Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-01-12

Germ her very much. She knew that
her father and brother were upon the
best of terms.
Two months after Gottlieb Vando-
fen's death his daughter Gretna was
married to Augustus Briggs, an Ameri-
can professor who had gone to Ger
many to study the language. This
seemingly hasty marriage was but in
accordance with the fathers request,
for he knew that his daughters inter-
ests would be safe in the hands of
that gentleman. AS soon as the bust
ness could be adjusted, the happy pair
sailed for America, expecting Karl
to reappear upon the scene at any
day to take charge of affairs there at
Berlin.
But he did not come, and, unknown
to them, was anXiously awaiting word
from the beloved Fatherland. Finally,
he wrote his sister letter of inquiry
as to her silence, which reached her n
few days after her arrival in America.
Three months more passed, and at the
time of the final struggle with the mys-
terious piano Mrs. Briggs was daily
expecting another missive from her
wandering brother.
The letter failed to come, but the
brother arrived in its stead. Sun
burned, weary and heartily satisfied
to refrain thereafter from his long,
aimless journeys, he appeared at her
door one morning, to be welcomed as
none but a sister can welcome.
Explanations over, he began to
| glance casually about the room, and
Immediately his eyes fell upon the
new piano.
whats this for? he queried.
'Where's fathers piano."
"It's haunted" replied Mrs. Briggs,
with subdued voice.
Haunted? Tut, tut" And without
| further comment he seated himself at
| the familiar old instrument at the op-
| posite side Of the room. Eagerly he
| struck the central note Il, then list
| ened intently. Next the note +, and
| listened again. Lastly the note G.:
| and as the laughter began its weird
| reverberations he turned to his sister
with a smile of triumph.
Haunted, is it?" he cried, exult-
antly. "No, no. Gretna. That's just
what 1 was hoping for. Come sit
down, and I'll tell you all about it."
Leading her to a diyan near by, he
seated himself beside her, and began
to explain carefully the hitherto un-
fathomable mystery.
when | was about to leave on this
last trip, you remember, father called
me to him and we had a long CONVEX
| satlon. That morning he told me for
the first time the exact amount of his
fortune-about $40, 100000 in American
money-and gave me working knowi-
edge of his three establishments. He
had long been thinking of selling his
interest in the factories at Paris and
London, but was not yet ready to close
negotiations. Whenever he did so, that
would necessitate the handling of large
sums OF money, and he was then at
a loss to know just which city
whether London. Paris, or Berlin
to deposit the bulk of his fortune in.
He expressed the fear If such should
be the case he knew that you could
not manage affairs, as you had never
handled money except to spend it. !
read his thoughts and offered to give
up my trip, but he would not consent
to that. Instead, he exacted a promise
from me that when l should return
this time | would remain at home and
devote myself to business.
well. when he had explained every.
thing so thoroughly that l knew Just
what was depending upon me, he tEcz
told me that he was afraid to leave his
fortune all il one bank. and that he
intended to divide It into two sums
The smaller amount he would leave ir
the bank with which our family has
always done business; the other-anC
now comes the great secret Of the
piano.