The evening world., 1914-03-09


.tss I am O tallish sort Of person, mod
fivo. am strong. but not athletic. \
killer, or even a ladys man. fancy ye
''Tss You viii be surprised to learn. no
:, s0saantic, imaginative turn of mind. Il
For the past year have done little
A. no work. My books are few and
far between. My best work IL dono
when the madding crowd Is far from
md. Hence / seek out remote. OBJ
SQUIRE places when feel the plot boil
inS. and grind away for dear life with
.pothing to distract mo.
-, "A month ago, In Vienna, / felt the
plot breaking out on me, very much
, as the measles do, at a most inoppor-
tune time for everybody concerned.
and my secretary, more wide-awake
than you'd imagine by looking at him.
urged me to coddle the muse while
she was willing and not to put her
t0lf' TIL an evil day, as frequently 1
y am In tho habit of doing.
a.. 1t was especially annoying, coming
!, NJ Il did, Just as I was about to set
of for q fortnight's motor-boat trip
ND the Danube with Ellie Hazard
and her stupid husband. the doctor.
The fourth day OF our delectable
town whose name you would recall
y IN an instant IL were fool enough 10
.,mentiOn II, and where we were TO
, nut up for the night. On the crest OF
stupendous cras overhangtng the
river, almost opposite the town. which
im't far from krems. stood the veneer.
Sbls but unvenerated castle OF that
r-high -handcd old robber baron, the
sAsst OF the Rothhoefens.
We picked up a little OF Its history
While in tho town. and the next MORN
u ing crossed over to visit the place.
Y ~ antiquity was considerably en-
4 hancod by the presence OF Schmick.
NE caretnker. who would never see
eighty again. and whose wife was
! even older. Their two gigantic sons
lived with them In the capacity or
ioafers and, a. things go In these
rapid times Of ours. appeared to be
even older and more sere than their
! = me next day, instead Of continuing
our deIightful trip down the river.
Ne three were scurrying to Salisbury.
urged By . sudden and stupendous
within on my part. ana hiieo Win
new interest In life.
TIC Hazards sat up with me near
" the whole Of the night. trying to
tsik me out Of the mad design. but
All 10 no purpose. I was determined
10 b. the sort of fool that Uucle Rilas
rsferrsd to when he SO frequently
WeQ06tSd the old age. MY only ar.
~ tnat had to nave . quiet. IN.
splfutionai place In which to work
and besides was quite sure we couio
eat the impoverished owner down
FSSnsiderabiy in the price. whatever
n ynfRht turn out TO be.
ffI had no dimculty whatever IN
etrihine . bargain with the apan'
doned wretch who owned tho Schloss
- seamod very eager to submit tc
JV4v demand that he knock on o thou.
Ssnd pounds sterling, and We hunted
no . notary and all the other ON.
Aials necessary to the transfer OF
-vroparty. At the end OF three days
- the sole owner and proprietor
+ ~ 4 feudal stronghold on the Danuoe
4 "a well, to make the story short: th'
+ Nsssards and returned to Schlos'
,;Rothhoefen IN some haste. primarily
= -, the purpose Of inspecting It from
eounGeon to battlement. forgot u
N 11Cntion that. being very tired afte
.ls ne climb up the steep. We GOT NJ
N,efurther on our visit than the grea
ks'6aronisl hall, the dining.room ant
~ certain other impressive apartment
/ s.customariiy kept open for the inspec
Sttoo Of visitors.
vey Of the lower floors OF the casti
Ia revealed rather urgent necessary 10
-srtehsiye repairs and refurbishtng. bu
i vas not dismayed. With q plitne
come disregard for expenses, I 90
spatched Rudolph. the elder OF IN
two sons, to Lins with instrucuohs !.
nrocure artisans who could be depend
cd upon to undo the ravagcs OF TIN
10 a certain extent and VINO m'sh
evan suggest q remedy for leaks.
Nv friends, abhorring rheumatism
.nH ike complaints. refused to slee
~vsr night In the drafty. almost pane
~ structure. They came over I
- me on the ensuing day and begse
mo to return to Vienna with them
But, sn' Of the project IN nano.
would not be moved: with the nous
s,i, Of carpenters. blacksmiths. ma
sons. iockomiths, tinsmiths. plumbers
nisstsrers, giasiers. joiners. scrub
voman and chimneysweeps, 10
rat couldn't 30 away and leave
without a controlling influence.
they promised to come ana max
ms nice short IT, v'. n1 nS%ev %p aI II
~ mould of the walls Of the bed
\ sooms and the great hreplaces thor
Y n"chiv cleared Of obstructive ewnl
~ ioIv' nests, the beds aired ana VI
p iSrder stocked. Just a. they WEI
ieavins. my secretary ana my x has
summoned from Vienna the day of
Nv nrst night had been spent IN
huge old bed. Twice during that u
;arm,nable night ! thought ! ne sso,
..ahV crying So 1t - not unreasoI
sS;S N suppose that was more tina
eiad 10 see Poopendyke. my secretar
ciannbering up the path with his typs
writer in one hand and HIS gree gree
ba,se bag In the other, followed c'o'
behind by my valet, br Isr,m. anu Trunk !,
baes and my. golf clubs; . a..
Ut Is something Of climb. Isn't u
aid I beAmingly. to Poopendyke.
"ip tho name OF heaven. Mr.. sma'
what could have induced you to-
He got no farther than TINS, aha