Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-12-29

was a cough, and a faint color rose to
his face. His eyes opened and stared
at her with wondering inquiry. Sud
denly he sat up and gnzed round him
amazedly. Hilmar's surprise at this
resurrection OF the seeming dead
matched his own at finding himself In
unexpected surroundings.
Don't move, don't mover she i'm
plored. You'll bleed to death. Please,
pease, lie still till can get help
Desmond wicked and blinked at her
stupidity. Then, with IN effort, lie
stood up. Hilmar gasped in her amaze
ment. He slapped himself about the
ribs with grimace. Then he stared
confusedly down at the blood smear
on his side. He thrust his hand be-
meath his jacket and tugged at some
thing. He produced jagged bit of
silver that winked cheerfully in the
sunlight. A hoarse giggle broke from
him.
Hes deliriousr' sobbed Hilmar in
despair. what shall do?"
At her voice Desmond's wits began
to grow to him again. He took the
| girls hand and held 1t fast. The color
was back again in his face finely now
Dear Miss Preobeslas, assure you
I'm right as the mail. The beggar hit
my cigarette case edgeways and my
pocketbook. The bullet never pene-
trated. Bar having every vestige of
breath knocked out of me, I'm as fit as
be da-as fiddle, l mean"
The girl eyed him doubtfully. "But
the blood" she gasped. "You must be
wounded"
"Never bit" he answered cheerlly.
"a jag of my cigarette case has just
scratched me; that's all. Any bit of
sticking plaster will put that right.
But how on earth did you get here?'
II followed you last night. l saw
you find the treasure. l watched you
all the time. After the first few min
utes was never 20 yards from you. l
walked behind you all the way back.
wanted to triumph over father and all
of you and show that was quite ca
pable Of sharing your adventure. l
was going to burst upon you and-and
laugh at you when I saw those hor-
rible men rise up and fell you. just
kept from screaming and ran back
into the shadow. Then didn't know
what to do. l was so frightened, all
alone. At last thought of our old
jaeger. Stefan. He lives in little cot
tage in the woods apart from the vii
lage. It's he who always sent father
the rents he managed to:collect. 1t
took me two hours, to get there, and it
was still dark when arrived. didn't
dare knock, in case there should be
some one with him. So l sat about in
the bushes till morning, and then he
came out, and | knew him. When |
ran down, he crossed himself and tried
to exercise me-" and watery smile
crossed her face. He thought was a
ghost. He took me In and gave me
food. Then he went out to reconnoiter
and told me that you were all coming
along bound. Then l watched with
him and saw you killed, as thought"
and the speakers lips trembled. 'Stef-
an has gone on to see what becomes of
dear father and the rest. Now we
must go back to Stefan's cottage and
think what's to be DONE"
"Whatever we find to do, Miss Hill
mar" he said, with look into her
eyes that made the long lashes droop,
"believe me that only with my life will
give up the attempt to free your fa-
ther." Then the girl led the way ST.
lently down the narrow forest.
They walked quickly through the
tangle Of the pine trunks, the girl lead
ing. Half an hour saw them enter u
little clearing Of the forest where n
trellised log hut centered
An old man, bent with age and with
features furrowed by many winter
gale, welcomed Hilmar with ejacula-
tions of commlseration and anxiety.
Sending her into the inner room, he in
sisted on Desmond removing his coat
and proceeding to dress the Scared
side with dscoction Of lily leaves and
brandy. Then, with hospitable haste,
he set bread and fish before them and
waited on them, stopping now and
again to pat his young mistress shoul-
der, muttering pious prayers to the
mother of God and all saints to pre-
serve his master, the colonel, and send
him release from the hands Of his ene-
mics.
AS they ate and fortified themselves
for what should betide the old forester
explained his doings since he left them
to follow the soldiers.
at is but poor report I have" he
said mournfully. "They are all bestow-
ed In the orchard barn. The walls arc
three feet thick, as you know. And
there is the poat. How can we reach
themW
won't the people join us? Surely
the whole village is at our back to help
their master?"
"In sympathy, one of noble birth.
But you don't remember. Let us pre-
N lEssys.:sa 70
"a MfRs.l.