The Washington herald., 1914-10-04

Brookss, -if / had the time and the
money and the physique and the eour-
age ! should like to stick to this KIM
sew Brand. There are some queer
stories going about
@They say he went mad on the voy-
age ahome from West Africa, and that
he brought home a negro and native
priest. If so. he's got EN- in that
house. While l was there heard
man making noises in tongue which
made you feel as though you were IN
monkey forest. The only visitors
he ever has are three or four old
ercnies, all West Africans, and they al
most live In the place
at all sounds very mysterious
II was too scared to look about me
rnueh." the young man continued; but
just inside thar passage what do you
think there was. hanging down from
the eeilines A long, double-edged
knife, hung by a piece of gold thread /
The knife was stained all over, and I'll
swear it was blood. Nice, cheerful
sight to greet you when you step in
Il should imagine" Brooke remark
ed, "that Mr.. Kinsey Brands instincts
are not hospitable."
The young man grunted.
Anyway, I've done with him. he
declared. ANY one else can take up
the jebl"
Al 10 o'clock that night Brooke sat
in his rooms with an open letter and
a pile of newspapers by his side The
former. he had just received from the
librarian of a large boolshop from
whom he made occasional purchases
1t was not very long. but its contents
were interesting:
Dear Sir: / am sending you the
file Of papers, procured with great diff
fieulty, and / 6es that you will take
every care of them, 1t is a very re-
markable circumstance that the letters
from Mr.. Kinsey Brand, for which
the Times was paying large sum,
ceased abruptly on the eve Of mis- pro-
jected visit to one of the most inter-
esting spots in Africa. Since then. not
withstanding the large offers which
have been made to him, Mr.. Kinsey
Brand has not, so far as we know, set
his hand to paper at all, either in the
form of articles or volume II is an-
derstood that his health was affected
by privations, and that he had no fur
ther inclination to write of his travels.
The affair, however, is in some respects
mysterious, and may say that many
efforts have been made, even up to the
last few weeks, to obtain some explana-
ton. Faithfully yours,
> S. CLOVES.
The interest of the newspapers cul-
minated in the issue of latest date. Fo'
the second or third time Brooke was
reading some extracts of letter writ
ten about two years ago and signed
''Kinsey Brand:
Tomorrow l expect to reach the holy
village of Nah-u-weh. If reports are
true, l shall have an opportunity there
of studying the primeval religion ot
these Western tribes, founded, they
say. upon a contemplation of the ex
tinction of life. They make a cult oi
watching the death struggles of ami
mails and, on certain days of the year
human beings. The soul, as it escapes
is declared to be visible to the priest
who is able to transmit by it message:
to the Supreme Being. This, however
is all hearsay. l shall know more about
it in my next letter.
There was a knock at the door
Brooke's servant entered. bearing 4;
note. Brooke took it and glanced a
it, carelessly at first and then with Z
sudden interest. 1t was addressed tt
him in typewriter characters. and il
the corner it was marked Urgent.
He tore it open and read the follow
ing:
Mr.. Brooke: If you are still inter
eSted in the house next door. you haC
better come here at once. Something
is going on at the other side of tn,
wall. 1t seems to me that they havI
discovered the opening and are enIarg
ing it from their side.
CONSTANCE ROBINSON.
Brooke sprang to his feet, made
few hasty preparations, took taxical
to the corner of Hender street, passe,
up the passage and the stairs, ant
knocked at the door above. There wa
no reply.
He turned the handle and entered.
The room was empty.
( On the floor was the typewriter, lyinl
on its side, broken. By the side of th'
wall 'were half dozen loose brick
and quantity of plaster. There wa!
a hole in the wall, stuffed up with pa
per, large enough for a man to pas
through.