The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-12-25
e, ssg < 'TRUXTON KING s ss5s;;s s,%

lCopyright, 1909, by George Barr
tCopyrighf, 1000. by Dood. Mead
d Company. Published, sept, 1e09.)
at belongs to you, my friend
Take it or leave it."
"Pll take it," said Truxton
smiling indulgently. With that
he picked up the weapon and
stalked away.
A few minutes later he was on
his way to the castle grounds, &C
companied by the short-legged Mr.
Hobbs, who, from time to time
was forced to remove his tight
fitting cap to mop a hot, exasper-
ated brow, so swift was the pace
set by longlegs. The broadsword
reposed calmly on a desk under
the nose of a properly impressed
young person named Stokes,
cashier.
Hobbs led him through the
great park gates and up to the
lodge of Jacob Fraasch, the veneer
able high steward of the grounds
Here, to Kings utter disgust, he
was booked as plain Cooks
tourist and mechanically advised
to pay strict attention to the
rules which would be explained to
him by the guide.
Cooks tourist, err" muttered
King wrathfully as they ambled
down the shady path together
He looked with disparaging eye
upon the plain little chap beside
him.
cts no disgrace" growled
Hobbs, reader than ever. You're
inside the grounds and you've got
to obey the rules, same as any
tourist. Right this way, sir;
We'll take a turn just inside the
wall. Now. on your left, ladies
and-ahem! Il should say -
sir, you may see the first turret
ever built on the wall. 1t is over
four hundred years old. On the
iiSut, We Hdfe-
See here. HOBBS" said King,
stopping short, "I'm damned il
I'll let you lecture me as If l were
a gang of hyseeds from oklaho-
ma"
Every good sir. No offense. ]
quite forgot, SIR"
Just tell NEEDN'T lecture"
For three-quarters of an hour
they wandered through the spa
cious grounds, never drawing clos
er to the castle than permitted by
the restrictions; always coming
up to the broad driveway which
marked the border line, never
passing it. The gorgeous beauty
of this historic old park, so full
of traditions and the lore of CEN
turtles, wrought strange fancies
and bold inclinations in the head
of the audacious visitor. He felt
the bonds of restraint; he resent
ed the irksome chains of conven-
ton; he murmured against the
laws that said he should not ster
across the granite road into the
cool forbidden world beyond-the
world of kings. Hobbs knew he
was doomed to have rebellion on
his hands before long; he could
see it coming.
when we've seen the roya,
stables, Wen have seen every.
thing of any consequence" he
fastened to say. "Then Vel
leave by the upper gates and
Hobbs. this is all very beauti.
full and very grand and very
Slow" said King, stopping to lean
against the moss-covered wall that
encircled the park within a park
the grounds adjoining the grotto
Cant I hop over this wall and
take a peep into the grotto?"
by no MEANS" cried Hobbs,
Mortified. THAT, sir, is the most
prescribed spot, next to the castle
itself. You can't go in there"
King looked over the low wall.
The prospect was alluring. The
pool, the trickling rivulets, the
messy banks, the dense shadows:
it was maddening to think he
could not enter!
81 wouldn't be in there a min
nh hn n no Ia