New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-22


THE NAMELEss CASTLE. BY Maurus Jokat
limo, pp. 3& Doubleday Mcclure Company.
THE IMPEDMENT BY Dorothea Gerard Emo.
%. ~. ID. Appleton q co.
The scene OF MT Lees spirited romance is
Antwerp, and the period is that Of Spanish dom
nation. just before the Prince Of Orange wrestec
the country from its alien rulers. No place and
no time offer greater opportunities 10 the nov
elist OF narrowing adventure. and Mr. Lee can
not be accused OF neglecting his chances He
gives us fighting by sea and land, hairbreadtb
scapes Of many varieties. and several blood
curdling incidents Of encounters with the In
QUESTION. The Holy House" is the grim build,
ing in which the Spanish inqulsitors in Antwerp
wreaked their crueities. and there is puse-stir-
ring interest in the herO's account Of his secret
visits there once ne steals within TO rescue
unhappy woman. and again he goes to find and
carry away the fortune in gold and jewels which
has been forced from his family and stored there.
Such adventures in the carefully guarded abod.
OF torture would seem Incredible but are
bound 10 say that the author manages 10 give
them an air OF naturaness. Here is where the
Key Of the title comes into play. The fort
innate discovery OF this key and the possession
OF three OF the long shrouding garments Of the
Familiars enable the hero and his friend, the
husband Of a prisoner, 10 penetrate within those
walls and find the wife in her cell II is al
melOdrama, no doubt but melodrama a. en-
tertaining a. this is not found every day. We
do not offer the reader foretaste Of this por-
ton Of the tale but may quote the authors
account OF a midnight adventure while ne Ia
the guest Of the Prince Of Orange and the occu-
pant Of the Princes abandoned bedchamber.
stepped away from the window, and stood
-. ..lrnnc t.feaf nd hE
sharp click Of a lock or latch, / knew not which
Hating at this unwOnted sound, / listened,
hearing presently the raintest grating as OF q
partly rusted hinge being opened gently. Look
ing around the room swiftly, my eyes fell OF
the hanging tapestry. II moving ever sc
slowly. Ny hand went TO the hilt Of the sword
at my side and ! stood alert, wondering what
was IN store for me. Was il fancy, or reality
The room was said to be haunted Was this
part Of the experience OF others, whereby the
chamber had obtained this undesirable char
actcr? II so. would stand up 10 the adventure.
whatever il was and know whether the dis
turber was flesh and blood like myself So
thinking. drew my sword without sound. and
stood in readiness
All this had been done quickly and even as
the weapon left its scabbard mans head az
peared well in the moonlight, and then his
shoulders followed by his whole body The
intruder was big fellow, who In a struggle
would tax my strength, and In his hand was
drawn dagger.
Leaving the secret entrance open. ne came on
tiptoe across the floor TO the bed Wondering
what this meant. ! watched, hidden from view
by the heavy curtains near which l was stand
ing AS he came nearer drew back nOseessly.
so as to get well into the folds and STOOD
scarcely breathing, lest my presence should be
discovered.
CHANGING in all directions. the man went 10
the bedside and looked In on the very spot
where I had been lying. His dagger was so held
that he could raise IL instantly, TO bring II down
again upon his victim. There he stood little
more than a yard away from me. thrust
from my sword, and IL would go clean through
him but held back and watched. He peered
al over the bed, ard even drew aside the hang
ings that cast heavy shadow over the pillows:
but finding the bed empty he turned round With
a savage oaJh, az Z he feared an attack from
behind
exclaimed IN a low but emphatic tone. He has
slept there this very night Yes, the bed Itself
- warm he added. as he thrust his hand IL
between the sheets Tile must be here some
where" And holding his dagger In a posture
half In defence lest any one should strike at
him, and half IN readiness TO strike out II dan
ger threatened he turned 50 that We stood face
H did not see ne. however, for the moon
light feu full upon him, and he could not ted
what was In the shadows. Possibly the thought
came that his victim was hidden I'm the bed
cU-tains and he struck into them yicousiy.
That vas enough for me The man meant
murder, ana the murder OF our Prince. so thai
he should have but little mercy at my hands
As he drew back his weapon he turned as
though ne would repeat the thrust in The very
spot where ] was standing
you scoundrel" ! cried. in a voice loud
enough 10 be heard in the passage outside
You would-be murderer drop your dagger in
stautly or ! will run you through
The fellow started back at my words. thar
came so Unexpectedly. Then realizing the peru
" discovery he eaped forward. with his arm
1pfted and the cleaning dagger In readiness
Tor a plunge But / was prepared for this and
~ he moved toward me / cut at his arm with
deadly force and swiftness The sword met him
AZ the wrist and the hand and dagger fell upon
he hoor. FOrgetful Of eVeryth in his pain.
he man screamed with agony, but the next
moment the door 0f my sleeping chamber burst
open and the man-at-arms who had been stand