The Wichita daily eagle., 1893-12-15


Whod-oo-oo! Whi-i-ish!
At the end of the harbor is the little
town of Luktrop. A few hundred
honses, four or five steep streets, which
look like ravines, paved with pebble
stones and roughened by the scoriac
elected by the neighboring volcano,
Vanglor. During the day it emits sui
phurous vapors; at night. ever and
anon, huge tongues of flame. Like a
lighthouse, the Vanglor shows the
harbor of Luktrop to the coasters
whose keels cut the waves of the Me
galocride.
On the other side Of the town are
some ruins Of the Grim marian period.
Then comes a suburb which recalls
Arabian villages, with white walls.
round roofs and sun-scorched terraces,
a heap of stones flung there haphazard,
like a pile of dice whose angles were
worn off by the steps of time
Among other buildings is the Six
Quatre, a name given to al odd-looking
structure, with six windows on one
side and four on the other.
A steeple dominates the town-the
square belfry of St Philfilene, with a
chime of bells which are sometimes
stirred by the tempest. 1t is considered
bad omen, and always inspires terror
throughout the country
Such is Luktrop. Then outside are
scattered houses, standing amid the
broom and furze, as in Brittany. But
it isn't in Brittany. Is it in France? l
don't know. In Europe? / don't know
that either At any rate. don't look for
Luktrop on the map-not even in
Steiler's atlas.
Tap! A timid knock was heard on the
narrow door of the Six-Quatre at the
left angle of the Rue Messaglie 1t
was one of the most comforta BILE
houses, if the word can be applied to
Luktrop.
The knock was answered by savage
barking, intermingled with bowling.
like the barking of a wolf Then q
window above the door opened. Deuce
take these troublesome people," said an
angry voice.
A young girl. wrapped in a shabby
Siosa, WIZ StotV StlittflDR III tllc ram,
asked if DIR. Trifulgas was at home
He is or Understanding to circun-
stances.
I've come 70 ask him to so to my dy-
ing father"
Where is he dying?"
'On the coast of Val Harmon, four
miles from here"
What is his name?"
Wort Kartif.
Wort Kartif?"
"Yes: and if DR.. Trifulgas-''
DIR. Trifulgas isn't in"
And the window closed abruptly,
while the roar of the wind and the
rush of the rain blended in a deafen-
ing noise.
This DR.. Trifulgss was hard man
His old dog Hurzof. cross between a
bulldog and a spaniel. would have
had more pity. His house, Six-ouatre,
inhospitable to the poor. opened only
to the rich. Besides. he had a regular
scale OF charges nfor his services-so
much for typhoid fever. 50 much for a
congestion. SO much for pericarditis
vent by the dozen. Now. Wort Kartit
was a poor man, q member of an in-
significant family. Why should DR.
Trifuigas disturb himself, and on such
night?
Just getting me up was worth ten
fretzers," he muttered, as he went back
to his bed
Scarcely twenty minutes had passed
when the iron knocker again struck on
the door of the Six-ouatre-
The doctor, in a rage, again leaned
out of the window.
Who's there?'' he shouted
Il am Wort Kartifs wife"
The mar at Val karinonp'
'Ies, and i: You don't come he will
die"
Well. you'll be widow"
Here are twenty freszers"
Twenty freizcrs to go 10 Val Kar-