Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1906-11-10
CHAPTER Y.

Graden's chair toppled to the groun'
as he rose. Ii three strides he was on
of the door. l turned to Mossel with
demand for an explanation.
''Wait till Herr Graden returns h
grunted sulkily.
l have the strongest objection to those
silly tricks of secrecy with which th'
professional police endeavor to magnify
their most simple discoveries. | was
speaking my mind strongly on the suojec'
when my cousin reappeared.
Halo! what's the matterY he asked
/ explained the position, while the fat
German chuckled in an oily, Irritating
manner.
Us not the official always the same
said Graden, with a grim smile. Come
to the light, Robert, and I'll explain
1t was certainly an ingenious discovery
they had made Upon the page upon
which the map should have rested were
several slight indentations, evidently the
result of marks made upon the lost paper
by pencil with a fine point. With great
care my cousin tore out the correspond
ing map from his guide book and fitted
it into the vacant place Then, turning
it slowly back, he drove pin through
the thin paper at the spots Immediately
above the indentations on the page be-
low.
1.-THE devil take him. he cried. Look,
Mossel This doesn't help US, after all.
1t was true enough. The pn-pricks
showed, first Lemsdorf; then cross
road some ten miles to the east; and
then Bromberg, to the north, on the
Berlin-Thorn, and Gnesen, to the south,
on the Posen-F Frankfurt railways. He
had evidently been measuring and calcu-
lating indecisively.
"Do not trouble yourself, Herr Ora
den," said Mosse with a wave of the
hand that had more than suggestion
of patronage. There are still telegraphs.
l will have him detained at whichever
place he reaches. | shall return in half
an hour-to a good supper, | trust, Mr.,
Landlord"
We followed him to the outer door,
which opened to writing wilderness
of snowtakes, for the fall had recon-
menced. The policeman turned up his
collar with a grunt of disgust and melted
into the darkness. We turned to meet
the face of the landlord, white and drawn
with a terrible anxiety.
My SON." he gasped. What of nay
SOM"
Heaven pardon me" cried Graden,
Il had forgotten him"
This man he drove, that Is about to
be arrested-is he a criminal? Do not
spare me, mein Herr"
Your servant-our driver to-day-will
be telling the tale in your kitchen, of
the death of the Prof. Mechersky, of
Castle Oster. This man, whose name is
MarHac, killed him. That Is why We
pursue. Yet, my friend, l see no dan
ger for your son, unless"
Unless what, mein Herr?"
Unless he refused to assist in the
escape of a murderer"
''He Is an honest boy, a good boy, but
very stubborn. His horses were borrow
ed; he had promised to return them to-
night He would never consent to drive
this man to Bromberg or Gnesen, which
Is at least an eighteen hours journey.
oh, mein Herr, mein Herr! what is hap
pening-0ut there in the snow?"
I'VE are in the hands of Providence,
my friend" said my cousin gravely, lay
Ing his hand on the landlords arm. You
can do nothing but pray that 1t may be
well with the boy"
| was very sorry for Reski, As I
made my toilet in my room upstairs, the
danger of his son grew upon me. Fate.
accident, Providence-whatever you
choose to call its a strange thing, for
indeed 1t chooses it's victim with a fine
tmpartality. When l entered our supper
room, found my cousin equally disturb
ed.
This is bad business about the
landlords son." he said. I've a good
mind to follow the sleigh, though it's
little coed that would do"
"It's an awful night" l grumbled, for
indeed the wind was shrieking in the roof
like lost soul.
You're a queer chap, Robert, with
your COMPOUNDED mannerisms," he said
yet I'll wager you'd be the first TO he
off into the storm In a matter of life
and death"
1t was not exactly complimentary, but
! let it pass.
Mossel was delayed. 1t was close unon
twenty minutes more before he arrived
snow-swnthed, stamping bear Of a
man, whose curses preceded him as he
; rolled down the passage to our room.
whats up, MosselT Graden demand
f ed sharply.
THE wires, mein Herr Graden th.
wires! Potztausend! but this storm h, =
brought them down like clothes lines"
"a special train, then"
They have not an engine In tho she'd
have been to see; it was that which
delayed me-"
Graden drew a sheet Of paper from
|, his pocket and glanced at 1t swiftly
4 There is not train till ten in ,bs
: morning." he said. He will be At Rror,-
berg, which is the nearer town, by eleven
at latest. This is branch line, and ~,
could net get there under three bopr.
1t is now seven. An old man as no !,
could hardly travel through such A nigh,
without stops for food. Again, this Lao
: who drove him may have refused to bro
coed. We must chance 1t, my friends
and follow"
n 'T thought you had already so decided
when l saw the sleighs at the door,
said Mossel.
"Sleighs, Mossel? l ordered NJ
4 ~;