The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-03-25

entire structure. There was peculiar his
tory connected with this second beam, for
from IL had once been hung five mslefactors,
and tho iron rings through which the fatal
ropes had been passed were still there; and
as each man looked he san standing ON The
lower beam, and supporting himself by the
upper one, the weird stranger. Whatever
the light which shone from the
windows Of the upper room his
Mephistobhelean face and ghostly
appearance caused him 10 resemble some
demon. Light rs sprite, quick as an
acrobat, he swung from the place and dis
appeared from their view within the win
dow Of his apartment.
The inmates Of the house were intensely
Mortified. To their superstitious minds the
man was nothing more nor less than what
he had himself claimed to be-the devil
Pallor and fear marked every face; silence
end awe brooded over the room. As a
loud knocking came to the door and an i'm
perious voice demanded admittance, there
was not a face that did not pale in expect
ancy of some new and startling develop
ments in the affair of the man -teufel in
the upper apartment.
"Gottlieb Gluck" sonorous and stern
sounded voice through the stilled room.
Trembling in every limb, AS though a
summons from the arch demon himself
had sounded on his startled hearing, the
landlord came forward.
II am here" he quivered, and then. as
he recognized in the newcomer the Cap
tain Of the guard mt the Castle Rubenstein,
the principal estate in the canton, his face
resumed its wonted hue of health, and he
waved his visitors and the four soldiers
following him into the bar.
The Captain strobe into the apartment
and glanced fiercely about him, his manner
excited. his bearing military. his face
ominous with an expression OF concern as
though some matter of weighty importance
rested upon his mind.
"Gottleib Gluck," he said. in that tone
which the police employ in addressing q
suspected criminal, "this visit is an official
o,e."
An official visit to my house," STAN
mered the landlord, awed by the Captains
commanding presence.
"Yes. The King places the ban Of mar
tiai law on this place until the house is
searched"
"Searched?"
Gottlieb could only rapidly repeat the
soldiers words.
AYE, YOU are suspected
Smuggling. THETA hidden crime about
to be revealed.
The gossips were burning with curiosity;
their eager hearts hung on the Captains
next words,
Suspected of harboring a criminal" was
the conclusion of the officers words.
A smile of excitement and relief broke
over the landlords broad face.
"Ah!" he cried, II thought it. Our
satanic visitor, we might have known
III 4
and sword?" asked the Captain, in his
eagerness springing to the side of Gottlieb
and catching his arm.
'Yes, and face like the tempter of
Faust, assented the latter.
Where is .he?" demanded the Captain,
excitedly. .sf'
Gottlieb pointed up the stairway.
Remain here" cried the Captain 10 the
soldiers, eager to cover himself with glory.
and speeding up the stairway with drawn
sword.
With anxiously beating hearts the little
coterie below held their BREATH but no
sound of clashing arms, of a struggle, or of
an alarm sounded on their ears. Instead,
they trembled with excitement, as mo-
ment later the Captain came rushing down
the stairs, his face pale and disappointed.
"The fends" he cried, "the murderer has
escaped
"The murderer" cried Go.tlieb, aghast.
aye, the assassin of our noble master,
the Count Ulrich Rubens.ein, at the CASTLE"
A somber hush brooded over the little
throng. The Count Rubt nstein murdered.
Surprise alone held them speechless. for
no other emotion swayed their hearts save
secret satisfaction that the cruel and
rapacious Count, the terror of his maiden
peasantry, the .oppressor of the poor. who,
rumor said, had murdered his own wife.
the beautiful Lady Agatha, TO wed another,
had met a deserved fate.
A cry from the tap-boy. Tegtmeyer, di-
rected attention to the window where he
stood.
See" he cried, "der teufel."
The soldiers sprang to his side as he
spoke.
There, crossing the beam toward the
stable, the same burden in his arms he had
borne when he entered the inn. was the
strange visitor. He swayed to and fro on
his dizzy perch, as though each fierce gust
of wind would sweep him to the icy court
below.
at is he" cried the CAPTAIN. He must
not escape. Fire."
With studied promptness the guns of the
four soldiers covered the swaying figure.
A deafening crash followed. When the
smoke had cleared away the window frame
was seen a ruined mass of splintered glass
and wood.
They fastened to the yard. but sought in
vain for the corpse of the assassin. Only
a trail of blood to the stables; the steed
gone, the tracks leading to the mountain
gorges evidenced that the stranger, though
doubtless wounded, had disappeared.
He was no mamie was the devil, NUT
tered the awe stricken landlord.
The Captain turned upon him fiercely.
"Fool!" he cried. He was no demon,
except human one. He entered the
castle, stole the jewels ready for the
Counts approaching marriage, murdered
our master, and then taking the young son
and heir of the Count from the cradle, es-
capped.
at is retribution for the Counts murder
of his wife," boldly spoke up one of the
burghers-
"Silence!" commanded the Captain. ct
is treason to speak thus. 1t was an assas-
sins deed TO rob and murder without warn
ing; but he cannot escape, for he is known"
"He is known
"Aye, as the brother of the dead Lady
Agatha, who month since sent n message
to the Count from Tunis, warming him that
he would avenge his sisters death"
"But how do Won know il is he?" asked