Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-09-09
"A City Tragedy:

tl Boot iEiout, Wuht bnhii uut
done mitthis?"inquired Stomp pnthet-
ically as / entered his room one day.
''Here is man who hat to see me
come, und he cannot speak der words
nor hear, and he hat hurt der hand so
dot he to write Is not able"
Stomp was evidently in state Of
some excitement, for his nervous energy
was always in direct ratio to his in
ability to speak the Queens English.
whats wrongf" l asked.
''More monkey bricks. "said Stomp.
"Pahl with der human race dis
gusted am. / come home and my din
ner expect und find dot, und he hat
give me disl'--saying which he flung
dirty scrap of paper across to me.
1 unfolded il, and saw an cratic
scrawl, evidently written with blunt
pencil, and so much smudged and
smeared as to be illegible in parts. ]
managed to decipher painfully a few
words.
"Kommen sic gleich. Folgen--.
Sic haben mich gefangen. Bringen
sic elm anderer m---.---pres
sirt. A. de b."
explain this drivel," said I, toss
ing the paper back.
"Ach, drifel you shall gall IL, my so
goot friendl Dot is der language of
der gods"
POSSIBLY, II answered. 'Tt's Greek
to me, anyway"
+. 'The paper hat say" said Stomp
solemnly: "'Come at once. Follow
(brobably der bearer). They hai
caught me. Bring another man with
you. Urgent Und it is signed "A.
de B. Dot is De Brenne, who hat
been gone from England six months.
I do not understand, but ] hat think
that rows there will be. This bagau
is der servant Of my frient. He was
born NIT dree senses only. You will
come with me? Und on der way I will
tell you der story Of De Brenne."
eyes; OF course ri come" said !.
tim spelling for row.
'.Dere shall be der very big rows"
said Stomp.
All this time the deaf.and-dumb
messenger sat motionless as a carved
statue. watching our faces as we talked.
I think that, In common with others
afflicted as he was, he had the power
Of understanding our speech by the
movement of our lips. At any rate,
his face frightened when he saw
Stomp making preparations to start,
and sprang from his chair With low
gutteral sound unlike anything ever
heard before. 1t gave me quite a
shock, and, turning rapidly to the
man, I saw that the hair on the back
OF his head was darkened and matted
together. Stomp's eyes followed
mine. .
q ''Ya, / hat noticed" he said. 'Dere
will de der frst.glass rows. Hat you
revolver"
shook my head.
Stomp unlocked a case on the man.
telpiece and handed me one, long
barrelIed 32 Smith q wesson; the
fellow to II he slipped in his pocket
They're not loaded" said !, sn zap.
ping the breech, TO.
Stomp grinned. II have der shells
in my booklet. But der moral force is
der safest; you might shoot me In der
leg or der pinaiore."
'sYou do make-a fair target, I re-
torted, little nettled, for I think
something ofmyself as revolver shot,
and Stomp's waist measurement Is a
record.
He looked at the uncanuy mes
senger, who, with another OF his gut
tural sounds, nodded, and made swift
ly for the door.
When we got outside Stomp hailed
a four-wheeler. and glanced inquir-
ingly ct our guide. "Piccadilly?" he
asked. The man grunted. and Stomp
repeated the word to the driver.
snow, said hs,as the cab numbered
along, 81 shall tell you der story.
This De Brenne Of whom spoke, der
writer Of der note, is . great friend Of
mine. ] hat known him many years.
he is very rich man; his uncle haf
left him all the money. there is also
cousin of De Brepne dot is named
Silvestre; he hat n Bostuguest blood
in der $eins, ind IL also der nephew
Of der rich uncle.
''Silvestre he Aaf hated my frient
pecanse he haf der msney, md BIO haf
once, dwice, und again sworn dot he
with him will be level. Once ders was
shooting accident den dere was
are Oh! der cousin is very clever
man, ! tell you'll At der last he was
% entsrprising that De Brenne he
came to me and cay. Stomp, der at
nosphere il mot healthy. l think I
viii travel on der continent for .
fiddle whiles.' Dot vas six months
ago, ind now they haf caught him, und
there shall be rows. Der cousin
isa scoundrsl. So, I hat said"