Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1898-04-06
SECRET WITNESS.


Menken nodded.
About four years ago was travel
ing in Switzerland. In the course of
my ramblcs l reached Tauserwald. 1
was much taken with the place; the
scenery was superb, the hotel old-fash-
loned but delightfully."- comfortable.
There were several people staying
there besides myself. but AZ l am gre
garious sort OF fellow, l was rather
glad of It. After l had been there about
a fortnight, on entering the dining
room for dinner, l noticed some new
arrivals. Among them was party of
three English-an old gentleman, his
young wife. and q daughter of the old
genueman's by former marriage.
The daughter, poor girl, was blind.
She was about 20, and looked delicate.
Icannot say she was pretty, and yet she
was not unpleasing. The old boy, her
father was just Ike other English gen.
tlemen you see about.
The wife was decidedly pretty; she
was about %.
4 was not long in finding out three
facts. First, that the old gentleman
was madly fond of his wife and indif-
fereut to his daughter; secondly, that
the daughter adored her father and did
not like his wife; thirdly, that the wife
hated them both.
"Oue morning, after the party hao
been IN the hotel about 4 week, the old
gentleman did not appear as usual at
breakfast, and in reply to inquiries his
wife said that he was not feeling well.
In the course of the day the doctor-an
EngIlghman. by the way-was sent for,
and in the evening the landlord, who
was as angry with the old man as If he
had got his illness on purpose, told me
the old gentleman had been pronounced
by the doctor to be i'll Of gastric fever,
and that the case was serious. The
landlords anxiety was not without rea-
son. The fact could not be concealed
= and the visitors began to leave in haste.
4 Only few besides me remained. l am
not in the least nervous about Illness,
and I had no intention of leaving the
place for such a cause, a resolve which
raised me greatly in the landlords es-
TEEN.
zone morning, about ten days after
the old gentleman's seizure, / met the
doctor coming down stairs. He looked
much less anxious than for some days
past; indeed, there was an expression
almost OF satisfaction on his face
How is your patientY asked.
" The crisis is past, or almost past,
ne answered, cheerfulIy. He owes his
life. II he pulls through, to the nursing
of his daughter. who is trump! He is
now asleep, and upon that sleep every
thing depends. If he awakens in three
or four hours of his own accord, he Will
be safe, in all human probability. Ev-
erything depends on his sleep. 1 have
told the landlord to be most careful.
There must be no noise of any sort. If
he We're wakened suddenly, the shock
would Kill him as certainly as If you
fired q bullet through his brain. l have
Just told his wife of this. All that is
wanted ls-sleep.'
The doctor nodded to me as he went
down the steps from the hotel, smiling
as if anticipating a triumph for his art.
Monsieur said voice at my ell
bow. I turned and saw my friend the
landlord Monsieur knows said he,
smiling sOurly, that Austrian count
who was going 10 be so brave? Who
had no fears for sickness? Well, that
SO brave man, he also is now frighten-
ed-he was gone, monsieur! He went
early this morning, making excuses,
but he could not deceive me! He was
frightened. He tried to joke; he said
he could not sleep; that he had heard
all night the ticking in the wall, which
he said. means death
That is an English superstition,
too, I said.
bah" said the inn-keeper, with
concentrated scorn; these are not time:
for such foolish superstidons. Mon
sleur has no such foolish fanciesT
Il laughed. All, monsieur is brave
Look. The Austrian's room is that
very room monsieur wished to hay'
when he first came. 1t looks out upoI
the glacier, and is. perhaps, my best
room Monsieur thought he would pre-
fer one less expensive on the fiool
above. Monsieur remembers? Well
courage deserves to be rewarded. Mon
siur shall have the room for the sam,
price as the one he has now
u thanked my friend, the landlord
It was certainly room 1 had coveted
The view was superb. 1t was neare
the dining and smoking room-in ever!
yyav a great Improvement on the one
was occupying.
Can l have It at onCeT l asked
".Oh, most certainly. OF course
monsieur knows the landlord went oil
slowly, that it is tha room next to th
sick-rOom where that old man Is lyihi
IL
"I laughed. and 1 think the expires
sion of my face reassured the LANDLORD
as to my being completely indifferen
TO such matters. for he went on:
Monsieur is a man! The room Il
ready. and NJ your disposal
He was going away, but came bacl
luickIy. only monsieur will pardol
me for reminding him that the docto
has ordered that no noise shall be mad
near the sick room. He says the OLE
mans life depends on his sleepin;
quietly. 1t would be better, perhaps
not TO move monsieur's luggage dow
till the evening.
"Of course | asSented; but feeling de
sirouS of seeing my new and much Gov
ctcd possession. and feeling sure of m.
ability TO enter it without making an.
noise. l went upstairs, quietly stol
Iown the corridor, and entered tn
room without possibility of my hay
ing been heard. 1t was large, bright
cheerful apartment, in the older par
of t>e hotel. 1t was wainscoted, wit
oak panels The window was large
and. as | have mentioned before, CON
manded one OF the most exquisite view
to be found in Switzerland.
II looked around the room with