The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-02-19
MYNHEER JOE,
sssssTSSSsSsSSsS
BY ST. GEORGE RATHBoRNE.
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COPYRIGHT RorERTB

dow. 1t is Mr.. Grimes who has spo-
ken. Then Joe remembers the pecul-
lar circumstances of his awakening:
Could it be possible that after all be
heard a voice whisper:
"Mynheer Joe, awake-danger"
"They have gone but are not forgot
ten" murmurs Grimes, humorously.
"You saw them, then?" asks joe
quickly.
well, rather" replies the other
chuckling; "and IL that last fellow
don't feel sore tomorrow. I'm mista'
ken in my guess"
Il hope he WILT may lead to iden-
/ tify the rascal. Mr.. Grimes:'
YES"
"Was it You who warned me-:
81 whispered through crack in the
wall in about the spot where l be-
lieved your bed to be-"
"A thousand thanks, my dear SIT.
When awoke hardly knew whether
had dreamed it or not. Then my
eve caught the fellows head at the
window. l waited until he crawled
in and then doubled both up together.
Very neatly done, sir, 1 must say,
These rascally thieves are very daring
just at present"
II have been thinking 1t over ana
had about come to the conclusion that
these fellows were bent upon some.
thing else"
"Eh! You mean murder? That they
are some of the Mahdi's followers or
spies, determined to have vengeance
on you for the part you took at Khar-
toom?" says Mr.. Grimes.
Perhaps so. Are you dressed, sir:"
Partially so. I couldn't sleep and
was looking out Of the window from
an easy chair when heard a noise
and caught sight Of the sly rascals
climbing up the wall like couple of
monkeys. was puzzled at first how
to warn you, and only hit upon that
little scheme as happy thought. Glad
to know it worked so we'll"
would you mind coming into my
roomw
Not at ALL" responds the pseudo sill
yer king, cheerfully. Il am always
at the service of my friends, and par
ticularly Mynheer joe"
II want to investigate something
think I've got clew to a still dark.
er piece Of business"
Good for you. my boy"'
Mr.. Grimes's head vanishes from the
window. When, few minutes later,
he opens the door Of Joe's room,
which the latter has unfastened, he
finds that worthy has lighted a lamp,
with which the room is fortunately
provided in place of the ordinary cant
die.
Mynheer Joe seems to be bending
low, as if examining something on the
floor. Has the man upon whom he
pounced been wounded, and does Joe
think lie can learn anything from the
stains left behind
AS Mr.. Grimes bends over his shoul1
der he makes a discovery that forces
an exclamation from his lips. Upon
! the floor can be seen the fragments Of
q small vial that has evidently been
shattered by some violent concussion.
! This, in itself, is not what wrencheS
that cry from the detective. He sees
| the mating covering the floor discol-
ored and eaten into by some power
full agent.
What do you say" asks Joe, SOL
emnly.
Nj. Grimes rubs one finger over
the ruined mating and feels the re-
suit almost Immediately.
There can be no question about the
nature of that acid" he replies, and
/ his whole manner is sober, as though
he realizes the extreme gravity Of the
situation.
Mynheer Joe mods his head.
1T is the proof I was looking for.
! My suspicious now have double
foundation. I no longer grope in the
dark-I see."
lone thing is as evident to me as the
nose on your face. You have a foe
who would hesitate at nothing in Or
der to gain revenge. A fiend in mortal
shape for whom the tortures Of the
Inluisition would be too good"
Exactly! You understand, this par
ty does not seek my death, but would
make me a hideous object for life,
from whom women, and one woman
in particular, must turn with shudder-
ing horror"
Good heavens, Joe, can you mean
it"
Does not the evidence point that
way. The one woman to whom 1
have reference-let me be plain in
this-is Molly Tanner. Who Is 1t hates
me because she smiles on me. You,
yourself, told me this baron was u
human fiend who had fought numer-
Gus duels and who looked upon the
lives of his fellows as mere stepping
stones by means Of which he could