Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1907-01-12
CHAPTER TX.

lll.-I1E CHASE IN lhD SNONfs
have endeavored to give the facts Of
my strange story without omission or ex-
aggeration. If l have failed, it Is not
from forgetfulness; for l do not think
there is a sing,e detail that Is not per
manently fixed In my memory. Even now
| have but to shut my eyes to see the
face of Marnac peer into my old rooms
at Heidelberg, to stand once more trem-
bling with terror in the desoate court
yard of Castle Oster, to drive through the
binding snow to where the body
But enough. | do not forget.
| have already told you of the murder
of Prof. Won Stockmar by his rival, Prof.
Marnac of Heidelberg, and of the dis
covery of the crime by my cousin, Sir
Henry Graden, the wel-known scientist
and explorer, who was then my guest at
that university. l have described the
steps that led to our following the muir
derer to Lemsdorf, In German Poland,
and the means by which he compassed
the death of the unfortunate Mechersky.
| have. moreover, laid before you the evil
dence that led my cousin to believe that
Marnac was suffering from delusions
and that his extraordinary crimes were
in revenge for certain harsh criticisms
of a book on which he had spent many
years of labor. In my last statement
traced the pursuit down to the station
of Lemsdor1, where the murderer, flying
from the scene of his revenge upon the
Russian professor, had been turned back
from the railway by Mossel, the lieuten-
ant of the Heidelberg police, who had
followed us to render assistance. Mossel
indeed, had waited by Marnac's luggage
for six hours, but the man himself had
failed to appear.
The winters sun, chilled to a dusky
ball, was dipping behind the snow-clad
ridges to the eastward when we scram-
bled back into the sleigh. As our tired
horses stumbled through the outskirts of
the struggling wooden town, the shadows
rushed across the sky as If flying the pur-
suit of the gale that shrieked amongst
the houses. Night had fallen.
Surely we had him in our hands.
lie had not fled by rail. Somewhere
in the town he must 0e lurking, this
grey-haired figure with the heart of a
hunted wolf. The thought Of II drove
away the aches and cramps of exhaus-
ton. and | sat bolt upright in my seat
staring into the gloom ahead, half ex-
pecting to see him move across the snow
before US like a Sinking beast of prey.
We had decided to drive straight to our
own inn. the "Goldner Adler" where.
as we had discovered. Marnac, under the
name Of Wakefield, an English traveller,
had also passed the previous evening.
Little had we thought that the being we
pursued, fresh from the murder Of the
man we had come TO save, was sharing
the same roof-tree. Perhaps there might
be news Of him at the "Goldner Adler. "
Reski, the tall, handsome Pole. who had
about him more of the feudal knight than
country inn-keeper, met us in the
porch, bowling a stately welcome.
"You have had a bad drive, gentle
men," said he. THE wind has been
fierce, and the snow, fear, was heavy.
Supper will be ready In half an hour"
IL believe Mr. George Wakefield
slept here last night" said Graden. dust
ing the clnging flakes from his outer
wraps. 1T is always pleasant to meet
a compatriot. If he is still in the house,
perhaps he will join us at our meal"
Herr Wakefield! No, mein Herr, he
has not yet returned"
80, he has gone outY'
The innkeeper hesitated, glancing un-
easily at his questioner. He was evil
IDENTIFY in some uncertainty Of mind
HE is a strange man, the Herr Wake
field; though, perhaps, for an English
mani"
HE is not more mad than usual, Ell,
Mr.. Landlordf" laughed Graden.
"Alein Herr, it was not my intention
to speak thus of your great people" apol-
ogized the man. IF he has surprised us,
il is doubtless because we, being ignorant
countryfolk, do not understand his Gus
toms"
why, what has he been aboutf"
'Well. mein Herr, II is this way. After
you had started for your drive to the
house of the Prof. Mechersky, Herr
Wakefield came running down from his
room with many questions concerning
you. He seemed sorry that you had gone
without seeing him. He then paid his
bill with the liberality Of the Eng.ish,
who are indeed a great and generous M
ton, and commanded that his lugg1se
should be carried to the station for the
midday train. At IL he himself set out
for the station upon foot. We were
sorry to lose so good a guest. What,
then, mein Herr, was our surprise when
little after II he reappeared. having