The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1906-10-19


on the Russian frontier Not altogether
an inviting prospect at the latter end Of
October, eh, Cousin Roberti"
| II did not imagine we were going there
| for pleasure"
"Pessimisti Do neither the 'Prins Won
Preussen' nor the 'Geldner Adler well
spoken Of as Baedeker describes these
hostelriss. attract you'll Then the dye
works, they are sure to be interesting"
Henry Graden." cried I with deter
mination, you try me too farl am as
eager as yourself that this criminal
should be brought to Justice. For this
reason alone l have every right to know
the why and wherefore Of an expedition
which will entail upon me, as see clear
", the most extraordinary discomforts."
"It seems pity, my dear cousin, that
Nature, which endowed you with so many
admirable qualities, should have omitted
the saving grace Of humor," he rejoined.
And then changing his tone to greater
sobriety: 'sYou shall hear all that know
or conjecture. 1t will, at least, help US
on our journey.
First, as to the facts ut my disposal.
For myself, had heard much of Rudolf
Marnac, but only as Heidelberg pro-
fessor Of distinction, whose stupendous
effort Science and Belief had set edu-
Gated Europe by the ears. From you /
learned Of his quarrel with Won Stock
mar; quarrel originating In the latter's
attack on the work in question, Of which
Marnac was Unfortunately vain. Then
came the chain Of facts that proyed-to
our mind at least-that Marnac had muir
dered his colleague with diabolical in
genuity. Could such a crime be inspired
by quarrel SO trifing? 1t was almost
past belief. Further evidence was nee
essary; and this evidence the investiga-
tons Of the police have supplied.
/ when learned that his father, Jean
Marnac, had died in Paris asylum,
began to see my way. But 1t was the
statements of his servants that cleared
| up my last doubt. An eccentricity which
at one time amused them had of late
been changed to violence that filed
them with terror. He had presented
| them with copies of the book, deliberately
bound. A housekeeper who had served
him for twenty years was loaded with
abuse and discharged because the old
creature admitted that she could not fol-
| low his arguments. He was the victim
of partial mania. Such cases are not
uncommon.
whittier had this dangerous creature
/ fed? 1t seemed a mystery insoluble.
He was well provided with money; on
4 all topics but one he was admirably sens
ible. The police admitted that he had
beaten them. But only yesterday OBJ
tanned a clue. 1t may be valueless; but
for myself think otherwise. At least 1t
is worth the journey am asking you to
make In my company.
"At my urgent request the police adj
mitted me to his rooms. His papers
they had already examined, without re-
suit. I found that he possessed a fine
library. l am book-lover, and my first
step was to examine it. Tucked away in
corner of shelf, vet within easy reach
of his customary chair, found a vol!
uIne. 1t was typical Of the man that u
shoaald be elegantly bound. Within were
collected the hostile Criticisms with which
II his book had been loaded. The more
serere were scribbled over with ths vilesi
epithets. Won Stocfmar was personally
Il threatened, as was also a certain Mech.
ersky, asprofessqr Of the Imperial Uni
versity at Petersburg. distracted the
volume. You may like to examine 1t"
\ He drew it from the capacious pocket
of his travelling ulster and gave 1t to me
The cover was of the choicest morocco
upon It, In gold, were emblazoned tn,
! arms Of the university. 1t was triumph
. Vt the binders art, yet l handled 1t with
, singular feeling Of disgust.
/ The Interior was oddly divided. TIL,
greater part consisted of clippings from
, papers and magazines, neatly gummet
upon blank pages. But here and Their,
were interpolated pamphlets, held Ii
! their place by elastic bands. In contras
i with this orderly arrangement. scarcel,
a page but was defaced by penciled re
marks, satirical or abusive. ran through
them hastily until came upon the arti
! Gle which bore Mechersky's name, ex
tracted apparently from some French re
! view. Its severity seemed to have lashe,
Marnac to fury. 1t was covered witt
n a maze of pencilings. But my attention
was soon conferred on a portion of tn
4 text which, being underlined in red, stoo,
: out from the page with some prominence
I "The author of Science and Belief" 70
a thus It ran, seems to have lost toucl
= with humanity. His deductions might b
/ correct If men were bloodless, merciles
automatons. He regards them as Nigh
b icaily Inclined" Across this criticism
!. which seemed to me unnecessarily severe
= was written in German: "Infamou
a scoundrel! Would that I might crusl
. you like a toadp'
I "A curious wish." said. pointing :
n the passage.
"And from Marnac a most dangerou
. one" he answered. II can only hope W
!. shall reach Lemsdorf In time"
o "Lemsdorf againl And why Lens
! dorfr'i
' "For the excellent reason, Cousin Rob
ert, that Mechersky. who comes Of land
Is owning Polish stock. is holiday-making q
1 Castle Oster, q place he has In tina
It neighborhood. And as sure as sit her,
where Mechersky is, there viii be tina
!. mailman, Rudolf Marnac. II he mean
to murder the man, he will have ha
# nigh on a month to bring 1t of. Heave
grant that we're in timer
wi The tone In which he spoke thrille
me with dreadful anxiety. The DANCE
II was indAfinable. hut feaY dra ws its darl