The Washington times., 1905-11-19

He stepped back a dozen PAGES, and
then came running at the door ike
bull. The giant caught Il sQuareiy With
the point IF his shoulder; there was z
sharp crack; the next instant We wers
both sprawling On the floor within.
We found ourselves in a great and
dusty hall indiferently lighted. Against
the wall on my right couid dimiy dis
cern the figure OF a woman crouched on
the floor sobbing bitterly, her face bur
led fl her hands. She did not move,
despite our violent entrance. At tns
foot OF the main staircase an old man
was bending over something that lay
motionless. He looked up az Us with
white. pitifui face.
He is dead-ths master is dead" he
whimpered.
Graden strode up to him, and I fol-
lowed at his heels.
Prof Peter Mechersky-fcr such I
knew it must be-lay huddled under an
old gray cloak that spread B1ng-wlse
from his neck. a blot upon the polish
ed oak OF the floor. From his face thin
though it was and wasted with dis
case, he must have been a middIe-aged
man who had preserved a singular
beauty. He had died as a child might
fall asleep. Yet the horror that he had
escaped he had left TO the living; for
his attitude vas abnormal. impossible,
and CHASTITY to behold.
II was not right that a body should
resemble an egg that is broken
Ny cousin swept aside the cloak for
a moment, and replaced it reverently.
though with hand that trembled.
He has not & sound bone in his
body" he mutteree. and then, turning
TO the old servant. How did this hap
penn said he.
He had been i'll for some weeks. mein
Herr. and we begged him not 10 leave
his room. But today he declared himself
better. He insisted that he should de-
scend to the library. Half way down
the stairs he tripped and fell. 1 ran
to his side and found him, as you see
him. hed-Iike-iilze-'
Like toad?"
Yes, mein Herr, ike a toad.
The man broke into hysterical weep
ing. Graden searched in his pocker. pro
duced flask Of brandy. ana prescribed
a liberal dose. He seemed to revive un-
der its influence.
The EngIishman. Herr Wakefield. Vas
most anxious about my masters health, ;"
he stammered out THE Herr probes
sor cecame indisposed some ten days af-
ter lis arrival; since then he has been
most kind. most considerate. sitting hy
the masters bed for hours. lie would
allow no other doctor TO visit the mas
ter He is kind. good man. this doc
tor the Herr Wakefield
so 1 believe. How came he 70 know
yotig master?"
am not sure: but I think he brought
& letter of Introduction from a PROT.
Marnac. of Heidelberg. gentleman Of
whom my master disapproVeo, yet sa-
rnired for his learning
And this Englishman. did h prs-
scribe for your masterT
..Of course They loved each other.
and SAT- late into the night in their dis
cussions. When my poor master Wa
taken i'll, Herr Wakefield took complete
charge of him. Aehl II he did bal
know what had happened!
Then he is not here?"
NO; he drove TO Lemsdorr yesterday
afternoon. He had to return 10 his own
country. Achi II ne did but knowI'
1t was plain enough-Aiarnae. the lin
guist, was Wakefield. the Engiishman.
1t was he, new from this thing that ne
had done. who had come creeping 10
my room n the night. being suspicious
Of the strangers from the South II
was he that had brought about this nSs-
terious horror. I turned from the poor
montrosity upon the floor ana leaned.
shucdering. against the wall As oio
so, Graden strode past me 10 the open
door
.'Driver, can your horses take u
baek7r I heard him say
CONTINUED on Page Eight. this sectioa-l