The Press., 1901-10-10

with him was In his undershirt pocket.
I knew this because he was constantly
raising his hand to the spot. That
Doodle was probably In drafts. as he
made cautious inquiries about bankers.
Mr.. Braeeby removed his goggles and
turned down his coat collar and spoke
In natural tones after he got installed.
but he did not wander far from the
house and sought no other company.
He asked for no papers. but when
bought copies Of New York daily at
the hotel and took them home to read
he could scarcely control his impa-
tience until he had his hands on them.
am no man hunter. ] did not go to
the police or drop hint to any one. OF
whatever crime he was guilty. he was
safe from me. knew 1t wasn't murder
unless done in the heat Of passion. for
he was sentimental and tender hearted.
/ think 1t was on the fifth day of his
stay that he became feverish and called
In q doctor and went to bed-mental
worry, you see. I had finished my sup
per and was smoking my pipe on the
little veranda when I saw q stranger
coming up the path from the hotel
From his gait judged him to be an
American. From the way he furtively
eyed the chalet and its surroundings
reasoned that he had other business
than seeking for lodgings AS he came
to q halt and looked me over he gave
himself away as a detective. He had
taken me for the man he wanted, and
chagrin showed clearly on his face. He
was from a western state and on the
trail of a defaulting city treasurer. 1t
was queer enough that he didn't ask II
there was another traveller in the house.
He took 1t for granted that I was the
only one, and he told me the whole sto-
ry Of Braceby's theft and flight. My
diagnosis had been positively correct.
There was the man under his thumb.
He had followed him for three months
and had only to climb a fight Of II
steps to lay hands on him. but 1t never
happened. / was mum. I was not in
terested in the case beyond proving my
observations. He talked for two hours
and then went away, saying that he
should hang about for a few days.
Half an hour after his going 1t was dis
covered that Braceby was missing. His
bedroom window was over the veran-
da, and he had heard all.
When three days had passed and no
trace OF the missing man had been had.
he was given away to the detective by
one Of the town officials. He had left
the chalet lightly clad. without food or
baggage and In a fever. and the idea
was that he had lost himself on the
mountains and would perish IL not
found. Parties were sent out in search,
and 1t was not long before evidences
were found. When the fugitive discov-
cred that he had been hunted down and
was about to be arrested for his crime.
there was nothing left for him but to
take to the mountains and find a tenn
porary covert, until he could plan a lit
tie. Being i'll, without food and thinly
clad, he could not keep his life over two
or three days. In the gloom Of that first
night he had travelled nearly two miles,
making up the mountains by a path.
Then he had wandered from the path
and fallen over bank 80 feet high in
to stream. The rushing waters had
they found his dead body wedged be-
tween two great rocks.
When the coroner overhauled the ef-
fects found on the body, there came to
light $1,000 in English money and
drafts for nearly 100000 more. His
name was not Braceby, Of course, but
as the city treasurer Of q town in the
west he had gobbled its last dollar and
fed to enjoy his Ill gotten gains on the
other side of the ocean. He had not
spent a thousand dollars as yet or tax
en- a moments comfort. He had too
much conscience and not enough nerve.
II he had got safely away. he would
never have enjoyed himself. As look
ed down on his dead body and thought
Of his shattered and disgraced life I
felt something more than passing sor-
row. AS helped carry the bruised and
battered corpse down to the townhouse
for inquest and burial found tears in
my eyes and pity in my heart.