The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-01-04

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ward whom she showed an espe-
cial attention. f,
Tullis was holding the prince in
his arms. Colonel Quinnox stood
before them, keeping the babbling,
leering beldame from thrusting
her face close to that of the terri
fled boy. Young Vos Engo glow
cred at Truxton King from the op-
posite side of the room. Mr..
Hobbs had safely ensconced him
self in the rear of the six guards
men, who stood near the door,
ready to dash forth If by any
chance the terrified horses should
succeed in breaking away.
The Countess Marlanx, pale and
rigid, her wondrous eyes glowing
with excitement, stood behind
John Tullis, straight and strong,
like a storm spirit glorying in the
havoc that ragged about her. Time
and again she leaned forward to
utter words of encouragement in
the ear of the little prince, never
without receiving look of
gratitude and surprise from his
tall protector.
And all this time the goose-herd
grandson of the witch was dane
ing his wild, uncanny solo in the
thick of the brew, an exalted grin
on his face, strange cries of de-
light breaking from his lips: a
horrid spectacle that fascinated
the observers.
With incredible swiftness the
storm passed. Almost at it's
height, there came a cessation of
the roaring tempest; the down.
pour was checked, the thunder
died away and the lightning
trickled off into faint flashes. The
sky cleared as if by magic. The
exhibition, if you please, was
over!
Even the most stoical, unim-
questionable men in the party
looked at each other in bewilder-
lment and-awe, there was no
doubt of it. The glare that Dan
gloss bent upon the bag proved
that he had been rudely shaken
from his habitual complacency.
1T is the most amazing thing
I've ever seen," he said, over and
over again.
The Countess Marlanx was
trembling violently. Tullis, OBJ
serving this. tried to laugh away
her nervousness.
Mere coincidence, that's all, 4"
he said. "Surely you are not SUI
perstitious. You can't believe she
brought about this Storm"
1T isn't that" she said in a
low voice. 81 feel as If a grave
personal danger had just passed
me by. Not danger for the re st
of you, but for me alone. That lis
the sensation l have: the feeling
of one who has stepped back from
the brink of an abyss just in time
to avoid being pushed over. /
can't make you understand. See!
am trembling. / have seen no
more than the rest of you, yet am
more terrified, more upset than
Robin, poor child. Perhaps l am
foolish. l know that something
dreadful has-I might say, touch
ed me. Something that no one
else could have seen or felt"
| Nerves, my dear countess.
Shadows! I used to see them and
feel them when l was a lad no
bigger than Bobby If left alone in
the dark. 1t is a grown-up fear
of COLLINS. You'll be over it as
soon as we are outside"
Ten minutes later the cayaIcade
started down the rain-swept road
toward the city, dry blankets hav-
ing been placed across the sad
dies occupied by the ladies and
the prince. The witch stood in
her doorway, laughing gleefully,
inviting them to come often.
Come again, your highness,"
she croaked sarcastically.
THE next time ] come, it will
be with a torch to burn YOU
alive!" shouted back Dangloss. To
Tul1is he added: cad, sir, they
did we'll to burn witches in your
town of Salem. You cleared the
country of them, the pests"
Darkness was approaching fast
among the somber hills; the great
pass was enveloped in the mists
and the cleaning of early night.
In a compact body the guardsmen
rode close about Prince Robin and
his friend. Ingomede had urged
this upon Tullis, still oppressed
by the feeling of disaster that had
come over her in the howell.
1T means something, my
friend; it means something" she
insisted. 81 feel it am sure of
IT," Riding quite close beside
him, she added in lower tones: 81
was with my husband no longer
ago than yesterday. Do you know
that I believe it is Count Marlanx
that 1 feel everywhere about me
now. He-his presence-is in
the air! oh, wish l could make
you feel as I do"
! You haven't told me why you
ran away on Sunday" he said,
abruptly. dismissing her argument
with small ceremony.
"He sent for me. IL had to
60" There was new, strange
depression in her eyes that pug
zled him for long time. Sudden
ly the solution came: she was COM
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