Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-01-10
A TALE
OF
MYSTERY.

III spite OF MS doubts Il mysterious
charm.
For few seconds they stood again
eye to eye, each examining attentively
the face of the other.
"Very well. then" said Mason at
last, noting even as he uttered the
words the change which had come into
his own tones. Tell me just what
happened while you were together"
I'm the first place." said Coch Tai
Il caught up with him about mile
from Trecoed on this side, making for
the hills here"
"He had engaged you beforehand"
interrupted Mason. The man gave
him a quick, inquiring glance. "Oh,
I know that, for he wrote to tell me
So"
A slight frown crossed the face of
Coch Tai, who was silent moment, as
he apparently tried to fit in this state
ment with the facts in his possession
and to consider it from the point of
view of his own advantage. At last
he said abruptly:
''Oh, he wrote that, did he? And
what else did he writer"
mot much more, beyond saying that
you were to see him safe through the
hills; safe, mind!"
II saw him safe as fur as saw him
q ALL" retorted Coch Tai sullenly.
As there was pause, Mason asked:
nd IL = n
he leave you?"
Instead Of replying straightforward
~ and at once, as, in spite Of himself,
Mason had begun to hope that he
would do. Coch Tai for the first time
looked at him askance, and, turning q
little to the left, allowed his profile
only to be seen.
HE wanted to climb where l told
him there was no safe footing" he
answered at last, In slightly evasive
tone.
And then he stopped.
swell, you reasoned with him, of
course? And, of course, he would trust
to your experience and take your ad-
vicey'
mo, he wouldn't" retorted Coch
Tai roughly, and turning to face his
Questioner again. IF he had, he'd
have been alive this dayl"
An exclamation of horror burst from
Masson's lips as he sprang forward
and, regardless Of the mountaineer's
superior stature and of the open knife
In his hand, seized him by the throat.
"Altvel He would have been alive!
Then he is dead! You know III And
you know how lie died! You saw him
diey'
As the young doctor blurted out
these short sentences, in q low, throb-
bling voice that seemed to come
straight from his heart, the other man
turned a curious purplish white and
seemed for the moment to be stunned
by this fierce and unexpected attack.
At last, however, he made sudden
effort, drew long breath and wrench
cd himself out of the grasp Of his COM
panion, who, however, returned to the
attack.
Then Coch Tai raised his right hand,
In which was the knife he had been
holding. And with his left hand he
made an imperious gesture of warning.
"Don't touch me-" said he hoarsely.
Don't touch me, II you're wise man!
You can squeeze lies out of a man, but
the truth don't come out like that!"
Mason stepped back and staggered.
though he was not conscious of the
fact.
1.-THE truth" gasped he, 'the truth
What Is the truth7"
To which Coch Tai answered, with
solemn earnestness. as he dropped the
hand which held the knife and raised
the other higher In the air:
THAT, sir, neither you nor me will
ever know while the breath remains in
our bodies"
His earnestness made SO great an
impression upon Mason, excited as
the latter was. that he made no imme-
diate retort or inquiry. But after q
few moments of uncanny silence be
said. in low voice:
"Can you expect me to be content
with that7 You have told me nothing,
nothing. But you know more"
mot much more" retorted Coch Tai
grimly. But 1 can make Q guess.
And If you'll come with me, you'll be
able to do as much yourself. Your
brother, as you may say he was-the
clergyman-left me in the valley to
climb up this hill by a way told him
was not safe. I never saw him again"
"But Mr.. Tregaron saw him after
thatY
$50 he says. But know nothing Of
that. can only tell you what l
know, what saw" retorted Coch Tai
stubbornly.
There was always behind the mans
strangely honest and reassuring man
ner this suspicious, undoubted reti-
cence.
"And that was the last you did see
of my brother-dead or aliver
'That was the last I saw Of him,
dead or alive"
yet you took 1t for granted he was
dead! How was thatT'
The man was silent.
Had you any reason to suspect foul
plAyT
mo more than when man who
can't swim throws himself into the sea
where it's ten fathoms deep" re-
sponded Coch Tai grimly.
you mean that when he left you,
you never expected to see him alive
againY'
81 may say do mean that-aye,
may say that, sir"
There was terrible pause.
''In fact, you gave him up for dead
when, In spite Of all your warnings. he
persisted in having his own way and
In going up in spite of your
AYE. may say that"
yet, when you missed him, when he
never came back, you did not even look
for his body?"
After moments silence Coch Tai
uttered short laugh.
II don't think, sir, as you quite un-
derstand," said he In grave tone.
This place isn't London. and the
mountain ways aren't quite the same
IA yOllr nayed Straata Coma with mo -