The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1907-07-25
CHAPTER x.


The castle of the Prince of Doppel-
kim rested in the very heart of the
celebrated vineyards. Like all Ger
man castles l ever saw or heard of, it
was a relic of the Middle Ages, with
many a crumbling, useless tower and
battlement 1t stood on the south side
of a rugged hill which was gashed by
a narrow but turbulent stream, in
which iurked the rainbow trout that
lured the lazy man from his labors
afield (And who among US shall cast
a stone at the lazy man? Not ID If
you are fortunate enough to run about
Europe next year, as like as not you
will be mailing home the "Doppell<inn"
postcard.
More than once / have wandered
about the castles interior, cavernous
and musty, strolled through it's gal
leries of ancient armor, searched its
dungeon-keep, or loitered to solil-
oquize in the gloomy judgment cham
ber. How time wars upon custom! In
olden times they created pain; now
they strive to subdue it.
the Doppelldnns, only it would be alb
surd and unnecessary, since it would
be inappreciable under the name of
Doppelkinn, which happens to be, as
doubtless you have already surmised,
a name of mine own invention. l
could likewise tell you how the ancient
dukes of BaTscheit fought off the in
- &c
a far interest, and Barscheit is sim
ply characteristic, not name. Some
day may again seek diplomatic mis-,
sion and what government would have
for its representative a teller of tales
out of schoolf
1t was, then, to continue the fortunes
and misfOrtunes of Max Scharfenstein,
close to midnight when the cavalcade
crossed the old moat bridge, which
hadn't moved on its hinges within
hundred yearR They were not enter
ing by the formal way, which was a
Aower-bedded, terraced road. 1t was
the rear entrance. The iron doors
swung outward with a plaintive moan
ing, like that of man reused out OF
his sleep, and Max found himself in
an ancient guard-room, now used as a
kind Of secondary stable. The men
dismounted.
This way, Herr Ellis" said the
colonel, with mocking bow. He
pointed toward a broad ston0 stair
case.
"All / ask" said Max, is fair
chance to explain my presence here
"All in due time, Forwards The
prince is waiting and his temper may
not be as smooth as usual
With two troopers in front Of him
and two behind, Max climbed the steps
readily enough They wouldn't dare
kill him, whatever they did. He tried
to imagine himself the hero OF some
Scott or Dumas tale, with a grim car
dinal somewhere above, and oubliettes
and torture chambers besettng his
path But the absurdity of his imag-
nation so thoroughly Amerieanized,
evoked a ringing laughter The troop
ers eyed him curiously. He might
laugh later, but it was scarcely prob
able A tramp through dark corridor
and they came to the west wing of the
castle. 1t was here that the old prince
lived, comfortably and luXuriously
enough, you may take my word for it.
A door opened, flooding the corridor
with light. Max felt himself gently
pushed over the threshold, He stood
in the great liyingroom of the modern
Doppelkinns. The first person he saw
was the princess. She sat on an orien-
tai diyan. Her hands We're folded; she
sat very erect her chin was tilted
ominously; there was so little express
sion on her pale face that she might
have been an ineompleted statue, But