The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1902-05-09
Observation-Disclosures


tion that he left London that night
may turn out true"
"Leit for home, l suppose you think?
But why should he suddenly set off
home late at night without intima-
tion2"
81 cannot tell. But might he not,
for instance, have heard somehow, or
have suspected, that Steinhardt was
still using the patent they had been
fined SO heavily for infringing? 1t is
clear, surely, from this recent law
affair, that Steinhardt has never left off
using it."
"Of course" said he! looking very
serious and meditative, "that certainly
might be. But" he continued in
new tone of alarm. "what does all this
speculation mean? You surely haven't
let your suspicion go so far as to inn
agine poor Lacroix came home Toto
find a violent death? Have you really
let yourself think SO morbidly of things
as to suspect Steinhardt of causing it?
He, know, is without much scruple OF
conscience-but that, my friend, is al
together too horrible!-- too incredible!
Besides, why" he stopped, but |
could see what he would say in the
careful, considering look he gave me.
EYES," said l, ~ know; you think
why should imagine that this should
have remained undiscovered--unsus-
pected, if you like-for year, only for
me to find out, or suspect-me, man
of no extraordinary perception or dis
elimination.
"Well, Unwin," said he, 81 will
confess l did think something like that.
You must excuse me-.
Certainly. But don't pretend to
have lighted on the things that make
me suspect through my own shrewd-
ness of suspicion; don't pretend to be
the mover in the matter at all. In
deed. when look back over the few
months | have been here, l am sur
prised to see how the several points of
my suspicion have been almost forced
on my attention in ways that appear to
me quite unusually providential."
Freeman turned and looked through
the window, very grave and thoughtful.
"It is perhaps" said /, now reused
to considerable pitch of feeling, mot
a very Christian doctrine, but | believe,
or imagine, there is conscious divine
vengeance that broods upon the world
and that takes severe note of the per-
sistent evil deeds of evil doers, and
marks them out for unrelenting pun
ishment, secret or open, slow or swift,
and that chooses its instruments, OF
agents, of punishment in fashion OF
its own"
"Good gracious! Unwin-what a
dreadful belief"
"I don't think you would have much
to say against it if you had been with
me last night in the dining room Of
Timperley Hall, and seen our dear
friend Birley moved almost to tears be-
fore that German ruffian, and then seer
him leave the house ruined and hear
broken man."
He sat in silent amazement; and
related the scene had witnessed.
"After hearing all that" / said
. "and seeing how steinhaTdt behaved
! and looked, can believe any cruelty o.
wickedness OF him. / do not thinl
that even you now will consider my
. horrible suspicion SO preposterous.
. Freeman sat silent, pulling his bis
beard.
81 think" said he at length, with 6
, thin smile, mature after all can't hav'
intended me for criminal investi
) gator: l couldn't find it in me tC
= think any human being capable of sucl
: q crime as that--then perhaps you
would say Steinhardt is not human
being; he is only a foreigner sent TO
. our sins to poison us with his diabol
!, ical chemistry.
: Gas | said, the instinct of detection
= or suspicion even, is not very strong il
: me. But 1 will do my best for you il
= London"
= "And," said l, 81 think can max
! particular inquiry at Kings Cros
:. easier for you. l used to be yer,
!. friendly with an official there of higl
: standing; | will write to him."
wrote to my old friend as soon as
returned to my lodgings; related tn
> circumstances of Lacroix's disappear
ance, and mentioned the suspicion
u oh tI4b,eo ,pbo oro ;p+oroeto1 IN J.;
= late entertain, ;" that he really set out b.
. . train, probably from Kings Cross, t
:. return home, and asked him to be s
! good as to give such help as he could t
my friend Freeman in his attempt t
find out whether that were so or not.
;, 1t was very late next morning on re
" turning along the Lacroix Lane fror
. the little station to which | had aC
y companied Freeman and his wife that
= " met Louise near the pond again. Sh
y came toward me at once with look O
! generalization.
IL have been looking for you," sal
:. she. (How sweet those words sounded.
81 knew you were gone to the station
l have something l wish to say will
you come with me into Uncle jacques
:. cottage?-we shall be there safe froT
70 being watched"
J. What suspicion, l wondered
e prompted that? | entered the littl
!. octagonal building for the first time
: and was Immediately in the presence {
IT the old paralytic, who sat huddled an
:. wrapped in blankets in great arm
It chair, with his lifeless hands lyin
IS limp in his lap. 1t was with strang
st feeling of pity, and something like awe
le that | looked upon this feeble, almos
e. li(eess, remnant of famous histori
[ family, spending the last flickers Of hi
existence in a humble cottage in fol
le eign land. single fash of fancy va
s enough to show me behind him lon
S. line of warriors, statesmen, courtier
and priests of the old French regime
from which stood out near the end th
!, figure of the white haired old soldier {
"A the Bastile falling slaughtered ami
a the Paris mob-and that the glory, an
- honor, and courage of the past shoul
/. end in this and here! Was it n,
80 sufficient to I'll the heart with an vi
m utterable sadness and despair of life
al His eyes were bright, but there SCENE
to be no speculation in them; h
toothless gums mumbled, but no sour
was uttered.
OF "He cannot speak a word" sat
ne Louise to me; "and do not think l
d, can quite hear now" but for all thi
she spoke in low voice. "He lool
e. better, though, since the summer b
gan. moor Uncle JACQUES. The old ma