The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1902-01-31
CHAPTER NJ.
SHEEP AND WOLVES.

- which led from the main road
through well titled farm that skirted
the opposite side of the ravine from
that on which the pursuit of Buckford
had taken place. His wild ride had
ended just too soon. for not more than
hundred yards farther there was q
turn In the road and bridge which
would have carried him almost into
the very presence Of these men and
within sight OF the lighted windows of
the large and comfortable farmhouse
where they dwelt
"Hark!' said one. an elderly appear
ing man of solid build and undoubted
strength of arm. "Shots across the
gorge! A cry! What do you make of
that?"
Something wrong, surely" replied n
younger man, but one no less muscular.
They ran TO the edge of the ravine
\ and listened
Something crashing through the
trees" said the elder. "a man or a
horse has fallen. And hear the voices
opposite! There seems quite a party
OF them"
voices of the Frenchmen could he
plainly heard.
81 am sure I shot the devil" vandal
was saying. "He fell at once"
"Well, he found a nice deep place
to fall into" said Robello, with a
laugh. How are you ever going to be
sure of the result of your shotY'
Especially when we all fired to-
gethery added Reber.
ooh. as to that, 1t makes little diff
ference who shot him. The thing is to
make certain there is no failure this
time"
"What! Go down into that beasts
hole?" queried Robello.
go down! OF course. Do you think
the fool will come up and tell us how
hard he is hit?'
We'll" the elderly man across the
ravine said to his companions. at
seems to be an uneven fight. Three
against one, and the one down I'm the
ditch. Come! Light your lantern Deb
bisk. and we will join the search. If
1 mistake not, those fellows are
Frenchmen. trust few Of those fell
lows. / can tell you"
What, therefore was the surprise of
Vandal and his companions to see
bright light not more than 40 feet
away from him on the opposite side Of
the gulf.
'Ho, there!" came the voice of the
farmer. who are you, and what do
you want on my premises?''
Your premises! Do you call nest
like this a PREMISES" laughed Vandal.
well, then, to tell you the truth. we
are three travelling gentlemen. and we
want thief. In fact, we want him
very much"
"Oh, a thief! What sort of thief?
From Prussia? %
Il know not whence he is. l know
that at Ontro he robbed us
AT Ontro?"
The farmers whispered together.
''Can it be Robard who has been bold
enough TO rob these men and flee to
our woods for shelter? No: Robard
never did that"
But he may not have thus intended.
Perhaps he was on the way to the
Green Forest
AYE. perhaps. But. after all, how
do we know these fellows speak the
truth? If twas really the rascal Ro-
bard down there, would say to them
shoot again and make the shot good
~ne."
-'True, we cannot be sure"
LAS matter of fact, the more l
think of 1t the less l believe them. 1t
seems more as IL they were the thieves.
This may have been a traveller who
knew where we were and was trying
TO reach our place for shelter. Ontro
is handy enough for robbers whether
they be French or Prussian."
"True again." said the man with the
lantern. LET us join in the search"
So while vandal and his two fellow
travellers scrambled slowly down their
side of the ravine the other three, ac-
customed to the spot went more rap
idly.
And these held still another advan-
tage In the lantern, which aided them
greatly in the descent and the subse-
quent search.
"And / say again, Volner," said the
young man with the lantern, "this may
be another plot against one we love.
Is not the prince expected soon? His
arrival has been unaccountably delay
ed. He was not at Trolle yesterday.
Could he have come by way OF Ontro.
think your
"He might, he might" said the man
called volner "He and his lovely
princess and the sweet Princess Marie
All. that Deneslia should hold trail
tors to these three! But Casparin came
yesterday = from Berlin, he told me.
He was at me again about the rent
money. Heaven! How can pay what
be demandsT
N'There is something mysterious late
" about Casparin," said Debbisk.
"Think you there is any foundation for
sus'-