Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-06-09

night. The town slumbered at II, and
there were few lights to be seen In the
streets or In the houses. Here and
there strolled the white uniformed po-
lice guards, occasionally soldiers hur-
ried barrackward, now and then belat-
ed citizens moved through the dense
shadows on the sidewalks, but the
Americans saw still life in its reality.
Returning from their stroll beside the
castle walls far to the west OF where
they had entered the grounds that aft.
ernoon. they paused in the middle Of
Castle avenue near the main gate and
looked down the dark, deserted street.
Far away could be seen the faint glare
from their hotel. One or two street
lamps burned in the business part OF
the city. Aside from these evidences Of
life there was nothing but darkness,
silence, peacefulness, about them ev.
erywhere.
Think of Paris or New York at II
O'clock" said Lorry, triae awed by
the solitude of the sleeping city.
Its as dead as piece Of prairie
land" said his friend. Cad, 1t makes
me sleepy to look down that street. It's
q mile to the hotel, too, Lorry. Wed
better move along"
Lets lie down near the hedge,
smoke another cigar and wait till mid
night. 1t is too glorious night to be
lost in Sleep" urged Lorry, whose
heart was light over the joys Of the
day to come. II can dream just as
well here, looking at that dark old cas-
tie, with its one little tower light, as
I could If l tried to sleep in a hard
bed down at the hotel"
Anguish, who was more or less Of
dreamer himself, consented, and after
lighting fresh cigars they threw them.
selves on the soft, dry grass near the
tall hedge that fenced the avenue as
1t neared the castle grounds. For half
an hour they talked by fits and starts,
one thinking Of the face he had seen.
the other picturing in his artist eye the
painting he had vowed to create from
the moonlit castle Of an hour ago.
"Some one coming" murmured the
painter, half rising to his elbow at.
tentively.
Soldiers" said the other briefly.
They'll not disturb u.s."
They'll not even see US. I should
say. It's as dark as Egypt under this
hedge. They'll pass If we keep quiet"
The figures Of two men could be seen
approaching from the city, dim and
ghostly in the semiblackness Of the
night. Like two thieves the Ameri-
cans waited for them to pass. To
their exceeding discontinue, however,
the pedestrians halted directly In front
Of their resting place and seated them
selves leisurely upon a broad, fiat
stone at the roadside. 1t was too dark
to see II they were soldiers, notwith-
standing the fact that they were less
than fifteen feet away.
HE should be here at r." said one
Of the newcomers in low voice and
In fairly good English. The other
merely grunted. There was silence
Of some duration. broken by the first
speaker.
"If this job fails and you are caught,
1t will mean years Of servitude."
"But in that case we are to have 10.-
600 gavvos apiece for each year we lie
in prison. It's fair pay-not only for
our failure, but for our silence" said
the other, whose English was more
difficult to understand.
Anguish's fingers gripped Lorry's leg,
but there was no sound from either Of
the thoroughly aroused dreamers. "a
plot, as l live" thought each. with a
thrill.
"We must be careful to speak only in
English. There are not twenty people
In Edelweiss who understand 1t. but
the night has ears. 1t is the only safe
tongue. Geddos speaks 1t well. He
should be here" 1t was the first speak
er who uttered these words, little know
ing that he had listeners other than the
man to whom he spoke.
A dark figure shot across the road
way, and, almost before the Americans
were aware of 1t, the party numbered
three.
"Ah, Geddos, you are punctual."
IT have found 1t ever virtue" ne
sponded the newcomer.
"Have you secured your menT
81 have, your
"Sh! Call me Michael. on your >hfes
rhcy are ready and willing to under.
lake the W nture?"
Yes. but they do not understand the
true conditions. have told them that
we are to rob the castle and carry the
booty TO GanloOk before morning"
"Thcy do not know the real object OF
the raid, then. That Is as desired. Arc
they trusty and experienced menT
"The best-or the worst-that could
find in Vienna. Not one understands
our language, and they are 80 ignorant
of our town that they are entirely de-
pendent on me. They know nothing
whatever Of the princess, Michael, and
will do only as they are told, realizing
that II caught they will be guillotined.
I have told them it is the royal palace
we are to rifle. Ostrom here and l are
the only ones except yourself and the
men who will aid us inside the castle,
who know the truth, sir"
"It cannot fail unless those inside
prove false or unworthy" said the
hoarse voiced Ostrom. Anguish's M
gers were gripping Lorry's leg SO fierce
" that the blood was ready to burst
out, but he did not feel the pain. Here,
then, was some gigantic plot In which
the person of the princess herself was
to be considered. Was 1t an assassina'
ton?
"You have FIVE of these viennese%
"Yes; two to stand beneath the
window to receive the booty as we
lower 1t to the ground, one to stand
Disease takes no summer