Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1908-11-05

intended to circle Kaufman thus
through all the long hours OF the
night? My God. would he hold Hauf
man in that charmed circle until the
unfortunate man was dead of exhaus-
ton or fear!
Once again the unseen visitor cir
cled the room, but this time he did
not approach me as closely as before.
Was it that he was fearful OF my
presence? ] thought for a moment
that he was, and my courage began to
rise. then suddenly i realized the
meaning of the change.
Kaufman also understood.
The murdered DR.. Goldman was
slowly narrowing the circle and ap-
preaching his murderer.
When the circle was completed
what then? Would the murdered man
stand visible, face to face with Lieut..
Kaufman, and condemn him with un-
sealed lips?
My body grew cold as ice, and
seemed to be chained in the door
way to witness this act of retribution
devised and executed blythe dead.
Slowly the circle narrowed; inch
by inch the unseen visitor was APP
preaching Lieut.. Kaufman. His light
footballs were like the muffled ticking
of clock that measured out the mo-
ments preceding the doom OF man
in the chair Of execution.
Then he made the last circle and
stood before Kaufman.
For moment there was no sound
each had ceased TO breathe. Then,
slowly and distinctly, from the lips of
the unseen visitor, came the words:
Il am the spirit of the murdered
DR.. Goldman. Come with me-"
Another moment and the blood
seemed to burst from my very finger
tips. rushed forward to where
Kaufman was standing. His eyes were
wide open, staring directly before him
at what?
touched his arm. He was dead,
and in moment his body fell to the
floor at my feet.
For days and days lay at the home
of friend, raging or Dr. Goldman
and Lieut.. Kaufman. The tragedy.
coupled with malarial poison | had
contracted in India, had induced brain
fever, and il was fully a month before
| was entirely rational.
Then followed a long period of con-
valescence, during which. day and
night, waking and sleeping, ] endeav'
ored to solve the mystery that had
Frustrated me, for ] could not bring
my mind TO believe that the dead had
spoken.
But all was in vain, and I realized
that the explanation-if the appalling
mystery could be eXplained-must
come from outside of myself.
A month after l had quit the home
OF my friend, / received a letter bear
ing the postmark of the English of
flee at Fehzeh. Feverishly breaking
the seal, I opened and read the fol
lowing extraordinary communication;
Maj. Putnam.
Dear Sir:-IIeut. Kaufman. who died a,
YOUR rooms on the 3rd Of October last,
suffered a just death. and that at the
hands OF one who both is and 10 not the
murdered DR. Goldman.
Strange you exciaim. Yes, exceed
ingly strange; but true.
In brief myself, an entire stranger &c
you and no less a stranger to the unfor-
tunate DIR. Goldman, am DIR. Goldman
who was murdered at this village In the
summer of IA; but / am DIR. Goldman
only between the period that DR.. Gold
man left Bombay in your company and
the company OF the treacherous Lieut.
Kaufman up TO the moment that DR.
Goldman was murdered by the said Lieut.
Kaufman
Since and previous TO that time I am
and was an American legerdemainist and
| traveller. and In no way related to DR.
| Goldman, the murdered German savant
At Fehzeh, India In the summer OF "a
I was accidentally shot through the head
and lay at the bungalow OF an Indian
physician, presumably at the point OF
death.
As / lay unconscious a DIR. Goldman
was found murdered and brought to the
| very house where / was at the time. In
the night the Indian physician waiting
upon me secretly removed quantity OF
! the brain substance, tissue and bone from
! the skull of the murdered Goldman and
grated the wound in my head with the
I same.
Under the gifted and Skiliful nands oil
my Indian physician this extraordinary
operation proved complete success; but
most wonderful OF ALL when had fully
recovered | found myself endowed with
| memory OF events outside OF my owr
| life: in fact, the memory OF the events
| i'm the life Of DR.. Goldman between the
| time he left Bombay and the moment OF
his death.
Ii was some time before could realize
/ the meaning OF this abnormal memory
| but when | had grasped its full import
| I, out OF a passionate desire TO punish Q
guilty man, Immediately followed YOU anC
Lieut.. Kaufman TO New Orleans. and. BY
the art OF ventriloquism. threw my voice
! into the dining compartment adjoining
! yours in that restaurant where i had fire.
uuently seen you two Englishnen dine to
gether. Had you lifted the curtain to the
right instead of 60 the lef. you would
have found me I'm person.
also threw my voice against your dooi
| the night Kaufman died and by the sam,
| art OF ventriloquism, practiced from ar
adjoining room. seemed to be In YOU
! midst.
A part of the brain OF DIR. Goldman he
/ ing grated to mine, l was endowed will
so much memory as was seated In tina
part although thsre Is the alternate be
lief that my Indian physician--by som'
psychic power unknown in the west-dis
H. N..lI VRe hnfNf ..x.s