The Ozark spectator., 1916-07-14

Z
 He'll be murdered by an Austrian" and in a little book shop off the Rack nitZstrasse in Leipzig. l completed my evidence ten days ago in Paris.
 ''l cant tell you the details now. for it's something of tale. When l was quite sure in my own mind I judged it my business to disappear, and l reach ed this city by a mighty queer circuit. I left Paris a dandified French Ameri- can. and l sailed from Hamburg a Jew diamond merchant
 Tn Norway was an English stu dent of Ibsen, collecting materials for lectures But when l left Bergen was moving picture man with special ski films. And l came here from Leith with a lot of pulpwood prepara- tions in my pocket 10 put before the London newspapers. Till yesterday thought l had muddied my trail some and was feeling pretty happy. Then
 The recollection seemed to upset him, and he gulped down half glass of whisky.
 then l saw man standing in the street outside this block l used to stay close in my room all day and only slip out after dark for an hour or two. l watched him for a bit from my window. and l thought l recog niZed him. He came in and spoke to the porter When l came back from my walk last night l found a card in my letter box It bore the name Of the man l want least to meet on Gods earth"
 l think that the look in my compan. ions eyes, the sheer naked fright on his face, completed my conviction of his honesty. My own voice sharpened q bit as asked him what he did next.
 ''l realized that l was bottled as was only one way out. l had to die If my pursuers knew l was dead they would go to sleep again
 How did you manage it?''
 ''1 told the man that valets me that l was feeling pretty bad, and l got myself up to look like death. That wasn't difficult, for I'm no slouch at disguiSes Then l got a corpse-you can always get body in London if you know where to go for it. fetch ed it back in trunk on the top of four wheeler. and 1 had to be assisted upstairs to my room.
 You see, l had to pile up some evi- dence for the inquest. l went to bed and got my man to mix me a sleeping draft and then told him to clear out. He wanted to fetch Il doctor, but I swore some and said l couldn't abide leeches, When l was left alone started in to take up that corpse
 He was my size and l judged had perished from too much alcohol, so l put some spirits handy about the place The jaw was the weak point in the likeness. so l blew it away with re- volver l dare say there will be some. body tomorrow to swear to having heard Il shot, but there are no neigh borS on my floor. and l guessed l could risk that
 50 left the body in bed dressed up in my pajamas, with revolver lying on the bedclothes and a considerable mess around. Then 1 got Into suit of clothes l had kept waiting for emer- gencies. 1 didn't dare to shave for fear of leaving tracks and. besides, 1t wasn't any kind of use my trying to get into the streets.
 "l had had you in my mind all day, and there seemed nothing to do but to make an appeal to you. watched from my window till l saw you come home and then slipped down the stairs to meet you There, sir. l guess you know about as much as me of this business
 He sat blinking like an owl, hutter- ing with nerves and yet desperately determined
 vinced that he was going straight with me. It was the widest sort of nara tive but had heard in my time many steep tales which had turned out to be true, and I had made practice of ! judging the man rather than the story. If he had wanted to get a location in my flat and then cut my throat he would have pitched me far milder yarn.
 Hand me your key" said, and I'll take look at the corpse Excuse my caution, but I'm bound to verify a bit if I can"