The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-09-27
now. This is how it runs:

seen fit to inform me of your name anC
present address, have written this let
ter o. the understanding that it will be
forwarded to you Immediately. | should
much have preferred to explain the mat
ter personally, but as / may not receive
your answer for several days, l dare moi
delay 1t is my duty to inform you thai
Prof Rudolf Marnac, of the University
Of Heidelberg. is now fugitive from the
police. The charge against him is one
of murder. | know that the man Il
guilty: l believe him TO be the victim OF
a homicidal mania.
His mania is Of an unusual type, be
ing directed solely against his scien
tiic opponents. In the University Re
view IF August last you criticised bis
book with extreme severity. He saw
| that number, for / have in my posses
sion a copy of the article covered with
the most dangerous threats against you
in his own handwriting. Two distin
gushed scientists, Won Stockmar of Hell
delberg and Mechersky of ST. Petersburg
who similarly attacked him in the papers
have already fallen victims to his ex
traordinary cunning. You will observe
sir, the logical conclusion. Until he Is
captured you will be in danger.
For your personal information / may
| tell you that he is a man of over sixty
years of age. When last seen he had
long beard which was of silky white
He wears glasses. but his eyes are un-
usuall.- keen and intelligent. His i1nds
are small and beautifully made, his I'M
| ger nails being apparently manicured. In
whatever disguise he may assume. he will
probably continue to keep them in good
condition. He may change his appear
ance in many ways; but if you are in
doubt of any pleasant stranger. l beg
you to note his hands.
ION receipt of your answer / am pre-
pared to come to you at once 1 shall
then be able to give you further particu'
| lars
Il beg you not to disregard this warn
ing, and until you see me to be most
careful in your movements. OF course,
if your pseudonym is an absolute secret
you will be safe enough. But there are
always chances.
Sincerely yours,
HENRY GRADEN Bart)."
| I glanced up cautiously. Mr.. Her
mann still sat huddled in his seat by the
fire. One Of his hands | could see clear
! ~, for it lay upon the arm of his chair.
1t was small as woman's, and the nails
had received so fine polish that they
shone piakly in the freight.
| A wild terror clutched at my throat, SO
that for a space l sat dumb and motion
| less. gasoing for breath. But then there
! came to me the realization of the purpose
| for which this man had come, and at the
thought of it my blood came surging back
into alert activity. There may be many
an English girl who loves her fathe. as
dearly as l do mine, but there is never
one Of them that loves him more.
can say honestly that after that first
great shock of fear my mind was swept
clean of my own danger. For my father
was ready to meet death on his own
ground, at his own terms, and try the
| issue.
And yet my first act was one of such
folly that l can hardly bring myself to
set it down. Perhaps it was that the
words of the letter were rioting in my
head: perhaps that my whole will was
centered in an effort to control the tones
of my voice.
do you take sugar in your tea, Prof.
MarnacY'
| That was what / said to him.
1t was out. and l could not recall it.
As he rose, sprang back, placing the
table between US. A cup, caught by my
skirt, smashed loudly on the floor. So
we stood watching each other.
He showed no sign of anger Only
the expression of his eyes had changed to
1 -
most dreadful thing to see in SO old a
man.
Il observe. dear lady, that you hold a
letter in your hand" said he, without q
harsh note in his musical voice. May
suggest that it contained the discovery
which you so very incautiously have an
nounced?"
Il shall answer no questions"
IF you will consider, dear lady, you
will perceive that you merely waste
time. Tell me-do you know the object
of my visitY'
1 hesitated a moment. Was there any
thing to be gained by pretending ignor-
ance? None. so far as could see.
so l imagine" l replied.
You relieve me of load of expla.
nations. There is, however, che point
on which | myself desire information
Through the courtesy of the editor-ol
assistant editor-of that admirable peri
odical, the University Review, l was al
lowed glimpse of the manuscript of an
article signed 'Cantab.' 1t was sour.
riIous effort, dictated by the meanesl
jealousy. 1t was designed to destroy my
book-my book which is my life's work
do you underestimate whole life's
work"
His voice rose to his last words till II
ended in a shrek of passion.
"Well, and what of that article?'
answered boldly.
Ny question Gained him in an instant
There was a crafty leer in his eyes as be
spoke again.
'.Of course, it was your fathers. Nc
sentence it contained was unworthy OF
so scholarly a pen. But why, dear lady
why was the original MSS. in your
handY
MY father had nothing whatever t
do with it." I said, speaking very slow
ly and distinctly. II wrote it myself"
"Youw he cried, staring at me. "Yor
wrote it?'
Certainly. Do you think me incapa
Bile? If so, direct your attention to the
record of the honors that took at Cam
bridge"
If ever a lie be pardoned. may I not
claim mercy for this of mine?
"Will you swear this to meT
"Why not? / am not ashamed of my
| work"
He stood staring at the table in from
of him for some moments, his hands
pressed to his head.
"She must suffer, then" he muttered
But if l had known. A girl-it wa:
hardly worth the trouble"
Don't you think you had better q
back TO your inn?' 1 suggested.
Not until We have settled ouI. little
account together, dear lady. You ar,
young, yet young vipers can sting. Is il
not better at once to put an end TO their
i lowers of mischiefy
"Yet the young can run where the old
cannot follow. am nearer the door thar
you. At your first movement l shall bt
clear of the house."
"And leave your father as a hostage. ,
His words struck me like q blow
\ srvovod forward crinn;no tho ~ hla x-;tl