Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1906-10-20
CHAPTER VIII.

man, run bOuled, WIN Wnito ndI, INA
stuck out stiMy from under his fur car
q red, Dubious nose. and shlfty. susp'
eious eyes. He saluted us with a teuc
Of his cap In military fashiea.
And what is Jour business, gentle
men7' be asked.
1T Is less business tksH gratitude,
said Grader courteeusiy. 1--WE hav
made this little pilgrimage to thank tn
producer Of the Lemsdsrf hams"
lyon are not dealers, tkeAT'
mo, but -"
Then take yourself err
Herr Drsbinr'
"Goi clear cut! Do zot make myself
plainr he cried, his husned face nod
ding in time to his violent gesticulatioHs
II will have no spies about the place"
Graden sprang out Of the sleigh ant
strobe up to the angry farmer. For
moment l thought there would be q
scrimmage; but the huge bulk Of his an
tagonist was not without its effect upon
the German. l have sften noticed that
great stature has a curisusly soothing In.
nuence on the bad temper Of an oppo-
nent.
why did you call me a spyT demand
cd my cousin.
THE people about here gossip Of some
secret l hold" he answered sulkily.
Perhaps they speak true; perhaps false
Who can say? At least, l am no longer
q fool: my eyes have been opened. You
have a good thing here, Herr Drobin.
There Is a great future before you, IL
only you keep your knowledge to your
self said the Englishman to me. If
strangers come asking questions, they
will be spies; send them away 1t was
fine advice he gave me; anyone can see
that So be off with your
II am an Englishman myself, Herr
Drobin. May l ask my compatriot's
Manner
II do not remember"
What, then, was he likeT
81 cannot describe him."
"You are discreet, herr Drobin. Come
now, let Us strike a bargain. l will
make q guess at your secret; IL am
right, you will tell me what you know
Of this Englishman."
The German started back, staring at
Graden with little, bloodshot eyes, in
which surprise and fury were oddly min
gled. Then, side by side, they stepped
Into the shadow Of the pines, whispering
together.
"They are all liars, these Germans"
Aaid eur driver conhdentially, turning to
me. "For myself, am a Pols."
"You heard what was said. Do you
know anything Of this English visitor 10
Herr DrobinT"
Most certainly, mine Herr. He was
Of the name of Wakefield. He has stay
cd several nights at the Golden Adler
For the rest, he has been the guest of
him who lived out there" and he made
gesture down the road that we had
come.
A nsmeless fear took me by the throat
"a fear Of unknown possibilities. l
would have questioned the man moro, but
at that msment Gradea aud the farmer
emerged from the shadow of the pines.
The latter had abandoned his truculent
manner. Indeed, he seemed oddly sub
servent As Graden stepped into the
sleigh, the man bowed low curtsy.
which my cousin answered with a curt
nod of dismissal.
Drive onp' he criod and once more
we were ploughing our way back to the
Lemsdorf road
did you ever study the properties of
the root called madden, commonly known
a. dyer asked my cousin suddenly.
"No."
Then | must explain from the begin
ming. 1t is right that you should hear"
He pulled the flaps Of his deerstalker
cap over his ears-indeed, it was bitter
cold-and settled himself amongst the
I h.
as jaws set, the cheeks drawn, the eve
hard and keen, the whole purposeful and
remorseless.
when l was slicing the ham to-day, ~
be continued, IAN odd thing happened
My knife struck the bone and passed
through it as if it had been patty. Al
a second glance l noticed that the inte
rior of the section SO divided was of a
brownish red 1t set me thinking.
began TO remember certain facts. The
talk of the old servant concerning 4
secret held by the owner Of the pig farm
at Gran concentrated my suspicious, tn,
proximity of the dyeworks confirmed
them. was almost certain of Her
Drobin's secret before he charged m,
with coming to steal it.
LET me explain. Nader is a dive
as you know. But administered to MAJ
or beast, it has the curious effect o
coloring and pulping the bones to a girls
tie. 1t Is ased sparingly on a few Soutl
German pig farms, that the hams ma,
appear attractive when carved. Her
Drobin introduced it into German Pc
land. He obtained the root as he reouir
ed 1t by arrangement with the dye work,
Perhaps their presence suggested tn
idea TO him.
Whether or no Marnac knew Of tn
uses of madden before he came to Lem,
dorf, cannot tell. From my talk wit
Drobin Ii would seem that his visit to hi
farm was more or less of an acciden
But, either way, the visit gave him tn
weapon by which he might make a toat
Of his enemy. That bitter criticism. 20
may be sure, WAS for ever running
his diseased brain. The practical detail
he learned at the farm would help him |
what he had undertaken. His adviC
to that old German WAS a sound NOV
designed TO cover his visits 10 the far
and the suspicious they might afterwart
have excited