Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-23
Drawing by Arthur I. Keller
CHAPTER III. 1 Converse with a Mystery

@DSES@LONG in the afternoon opened my door,
eN7SH hoping that the banging OF hammers and
0MS4SO the buzz of industry would have ceased;
0AD but, alasl the noise was even more deaf
67MI6 ening than before. | still in a state
ASaH&A of nerves the events of the morning.
GgkV1k My headache, think, was due in large
SSASS0 measure to the sickening fear that had
made fool of myself, Notwithstanding
my efforts to make fools of them.
ESpyIng Brltton the gloomy corridor, shouted to
him, and he came at
"Britton" said as he closed the door, edo you think
they will carry their threat to have the law me
MIR. Rocksworth was very angry and put out. He is
power, as you know.
Il think you are quite safe Sir said he. aIve been
waiting outside since two o'clock to tell you something
Sir; but hated to disturb you Shortly before two,
Sir of the porters from the hotel came over to re-
cover gold purse Mrs Riley Werkhemer had dropped
in the excitement, and he informed Mr. Poopendyke
that the whole party leaving at four for Dresden
l asked particular about the young man. Sir, and he
said they had the doctor in to treat his stomach, Sir
Immediately after they got back to the hotel
"His stomach? But distinctly struck him on the
reverse side"
Il know, Sir; but it seems that he swallowed his
cigarette
To my shame joined Britton in a roar of laughter.
ATER on, somewhat refreshed and relieved, | made
Il nv way to the little balcony, first having issued
orders and directions to the still stupefed
Schnicks, chief among which an infexibe command
to keep the gates locked against all Corners The
shining brightly the western hills and the sky
was clear and blue. The hour fve found on
sulting my watch Naturally my first impulse was to
glance up the still loftier balcony in the east wing
1t empty. There nothing in the grim, forn1da
BILE prospect to warrant the impression that anyone
dwelt behind those dsrnantled windows, and expert
enced the vague feeling that perhaps it had been dream
after all.
Far below at the foot of the shaggy cliff the his
toric Donau, and muddy, all rhythmic testi-
monias to the contrary. With something of shudder
| computed the distance from my eery perch to the
rocks at the bottom of the cliff Five hundred feet, at
least An mpregnable wall of nature surmounted by
rank and obsolete obstruction built by the hand of
aEa1f ho Fold To
the cliff would be mpossibty for the most resource
full General in the world All about turres and
mnarets, defeated by the ancient and mplacable foe,
Time Shattered crests of towers hung above me- gray
and forbidding Tiny windows marked the face OF my
still sturdy walls, like many pits left by the pox, and
from these in the good old eudal days hundred marks
men had thrust their thunderos bnderbusses to clear
the river of vaingorous foes. From the scaoped bas
tions crossbowen of darker ages had shot their
random bolts while in the inches of lower walls futile
pikemen waited for the impossible to happen-the seal
ing of the cliff.
Friend and foe alike came the back door of Schloss
Rothhoefen, and there found welcome stubborn OBJ
staces that laughed at time and locksmiths, -rnon-
srous gates that still strong enough to defy
mighty force There my great stone paved court
ward hanked all sides by disintegrating buildings
once occupied by serfs and fighting the stables in
which chargers and beasts of burden had slept side by
side until called by the nights work the days work,
as war or peace prescribed ranged close by the gates
that opened upon the steep, winding roadway Here
too were the remains of noble garden, and here
were the granaes and the storehouses Far below me
were the dungeons with dead mems bones their
dripping floors; and somewhere in the heart of the
peak secret unknown passages long since closed
by tumbling rocks and earth.
Across the river and below me stood the waled-n
town that paid tribute to the good and bad Rothhoefens
in those oden days-a redted gloomy city that stood
as a monument to long dead ambitions peaceful,
quiet that had survived its parlous centuries of
lust and greed, and would go living to the end of
time
So here sat me down. almost at the top of my fancy
to wonder if it not folly as well!
SUDDENLY, | sat there ruminating became