Evening star., 1896-11-07


Bring Herr Jenkins and wife with me.
Wedding in castle chapel at 2 o'clock.
SchreCkenStrOhm.
My cup of happiness should now have
been full, but, for some reason or other,
was not as well pleased with the Graf's
answer as should have been. In the first
place 1t was too laconic, not to say brusque,
and 1 did not like the idea of his bringing
Mr.. and Mrs. Jenkins. The presence of
Frau Jenkins would dispel the chief charm
of that silent place, and the thought of ii
Jared upon my feelings. Then, again, why
should the ceremony take place at o'clock
Upon that very day? A week, or even
month hence, would be soon enough. There
was something in this rash, indecent haste
which startled me. and made me uneasy.
AS, however, Brunhilda and her sisters
seemed delighted with the arrangements, l
could not let them see the effect which they
had upon me, and 1 therefore made as
though nothing would have suited me bet
ter.
My sweet and amiable betrothel now
clasped my hand and we descended to the
grounds and wandered here and there
through the shady paths of the flower
perfumed grove, followed by my future
sisters. And than they made us sit upon
messy bank, and they brought flowers
and plated them into garlands, and
crowned us with them, after the custom
of the German maidens in the matter of
betrothals. l was afraid that Jenkins and
his wife might arrive in the midst of 1t,
and felt quite foolish at being thus orna-
mented, but they took such innocent pleas
ure IN the amusement that l was con-
strained to humor them.
Part vi.
Shortly before II o'clock, by advice of
Brunhilda, took my stand with the six
countesses on the porch Of the castle, fac
ing the open place in the stone wall, and a
few minutes later 1 heard, above the rush
of the torrent, the grating of wheels, and
presently saw numbering old-fashioned
coach. with emblaZoned panels, drawn by
pair of heavy, bay horses, and driven by
a very fat coachman, come down out of
the forest and draw up opposite us on the
further side of the river.
Out of the carriage now stepped briskly
a tall. strongly built old gentleman. with
high top boots and a fiercely waxed mus
tache. looking otherwise for all the world
like Prince Bismarck. He turned and
helped out lady, Frau Jenkins. Then
Jack jenkins got out, and the three waved
their hands to us. as 1t was useless to try
and make themselves heard above the roar
ing of the rapids.
How will they get across?' said 1 to
Brunhilda.
She pressed my hand, which she still
held In hers. as though asking me to wait,
and then she pointed toward the river /
looked in the direction she indicated, and
at frst saw nothing out Of the ordinary;
black, volum1nous, whirling mass Of
rocks of the island; that was ALL but in a
Few second remarkable change appeared
IN 1t. 1t fell away, diminished and sank
as watched 1t, just as though it were
being swallowed up by an earthquake or,
rather, as if it's source had suddenly been
dried up. Its surface went down actually
D feet, before my very eyes, and in do
ing SO 1t exposed and left high and dry a
stone bridge or viaduct some 10 feet in
width, reaching from the gateway Of the
wall directly across the now comparatiyely
peaceful stream to the point where the
party OF three were standing. 1 did not
wonder at 1t. nor did 1 permit myself to
be in any way surprised This was the
bridge which Ysolde had spoken Of I re-
membered the simple mechanism of the
car, and 1 had no doubt that this apparent
phenomenon would be explained as easily
and as satisfactorily. /, however, made up
my mind that it should be the first thing
about which would ask the old graf
Upon this still dripping causeway, which
put minute before had been hidden by
four or five feet of madly rushing torrent
the party now advanced to meet us.
The Count Won Schreckenstrohm was first
to arrive. Without waiting for an intro
ducton. he seized me by the hand with
grip of iron. and almost Wrung my arm off
at the shoulder. l had always fiattered nv
self that L was rather strong, but com
pared with me he had the strength of a
steam engine. l had only time to give
Jack and his wife few hurried words of
greeting before they were taken posse ssion
OF by the six young women and dragged
away to some remote part OF the castle l
was now left alone with the imposing sire
OF my fiancee. Without delay he led me
UP the porch and into the chamber which
L have described as being devoted to tro-
phies of the hunt. There we sat down to-
gether by the open window. where we could
look out upon the gateway, the forest op-
Poslte and the bridge; or rather the place
where the bridge had been; for when /
no" looked for it'it had disappeared. The
hood OF the Schreckenstrohm had risen
even while we were entering the castle and
it had vanished as completely as though it
had never existed. Fiercely twirling his
twelve inches of white mustache, the father
OF Brunhilda now addressed me as follows:
My young friend! first of ALL I will set
your mind at rest upon a matter. about
which you are dying to ask me, namely.
the sinking or drying up of the Schrecken-
strohm, a phenomenon which you have Just
witnessed. 1 always make it a point to ex-
plain this occurrence at the beginning. as
nate to be interrupted, and l know that
sooner or later you will ask about it,
Herr Graft said 1. You are a mind
reader; but pray proceed
He scowled at me with his bushy white
continued:
The affair is very simple one. It is
only question of diverting the river from
It's course, and then again confinine IT to
Its proper channel. Many years ago. I hit
upon this plan for doing away with a Wis
lole bridge. thus making the castle ap-
proachable, or isolating it and making #
unassailable at my pleasure. About two
miles above here. in the forest, upon INV
own domain. | discovered a large natural
depression or basin, the rim of which was
but few feet from the banks of the
Schreckenstrohm. Into these banks. I had
bullt large gate. so that 1 could at will
divert the river into this basin. The power
Tor opening the gate is hydraulic and is
furnished by the Schreckenstrohm itself
and this power is set In motion by an elec.
tric current from my villa, Auser dem
Waldo, and also from this castle. Almost
the whole volume of the river flows through
the canal into the basin. In about two min
utes the electric fluid is turned off the gate