The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-11-13
THE SIX DUMB-BELLS
OF CASTLE SCHRECKENSTROHM.
By DAVID sKAA7s FOSTER.
Huthor OF "Crisis in 0ldendorf. ~
toy:el. by til, Haheler syndicat,.

the SchreckenStrOlIm is exactly as it
was before. When the gate is open. the
bed Of the torrent below i, becomes sub
s;antialiy empty. The current runs at
the rate of about eight miles an hour.
therefore il will he a quarter of an hour
alter the operation, before the bridge
is exposed. and ii is exposed Tor exactly
two minutes. press the button Al
Auser dem Wade. come leisurely down
To the river. find the bridge high and
dry. and have plenty of time 10 cross
II before ii is engulied again. That is
all there is of il and | hope you under
stand it,"
Herr Graf" said |. your explana
tion is SO concise and lucid that no one.
unless he We're an idiot could fail 10
understand it thoroughly. Suppose,
however. thar you We're upon this island
and the electric current failed to work,
What them
"PotZ teufel' Donnerwetter. Look
at the Veriluchten hund." rnared the
graf, half rising from his chair
What Is the natter" | exclaimed
in Consideration.
THAT fat OK. that camel. that spitz-
bub of coachman has gone to sleep on
the box. | ordered him 10 drive back
at once. and fetch the preacher. and as
soon as my back was turned he went To
sleep; and it's the third time to-day.
Gott in himmel! but I'll waken him.
] leaned forward and looked out Of
the window, and saw that ii was as h"
had said. There stood the coach,
drawn up in the identical spot where
the party had left 1t: and the fat drv
er was really sound asleep upon the
box, with his chin sunk upon his breast
and a short meerchaum pipe between
his teenth. AT that moment the sharp
nf n niSfpl Sn,tnlo1
feet of my ear; beheld the coacbman's
pipe shot out of his mouth and shat
tered into a dozen pieces, and turning
to the old Graf, | saw him in the act
of returning II still smoking revolver
about a foot long, into his hip pocket.
As to the somnolent driver. he immc-
diately Strengthened himself up, grasp
ed the reins, and drove off through the
forest.
That was quite remarkable shot"
said !. and spoke truly, for the meer-
chaum was small object to hit, at a
distance of fully 100 feet.
1T Ia nothing" said the old noble
man. with ferocious and sinister look
in his yellOwish gray eyes. THE next
time i will hit something besides the
pipe And now in regard to this little
matter about which you wrote me. you
have asked for my eldest daughter.
Countess Brunhilda. You have also cX-
pressed a wish that her five sisters
should form part of your household.
Herr Consul Jenkins has satisfied III"
as to your social and financial standing
therefore say to you, Herr jenkins,
what | have already said in my letter
of even date: take her. take them. and
be happy, and II you can't be happy b.
as happy as you can"
Herr Graf!" ! answered, deeply
moved. my honored future father-irl-
law! | know not how tu express my
thanks
Then do not try To express them"
said he. brusauely. In the first place.
| hate any kind OF a demonstration.
and. in the second place. there is. as
YOU should know. nothing to thank me
for. You understand thoroughly their
peculiar and unbeuraIle inlirnity. You
have been with them here for sev
eral days. and you marry them. ]
should say her. with your eyes open.'
Herr tiraf!" ! exclaimed. Il am
deeply shocked AT your remarks in re-
gard tu your lovely and unfortunate
children. and | must protest against
them. l would be- no man. did ] not do
50. Their lack of speech which you
call an unbearable intirmity. is Il mis-
fortune which should render them trrb-
ly dear to n father OF q lover
Lack Of speech" he 1ueried. with
II puzzled air. What mean you" Have
Il care. nv young friend. for like not
these idle iests. Superabundance of
speech is what atflicts them. as you
will find But YOU are young and
brave and may endure. They had il!
from their mother. and since her death
they have come near to talking me
into my grave. 1t has only been by
papin1isn1Iv shllt inc fhnnl in hpip
castle that ] have had breathing spells