The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1891-05-07
..Albert-who?" linvoluntarily ques-

regarding ne with stern dignity.
Prince Albert. 81, Albert of England,
Scotland and Wales!'
| stared at him. agEast. Was the
man mad, on dreaming?
10 your knees, sir.'' he said. with
| n sharp, sudden inperiouSness. Have
! you no reverence for royalty?"
| obeved his quick sign. almost be-
fore | knew what | was doing. He
smiled complaccntly. at the same time
! drawing gaudy tinsel star from his
pocket, and gravely allixing it to the
/ left breast of his coat.
Yes, my friend" he went on. i'm
prcssively, YOU are now in the pres
cnce of The Prince Consort of Great
Britain! Men have amused themselves
| bv disseminating the idle tale that |
! was dead; that's all they know about
! it, | am not dead; and. what is more.
with the gift OF everlasting existence.
| As long as | wear this jewelcd star.
| death can never come near me!n
felt the cold perspiralion oozing
| from every pore III my body; | could
almost feel myself grow pae as | be-
came fully convinced that | was out
upon the solitary lake alone with Il
| madman! | had heard. when first /
came to this mountain retreat. that
there was Il large asylum somewhere
| in the vicinity, but | had never given
the affair second thought. Now |
was reaping the consequences of my
own folly and reckleSsuesS.
His dark, piercing eyes roved rest
lessly from object to object. Suddenly
they rested on my appalled, counten-
| ance.
You don't believe what l am say
ing?n
The remembrance. of what | had
often read and heard about the expedi-
ency-nay. the positive necessity -
| that existed for indulging monomaniacs
! to the top of their bent. in whatever
whim might possess their minds, oc
! CURED TO me- and | FASTENED to reply,
"Of course believe it! Why shouldn't
| I?n
"Ah. why shouldn't you, indeed9
| But people are SO skeptical nowadays.
| Now, when Victor Emmanuel was
| staying ut my house and Pope Plus
came down by way of the Mediter-
ranean-take care! where are you 60
ing?n
l had thought to take advantage of
| the new path into which his troubled
mind had wandered to divert our
| course Il little more shoreward; but his
| cunning, rowing eye was upon me in an
| Instant.
lit is getting very hot here" /
| stammered. Il thought. perhaps, we
should find it cooler on shore"
"a [, 1, I,f L., L. l.
so close to mine as to glare up into my
eyes, under the very shadow Of my
wide-brimmed hat; you're a traitor
and Il hypocrite. like all the rest of
'em! But I'm prepared for you. See?'
And with Il burst of laughter. so
dissonaut that the very tide seemed to
tremble and culver, he flashed a long,
| sharp knife in the air. describing a
! circle of cleaning light round his
head. My blood seemed turned to ice
in my veins as it dazzed across my
vision.
Put up the knife. Your Royal High
ness, | said. counterfelting an otf-hand
ease that | by no means felt. Where's
the use of it between friends? Let's
talk about the Queen"
| was the more anxious to secure his
attention as | saw moving figures on
the shore, scarcely half mile away
from us. the liutter of Il white handker-
chief and then II total disappearance
OF the figures Help was at hand felt
quite sure. if | could only maneuver so
as to reach it.
mo not about the Queen" said the
Door maniac; THAT grievcs and atflicts
me- He closed his knife rs he spoke.
but, do YOU know he continued, II
am hauntcd?"
"Haunted?" | said.
'Yes-haunted by horrible, ugly old
woman-a witch, or negresS. Il female
tiend Now do YOU know" he said.
moving close up to me, and speaking
in a low, mysterious voice, 'she won't
let me alone?n
Mop"
She won't. Sometimes she climbs
up among the stars at night and sits
there winking through my bedroom
window all night long. Sometimes
she comes jumping down from the
clouds among the raindrops. and some
times. There she is now. with
three pair of fins and face like a
fish 81
llc ullCic' uII tiNll SCicSCH, do iC
looked down into the clear, shining
deeps.
Lets escape from her." l exclaimed.
vigorously seizing my oars. ''She can't
follow us on dry land that's certain.
Pull away
No. she can't. We might hide
among the woods, only. if she should
turn into a squirrel and jump up and
down among the trees-she does some
times"
We'll. then. we'll borrow gun and
dispose of her." I said, still pulling
desperately toward the shore. while the
perspiration, cold and clammy rs mid
night dews. steamed down my temples.
What are You in such a devil of Il
hurry for?n demanded my companion,
rather morosely. Hold on a little
can't you?n
/ checked my exertion. Evidently he
was in no humor to be tvitied with.
No hurry ut all, said. rs calmly
| as possible; ''only. you see- the old
witch is following You up pretty close
| ly, and"
I'VE are too near the Shore" he in
terrupted, abruptly.
We were within n few rods of the
clustering bushes that l knew contain
| ed help. Oh, heaven, could | but reach
| their friendly shelter. How like 4
mass of lead my heart sank in my
bosom as saw him catch up the oars
and strike out once more in contrary
direction.
But as he turned his head away l
caught up the steathed knife and flung
it hurting upon the shore.
What's that?n he demanded, turn
ing quickly round.
Its your witch" l said. as uneon-
cernedly rs could. Don't yoa think
we ought to 20 ashore and see what
has become of her?H
His eyes roTed restlessly along the
green bank.
Il don't know; what do you illink?"
/ ''Why, she is yonr enemy. No doubt
| xuas Sbn yhp Spraah fhn rppnrf of