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Kansas University Weekly.
not take long as he had lived a very uneventful life at his uncle's home, where he had been left an orphan when only two years old. Mr. Mentz was a German; he related the story of his life in his native land. He had attended several universities, and he pictured vividly the life of the students there. He loved especially to dwell on the scenes about his own university, as he called it, at Bixen, where he had spent many of the happiest years of his life.
Henry became more and more attached to his friend, but at the same time he felt that there was something of mystery about the man; something strange even in their friendship. Several weeks passed, and it was well along toward commencement time when one day Henry learned from his landlady that Mr. Mentz had gone away. She said that he had come home from town in the morning, packed his valises and hurriedly taken his leave. Henry went up to his room wondering at the strange conduct of his friend. He looked on the table for some word of farewell, and saw a little package and a note. Upon opening the note he read these hastily scrawled words: "Dear Henry, I am called away. Accept this present as a testimony of my regard for you, and use it to make of yourself what you have so much desired to be. The only condition is that you spend your first year at Bixen. Goodbye, Mentz."
Henry sat down bewildered, and untied the package with trembling fingers. It contained a small casket. This he opened and beheld it full of brilliant jewels. He poured them out on the table and gazed at them in ecstasy. But ere long a strange fear began to trouble his mind, grave doubts oppressed him. Why should this almost unknown man, the friend of a few weeks, bestow upon him such a treasure. He could not explain it, and he resolved to say nothing about his present, at least for a day or two, and perhaps he would first write to his uncle about it.
The next day as Henry was reading the paper he saw an item which made him grow sick at heart. It said that a certain man, wanted for a crime committed in Ohio some years before, had been traced to the city but had there disappeared. A brief description of the man was given which forced upon Henry's mind the terrible conclusion that his friend Mentz was a criminal, and that the jewels were the fruit of his crimes. His first impulse was to deliver the casket and its contents to the authorities. But on second thought he decided to go first, and see his uncle.
He made preparations to start at once and on his way to the depot he received a telegram saying that his uncle had met with a serious accident and wanted him to come home. All thoughts but those of his uncle were driven from his mind, and on reaching home he found old Mr. Rockman in a critical condition from injuries received in a fall. For days and weeks Henry watched by his bedside and and then the end came.
It was the day after the funeral that thoughts of the jewels began to trouble Henry again. And he was on the point of giving them up to some officer of the law when a message came to him from the sheriff of Wayden, Ohio. It was dated at the Wayden jail and ran as follows: Mr. Henry Rockman, Dear Sir, James Wagner, alias Mentz is to be hanged for murder next Friday. He begs you for the love of God to come before he dies. Yours respectfully, Sheriff.
It were useless to attempt to describe the feelings with which Henry read this message, and the tumult in his mind during the hours that followed before he finally decided to answer the call, and yield to the strange fate which seemed to link him to this man.
It was Thursday night when Henry reached Wayden. He went at once to the jail and asked to see the prisoner. He was conducted down a long corridor and admitted to a small cell at the end. A man arose in the dim light and came to meet him. "Henry" he said "I am glad you have come. I was afraid you wouldn't." He sank down on a rude wooden chair and Henry stood silent before him. "Maybe you'll read it in the papers but I would rather tell you myself," he continued almost calmly, and Henry wondered that he had changed so little since the last time they had seen each other. "It