The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-02-18
aWhat is the matter with you, whisper

"Frightenedr / may well look so in
deed! | am frightened. Your fine, gen
erous. open-hearted Baron is my deadly enc
my, than whom | would rather encounter
thousand ghosts will tell you all about
it after dinner.
After an uncomfortable dinner, | succeed
ed in finding an opportunity to speak to
Petroyitch in private.
/ THAT man and were once friends, said
! /, ''but the old story, We both admired the
same girl. That made the first breach be-
tween as He proposed to settle the mat
ter by the sword. | easily disarmed him.
She Tilted both of us for it and married
Paylovski, of the dragons Two years
later the same thing happened. We fought
again | wounded him severely and he
swore fearful vengeance upon me. But
she married him and is his present wife.
But how has he become Baron Sta
loff?n When | knew him he was merely
/ Gregorei Altoff
His uncle left him his property last
year with his name. He wisely took both. y
/ If had only known it, The man hates
me and sees me present myself at his din
ner table How soon can get away2
! Not to- night, / am sure # you fear
any treaehery come spend the night in my
room. But, really, the common rules Of
! hospitality
/ '1Oh | don't believe in hospitality when
+ it comes TO a man of his nature. He has
heard Macbeth, and may initiate him
not for ambition, but to satisfy his cher
ished revenge
well | will speak to the servant and
have your bags removed to my nom before
/ bedtime
Thanks. old.fellow
The evening passed ples,sa.tly by means
of music and cards The Baroness was
charming the Baron did not appear l4ate
in the evening my friend leit ON receiving
message from the Baron TO join him.
Half an hour later, = laekey made sign to
me from the door | turned to him.
II am come. sir, 10 hand you this key.
Il am to spend the night in my fficnds
room
Yes, sir. but larger room has been
prepared for You two gentlemen whenever
you arc ready Sit, am nj your service
to show you the way 10 r.
il am ready nov; go on, | viii follow.
| followed him. A. lamp in hand be wehs
up bong. winding staircase, and along .
narrow corfidor, until We reached what
seemed to be a sort Of tower. Here, in a
broad space, there were several dooFs, he
stopped. u suppose this part Of the house
Is not occupied.
~Oh. YES. SIR, IL j. all occupied. Your
room Is one Of tie best This Is is
He opened the dser of a large bare apart
ment. On one side, near a large, cid fash
ioned bed, | saw my travelling bag. Your
friend j. here, sir, probably, and he lcft nc
With the KEY in one hand and the laulp
n the other. advanced to the 6re-place
There was no FIRE but one single can
die stood cn the mantle. This | lighted,
bat the darkness and gloom SEEMED i'm
penetrable. @Pctrovitch Is nos here.
thought /. a. | threw myself into an ina
nacnse armchair 10 wait for him. What
can delay him 2
| sat there until midnight Still he did
not eogne. Housing myself then. Thought
htsarsl the rattling of chain The fel.
low 4 S4liuEMAN4G AsEHHs " Nv ess< N+NskA
make noise r. Then distinctly heard 4
regular breathing. 80, lamp in hand, !
proceeded 10 explore che room. / reached
further away than | had thought
| heard the chain again. What was
nv horror 10 behold. stretched At full +
length, fast asleep. beside his open cage, a
splendid tiger The chain attached 10 his
collar hung loosely to the ground he was
free
/ rushed 10 the door. Il Was hscked On i
the outside tn the windows, they were
enormously high from the ground There
was no escape fer me There was the I
treachery feared. This mus, be the trap
Of the generous. haspitable Baron. To
call or make n0ise might be useless, and
would certainly arouse the animal had
no pistol with me carefully, and with
out any noise, piled the chairs in one cor
ner, to serve as an ambush, reserying a
stout Ettie enc a 3 weapoa If defense
Then sal down, keeping my eyes on him
He lay cas-like, opening occasionally his
drowsy eyes, sometimes giving his enOr-
nous head shAke. BY degrees his sleep
inesz seemed to pass away. and with
frightful. yawn he raised himself up and
advanced toward me
He paused for a moment, and raising his
head. he snuiFed the air as IL suspicious Of
the presence Of an intruder With growl,
he continued TO advance cautiously, as If
on his guard against foe whose strength
be was ignorant Of 4 few steps discover
ed me 10 him, and. with a growi of rage,
he eronched for the fatal spring. While |
awaited in terror the fearful fate, which
would be on me in few seconds, | could
not help admiring the excessive beauty Of
the animal whose splendid stripes Of black
ON his brown and grange skin, and glaring
eyebalIs. as he lashed his sides with his tail,
made him perfect study The quiyering
movement Of his body told me that in
moment would be torn to pieces without
chance Of defense or escape | closed
nay eyes for second, and as opened them
he suddenly raised himself and stood with
his head turned toward the door Was
anyone coming to save me2 / listened in
vain for fooistep Suddenly the soft
music Of guitar broke upon the stiffness.
My first impression was that it meant an
other trick Of the witty Baron, but to my
intense relief the tiger with yawn of salts
j faction, laid himself down against the door
in an attitude Of attentive and delighted
| listening. Hour otter hour passed away as
the music continued without moment ees-
sation, and his highness the tiger remained
subdued and quiet in his evident enjoyment
/ Of the sounds. This lasted until daylight.
when the door suddenly opened and man
entered, armed with heavy whip and
carbine. This was the tiger keeper. At
sight of him it crept lazily into its cage.
The mans surprise at seeing me was
very great.
aThe secret of this door, said he is
known to the Baroness and myself.
lost no time in escaping from my prison
and soon reached the other part of the
house. | fornd Petroyitch wandering
about in search of nae. | told him what
had happened. Il must leave this house
at once said |.
"Stay to breakfast. Let the Baron see