Troy weekly news. (Troy, Idaho) 1897-1933, 1906-10-26

trailed long pendants of ice. Against
the old doors the snow had piled itself in
heavy drifts. No sound broke the brood
ing stiffness. 1t was a picture distress
ingly forlorn.
Has Professor Mechersky, then, no
servantsr' asked Graden of our driver.
l noticed that he hushed his voice in
speaking; he, too felt the uncanny in
duence of the place.
1.-Two, mein Herr-a man and
woman. l cannot think where they can
be-"
II 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 that7'
From somewhere within the house
there came a shrek, cry of supreme
terror. Again and yet again it was re-
peated before 1t shrank away into ST.
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 l can do"
He stepped back a dozen PAGES, and
then came running at the door like
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 q white, pitiful
face.
HE is dead-the master is deadv' he
whimpered.
Graden strobe up to him, and 1 fol-
lowed at his heels.
Professor Peter Mechersky-for such
l knew it must be-lay huddled under an
old grey cloak that spread wing-wise
from his neck, blot upon the polished
oak of the floor. From his face. thin
though 1t was and wasted with disease,
tie must have been a middle-aged man
who had preserved a singular beauty. He
had died as a 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 en- egg that is broken.
My cousin swept aside the cloak for
moment, and replaced 1t reverently,
though with a hand that trembled.
He has not a sound bone In his body"
he muttered, and then, turning to the old
servant, How did this happenT said
he.
He had been Ill 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
tho stairs he tripped and fell l ran
to his side and found him. as you see
him, rouched-like-like-
Like a toad?"
Eyes, mein Herr, like a toad"
The man broke into hysterical weep
ing.
The Englishman, Herr Wakefield, was
most anxious about my masters health"
he stammered out. 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"
80 believe. How came he to know
your master?"
Il am not sure; but think he brought
a letter of introduction from Professor
Marnac, of Heidelberg, a gentleman Of
whom my master disapproved, yet ad-
mired for his learning"
"And this Englshman, did he prescribe
for your master?T'
"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. Achl If he did but know
what had happenedr'
Then he is not here?'
mo; he drove to Lemsdorf yesterday
afternoon. He had to return to his own
country. Achl If he did but known
1t was plain enough-Marnac, the lin
guist, was Wakefield, the Englishman.
1t was he, new from this thing that he
had done, who had come creeping to
my room in the night, being suspicious of
the strangers from the south. 1t was
he that had brought about this mysteri-
Gus horror. turned from the poor
monstrosity upon the floor and leaned,
shuddering, against the wall. AS l did
so, Graden strobe past me to the open
door.
"Driver, can your horses take US