The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1877-06-07

and perDlexity, and was gazing in
open-mOuthed astOnish ment AT the
old pile, when / was suddenly made
aware Of the presence Of the Cic nsn
by sharp pinch on Iny arm, and the
words
why don't you go oEv' impatient
ly.
! SIS tnst your home - I asked, still
staring in q mechanical sort OF way.
"Of course it i. Why don't you
90 on. and not stand staring like an
I idiot -
"They told NE at the hotel" said
. 7, moving forward, "that ti.is island
I hadn't dwelling on 1t, and was en-
tirely uninhsbited. / can't reconcile
what | heard with what l now see. -
"They seem to have been mistaken,
eh - said be, with one OF his devilisn
I laughs.
This time / was not mistaken.
/ There was some hidden meaning in
his lsugh. Whatever 1t was, il gave
ne q very positive dislike to the OLD
man. Having reached the shore OF
the mOat, 1 asked him how we were
to get across. For az answer he blew
a shrill note upon a key Of curious
shape, and, as suddenly as if they had
been waiting for US, two men In the
garb OF moEes appeared on the other
side. They let down the draW-bTidge
with much elsnking of chaias and
cleaking of hinges. Its rheumatic
joints seemed to cry out with the
psin motion occasiOned them.
Carrying my Du rden as carefully as
I Nrlnrrof II N-s. v,sT
through the gate into the courtyard.
Once inside the mOnkish creatures
stood blinking at me. Becoming un-
comfortable under their stare, and
finally getting irritsted, / said I;
"Why don't one OF you gaping fools
tell where to take this person ; he is
seriously injured ,"
"Hurt injured Ha, ha, hi, Ei,n
and they capered round me, laughing
in shrill diseordant voices. / looked
to my burden for an explanation Of
this idiOtic procedure, when, to any
amaZement, he slid from my arms
and in jifly was laughing and dane
ing about me with the others. He
whose leg | supposed was broken,
whose head ! thought gashed, and
whom thought too weak to walk,
was capeTing about me, varying his
antics with an occasional soInersauit.
In moment the truth flashed upon
me. ! could account for his request
thst | should not examine his leg,
and his cunning, deyilish smile. l
had been led into trap in a very in
geniOus manner. Their purpose 1
could not conjecture probably rob-
laarrr vnn1afla1yr v,,f1rf1nv- I raup1.voA -
make my escape, if it was possible.
Turning suddenly l rushed through
the gate, when, to my dismay,
found the draw-bridge Up. And yet
these cursed people were at my heels,
shrieking, laughing, derIding me
tearing my clothes, pulling my hair,
and lodging every blow 1 aimed at
them. l
There remained but one thing for
me to do. / must cross the mOat.
could swim. / rushed to its edge.
Baffied again As far as could see,
the muddy bottom of the mOat
swarmed with lizards and snakes, the
latter With vibrile heads, shooting
out their forked tongues. Still my
tOrmentors continued their cruel
sport. Thought swept along like q
river. could let the draw-bridge
down, if these devils could only be
made tostand back. | seized huge
stick, and rushed upon them. They
laughed at me. i would berevenged.
They should mock me no longer. !
aimed 8 fierce blow at my deceiver.
Midway in air the stick crumbled to
bits. lt was rotten. Dropping the
fragment from my hand, l rushed 10
the bridge, followed by those devils,
still bowling and shrieKing. grasp
ed the huge chain, and then with q.
cry of pain snatched my hands away.
1t was red hot. | had burned myself
badly.
surely, this must be PerditiOn :"
cried, and was greeting with more
of their derlsive laughter. | turned
upon them, and said. "WhRt is it
you wish /? am your prisoner, and
at your mercy"
"Mercy our mercy ~ they jeered.
Oh If had only brought my pistol
with me. 1t lay on tine bureau in my
room at the hotel
"Hi there Stop that, you fools. |
Bring him in :" The voice came
from q window in the castle. l could !
not see the face. These men, on the (
first sound of their voice, crouched
like whipped dogs. They pointed to
the great door of the castle, sneering |
and looking hate at me, and, follow
ing close uDon my heels, bade me en-.