The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1915-07-30
By NJ QUAD

highway In the suburbs one Oay We
hicle containing a single traveller ap-
peared.
The driver pulled up that the Traveller
might ask if be could find accommodh-
ton mt some chalet instead of the hotel.
as he was not in good health and want
ed quietness. I was lodging ut pri-
waite house. and there was room for an
other guest The stranger WAS driven
on. and | sat down on y rock 10 sum
him up. Having come from the west in
a country vehicle be must have come
from beyond the railroad station. The
horse looked weary, and the hour was
4 in the afternoon, and | settled IL that
be must have come from Thalla- fifteen .
miles away. The man wore a hat that I.
did not fit him and had the collar of his 4
coat turned up. He had goggles, !
though Ii was a dark day. 4 person 4
who wears goggles for weak eyes will I
carry q finger to one OF the glasses 1
every two or three minutes, even if he
does not move them occasionally. On
this mans face was a newly grown
beard about an inch long. Every thirty
seconds up went his hand to scratch.
grown it for an object. He thickened
his voice when be spoke to me, and ii
was easy to detect the unnatural in
donation. Why did he do it? Travellers
searching for health are seldom to be
met with In the mountain except in
/ early summer, and this was late in the
/ season He might explain. however.
/ Mr.. Braceby, as he had given his name,
/ probably had more reasons for seclu-
sion than he had stated. and l had
! curiosity to observe him further.
He was taken In at the chalet. and
that night we ate supper together.
/ saw by his table manners that he was
used to the quick lunches OF restau-
rant He claimed to be an English
man, but his American idioms would
have given him away to a child
In the course of four or five days
/ had the stranger sized up to a dot
and would have bet five to one that
my diagnosis was positively correct
He was a straight haired American
He was a public official 1t was his
first time abroad. He was in dis
guise and a fugitive. Whatever Doodle
he had with him he had in his under
shirt pocket. I knew this because he
was constantly raising his hand to the
spot.
am no man hunter. | did not go
to the police or drop hint TO any one.
, OF whatever crime he was guilty he
; was safe from me. ! knew it wasn't
murder, unless done I'm the trial OF
passion, for he was sentimental and
! tender hearted. / think it was on the
fifth day of his stay that he became
feverish and called in a doctor and
E went to detrimental worry, you see
n i had finished my supper and was
t smoking my pipe when l saw
stranger coming up the path from the
o hotel. From his gait l judged him tc
be an American. From the way he
!, furtively eyed the chalet and its sur
u roundings / reasoned that he had othel
business than looking for lodgings.
As he came to halt and looked me
over he gave himself away as a de
" tective. He had taken me for the mar
he wanted, and chagrin showed clearly
on his face. he was from western
state and on the trail of a defaultinI
$50 city treasurer.
Ii was queer enough that he didn'
ask If there was another traveller Il
the house. He took il for granted tina
M was the only one. and he told m
the whole story of Braceby's theft an
flight He talked for two hours an
then went away, saying that he shout
G hang around for few days. Half a
hour after his going it was discovere
that Braceby was missing. His bee
room window was over the verand;
and he had heard all
When three days had passed and n
trace of the missing man had bee
had he was given away TO the dete'
tive by one OF the town officials. II
had left the chalet lightly clad. witt
out food or baggage and in a feve
and the idea was that he had lost hin
self on the mountains and would pc
ish If not found Parties were sci
out in search. and IL was not long b
fore evidence was found.
. Being i'll and without food and thin
clad. he could not keep his life ov'
n two or three days. In the gloom
Ia that first night he had travelled near
G two miles. making up the mountain
II, by a path. Then he had wanderC
q from the path and fallen into strea
r from a thirty foot bank The rushiI
III waters had carried him down q mile
ID more. and they found his body wedg'
il between two great rocks.
a When the coroner oyerhauled q
effects found ON the body there can
r to light $1,000 in English money al
e drafts for nearly 100000 more Il
n name was not Braceby, OF course. b
he as the city treasurer Of town in q
t. west he had gobbled its last doll
and led with his III gotten gains
-, the other side of the ocean TO emf
es himself He had not spent thousal
dollars as yet or had moments CO.
- fort He had too much conscience a
he not enough nerve II he had got safe
away he would never have enjoy
. himself As looked down at his de
!. body and Thought ct his disgracef
life felt something more than pa
Ing sorrow As ! helped carry [
bruised and battered corpse down
rh.. ft,rx-,. b,.rts... fnr innnaSf and hmri