The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-03-28

---------------------
came TO tell you tnat II you please yol
can have the fraulein's room. You will
like its situation so much. 1t overlook
the whole valley right away to the for
est. You shall have it for the same pric,
as you have been paying
Il was delighted.
"'Can ! take possession at once?
asked.
"This very moment replied the land
lord. The room stands empty. Ah.' ht
added, I forgot. 1t Is next to the SICK
mans chamber. Will that make any diff
ference to your
II laughed and shook my head.
"'VGry good. The room has been
cleaned lately and is quite ready for your
reception
Il thanked him and was ascending the
stairs when he softly called me back.
"'Pardon me, Herr Kotelmann, for.
got again. The doctor has given orders
that on no account must any sound be
heard in the neighborhood Of the sick.
room. He says that the old gentleman
life depends upon his sleep being undis.
turbcd. Perhaps you will be SO very
kind as to defer moving your things until
this evening"
II expressed myself perfectly satisfied
with this arrangement, but as felt Gu
rious to behold my new habitation, espe-
cially the belauded view from its win
dows, l. when the host had left me, stole
with light steps along the corridor, OPEN
ed the door with caution and entered
noiselessly.
'The room had friendly look and was
large. The view was magnificent. After
duly admring this threw an approving
glance over walls and furniture. have
already alluded to the fact that am an
observer Of things as well as Of persons.
possess the true detectives eye.
'This being the case, very speedily re-
marked weak spot in one of the walls.
1t was a tiny slit or hole, such as would
have been discoverable by most persons
the room. A small nail just above it APP
prised me that the late occupant, Frau
lein Won p, must have been accustomed
to hang some garment there.
II approached this hole and peeped
through it into the sick mans chamber.
The room contained three human beings.
'On the bed lay an old man in deep
sleep. Beside the bed knelt his blind
daughter, with clasped hands and bowed
head, her whole attitude expressive of in
tensely earnest prayer Behind the daugh-
ter saw the wife; she alone was NOV
ing. The hired nurse was not present and
had doubtless retired to enjoy a well
earned rest.
"In perfect silence without producing
the slightest sound, she was drawing
along over the smooth surface Of the wax
polished floor small table, whose mar
bic top was laden with quite a dozen
medicine bottles and a number of glass
vessels of various shapes and sizes.
II did not at first comprehend her de-
sign. knew very well that she had re-
ceived the strictest injunctions to make
no sound. But when caught sight of her
face! 1t was the face of fiend! Never
should l have believed it possible that hui
man face could wear stamped upon it
such horrible expression of murderous
hate. In an instant understood.
"She was in the act of sliding the table
into such a position that the least move
ment of the kneeling blind girl, absorbed
In prayer for her beloved father, would
be sufficient to overturn it with its frag-
lie burden.
~ am, as you know, a somewhat cold
booded fellow, but can assure you that
for the moment l was rigid with horror.
l would have given the whole world to
have been able to warn that poor child.
But what could do? A call from me
might be as disastrous In its conse-
quences as the catastrophe itself.
II stood in dumb terror as IL turned to
stone. There was no time for thought.
Before my whirlng brain could suggest
any expedient the deed was done.
1.-THE unhappy girTose from her knees.
With hands still clasped she stood up. 1
saw the table reel and totter, and as, half
swooning, ayerted my eyes heard the
thud Of the table and the awful crash Of
the breaking glass, followed Immediately
by an ear piercing, blood curdlirg
scream"
Here Kotelmann made pause. After
a few moments Of silence he said
"Give me light. my friend"
When he had lighted his cigar, I asked
him.
"Did the old man die?"
"He was as dead as though he had
been shot through the head" he replied.
Presently he continued:
II had left the room before the COM
motion in the house began. 1t was never
known that l was there. 1t was now to
me terrible thought that must spend
the night In TINT chamber. l am not SUI
perstitious, but l must confess that it
was long ere l closed my eyes that night.
"And when did SO! Ten times at
least ! started up from evil dreams, with
the crash and the fearful cry ringing in
my ears. 1t was full week before
could get any rest"
We walked on in silence until I spoke
again.
Have you ever heard what has be-
come Of the woman?
"Oh, yes. She has married again, but
her daughter, poor thing, died about a
year after her father."-Cleveland Plain
noal or