Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1906-10-27

ing stiffness. 1t was a picture distress
ingly forlorn.
HAS Professor Mechersky, then, no
servantsY' asked Graden of our driver
noticed that he hushed his voice in
speaking; he, too felt the uncanny in
fuence of the place.
1.-Two, mein Herr-a man and
woman. l cannot think where they can
be-" t'r
81 had understood he was a man of
means. Why does he allow this disre-
pair?'
II do not think the professor cares.
He shuts himself up with his experiments
when he is here-which is not often
now. His rooms look to the south on
the other side. For the rest, the house
is not furnished"
"Well, l suppose there is a servant
who will Heavensl what is that?"
From somewhere within the house
there came a shrek, cry of supreme
terror. Again and yet again it was re-
peated before it shrank away into 81
lence. Graden ran across the court to
the main door, and l was hard upon his
heels. He pulled the bell and hammered
fiercely upon the heavy oak panels; but
no one answered.
81 don't believe the thing is bolted,"
said he. Keep the handle turned, and
let me try what 1 can do"
He stepped back a dozen PAGES, and
then came running at the door like a
bull. The giant caught it squarely with
the point of his shoulder; there was a
sharp crack; the next instant we were
both sprawling on the floor within.
We found ourselves in a great and
dusty hall, indifferently lighted. Against
the wall on my right l could dimly dis
Germ the figure of woman crouched on
the floor, sobbing bitterly. her face buried
in her hands. She did not move, despite
our violent entrance. At the foot of the
main staircase an old man was bending
over something that lay motionless He
looked up at US with a white, pitiful
face.
HE is dead-the master is deadr" he
whimpered.
Graden strobe up to him, and I fol-
lowed at his heels.
Professor Peter Mechersky-for such
l knew it must be-ay huddled under an
old grey cloak that spread wing-wse
from his neck, blot upon the polished
oak of the floor From his face, thin
though it was and wasted with disease.
he must have been a middle-aged man
who had preserved a singular beauty. He
had died as child might fall asleep
Yet the horror that he had escaped he
had left to the living; for his attitude
was abnormal, impossible, and CHASTITY
to behold.
1t was not right that a body should
resemble an egg that is broken.
My cousin swept aside the cloak for
a moment, and replaced it reverently,
though with hand that trembled.
He has not a sound bone in his body"
he muttered, and then, turning to the old
servant, How did this happenw said
he
HE had been i'll for some weeks, mein
Herr, and we begged him not to leave his
room. But to-day he declared himself
better. He insisted that he should de-
scend to the library Half way down
the stairs he tripped and fell. ran
to his side and found him, as you see
him, ed-like-likeA"
Like toad?'
YES mein Herr, like a toad"
The man broke into hysterical weep
ing.
1.-THE Englishman, Herr Wakefield, was
most anxious about my masters health"
, he stammered out 1.-The Herr professor
became indisposed some ten days after
his arrival; since then he has been most
kind, most considerable, sitting by the
masters bed for hours. He would allow
, no other doctor to visit the master. He
is kind, good man, this doctor, the
Herr Wakefield"
$50 believe. How came he to know
your master?'
II am not sure; but think be brought
letter of Introduction from a Professor
Marnac, Of Heidelberg, q gentleman of
whom my master disapproved, yet ad-
mred for his learning"
t And this Englishman, did he prescribe
for your master??'
"Of course. They loved each other,
> and sat late into the night in their dis
cussions. When my poor master was
, taken i'll, Herr Wakefield took complete
charge of him. AchI If he did but know
what had happenedr'
Then he is not here?'
mo; be drove to Lemsdorf yesterday
. afternoon. He had to return to his own
country. Ach! If he did but know!
e 1t was plain enough-Marnac, the lin
e guist, was Wakefield, the Englishman.
1t was he, new from this thing that he
D had done, who had come creeping to
a my room in the night, being suspicious of
the strangers from the south. 1t was
3 he that had brought about this mysteri-
: Gus horror. / turned from the poor
!. monstrosity upon the floor and leaned
: shuddering, against the wall AS 1 did
e so, Graden strobe past me to the open
< door,
: "Driver, can your horses take us
0 back?" l heard him say.