Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-05-12

The bullet grazed my temple, rendering
me insensible.
When / awoke was lying upon thu
third step, near the top of the first stair
case. - a.,
"Ah, you have sleptr' were the mrs
words that struck upon my ear.
/ looked down. Part of the lower steps
were gone, showing only . black chasm,
into which the feeble rays OF the candle
could not penetrate.
Near by the aperture stood the Baron,
with fiendish delight depicted upon his
face.
anything unusual :"
[ nodded my head up and down-myy
tongue seemed to refuse to utter the woro
Eyes"
Idistinctly saw three black rlngs around
the transparent wax-candle. They were
at eouaI distance from each other. This
candle will go out at the expiration OF
forty. five minutes. Each ring represents
fifteen minutes. I have plenty OF time
left to relate to you the tale OF faithful
woman. Will you promise to !lsten!
What else could / do? Ipromised.
Perhaps some one might be attracted by
the light and release me from my perilous
position. Besides, had hope that when
the candle went out could ind some
means to elude his vigilance.
"After have related my true story, we
will fly, yes, fly" continued he with
chuckle. =,
Again he mentioned the word ely"
What could he mean? !,
q ~ 7 ha n q cC1t-I
tired" muttered he. Yet the tones OF his
voice came distinctly to my ears.
He put his hands into the chasm and
drew from it q black, oblong box, that
looked like coffin, upon which he seated
himself. The pistol was within his reach,
for saw the glitter of the polished steel
barrel.
He looked straight at me, and the light
of the candle shone full upon his distorted
face as he began his narrative.
about two years ago l ATTENDED a
grand reception in the kings palace In
Munich. There became. acquainted with
Eleanor, the daughter Of General 1t
is not necessary to describe her beauty,
for you know her we'll"
He paused.
Impossible I never was at Munich,
and l don't know lady by the name
Of"
"Silence !" interrupted he; edo not
mention her name. You know her well ;
that's sufficient for the present. Now
listen. / became her slave; followed
her everywhere; l asked her to marry
me. She scorned my offer-she loved an
other. He'll and furies that other was
poor miserable student. You know bis
namer'
He paused and clenched his hands. l
dared not to contradict him only shook
my head in the negative.
Eyes, you know him well. l sent one
of my agents to him with the offer OF a
large sum of money if he would leave Bava-
ria and never write to her except what l
would dictate to him. He scOrnfully re-
fused my offer, and threw my agent out
of the window. l caused the arrest OF the
student-money can do almost every
thing The student was tried and SEN
fenced to ten years in the penitentiary.
He boldly refused to give any reason why
he had thrown the agent out OF the
window. He said that he only resented
an insult.
GA few days before the time appointed
to remove the prisoner to the penltentla-
ry sent another well paid agent of mine
to visit the convict. Prison diet and
close confinement had tanned the fiery
temper OF the student. He promised to
write letter to the Generals daughter,
releasing her from her promise to be-
come his wife. Next day had the letter
in my hand, and on the following evening
the student was free and on his way 70
parts unknown. My money had
triumphed over prison bars; gold had
melted the convict's iron letters.
"Icaused the letter to be sent to her.
"Five days after l called and again
asked her to become my wife. She looked
pale, she trembled, yet she gave her con.
sent. The General had not the least OBJ
lection to our union, for l was Baron,
was rich, and consequently able and
willing to pay his debts, in which Ito use
a common expression) he was stuck over
head and ears
ave were married. During our we'd
ding tour she scarcely spoke word. /
asked her the reason of her silence.
MY body belongs to you. My actions
are under your control, but my thoughts
are freer These were her very words.
"One day we arrived at Bruckenau.
The landlord Of the Red Lions Inn tola
me about a Roman tower. am very fond
of relics of the past. Therefore made
up my mind to visit the tower. My wife
remained at the hotel. She said she had
q headache.
"1he view from the tower justified
the praise of the landlord; it was mag
nificent.
"On my return found my wife with a
bright color and smiling face, the first l
HAD seen since our marriage. She over.
whelmed me with questions about the
Roman tower. After had told her what
saw, she expressed wish to visit the
ancient structure. On the following day
and my wife went up the narrow wind
ing staircase leading to the battlements
1t was near sunset, and the view from our
elevated position was grand beyond de-
scription. raised my telescope and gazed
through it upon hunting scene. My
wife stood by my side. gave her rapid
description of the flying stag, the pursu-
ing hounds, the mounted hunters. and
when they all had disappeared in the
depths Of the forest laid down my tel
escOpe.
"This was grand spectacle, Eleanor y
cried I, turning to my right My wife
was gone. Perhaps she had tired of
hearing my silly talk, and gone down to