Los Angeles herald., 1891-11-03


"The doctor nodded to me us he went
down the steps from the hotel, sailing
as If anticipating a triumph for his art.
Monsieur, said voice at my ell
bow turned, and saw my friend the
landlord. Monsieur knows said he.
smiling sourly, that Austrian count who
was going to be so brave? Who had no
fears for sickness? Well, that so brave
man, he also is now frightened-he has
gone, monsieur! He went early this
morning, making excuses, but he could
not deceive mel He was frightened. :
He tried to joke: he said he could not
sleep; that he had heard all night the
ticking in the wall, which, he said.
means death.
"'That is an English superstition, too,
said.
"'Bah' said the innkeeper with con-
centrated scorn; these are not times for
such foolish superstitions. Monsieur
has no such foolish fanciesy
81 laughed. 'Ah, monsieur is bravel
Look. The Austrian's room is that very
room monsieur wished to have when he
first came. 1t looks out upon the gla-
cier, and is perhaps my best room.
Monsieur thought he would prefer one
less expensive on the floor above. Mon
sieur remembers? Well, courage de-
serves to be rewarded. Monsieur shall
have the room for the same price as the
one he has now
81 thanked my friend, the landlord.
1t was certainly room | had coveted.
The view was superb. 1t was nearer the
dining and smoking room-in every way
great improvement on the one was
occupying.
"'Can | have it oncer asked.
"'Oh, certainly! OF course monsieur
knows the landlord went on slowly
and looking little doubtfully at me,
that it is the room next to the sick
room where that old man is lying illP
II laughed, and think the expression
of my face reassured the landlord as to
my being completely Indifferent to such
matters, for he went on:
monsieur is a man! The room is
ready and at your disposal
t'He was going away, but came back
quickly. Only monsieur will pardon
me for reminding him that the doctor
/
near the sickroom. He says the old
mans life depends on his sleeping quiet
ly. 1t would be better, perhaps, not to
! move monsieurs luggage down till the
evening
''Of course l assented; but feeling de-
sirous of seeing my new and much COW
eted possession, and feeling sure Of my
ability to enter it without making any
noise, Invent up stairs, quietly stole
down the corridor, and entered the
room without a possibility of my having
been heard. 1t was large, bright,
cheerful apartment, in the older part of
the hotel. 1t was wainscoted, with
oak panels. The window was large,
and, as.I have mentioned before, com
manded one of the most exquisite views
to be found in Switzerland.
81 looked around the room with a
sense of satisfaction. have told you
am observant of my fellow creatures; I
am not less so of inanimate objects.
have an eye in such matters detective'
might envy. [ soon saw II mark or cut
in the wainscoting on one side of the
room. 1t was so small that believe
the room without noticing it. am an
inquisitive man, and at once went to
it and examined it. 1t was chink in
the wood; stopped and looked through.
The whole of the interior of the sick
room was visible. Three silent figures
were the occupants. On the bed lay the
4 old man sleeping, his gray hairs ON the
pillow; at the side knelt in prayer his
blind daughter; behind the daughter
close behind-was the wife. She alone
seemed living. She was drawing stealth
ily-oh, so stealthily and slowly-a small
round table laden with jugs and medi-
cine bottles across the floor.
SAT first | did not realize what she
was doing. knew she had every motive
to be silent in her movements, but I
caught sight of her facet 1t was the
face of devill Never was eyes SO
hideously expressive of murderous hatel
In flash understood it ALL
''She was moving the table to posi-
ton such that the slightest movement of
the kneeling figure of the blind daugh-
ter, praying for her fathers life, would
hurl it and it's fragile burden to the
| SIOQuu.
81 dare say you think am a callous
sort of fellow, but l assure you was
horror struck. / would have given
worlds to warn the poor child, but knew
not how. To have called out would
have been as fatal as the catastrophe it.
self.
81 felt stupefed- paralyzed. The end
came before my swimming brain could
find any way to help. The poor girl
rose, her hands still clasped. I saw the
table reel, and as 1. sick with horror,
withdrew my eyes / heard the crash,
followed by piercing shriek"-
Menken paused. "Give me the whisky,
old chap. Thanks"
'Did he die" l asked.
"He was as dead as if you had fred a
pistol through his BRAIN" said Menken
quietly.
After pause he went on: 81 slipped
out of the room before the hubbub be-
gan. No one ever knew had been in it.
l had, however, to sleep in it that night,
and though you know | am not super
stitious fellow at all, assure you it was
a very uncomfortable night. I kept
starting out Of my sleep, thinking I
heard the crash and scream nextSdoor.
1t took me nearly week to getover it."
We smoked in silence for somemin-