Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1895-07-20
aThere is this the matter anoth-


lips made one shudder.
mon, my old Lux, keep calm,
that would do no good and would
only bring worse upon US. Let him
ID; he probably wishes to speak with
his colleagues"
Lux did as his master told him,
much against his inclination. 1t
would have given him such huge
amount of pleasure to twist one of
those German necks with his great
sinewy fingers.
The new arrival burst into the
drawing room. The four Prussian
officers uttered cries of surprise.
They rose at once, in body, and
saluted with great respect the stran-
ger who had come to disturb their
peace.
"Be seated and let US talk, said
the new arrival in German, and 10 a
voice of command.
"You will set out at once" he said,
''and take this sealed message to the
Prince of x, at S-!' and be
drew out of the pocket of his long
military cloak, white with snow,
large, white envelope, and handed it
to one ofthe officers.
go all four Of you, and place
yourselves at the disposition of the
Prince. Further orders will be given
TO each of you later. You must get
horses aud carriage and start at once!
1t is understood I? Then hasSenr
Then, turning to the host, he said
In French:
"Please accommodate these gentle
man with a carriage and two fresh
horses. Generals orders !"
Lux, who had remained standing
at the door during this scene, antici-
pated his masters reply.
at is well, monsieur 'officier, you
shall be Accommodated as you desired"
He spoke 10 a peculiar tone of
voice. Only his master, however,
noticed it.
A mad thought had been born in
his brain, something superhuman !,
preposterous. Any one who could
have read it in his mind would have
been shocked, terror strickenl
While farm hand harnessed the
horses to the carriage Lux put sad
die on Barka, an Arab horse, a faith
ful animal which he loved and cared
for himself with his own hands.
He spoke to it as he spoke to a
friend, and the noble creature seemed
to understand. When Lux mounted
| into the saddle he was trembling with
joy.
A mysterious dialogue seemed to
commence between the man and the
horse, which, suddenly sending the
sparks flying from beneath its four
feet vanished into the darkness like a
phantom.
Barka, like some great mythology
cal creature with wings, devoured
space. Her fine, nervous legs hard
ly seemed to touch the earth, and
Lux kept Der gong at her utmost
speed.
At length they stopped. Barka
was white with foam and Lux cover
ell her with his cloak. He did not
feel the cold, for the awful thought
in his mind kept his body warm and
tingling.
at is yonder,' he said to himself
in deep-voiced growl, "it is there
that they are to perish"
At this point the road made a sud-
oen turn, and apparently came to an
abrupt end. As matter of fact, how
ever, it did not terminate, but con-
tinued in steep, terrible slope. On
the right was dark, mysterious
wood, and on the left deep and dir.
zy precipice such as are often seen
by mountain roads.
Children we're afraid to pass it by
The Gulf of Death, as it was called
had its legend. The old folks said
that it was within its gloomy depths
the monsters lived that ravaged the
country at night.
''If my calculations are correct"
said Lux in a low voice, "they will
be here in ten minutes.
He tied Barka to tree stem on
the border Of the wood aud a strange
smile passed over his lips.
An extraordinary scene might then
have been witnessed. Lux knelt
down in this solitary, accursed,
haunted spot in the night time and
turned his face to heaven. 1t looked
like sinner asking for his sins, rsth-
er than one planning an awful deed
for the satisfaction of his rage and
hate.
Not sound was to be heard in the
surrounding country. All seemed
dead or asleep. Only a murmur Of
the wind in the pines.
Lux placed bis ear to the ground
as the Indians do in the wilderness
and hearing faint sound oil hoofs
in the distance, he raised his head
His face was TRANSPORTED.
cat last / shall have my ven,
geance!" he Missed.
Then he crouched down on hi:
| banda and Enonc and uaitod