The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1906-10-12

hastily into his pocket. He never real
lied what had occurred until. upon acct
dentally pulling it out with his hand
kerchief in your lodgings, he found It
empty. It was for that reason he
searched so anxiously. What became Of
it did not matter 30 long as it was not
found in this room; though, as a matter
of fact, there was very small danger even
then of it affording a clue.
"And now we come to a stroke Of
abominable luck, of which Marnac has
every right to complain l found the
caterpillar on the sheet of the bed,
where it had crawled in its wanderings.
But that was not the worst of it. for
l happened to be the one man in all
Heidelberg who knew of its peculiar
properties; who knew that its hairs are
slightly poisoned, sufficient indeed to
raise a nasty rash on the hand; who
knew that the old-time Hottentots EN-
ployed it for removing their enemies by
blowing the hairs into their lungs l
took out a matchbox, emptied it. and
collected the caterpillar. l was closing
the box when l looked up and saw Mar
nae watching me with a shocking ex-
preston, which could hardly have dis
torted the face of a perfectly sane man.
however provoked. Nearly every muir
derer has a screw loose somewhere; but,
in my opinion, Marnac is in an unusually
bad way. 1t may turn out more of an
asylum than a gaIlows business, after
ALL"
But the details of the scene you pic
ture; now did you obtain them?
II am a quick thinker, and the events
of the evening began to arrange them
selves in a sort of sequence, crowned
by the discovery of the caterpillar. The
inference to be gathered from them was
obvious l examined the nostrils of the
dead man, and found four of the cater
pillar hairs caught therein. On the dress
ng-table lay an ordinary pair Of nail
scissors. Two hairs were jammed where
the blades met On the creased sheet Of
paper, which found behind the couch,
there was no sign; but the use to which
it had been put was plain. From Hans
I knew the custom of the house: the
sleep after the midday meal, the open
doors, tho opportunity. Is the matter
plain to your
what are you going to doY' 1t was
al that could say.
Nothing tonight. To appear at a
German police-station at this hour with
such an extraordinary story would be
for two foreigners, at least-the height
of absurdity. Besides, there is no hurry;
never fear"
One o'clock changed out from the
steeples as l babe goodnight to Graden
at the door of my lodgings He had al
ready secured a room in a neighborinS
hotel.
"Have you a lock on your bedroom
doors' said he.
II believe So"
"Well, use it tonight We've an ugly
customer to deal with; and the worst Of
it is that, unless l am much mistaken,
he knows how much we know"
watched him as he rolled away,
gigantic figure in the moonlight, waving
the thick stick he carried. Never had
my stairs seemed 50 uncomfortably dark,
never had they creaked behind me 50
myBteriously. 1t was with a sigh Of re-
Lief that l gained my room and by q
quick glance assured myself that l was
alone.
1t seemed that had only just dropped
of into dreamland-for, indeed, sleep
had been hard to WOO that night-when
a knocking at my door brought me from
my bed. unlocked and opened it.
Cousin Graden filed the foreground
II didn't think he'd throw up the
sponge" said he "But he has, none the
leA Narnac has bolted!"
And your
Il shall follow"
So commenced those strange wander
inRs which I shall entitle The Trail Of
the Dead"
ITO he cfmtinued)