The Mankato free press., 1905-02-10
CHAPTER II.
is going to be unpleasant"
muttered Steinmetz as he
cumbrously left the saddle.

THIS is going to be unpleasant"
muttered Steinmetz as he
cumbrously left the saddle.
4 THAT man is dead-has been
dead some days; he's stiff. And the
horse has been dragging him face
| downward God in heaven. this will
be unpleasant"
Paul had leaped to the ground and
was already loosening the dead mans
! foot from the stirrup. He did it with
certain sort of skill, despite the stiff
ness of the heavy riding boot, as if he
had walked hospital in his time
Very quickly Steinmetz came to his
assistance, tenderly lifting the dead
man and laying him on his back.
"Ach.' he exclaimed. I'VE are unfor-
| tunate to meet thing like this
There was no need of Paul Alexis
medical skill to tell that this man was
dead; a child would have known it.
Before searching the pockets Stein
metz took out his own handkerchief
and laid it over face which had be-
come unrecognizable.
| Paul was unbuttoning the dead
mans clothes. He inserted his hand
| within the rough shirt.
"This man." he said, twas starving.
He probably tainted from sheer ex-
haustion and rolled out of the saddle
1t is hunger that killed him."
with his pocket full of money"
added Steinmetz withdrawing his
hand from the dead mans pocket and
displaying a bundle of notes and some
silver.
There was nothing in any of the 9TH
er pockets4-no paper. no clew of any
sort to the mans identity. .. ="
| The two finders of this silent tragedy
stood up and looked around them. 1t
was almost dark. They were ten miles
from a habitation.
Steinmetz had pushed his fur cap to
the back of his head. which he was
scratching pensively. He had habit
of scratching his forehead with one
finger, which denoted thought.
"Now, what are we to do?" he NUT
tered. Cant bury the poor chap and
say nothing about it. / wonder where
his passport is? We have here TRACE
dy."
Paul was still examining the dead
man with that callOusness which de-
notes one who for love or convenience
has become a doctor. He was a doctor.
an amateur. He was a graduate of an
English medical school.
Steinmetz looked down at him with
little laugh. He noticed the tender
ness Of the touch, the deft lingering
which had something of respect in it.
Paul Alexis was visibly one of those
men who take mankind seriously and
have that in their hearts which for
want of a better word we call sympa-
thy.
mind you do not catch some infec-
tious disease said SteinmetZ gruffly.
'T should not care to handle any stray
moujk one finds dead about the road
side; unless. of course. you think there
is more money about him. 1t would be
a pity to leave that for the police"
Paul did not answer. He was exam
lining the limp. dirty hands Of the dead
man. The fingers were covered with
soil. the nails were broken. He had ev-
identity clutched at the earth and at
every tuft of grass after his fall from
the saddle.
Look here at these hands, said
| Paul suddenly. This is an English
man. You never see fingers this shape
in Russia"
steinmetz stopped down. He held
| out his own square tipped fingers in
| fha
hand with his sleeve as if it were a
| piece OF statuary
"LOok here" he continued, ''the dirt
| rubs off and leaves the hand quite a
! gentlemanly color This'-he paused
and lifted Steinmetz's handkerchief,
| dropping it again hurriedly over the
mutilated face-"this thing was once
! gentleman
ct certainly has seen better days."
admitted Steinmetz, with a grim hu-
NOR which was sometimes his. Come,
let us drag him ls,neath that pine tree
| and ride on to T,er We shall do no
! good, my dear Alexis, wasting our time
over the possible antecedents of gem
| tleman who for reasons of his own is
silent on the subject
| Paul rose from the ground His
movements were those of strong and
supple man, one whose muscles had
never had time to grow stiff. He was
! an active man. who never hurried.
Standing thus upright he was very tall,
nearly a giant. Only in st. Petersburg,
Of all the cities of the world, could he
expect to pass unnoticed. the city Of
tall men and plain women. He rubbed
his two hands together in singularly
| professional maiiner which sat amiss
| on him.
What do you propose doingY' he
| asked. "You know tic lays of this
country better than do