Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-03-06
Continued.

what now! ue odiu oIouN, 90 IL
tore open the envelope and his eyes
were fixed on the few words in blue
pencil. They were as follows:
"Your order received too late. F.
bank stopped payment. Deficit large
Letter follows.
"Kreisler."
The trembling hand dropped the
paper. the Pickering flame lighted up
a distorted face Leo took up the
glass Of water and drank it off to the
last drop in long, eager draughtS, lor
his tongue seemed to cleave to the
roof of his mouth AS he set it down
again, he knocked over the candle,
which went ont, and ne glass went
crashing on the floor. Then the bed
stead creaked, and dull groan
echoed through the little room. 1t
penetrated to the room below. Lola,
who slept beside the Frau Forsterin' S
bed lifted up her head and emitted a
low howl, followed by a prolonged
growl
The woman's head rose from the
pillow. will you be quiet?' ScOlded
the mistress under her breath. Then
she. too, heard the groans, and she
started up in bed
Husband, go see what is the mat
ter upstairs"
q heard the noise; l will go up, !"
was the reply.
A minute later the Forster was
stumbling up the stairs with a big
stick, and knocked at the chamber
door.
herr Jussnitz, what's the NATTER
No answer.
Wend tried to turn the handle, but
the door was locked
This isn't a robbers cave" he
grumbled Herr Jussnftz." be
shouted louder.
Steps approached the door, and a
voice SO hoarse and strange that he
felt as if he had never heard it he
fore said from within:
ut is nothing, Wend; I was only
having bad dream"
Open the window advised the
forester; the air is too close in that
little room. Dorchen made up too hot
a fire. Goodnight
Then he went downstairs again
You are always fancying things,
he grumbled; "it was nothing but a
nightmare. Probably the funeral
feast was rather heavy"
And you scold me for that do you
you cross old bear?' she said, mock
ingly; adding gravely: you remem
Der his accident when he was here
before? Well, he looked just the
same tonight"
You ought to be prophecies, or
a fortune-teller," he said with a
yawn. You are too clever by haf
Dora" And thereupon he pulled ur
the coveret over his head and began
to snore
But his young wife could not sleep
1t seemed to her as though something
mysterious were going on upstairs
her heart beat violently, and she lay
and stared up at the ceiling as if she
could pierce it with her eyes, and she
listened to the sounds overhead: now
chair was being pulled out; it must
tween the windows; she could hear
it distinctly.
Lola had crept out of her basket
and was SHINING up at her mistress
The young wife fe., that the dog was
listening too, for a nervous shuddel
passed over her body now and then
and she occasionally uttered a low
growl
Lola. what is going on up there
she whispered. and she began to fee
frightened, she did not herself know
why. Had the nightmare chung tt
her husbands clothes, and had he
brought it down with him? He
limbs seemd weighted with lead and
she was overpowered by a horrib,,
dread.
The cuckCo-clock in the sitting
room struck two. She thought o
the day when the man upstairs ha,
met with his "acCident;" she and he
husband had both had very Shrew
suspicion what sort of an accident !
was. The night before, he had creD
about IN the room upstairs in precise
iy the same way and she had lail
awake then just as she was dom:
now with strong presentiment tina
something dreadful was going t.
happen: and she had not been mis-
taken
Lola kept on growing at short in
tervals. Now the man upsta;r
would walk up and down. and now Il,
would stand still; she thought sh
could hear deep sigh. Sn
tried to clasp her hands !
prayer, but she could not. At he
head, in the old beauo,ead in whic
the foresters mother used to slee1
she could hear a ticking. loud an
hurried. like a watch.
Such nonsense" she said scol,
ing herself. 1T is a wood-moth; br
1t must have gone crazy tonight, fc
l do not hear it usually. 1t is tn
death-watch," she thought, with
shudder.
Then the cuckoo sang out again j
the next room-haf-past two. If tt
time would only go faster; if NOR
ing would only come
My God" she shrieked, suddenl
God have mercy upon u.s."
Upstairs a shot had been fired.
They both sprang out of bed a,
hurriedly threw on some clothe
Dora was first to reach the stairs al
the locked door She shook t
handle in terror and the dog scratc
ed at the threshold and whined T
forester came up with the axe a
broke the thin boards in two.