The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-02-13

ty to GrauStark. Do me the honor and
justice to remember this. I have suf-
fered much for you. am rough,
hardened soldier, and you have mis-
construed my devotion Forgive the
harsh words my passion may have in
spired. Farewell! I must off to undo
the damage we all lay at the door Of
the man you and are protecting"
he was too wise to give her the
chance to reply. a moment later he
was mounted and off for the eastern
gates, there to direct the movements Of
Colonel Braze anG his scouts. Beverly
few at once to Yetive with her plea for
Baldos. She was confronted by a
rather sober faced sovereign The
news Of the hour was not comforting
to the princess and her ministers.
''You don't believe he is spy?" cried
Beverly, stopping just inside the door,
presuming selfsh1y that Ealdos alone
was the cause for worry. She resolved
to tell Yetive Of the conflict in the
park.
Dear NE, Beverly, I am not think
ing Of him. We've discussed him joint
ly and severally and every other way,
and he has been settled for the time
being. You are tie only one who is
thinking Of him, my dear child. We
have weightier things to annoy u.s.
Goodness. how you talk! He isn't
annoying. Oh, forgive me, Yetive, for
I am the silliest, addle patedest goose
in the kingdom. And you are so trou-
bled. But do you know that he is be-
ling watched? They suspect him. So
did at first; I'll admit it. But I
don't-now Have you read the note
I gave to you out there?"
"Yes, dear It's just as expected.
He has known from the beginning.
He knew when he caught Dagmar and
me spying behind that a5ominable
curtain. But don't worry me any long
er about him, please. Wait here with
me until we have reports from the
troops. I shall not sleep until know
what those fires meant. Forget Baldos
for an hour or two for my sake"
"You dear old princess; I'm an awful
brute, sure 'nough. I'll forget him for
ever for your sake. 1t won't be hard
either. Hes just mere guard. Pooh!
He's no prince"
WhereupAon, REINFORCED by Mrs. An
guishvand the Countess Halfont, she
proceeded to devote herself to the task
Of soothing and amusing the distressed
princess while the soldiers Of Grau-
stark ransacked the moonlit hills. The
night passed, and the next day was far
on its way to sunset before the scouts
came In with tidings. No trace Of the
mysterious signalers had been found.
The embers Of the half dozen fires
were discovered, but their builders
were gone. The search took in miles
Of territory, but it was unavailing.
Not even straggler was found. The
so called troupe Of actors, around
whom suspicion centered, had been
swallowed bE the capacious solitude OF
| the hills. Riders froGa tfe frontier
posts 10 the south came II with the
report that all was quiet IN The threat
| e2aG district. Dawsbergen was iying
quiesc@nt, Dus With the readiness OF q
skulking dog.
There was absolutely no solution to
the mystery connected with the fires
on the mountain sides. Baldos was
questioned privately and earnestly by
LOFTY and Dangloss. His reply was
simple, but it furnished food for re-
fection and at the same time no little
relief to the troubled leaders.
"It is my belief, Mr.. Lorry, that the
fires were built by brigands and not
by your military foes. have seen
these fires in the north, near Axphain,
and they were invariably meant to es-
tablish communication between sepa-
rated squads Of robbers, all belonging
to one band. Ny friends and | on
more than one occasion narrowly es-
capped disaster by prying into the af-
fairs of these signalers. take it that
the squads have been operating in the
south and were brought together last
night by means Of the fires. Doubtless
they have some big project Of their
own sort on foot"
That night the city looked for rep
etition of the fires, but the mountains
were black from dusk till dawn. Word
reached the castle late in the evening
from Ganlook that an Axphainian no
bleman and his followers would reac1
Edelweiss the next day. The visit was
a friendly but al important one. The
nobleman was no other than the young
Duke Of AIizrox, intimate friend of the
unfortunate Prince Lorenz who met
his death at the hand Of Prince Ga
briel and was the leader of the party
which opposed the vengeful plans OF
Princess Volga. His arrival in Edel-
weiss was awaited with deep anxiety,
for it was suspected that his news
would be of the most important char
acter.
Beverly Calhoun sat on the balcony
u