Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-05-30

with harsh, disagreeable leer.-
The ladies screamed, and several of
them tainted. Mary Dithmar shrank
back, and clung to me in sheer ter
ror.
"Who is it?" l asked when I had
recovered from my temporary as
tonishment.
But Mary could not reply. Speech
less, and pale as ghost, she gazed
at the intruder like one turned to
stone. The whole Dithmar family
stood as if transfixed.
"Bah!" cried the man, sternly;
$50 this is what you do while you
think me dead. Eth, Joseph Dith-
mar? But you see l am alive yet,
and am come at last to denounce
your crimes and those of your fiend-
ish family. You thought you had
murdered me, eh? Well, it wasn't
your fault that l am alive. Your
hired assassins betrayed you. Why
don't you welcome me? Where's
your hospitality"
The guests stared at one another
and at their host at this speech in
stupid amazement. Atlength Dith-
mar grew in a measure calm, and
addressing his friends, said, in an
unsteady voice:
"Gentlemcn, ladies, friends; this
is an unfortunate scene; try to for
get it. l will explain it at another
time. Now please leave us"
Still the intruder stood undisturb-
ed and frowning in his position, and
Arthur, who had sprung forward
and toward him as if to eject him
or administer personal chastiscment,
was caught and held midway by his
father. 1t was 4 strange and in
comprehensive affair, and the
guests evidently did not know what
to make of it, as by ones and twos
they slowly departed.
"Mary," said l to my companion,
<'lct me take you into the air-any-
where from here. This is awful"
"No," she replied, firmly; 81 must
remain with my family and share
the worst with them" And with
gentle force she led me to the outer
door. l went home astounded.-
What could all this mean? Had
there been fraud and attempted
murder by the family had so long
revered? l could not believe it. l
resolved to have my doubts cleared
by personal explanation the follow
ing morning.
Duff had vacated my apartments
during my absence, and, thank
heaven, l was alone with my
thoughts and sorrows. l went to
bed and dreamed. My dreams
were in the last degree awful.
| awokc in cold sweat and found
that it was daybreak. l arose,
dressed myself, and, early rs it was,
hnrried to Dithmar's. Judge Of my
surprise, on approaching the house,
to find it still open and the lights of
the evening before all still brilliant
ly burning; the house had evident
ly been open ever since the exodus
Of the guests. I shuddcred, and a
nameless presentiment Of evil fas-
tened upon me as | went up the
steps and entered the mansion. 1t
was deserted. | went into the ball
room; it was silent and empty, and
the flaming gas Jets but increased
its horror and gloom. | ran up
stairs and searched chamber after
chamber-all vacant, all void. |
called aloud on Mary, on all the oc-
cupants Of that splendid dwelling
no response, not even an echo to
my own voice, and l threw myself
down on chair and groaned.
Just then I heard a heavy step
near me, and in marched the intru-
der of last night, in Dithmar's
dressing-gown and slippers, calmly
smoking short, black, stunted-
looking clay pipe. He took the
pipe from his mouth and surveyed
me cody and deliberately, but said
not a word. All the anger of my
nature was aroused at the sight Of
this accursed wretch, and / went to-
ward him with look of rage. He
put his pipe back into his mouth,
and, folding his arms over bis
breast, confined his survey without
a word.
"Devil !" cried, "who are you,
and what is your tiendish power
over this house and family?"
The smoker smiled, and only said:
''Do you like music?"
Was ever such question asked
at such time? l was thunder
struck, and remained with my hands
clenched, silently staring.
"Do you like music?"
The question was repeated and
without waiting for an answer this
time, the strange being glided to
the open piano, and sitting on the
stool, pipe still in mouth, played
gracefully and elegantly some of the
wild, stormy music of 'sRobert de
Diable." Then, having concluded
his Instrumentation, he sang in a
soft and almost feminine voice,
"Robert, Robert, toi que jaime"
from the same great work Of Meyer
beer. The man was evidently for
gotten in the musician for when
the performer first opened his lips
to give vent to the first words of the
song, his pipe tumblcd from between
his teeth, and was dashed into frag-
ments on the floor. l remained
wonder-smittcn and still. Atlength,
the song being concluded, the man
turned toward me as if for appro-
baton.
Among other qualities, l was en-
thusiastic in music; and, full Of
horror for the individual before me
as was, l could not help inwardly |
A I