The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-01-31

business call at the shop of MT. Spantz He looked long, with a somewhat shifty eye, at the cabinet of ancient rings and necklaces, and then depart ed without having seen the interesting
 Miss PIatanova.
 At his room in the hotel he found a note addressed to himself. It did not
 have much to say, but it meant a great
 deal. There was no signature, and the
 handwriting was that of a woman. "Please do not come again." That was all.
 He laughed with a fine tone of de-
 fance and went back to the shop at
 o'clock, just to prove that nothing
 so timid as a note could stop him. On
 the occasion of this last visit to the
 shop he did not stay long, but went
 aN " somewhat dazed to find himself
 the pcssessor of a ring he did not want
 and out of pocket just $50, American. Having come to the conclusion that knight errantry of that kind was not only profigate, but distinctly irritating to his sense of humor, he looked up MT. Hobbs and arranged for days ride in the mountains.
 MT. Hobbs led his patron into the
 mountain roads early the next morn
 ing, both well mounted and provided with luncheon.
 It is a good three hours ride to the
 summit of Monastery mountain. And
 after the height has been attained
 one does not care to finger long among the chilly, whistling crags, with their snow crevasses and bitter winds. The
 utter loneliness, the aloofness of this ! frost crowned crest appalls, disheartens
 one who loves the fair, green things of life.
 It was o'clock when they clattered 1 down a stone road and up to the for bidding vale in which lurked, like an
 evil, guilty thing, the log built home
 of the witch of Ganlook gap, that an-
 cient female who made no secret of ! her practices in witchcraft. A low thatched roof protruded from
 the hill against which the hut was
 built. AS a matter of fact, a thin
 chimney grew out of the earth itself, for all .ne world like a smoking tree stump The single door was so low
 that one was obliged to stoop to enter the little room where the dame had
 been holding forth for threescore
 years, twas said This was her throne
 room, her dining room, her bedcham- Der, her all, it would seem, unless one
 had been there before and knew that her kitchen was beyond, in the side of the hill. The one window, sans glass, looked narrowly out upon an
 odd opening in the foliage below, giv- ing the occupant of the hut an unob- structed view of the winding road that led up from Edelweiss.
 The two horsemen rode into the glen
 and came plump upon small detach-
 ment of the royal guard, mounted and
 rather resolute in their lack of ami ability.
 Soldiers, I'd say,"' remarked Mr.
 King. His eyes frightened and his hat came off with a switch. Hello! There's the princew Farther up the glen-in fact at the l very door of the witch's hut-were | gathered a small but rather distin guished portion of the royal household It was not difficult to recognize the
 little prince. He was standing beside John Tullis, and it is not with a de sire to speak i'll of his valor that we add he was cfutching the slackest part of that gentlemans riding breeks
 with an earnestness that betrayed ex- treme trepidati0n. Facing them, on the stone doorstep, was the witch herself Behind Tullis and the prince were several ladies and gentlemen. Truxton Kings heart swelled sud- | denly. Next to the tall figure of Colo
 nel Quinnox of the royal guard was the slim, entrancing lady of his most l recent dreams, the princess aunt, the | lady of the goldfish conspiracy! | The Coun tess Marlanx, tall and ex- l quisite, was little apart from the others, with Baron Dangloss and | young Count Vos Engo, whom Trux- 1 ton was ready to hate because he was l a recognized suitor for the hand of the | slim young person in gray. He was 1 for riding boldly up to this little group, 1 but a very objectionbIe lieutenant 1 barred the way. supported in no small
 measure by the agitated defection of | MT. Hobbs.
 1uG way was 1uauO easy ny lu0 tervention of the alert young woman in gray. She caught sight of the re- stricted adventurers-or one of them .o be quite accurate-and, after speed Ing a swift smile of astonishment, turned quickly to Prince Bobby. The prince broke the ice. "fHello!' he cried shrilly. "Hello!" responded. the gentleman readily.
 John Tullis found himself being drag l ged away from the witch's door to- ward the newcomer at the bottom of | the glen. MT. Hobbs listened with ! deepening awe to the friendly conver- sation which resulted in Truxton King
 going forward to join the party in
 front of the hut.
 Gro be continued)