The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-08-16

In two strides my cousin was on the
steep aad narrow stairs. For a man
IF his age ano size he mounted them
with surprising activity. Indeed, when
| gained the landing he was already
standing at the door of the room. He
held up his hand with warning ges
Eure. | stepped up to him softly and
oeeped over his shoulder.
By the side of an old sofa placed
against the wall of a room, half bed
chamber, half study, Professor Marnac
rouched on his hands and knees. A
amp stood on the floor at his elbow. He
was working with feve-ish haste. yet
with cef'tain method, moving the lamp
onward as his examination of the section
ut by its immediate rays was completed.
1t was an odd sight, this silver-haired
1gure that crept about, peeping and
peering. like some species of elderly ape
So absorbed was he that it was nigh on
minute before, with a swift sideways
turn of the head, ne caught sight of our
faces in the doorway and rose to his
eeet.
Il caa find no trace of it." said he,
smoothing back his hair with sigh.
1t IS excessively annoying"
"Of what, may / ask, sirY' / queried.
"Of my signet ring, Mr. Harland.
a valued possession which / would not
lose for fifty pounds"
Pray let me assist you," said I, step
ping forward and raising the lamp,
which the professor had replaced on the
table.
NO, no, Mr.. Harland Enough has
been done; in the presence of death we
II dos
although it was on my finger when !
entered the house. il may have beef
dropped in the hall or on the stairs. l
DO not doubt that Hans will find it."
The professor spoke in so resolute
fashion that politeness did not demand
that | should press the matter. My
cousin had already passed behind great
screen of stamped leather that cut of
the bed from the rest of the apartment.
Marnac had stepped after him, and l,
though at a slower pace, followed them.
To be honest, the events Of the evening
had disturbed me not a little. 1 had
grown suspicious, uneasy; and this an
uoyed ME in that was without reason
able cause for such frame of mind.
Granted that the professor had dis
played oddities of demeanor, yet he was
not oriously an eccentric. And If my
cousin haa become taciturn, If his POI
likeness rang insincerely, the death of his
old friend
STAND back. Herr professorl stand
back. sayr'
1t was Graden's voice, stern and de-
cisive- l sprang to the corner of the
sr-een and peered into the darkened
aieve beyond.
Upon his death-bed pillows the calm
and simple face of poor Won Stockmar
cleaned like a mask carved in white
marble But neither of the two men who
confronted each other across the body
looked upon it. Graden. grim and
resolute figure, stood holding a common
wooden matchbox in his huge hands. He
had opened it carelessly, for cheap sui
phur matches were scattered on the sheet
before him. Marnac's face l could not
see. but in the pose of his back and
shoulders there was something feline
something suggestive of an animal about
to spring.
For a second or tw, the three of us
stood in silence. eo.isin was the first
to break it.
Pray do not let US detain you, Pro
fessor Marnac," said ne. SHOULD we
chance upon your ring. believe me, it will
be safe"
The professor Strengthened himself
with a little gesture of submission and
stepped back into the lamplight. His
hand was on the latch. when he turned
upon us-for we had followed him
with face deformed with the most ma
lignant fury.
''Au reyoir, my friends" he cried. Il
wish you a pleasant evening
And then fit of laughter took him
smothered, diaDolical merriment that
broke out in oily chuckles like water
gurgling from bottle. The door closed
upon It. We stood listening as it grew
fainter, fainter, until it died away IN
silence on the lower stairs.
sTurn the key, Cousin Robert But
90: after him. lad, and bolt him out Of
the house. He'll be bsrning it down.
else" k
Graden was inexplicable; but ran to
obey. As l reached the hall, heard the
cIang of the street door and the squeak
ing Of the bolts as Hans shot them be-
hind the departing visitor.
When l re-entered the room I found
and my cousin, in his shirt-sleeves. lean
ing over the bed. He barked at me over
his sb builder to sit down and keen quiet.
and l humbly obeyed him. Once or twice
he turned to the lamp which he had at
mis- elbow. and caught a glimpse of a
magnifying glass. Presently he rose.
and. carrying the lamp in his hand.
commenced circuit of the room, lin
gering now and again to examine some
object. At the dressing-table he paused
for several minutes, using the magnify
ing glass repeatedly. But shortly after
wards he threw himself into a chair be-
side me with the air of man whose
work is DONE
.-It's no [ srespect to our little Her
mann that mean,v said he, pulling
out A big briar, but smoke I must"
He sat there pufIing for minute or
two, his head sunk forward, his eyes
on the floor. / watched him expecfantly,
Its a great gift, Is observation" he
began 1T makes just the difference
between mediocrity and success in game
hunters and novel-writers, In painters of
pictures and explorers of the unknown
lands, where a man has never a map
to help him. And this same trick Of OBJ
servation has given me some very re-
markable results this evening; and how
remarkable you will realize when l set
them out in proper order. You've
logical head, Cousin Robert. and | want
you to give me your fullest attention.
Contradict me if oyerstate the case.
Fact the first: That certain ceIe-
bra.ed scientist. Rudolf ldarnac, had an
i'll feeling very i'll and evil feeling
tswards a certain neutrality-suspicious.. one
Hermann Won otockmar. Fact the sew
ond: That Won Stockmar died sudden
iy--
'Of natural cause, as certified by a
competent physician" l added quickly.
Exactly Fact the third: Marnac
who cor siders you q deserter to the
Stockmar camp-as. indeed, I gather
from your own story-appears in your
rooms to inform you Of the sudden death
of his enemy Now. why should he do
thatT'
HE is in eccentric. A sudden within,
perhaps We were very intimate once,
you must remember.
Though hqrdly 50 now. from his man