, 1922-12-01

common property OF the
world. The American gov
enment could not. even with the
verdict OF n trial court. lie. Rodman's
death go by under she smokc-screen
OF such a weird. i~nscruthble mystery.
I was to meet Jonquelle and come
here with him. But my train Into
New England was delayed. and when
] arrived at the station, I found that
JonqueIie had gone down 20 have n
look at Rodman's country house.
where the thing had happened.
II was on an isolated forest ridge
OF the Berkshires. no human soul
within a dozen miles OF tia comfort
able stone house in the English fash
ion. There was a big drawing room
across one end OF 81.
Rodman used this drawingroom for
a workshop. He kept 1t close-shut-
tered n locked. No: even this big
yellow, servile creature who took ex.
elusive care OF him m the house wa
allowed to enter. except under
mans eye. What he saw In the flnal
scenes of the tragedy he saw look
ing in through n crack unter inc
door. The earlier things he noticeo
when he rut logs on the fire at dark
Time II IdTulN "a HhNaSNAN 49,
activities of the mind. These ref.ec-
tons winged by In a scarcely yer
ceptible interval of it. They have
taken me some time to write out here.
hut they crowded past while the big
oriental was speaklng-!n the pause
be.ween H. words.
..Tha print." he continued. twas
the frs. confirmatory but 1t was not
- rt.-4 E-If-.Nar1- afCn doubt II
the master himself noticed the tn ns
at the beginning.
He paused.
..Tbe master was sunk in his la
Dor. and while that enveloped him
the first OF the lure would
have gone by unnoticed-and :he ten
sion of the pressure. But the day
was at hand when the master was
receptive. He had got his work com
plsted: the formulate, penciled out.
were on his table. 1 knew by the re-
Taxation. of all periods this is the
one most dangerous TO the human
spirit"
He sat silent for a moment, his big
fingers moving on the arms OF the
chair.
at knew" he added. Then he went
on: But II was the one thing against
which I could not protect him. The
test was to be permitted"
He turned sharply toward me, the
folds of his face unsteady.
"Excellency.' he cried. IL would
nave saved the master. I would have
saved him with my souls damnation.
hut 1t was not permitted. On that
first night in .he Italians tent I said
all I could"
His voice went into a higher note.
'"Twice. for the master. I have
been checked and reduced in merit.
Fol that bias I was myself encircled.
1 was IN an agony OF spirit when !
knew hat tho thing was beginning to
advance. but my very viii TO aid was
at the time environed."
His voice descended.
He sat motonless, as though the
whole bulk of him were devitalized,
and maintained its outline only by the
inclosing frame OF the chair.
ut began, Excellency, on an Au-
gust night. There is n chill in these
at sunset. I a pu- wood
into the fireplace. and lighted it. and
was about the house. The master, as
I have said. had worked out his for
mulae.
He wa at leisure. I could not
see him, for tho door was closed, but
the odor of his cigar escaped from the
room. 1t vas very silent. I was plac-
ing the masters b~edcandle on the
table in the hall. when l heard his
voice You have read II. Ex-
.ceilency. as the s%criveners wrote 1t
down before the Judge"
He paused.
1T was an exclamation OF surprise.
of establishment. Then I heard the
get uD softly and go over to
the fireplace Presently he
returned. He got a new cigar, Ex-
cellency, clipped It and lighted It. I
could hear the blade of the knife on
the fiber of the tobacco. and. OF
course. clearly the rasp OF the match.
A moment later I knew that he was !
in the chair again The odor Of ig-
tobacco returned. 1t was some
time before there was another sound
in the room: Their suddenly I heard
the master swear. His voice was
and aStonished. h time. EX-
cellency. he got w swiftly and
hear him distinctly. There
was .he sound of one tapping on
humping 1t. as with the fling
ers."
He stopped again. for a brief mo-
ment. as IN reflection.
"It swas then that the master un-
locked the door and asked for the
liquor He indicated the court rec
ord in my pocket. II brought it. a
goblet OF brandy. with some carbo-
mated water. He drank it all. without