The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-01-09

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.sWhat are you qot7ag to do. aoitle us z"
He comes here vagabond, but he GER
tainly does not act like one. He admits
that he is being hunted, but takes no
one into his confidence. For that he
cannot be blamed"
"Have you any reason to suspect
who he is:'' asked Lorry.
"My instructions were to refrain
from questioning him." complained
Dangloss, with pathetic look at the
original plotters. ''Still, 1 have made
investigations along other lines;
aAnd who is hep cried Beverly
eagerly.
81 don't know" was the disappoint-
ing answer. 1--WE are confronted by
queer set Of circumstances. Doubtless
you all know that young Prince Dan
tan is flying from the wrath Of his half
brother. our lamented friend Gabriel.
He is supposed to be in our hills with
q half starved body Of followers. II
seems impossible that he could have
reached our northern boundaries With
out our outposts catching glimpse OF
him at some time. The trouble is tnat
his face is unknown to most Of US, l
among the others. have been going
on the presumption that Baldos is II
reality Prince Dantan, but last n1gnt
the belief received severe shock.
.Yes?" came from several eager lips.
"My men who are watching the
Dawsbergen frontier came in last
night and reported that Dantan had
been seen by mountaineers no later
than Sunday. three days ago. 9heSe
mountaineers were in sympathy Win
him and refused TO tell Vhithes@5fe
went We only know that be was IN
the southern part Of Graustark teree
days ago. Our new guard speaks many
languages, but he has never been heard
tc use that Of Dawsbergen. That fact
in itself is not surprising, for. OF all
things, he would avoid his mother
tongue. Dantan is part English by
birth and wholly so by cultivation. In
that he evidently finds a mate In this
Baldos."
.Then he really isn't Prince Dan
tan?'' cried Beverly, as though cher
ished ideal had been shattered.
..Not if we are to believe the tales
from the south. Here is another COM
plication. however. There is, as you
know, Count Halfont, and perhaps all
Of you. for that matter, a pretender to
the throne of Axphain, the fugitive
Prince Frederic. He is described as
young. good looking, scholar and the
next thing to a pauper."
sBaldos a mere pretender" cried
Beverly in distress. 'Neverv'
cat any rate, he is not what he pre-
tends to be-" said the baron, with a
wise smile.
'Then you think he may be Prince
Frederick" asked Lorry, deeply inter
ested.
81 an. inclined to think so, although
another complication has arisen. May
It please your highness, l an In an
amazingly tangled state Of mind" ad-
mitted the baron, passing his hand
over his brow.
lsDo you mean that another mysteri-
GUS prince has come to life" asked
Yetive, her eyes sparkling with interest
in the revelations.
early this morning dispatch came
to me from the Grand Duke Michael OF
Rapp-Thorberg, a duchy in western
Europe, informing me that the dukes
eldest son had fed from home and is
known to have come to the far east.
possibly to Graustark.'
"Great Scottv' exclaimed Anguish.
at never rains but it halls, so here's
hail to the princes three"
eve are the Mecca for runaway roy
atty, it seems" said Count Halfont
"Go on with the story, Baron Dan.
gloss" cried the princess "1t IS like q
book
"a description Of the young man ac-
companies the offer Of a large reward
for information that may lead to his
return home for reconciliation. and
here the baron paused dramatically.
And what:' interjected Beverly.
who could not wait.
The description f.s cur friend Bal
Gos perfectly..''
You don't mean it, exclaimed Lor-
ry. Then be may be any one OF the
three YOU have mcntioned:'
Let me tell You what the grand
dukes secretary sdys. l have the OF
fetal notice. but left it IL my t:eSk.
The runaway sen Of the sraDd duke IS
caDc! CIlris:o5al He is twenty-sevea
years OF age, speaks English hlently
besides French and our ol;'r laGgl.s.:eee
. It seems ti3at be attended IN t,uslsn
eol!e9e with Prince Dantan ar;' sa.-e
Of -oar oegn young laen who are se..t.a
I,nst.il,gI. Six weeks ago he disaI4l.ess-
ed from his fathers home. ~ he
saa.a tine a dozen wild ANA rellt3J2.s