The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1913-07-04


been lost, If I had not time to give a
cry by which Erik knew me. For 1t
was he; and, instead OF drowning me-
as was certainly his first intention,
he swan with me and laid me gently
on the bank:
How imprudent you are." he said
as he stood before me, dripping with
water. Why try to enter my housey
| never invited you! | don't want you
there, nor anybody! Did you save
my life only to make 1t unbearabie to
me? However great the service you
rendered him, Erik may end by for
getting it; and you know that nothing
can restrain Erik, not even Erik him.
self"
He spoke, but / had now no other
wish than to know what | already
called the trick of the siren. He sat-
isfied my curiosity, for Erik. who is a
real monster have seen him at
work in Persia, alas-is also, in GER
tain respects, a regular child, vain
7n- selfconceited, and there Is moth
ing he loves SO much, after astonish-
ing people, as to prove all the really
miraculous ingenuity of his mind.
He laughed and showed me a IorG
reed.
It's the silliest trick you ever saw
he said, but It's very useful for
breathing and singing in the water.
| learned it from the Tonkin pirates,
who are able to remain hidden for
hours in the beds Of the rivers"
l spoke to him severely.
It's a trick that nearly killed mol"
l said. And it may have been fatal
to others! You know what you prom
ised me, Erik? No more murders!"
Have l really committed muir
ders?" he asked, putting on his most
amiable air
''Wretched mani" | cried. Have
you forgotten the rosy hours OF
Mazenderan?"
Yes" he replied, in a sadder tone,
Il prefer to forget them. l used to
make the little sultana laugh,
thought"
"All that belongs to the past" | de-
clared, but there is the present d.
and you are responsible to me for the
present, because, IL l had wished,
there would have been none at all
for you. Remember that, Erik; 1
saved your life!"
And / took advantage of the turn
of conversation to speak 70 him OF
something that had long been on my
mind:
Erik" l asked. Erik, swear
that -. :"
WHAT" he retorted. You know
never keep my oaths. Oaths are
made to catch gulls with"
Tell me you can tell me-.
at any rate. .
"WeI?"
Well, the chandelier -. the
chandelier, Erik?"
What about the chandelier"
You know what / mean"
oh" he staggered, Il don't nina
telling you about the chandelier!
1t wasn't /! The
chandelier was very old and worn"
When Erik laughed, he was more
terrible than ever He jumped into
the boat, chuckling so horribly that l
could not help trembling.
VERY old and worn. my dear
daroga! Very old and worn, the
chandelier! 1t fell Of itself!
1t came down with smash!
And now, daroga, take my ad
vice and go and dry yourself, or
you'll catch a cold In the head!
And never get into my boat again.
And, whatever you do, don't
try to enter my house; I'm not al
ways there darOga! And I
should be sorry to have to dedicate
my Requiem Mass to you'll"
So saying, swinging to and fro, like
a monkey, and still chuckling, he
pushed off and soon disappeared in
the darkness of the lake.
From that day, l gave up all thought
Of penetrating into his house by the
lake That entrance was obviously
too well guarded, especially since he
had learned that | knew about 1t. But
| felt that there must be another en-
appear in the third cellar, when |
was watching him, though | could not
imagine how.
Ever since l had discovered Erik
installed in the opera, | lived in per-
petual terror of his horrible fancies,
not in so far as | was concerned, but
| dreaded everything for others. And
whenever some accident, some fatal
event happened, always thought to
myself, Il should not be surprised II
that were Erik" even as others used
to say, It's the ghost!" How often
have l not heard people utter that
phrase with smile! Poor devils! Ii
they had known that the ghost exist
ed in the flesh, l swear they would
not have laughed
(TO BE CONTINUED)