The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-01-04

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I had once known rather init
mately a Polish Jew named Kut
newsky. Him resolved to imper
senate. He was a fat, podgy per
son, his foreign accent hideous. AL
the while 1 dressed, l practiced hi
voice and accent. / had it at las
to a T. A false wig and beart
with clothes in keeping completed
my disguise. l was very soon thu
double of Kutnewsky. theI
packed a small valise with a com
plete suit of fashionable clothes.
A fourwheeler took me to Ok
ford Circus, whence a hanson
brought me back to Picadilly ant
the Bolingbroke hotel. I present
ed myself to the clerk, whom I in.
formed in exercrable broken Eng
lish, that I was the famous Ger
man court surgeon, Herr DR.. Gar
schagen, just arrived to confer
with my eminent colleague, Sir
Chas. Venner. l told him to send
Sir Charles up Immediately he ar
rived. My first act was to ar
range the dressing table just as ]
had done on the previous day In
my room at the Colonnade hotel.
Putting on pair of goggles, I sat
down to await my victim. AS be-
fore, he was prompt to the frac-
tion of a minute. Sir Charles en-
tered the room, I ground out a
string of cultural, yet oily, greet
ings in broken English.
Sir Chas. Venner's face was
pale, but icily composed. He eyed
me for a full minute with a look
of piercing hate.
SIS DR.. Rudolf Garschagen
identical with Mr.. Seth Halford?"
he asked quietly.
Undoubtedly, Sir Charles"
II confess l should like you to
explain the meaning of your pres
ent mummery. You were excel
lently well disguised before!"
l bowed profoundly. "Thank
you for the compliment, Sill
Charles"
IT did not come here to ex.
change compliments with you," he
retorted coldly. Kindly get to
business.
"Have you the money!" de-
manded.
Eyes. But I shall not give you
a solitary farthing until I am fur.
nished with a substantial guaran.
tee that this will be your last i'm
pertinence.
smiled grimly. "You must be
satisfied with my oath, which
give you freely, that you will never
hear from me again, Sir Charles
Now, please, the money"
81 am sorry" he said softly
"But we cannot do business or
those terms!"
bowed, and got at once to my
feet. "Then our interview is at an
end!" I moved towards the bell
but had not advanced two PAGES
when he cried out, "Stop!"
turned, to look into the muzzle
of revolver. Sir Chas. venner's
right eye cleaned behind the
sights, and his expression was dia.
bolically wicked. A cold, SILVER.
ing thrill quivered up my spine
My eyes, however, did not cease
to serve me, and with a gasp OF
reviving hope I noted that the pis
toll was not cooked.
Remove your glasses and your
wig!" he commanded in a low but
terrible voice.
MY impulse was to unhesitat
ingly obey, hut with an iron effort
/ subdued it.
by the God above us, you will
die in your tracks unless you un
mask"
said to myself--"Oh, no,
shall not. Well he knows, thi.
surgeon, that II he kills me he
must hang! and speedily"
"Fire!" I cried ON instant. 1
was the most courageous act O
my life.
Sir Chas. venner let his han,
fall, and his eyes. / heard a click
land I watched him restore the pis
toll to his pocket. In one secon,
he had aged 10 years. He wa
now an old min, haggard face,
! and trembling.