Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-06-30
GEORGE BARR MccUTcHE0N
copwioh., 1901, BY HerDers S. Stone =


at4*44*aa*+4.+A *+*+*4a n
tects OF interest, they stroIIed on to-
ward the castle, smoking their cigars
and enjoying the glorious air. Being a
stranger in a strange land. Lorry acted
OH til. romantic painters advice and
also stuck q revolver in his pocket. He
laughed ut the suggestion that there
might be use for the weapon in such
quiet, model, well regulated town, but
Anguish insisted:
i've seen a lot OF these fellows
| around town who look like genuine
brigands and cutthroats, and think It
just rs well that we be prepared" as
serted he positively. and his friend
gratified what lie called within.
At 10 o'clock the slender moon
dropped behind the mountain, and tile
valley, which had been touched with
Its tender light, gradually took on the
somberness and stiffness of starlit
night. The town slun;4rcd at II, and
there were few lights t. be seen in the
streets or in the houses Here and
there strolied the white uniformed po-
lice guards, occasionally soldiers hur-
ried barrackwarJ, now and'4hen belat-
ed citizens moved through the dense
shadows on tile 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 att
ernoon, they paused In the middle Of
Castle avenue near the main gate and
looked down the dark, deserted street.
Ear 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.
t'Think OF Paris or New York at II
O'Clock" said Lorry, trifie awed by
the solitude OF the sleeping city.
It's as dead as q. 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. We'd
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 ut that dark old cas-.
tie. with its one little taWer light, 40
could II tried to sleep In a hard
bed down ut the hotel"
~, ~, 1.~x,e, =,
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
I 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."
aEhey.ll not even see us, should
say. It's as dark as Egypt under this
fhedge. They'll pass II we keep quiet"
i The figures of two men could be seen
approaching from the city, dim and
ighostly In the seiniblackness Of the
night. Like TIVE thieves the Ameri:
cans waited for them to pass. TIC
| their exceeding discontinue, however.
the pedestrians halted directly In front
| OF their resting place and seated them.
1 selves leisurely upon broad, flat
stone at the roadside. 1t was too dark
to see II they We're soldiers, notwith.
4 standing the fact that they were less
than fifteen feet away.
He should be here at -" said one
of the newcomers in a low voice and
in fairly good English. The other
merely grunted. There was a silence
Of some duration, broken by the first
speaker.
IF this Job fails and ron ara caught
It Will mean years OF servitude."
But in that cnse we are to have TO-.
4 COG gavvos apiece for ench year we lie
In prison. IRIS fair pay-not only FOL
our failure, but for our silence" said
the other, whose English was more
difficult to understand.
4 Anguish's fingers gripped Lorry's leg
but there was no sound from either Of
the thoroughly aroused dreamers.. "a
plot, as ! live" thought EACH With q
thrill. =.
I'VE must be careful to speak only II
English. There are not twenty peopl,
In Hdelweiss who understand 1t, blu
the night has ears. tits the only SAT,
tongue. Geddos speaks It we'll. III,
should be here" It twas the first speak
er who uttered these words, little know
Ing that lie had listeners other than til,
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. 8
ALI, Geddos, you are punctual."
have found 1t ever virtue" re
sponded the newcomer.
Have you secured Jour men1''
s"I have. your
i Ssh! Call me Michael, on your life
They are ready and willing to under
n take the venture r.
81 r. Yes. but they do not understand th
true conditions. have told them tina
we are to rob the castle and carry tn
booty to Ganlook before morning"
They do not know the real object o
the raid, then. That is as desired. Ar
they trusty and experienced menY
"The best or the worst-that / coul
find In Vienna. Not one understand
our language, and. they are so ignoran
| nf our TOWN that they nra nnfirelv -f1f