Il
courier, as | do now occasionally
when any of my old patrons or friend-
require such services, which Is rather
Infrequent, the taste of the travelling
public having degenerated into hasty
journeys by express trains with the
consequent loss of all enjoyment of
the different phases OF scenery through
which the travellers are passing. In
the course of many years experience,
L have been witness to many strange
| occurrences, have assisted III many a
secret and adventurous undertaking,
and have even been subject to many
perils. Flom among such varied ex
perlences | give the following strange
story, surpressing for obvious reasons
the real names of those Interested.
Many years ago | was engaged as
courier to his Excellency the Honor
able Frederic Eslington, Ambassador
Extraordinary of His Brittanic Ma
Jesty, King George, on special Sc
cret mission to one of the great cont
METAL powers. Having finished his
duties and successfully attained the
| object of his mission, we started on
our homeward journey in the sum
mer of 1S- The period was one to
be long remembered from the politi
cal excitement which existed through
out all Europe, almost every govern
ment having unsheathed the sword.
We had travelled a considerable part
of the first stage of our return jour
ney, when his Excellency, who was
feeling the fatigues of the incessant
travelling in the heavy, rumbling car
riage, said we should stop at the next
town we arrived at, and take rest and
refreshments, both of which he was
much in need, besides having i'm
| portant state documents to transcribe
In due course we arrived at the small
town of $, on the confines of
/ Germany, where we put up. We
stayed day ard a half there; and |
was instructed to have the car
| riage and horses in readiness to con
tinue our journey His Excellency
meanwhile had completed his writ
ings, to which he had assiduously ap-
piled himself; and told me, as it was
a fine afternoon, he would take short
walk, and on his return resume his
| journey at once; and [ must therefore
make all necessary preparations. He
accordingly left the hotel But he
was never seen afterward, nor was
| anything known of his fate.
| | waited for upward of an hour an
| xlOusly, and then made a close search
for him, which | continued for sew
eral days; but not trace of my master
could L discover A villager, how
ever, living outside the town, brought
me pair of overalls, which he stated
he had found in a nelghborilg copse.
L recognized the garment as belong
ing to his Excellency, and at once re
paired with the villager to the copse,
and closely examined the spot. but
found no trace or sign of any strug-
gle.
Finding 1t useless to prosecute the
search, at once returned to London
with his Excellency's travelling gear
which [ handed to his family. The
| British Government at once institut-
ed inquiries, as also did his Excellen
cy's family, and large rewards were
offered by both, and advertisements
widely disseminated for any informa
ton respecting the missing Ambassa-
| dor; but they failed one and all to
gain any information of, or the slight
est clue to- his fate A certain amount
of suspicion attached to me, but
1t WAS only monentary, and l at once
cleared myself of it, and assisted his
distracted wife and family as much
rs lay in my power Well remember
the agonies of anxiety and suspense
caused to the Ambassadors wife and
family by the distressing calamity
Magisteri6l investigation was made,
experts We're employed, and every
endeavor made to penetrate the dark
veil Of mystery surrounding the event
but all efforts were unsuccessful.
One of His Majesty's Ambassadors
had completely and mysteriously dis
appeared, without leaving a clew to
light up the awful obscurity which
enveloped the tragic occurrence.
Several years had elapsed since the
distressing event, and the painful
memory of it was beginning to fade
from my mind, when | happened to
be II Antwerp on a short tour through
Belgium with patrons. And, while
listlessly stroling by myself on the
quay one summers evening, watch
ing the passengers disembarking
from the newly arrived steamer, |
was accosted by mean, haggard
looking little man of beggarly ap
pearance. who spoke to me in Elem
ish.
Are you not Herr Reckel the cour
ier?" said he
Yes" replied l. What do you
want with me? Who are youe"
Il suppose you have quite forgotten
me" said he
| looked at him keenly. The man 5
features were somewhat familiar to
me, yet | was confused in my remem-
trance of how and where | had seen
| him.
Il 90 not know you," said /.
Yes, you do, and very we'll" re
piled he, My name is Ludwig HUH,
and | have frequently driven you in
the first stage out of Vienna. l did
o when you were courier to his Ex
cellency the Honorable Eslington, in
the summer Of the year is"
(Ihe courier is remembered even
| when the patron is forgotten, for it is
TO us that the landlords and their
servants look for their gratultles)
| | looked at Ii n again and then rec
ognized the haggard looks.
True" said /; Now / remember
you well. How goes it with you
What do you here in Antwerpe The
old trade, eh? 7"
"Ab, no. he replied, with deeply
drawn sigh. Its long story, and ]
can't tell it to you here, in all this
noise and hustle. Let Us go to quiet