The Washington times., 1905-12-17

huddled about his ears As we rnova6
forward, the mystery explained itself
The man 1 saw was not driving.
We've taken up passenger. Cous,p
Graden," said 1. pulling in my head.
What's that2' he asked sharpIv for
my voice had been lost in the loud
complaining Of the brakes as we
trotted down the decline
The drivers giving friend a Hft I"
l cried. leaning toward him. II sun
pose he picked him up at the last VII
lape whara-"
L reached no further, for at that in
slant there rose from without a cry
of such utter terror that I sank back
into my place as If struck In the face
by a crushing blow. 1 saw a falling
body flash by the right-hand window:
the outcry of the brakes ceased with
a grating clang. And then. with a
bound like that Of Ieaping horse. the
great post-carriage rushed roaring
down the hill.
I thrust out my head, cnnging to the
sills Of the open window.
The man upon the box seat was
lashing the horses SO that they sprang
forward in furious bounds. Even as
1 watched. he cast away his whip
with a peal of wild laughter that
sounded nigh above the turmoil of the
flying hoofs and the heavy wheels.
He turned his head, bending sideways.
the reiDs held loosely in his right hand.
1t was the face Of Marnac that stared
down upon me.
bis hat had gone. his white hair
streamed backward in the wind. And
ne was mad-mad with an open in
sanity Of which L had observed no
trace before. He shrieked at me in
triumph, waving his hand now to the
horses, now TO the chasm beyond the
Tour-foot wall that guarded the road.
He cursed me with furious eestici1Ia
tions- Even as 1 write l seem TO see
those eyes staring at me out of the
white paper-eyes goggling with the
lust Of murder. Heaven send that
time will wipe that remembrance from
my braini
l shrank back into the carriage that
rocked and swung and danced beneath
me- Graden's huge shoulders almost
blocked the other window; but I caught
sight Of the CLINT of his revolver in the
moonlight. Was it TO be man or horsez
One or the other, If we were not to
leap the precipice st the first sharp
turn Suddenly he shouted, and again
i struggled TO my post. In the dark
ness down the road was the gIimmer
or lights Nearer and nearer they
drew, and 1. too, raised my voice in a
scream of warning The last fifty
yards we took in one bound-or so 1t
seemed. l saw a carriage grow out
Of the shadow that the cliffs above us
drew across the road; 1 saw our lead
ing horse swing to the left and leap
. ,.T Ion 4
knew what frightful depths below:
and then, with a tottering slide that
seemed to wrench the heart out of me,
we curled. as motor skids. into one
thunderous crash that blotted out the
world.
1 have been asked by my dear hus-
band to conclude the story OF which
he has placed the greater part before
you 1 should have preferred that he
had not tried TO recall details which
1 know he cannot remember without
suffering; but having once yielded to
the persuasion OF his friends. 1 am
ready 20 take every share of the bur-
den that he will yield to me.
My father. and I. Reski. the man
that Sir Henry had summoned from
Poland. arrived in the Engadine with
scriptiOn. We had engaged rooms in
the principal hotel under the name OF
Jackson. as had been suggested. NY
father stood the journey very we'll But
this necessity for giving a false name
annoyed him extremely. II was the
first time In his life that he had done
so. he said. and I had some difficulty
in persuading him not to confess the
n Yc~ lr7ra to
on the day after our arrival.
1t WAS on the fourth day OF our visit,
from I'm the evening, that we re-
ceived telegram from London. It
read:
We are coming at once. Graden-"
As can be imagined, we were very
puzzled about it. We had sent no mes
sage, and we could not think what was
the reason for their sudden determina-
ton Resh behaved in a most curious
fashion when I told him 1t might
have been the news OF some great good
fortune that had reached him.
1T Is very well. very weH,'' he kept
on repeating IN German-a language
which, fortunately, can speak. though
not very correctly.
What do you mean?' I asked him.
<ACtAf lEdultltl- II NAlc NnO L44lEAlSD-
men are coming. does il not mean that
Marnac IS here2''
1 suppose 1 turned rather pale. for
the fear OF that dreadful man was al
ways in my heart. though. indeed. I
pretended TO father that I had forgot
ten he existed. But the next instant
Reski had dropped down on one knee.
taking my hand and kissing it.
Il am a dog. frauleini' he said sim
ply. 4 did not think OF what I spoke.
But IL is the thing for which I forget
all else--to meet this man who killed
my SON For your father and yourself.
have no fear. II Is I that will ever
watch You trust me. fraulein2-'
Indeed. Reski, I DO" / answered
him; and 50 We parted
Il was nervous that night. and about
in the morning 1 thought I heard a
noise In the passage outside Very
cautiously / opened my door and peeped
'ut My fathers door was the next TO
mine. and between the two lay ResH
IN great fur rug that he had lie
waved his hand 70 me with a little
smile as if ! were a child he was bid
ding to he OF good courage I slept
after that