Manfred's Quest: Or, The Mystery of a Trunk — page 36: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

‘MANFRED'S QUEST. the man who had been following him leave the bailding. The detective found a place and worked the second trans- form; indeed, he wrought a complete change in his appear- ance, and, returning to the street, the order of things was reversed as our hero became the trailer. He saw his man walk along, and at length enter a drinking-place. Under his disguise the detective followed into the place. The man sat down at a table and called for a ginger-ale. The de- tective took a seat at an adjoining table and called for a drink. ‘There was a dog in the bar-room, and the animal came and lay at the feet of the man and looked up in his face and commenced to gape like a lazy dog as he was. There chanced to be no one’ in the room, save the two customers, as the bar-tender was standing in the door-way. Suddenly there came a voice, saying: ** You’re a fool.” The man gave a start and looked around to the table where our hero sat. ‘The latter was gotten up as a work- man, a German. ‘The man said: ** Did you speak?’’ ** Eh?’’ said Manfred. ** Did you speak??? ** No; I vos not speak.”’ Again there came a voice, saying: ** You are a fool.’’ The man glanced around, and the bar-tender, who was a German, sauntered into the room, and our hero ad- dressed him in German. The detective could speak Dutch like a native. The bar-tender and our hero engaged in an animated conversation for a few moments, and the German again walked to the door. All was silent, when there came a female voice, rich and pleasant, saying: ‘* You are a fool.”’ The man gave a start, and once again turned and glanced at our hero, who had his mouth filled with rye bread, and was busy munching away like a very hungry man. ‘*I told you not to follow me!’’ came the voice, clear and distinct. The man turned pale, and at the same instant address- ing our hero, said: ** Did you speak?’ **Eh? Vot vas der matter mit you all der times? You vas ask me did I speak. No, sir, I vos not speak! Der vas nobody speak, unless it vas der dorg!’’ Silence again prevailed for a moment, when for a third time came a voice, saying: ** You promised not to follow me!’’ The man leaped from his seat with starting eyes and gazed wildly around, while our hero sat unconcernedly munching his dinner. The man muttered: ‘© What does it mean? Am I going mad: ** You will go mad! I will drive you mad!’’ came a voice, adding: °*‘ I warned you!” The man trembled, and again appealing to our hero, de- manded: ** Did you hear a voice?’ ‘** No; vot vas der matter mit you?” The man called to the bar-tender; the latter 4pproached, and the customer said: ** Stay here a moment.’’ ‘* What can I do for you?’’: ‘** Listen,’’ said the customer. Our hero said something to the bar-tender in German, and the bar-tender answered in English: ** Is that so?” There again came a voice saying in a whisper, right in the man’s ear: 999 ‘‘ ‘You can not escape me! You have excited my wrath! I will haunt you now!’’ - Again the man leaped to his feet, and, sppealing to the bar-tender, said: ** Did you hear a voice?r’’ The bar-tender had not heard a voice, and he asked: ‘¢ What is the matter with youf’’ ** Did you hear a voice?’’. °° No, I did not.’’ The man was deathly pale, and trembling like a leaf. Again he resumed his seat. The bar-tender walked away, and there followed @ moment’s quiet, but soon there came @ voice, saying: ‘* Now I know it is not your trunk!’’ The voice was quite loud. Again the man leaped to his feet, and advancing toward our hero, demanded: ** Did you hear it then?’’ ** Yes, I vos hear somedings.’’ ** What did you hear?’’ ** Vell, it vos very strange.”’ ** You heard a voice?”’ “* I vos tought I did hear a voice. ”’ ** And what did it say?’’ ‘* Someding aboud a trunk.’’ ‘* This is wonderful!” said the man. ‘* Listen!’’ and he stood with his eyes fixed on the German, wage there came & voice saying, distinctly: ‘* It is no use, you pan not escape me. yes, I will haunt you.’ The German permitted a look of wonder to settle on his face. ** Did you hear it?’’ ‘* Ya-a-s,’’ came the response, in a husky voice. ** What did you hear?”’ Our hero suddenly permitted his face to relax, and said: ‘* Oh, dot vas all right. ” *¢ What is all right??? ‘* T vas know your game.’’ ** You know my game?’’ ** Ya-a-s. ”’ ** What is my game?”’ “* Oh, you vas scare a fellow, but you could not scare me, so I vas not scare. ”’ ** You heard the voice?’’ ‘* Oh, yes, I vas hear you speak. ”’ ** You heard me speak?” ae Yes.”? ‘* How do you know I spoke.”’ ‘* I vas see you speak. ”’ At that moment again there came a voice, saying: °° T will haunt you! I will haunt you; I will haunt you! The man showed even greater signs of excitement, but our hero only laughed, and calling to the bar-tender, said: °° Come here, Frank, and hear dis man make fun mit hig voice.”’ . CHAPTER XXIX. In sheer bewilderment the man rushed from the place, and our hero followed him after working another disguise. Meantime, the man who had been haunted by a voice, rushed madly along through the streets, not knowing exactly what to do, and ever and anon he would mutter: ‘‘ Am I mad? Am I mad???’ The bewildered fellow was rushing thus madly along, when suddenly he was hailed by another gentleman, the | fatter calling out: