The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1902-01-10
CHAPTER XI.
SHEEP AND WOLVES.

KE7rSYSNH Ing SLOWLY dlOuS Dypdtl
tsssSy which led from the main road
through a we'll 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
a hundred yards farther there was a
turn in the road and a 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 dwclt.
"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 a
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"
The ravine was not wide, and the
voices of the Frenchmen could be
plainly heard.
81 am sure shot the devil" Vandal
was saying "He fell at once"
"Well, he found a nice deep place
to fall into" said Robello, with
laugh. "How are you ever going to be
sure of the result of your shotY
Especially when we all fired to-
gether" added Reber.
och, as to that, it makes little diff
| ference who shot him. The thing is to
get rid of him. We must find him and
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?'
WELL" the elderly man across the
! ravine said to his companions, sit
seems to be an uneven fight. Three
against one, and the one down in the
ditch. Come! Light your lantern, Deb
| bisk. and we will join the search. If
mistake not, those fellows are
Frenchmen. ! trust few of those fel-
lows, I 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 premisesw
Your premises! Do you call a nest
like this 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, thief! What sort of thief?
From Prussa?"
Il know not whence he is. I know
that at Ontro he robbed u.s.
"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 a good
one."
"True, we cannot be sure"
"As a matter of fact, the more
think of it the less believe them. 1t
seems more as if 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 l 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
-ah, 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 l pay what
he demands?"
There is something mysterious late
ly about Casparin." said Debbisk.
Think you there is any foundation for
sus''-
Hush! You are speaking of the
brother of the prince. Here! What