The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1906-10-19

to Denker and tho Huren, q Wild and
desolate district with several large lakes,
on the Russian frontier Not altogether
an inviting prospect at the latter end OF
October, Ell, Cousin RobertT
II did not imagine We were going there
for pleasure"
"Pessimist! Do neither tho 'Prins Won
Preussen' nor tho 'Ioldner Adler, well
spoken Of as Baedeker describes these
hostelries. attract you? Then the dye
works. they arc sure to DO interesting"
Henry Graden," cried I with deter
mination, you try me too far! am as
eager as yourself that this criminal
should be brought to Justice. For this
reason alone l have every right to know
the why and wherefore Of an expedition
which will entail upon me, as see clear
ly, the most extraordinary discomforts."
1T seems a pity, my dear cousin, that
Nature, which endowed you with 80 many
admirable qualities, should have omitted
the saving grace Of humor," he rejoined.
And then changing his tone to greater
sobriety: you shall hear all that l know
or conjecture. It will, at least, help us
on our journey.
First, as to the facts at my disposal
For myself, had heard much of Rudolf
Marnac, but only as a Heidelberg pro-
lessor Of distinction, whose stupendous
effort, Science and Belief had set edu-
Gated Europe by the ears. From you
learned of his quarrel with Won Stock
mar, a quarrel originate In tho latter's
attack on the work in question, of which
Marnac was inordinately vain. Then
came the chain Of facts that proved-to
our mind at least-that Marnac had muir
dered his colleague with a diabolical in
genuity. Could such 4 crime be inspired
by a quarrel so trifing? 1t was almost
past belief. Further evidence was nee
essary; and this evidence the investiga-
tons of the police have supplied.
when learned that his father, Jean
Marnac, had died in Paris asylum. l
began to see my way. But 1t was the
statements Of his servants that cleared
up my last doubt. An eccentricity which
at one time amused them had Of late
been changed to a violence that filed
them with terror. He had presented
them with copies of the book. deliberately
bound. A housekeeper who had served
him for twenty years was loaded with
abuse and discharged because tho old
creature admitted that she could not fol-
low his arguments. He was the victim
of q partial mania. Such cases are not
uncommon.
"Whither had this dangerous creature
fed? 1t seemed a mystery insoluble.
He was we'll provided with money; on
all topics but ono he was admirably sens
ible. The police admitted that he had
beaten them. But only yesterday l OBJ
tanned a clue. 1t may be valueless: but
for myself think otherwise. At least 1t
il worth tho journey I am asking you to
make in my company.
AT my urgent request the police ad-
mitted me to his rooms. His papers
they had already examined, without re-
suit I found that he possessed q fine
step was to examine it. Tucked away in
a corner Of 4 shelf, yet within easy reach
Of Ills customary chair, l found q vol
ume. 1t was TYPICAL Of thu man that u
should be elegantly bound Withia were
collected the hostile onitiaigns With which
I his hook had heaa loaded. The more
| severe were scribHed ovsr with ths v1est
epitheSs Won Srockmar was personsA1
threatened, ~ was also q certaia Mech
erskx, a professor Of the Imperial Uni.
versity at Petersburg. I distracted the
volume. You may like to examine it."
He drew it from tho capacious poke,
Of his travelling ulster and gave 1t to me
The cover was of the choicest morocco
upon it, in gold, were emblazoned thu
arms of the university. 1t was q triumph
Of the binders art yet handled it with
a singular feeling Of disgust.
The interior was oddly divided. Ths
greater part consisted of clippings from
papers and magazines, neatly gummel
upon blank pages. But here and ther,
were interpolated pamphlets, held Ii
their place by elastic bands. In contras
with this orderly arrangement, scarcely
page but was defaced by penciled re
marks. satirical or abusive. ran through
them hastily until l came upon the arti
Gle which bore Mechersky's name, ex
tracted apparently from some French re
view. Its severity seemed to have lashet
Marnac to fury. 1t was covered will
a maze of pencilings. But my attentio,
was soon centered on a portion Of tn,
text which, being underlined in red, stoo,
out from the page with some prominence
The author of Science and Belief" TO
thus it ran, seems to have lost toucl
with humanity. His deductions might b.
correct If men were bloodless, merciles
automatons. He regards them as nigh
, some reptile-let US say, a toad scientif
, ically inclined" Across this criticism
. which seemed to me unnecessarily severe
. was written in German: 'Infamou
! scoundrel! Would that might crus
. you like a toad!'
"A curious WISH" said. pointing t
q the passage.
: "And from Marnac a most dangerou
e one" he answered. Il can only hope "
shall reach Lemsdorf In time"
o "Lemsdorf again! And why Lem,
a dorf?'
= For the excellent reason, Cousin Rot
ert. that Mechersky, who comes Of land
8 owning Polish stock, is holiday-making a
l Castle Oster. a place he has In ths
t neighborhood. And as sure as l sit herr
where Mechersky is, there will be tina
:. mailman, Rudolf Marnac. If he mean
to murder the man, he will have ha
# nigh on a month to bring it off. Heave
grant that we're in timer
" The tone in which he spoke thr1lle
| f,,1 The DANCE