Atlanta Georgian., 1912-05-17

oy y. w. vi CONAQGHY Y.
Copyright, 1912, by The New York Even
ing Journal Publishing Company.
Hardly that!8 said Tokoramo, as
quietly as II he had not caught the tone
in which Lindener had spoken of Hironari
Il never saw him until the afternoon OF
the day the murder was committed"
And I am given to understand that
he had reached Berlin only the day be-
fore that?"
That is what he told us and he
seemed clean and truthful boy" re-
piled Tokoramo
But ! can not believe it," cried LIN
dener why should he have done this
thing? II he had been in Berlin only
twentyfo hours he could not have
been the Japanese IlIona teased me with.
And how did she come to be in your
house, my friend?" Lindener's lips were
dry and his eyes hard, as he fixed them
on Tokoramo's nasklike face. There was
not the slightest betraying sign in look
or tone as Tokoramo replied;
That must always be a mystery-at
least until we hear Hironari's story in full
detail. OF course, he knew that no one
would be here but my servant. for he
knew that all the rest OF us-all the
Japanese we know in Berlin-were at the
Wallen Pension celebrating the Feast OF
the Little Children. If he contemplated
anything my house would naturally have
suggested itself to him as a safe place;
besides, being a stranger in Berlin, he
would not know of other places"
But why should he have done it? He
practically a stranger to nlona! He
could not have known her more than few
hoursn
Much as he expected of him as mat
ter Of course, Joshakawa would have been
proud of his countryman had he been
there to observe the manner in which
he conducted himself under Lindener s
insistent questionings. while in his own
heart there ragged a black tempest that
made the Germans emoion-the weak
grief of weak man-seem a pitifully
childish thing
The Explanation.
1T is not an everyday thing my
friend he said gravely but, on the
other hand. 1t is not an unusual crime.
No one would have thought 1t strange
If the murderer had been this poor Yo-
tomo whom you saw here In the company
of Joshakawa the day of the murder.
We read every day of crimes committed
by men who are temporarily as much
more insane-than Yotomo. 1t is this
fact that should take some of the bitter
ness out OF your feelings against the boy,
even if It adds to the hopelessness OF
your grief
''Hironari is evidently insane He is a
distant relative of Joshakawa and the old
mans testimony may be of some help to
the police in reaching the motive of the
crime. Joshakawa tells me that the
branch of the family from which Hironari
sprung has always been a hot-headed,
passionate untrustworthy strain"
Iindener rose with a smothered oath
"And these are the cultured people that
Bruck says we ought to welcome among
u.s." he snaTled.
Tokoramo fixed him with a calm gaze
II am not to be offended by you, Herr
Lindener,' he said, quietly, Especially at
this time. know what this woman
meant TO you You are less than Just tc
me and my people However calmly
may speak of this, give me credit fol
suffering that you can not dream of. II
is true that this revolving crime was
committed by Japaneses-but are your
people clean handed in this sort of thing
DO YOU ever see statistics on crime from
the United States where all of the ma
tions of Europe have an equal opportu-
,it,- and a fair representation2 But that
&c unworthy of mei' He rose, walked
over TO Lindener and held out his hand
"NiU YOU accept my sympathy-my
friendship? We are sufferers together
Tindener stood stiffly and breathed hard
sor . few moment Then his eyes sud
denlv filed and he gripped the hand OF
the Japanese.
"Forglve me. my friend" he begged.
"But YOU are right am far from my
se1f BEFORE 1t is over I will either die,
or. worse, lose my mind!
Tokoramo gently pushed him back onto
the divsn and redlled his glass; murmur-
ing careful phrases of sympathy to "hlct
T3ndener shook his head.
"Ah, MY friend. it is no use!' he ex-
claimed bitterly. You did not know her'
If YOU had, you would understand-you
would feel differently
yes" said Tokoramo, slowly. ! did
~ot pnow her. If had / would probably
feel differently,
"And she came here TO your house and
Won never even saw her!' went on LIN
dener.
yves. | never even saw her.
,,vou would have loved her, my friend"
.,ol.ir,ed Ltnderer, In shaky voice, his
Inns trembling pitlfulIy. "You could not
nave helped it! She was the sort OF a
woman who would have appealed to you
che did to metre and Ice, a yielding
mystery. a mind and knot of passions for
heart, the lips of a Venus and the 'auep
Of friend"
Tokoramo repressed groan of agony
nd bent his head over his work again
II can see her now" went on Lindener'
euttlng himself with knives and tndlns
tbe pain monstrous pleasure. ! can
soc her as 1 saw her the last time
warm. laughing, cold, sneering' loving
tantaIizing. sladdening witch-woman.
1tbat can she have done to that boy that
~ should have robbed me OF her. what
can 80, ,,,os e,,ns
hack and a deer voice cried out breath
lessly: ,,,, ~ 49,.
instant Professor Bruck quite shocked out
of his dignihed bearing FASTENED across
the room.
To<oramo rose 10 greet the second IN
trnder. who fairly spluttered in his ex-
element. his round, near sighted eyes
hIlging out like a beetles