Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-08-04

mountain roads early the next morn
ing, both we'll mounted and provided
with luncheon.
1t IL good three hours ride to tho
summit OF Monastery mountain. And
after tho height has been attained
one does not care to lineer 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
down q stone road and up to the for.
bidding vnle In which mrked, like ON
evil, guilty thing. the log built homo
Of tho witch Of Ganlook gap, that an
cient female who made no secret Of
her practices In witchcraft.
A low matched roof protruded from
the hill against which the hut was
built AS matter Of fact, thin
chimney grew out Of the earth itself,
for all me world like q smoking tire
stump The single door was So low
| that one was obliged to stoop to enter
the little :oom where the dame had
/ been holHing forth for threescore
years, twas said. This was her throne
room, her dining room, her bedcham-
Der, her nil. 1t would seem, unless one
had been there before and knew that
her kitchen was beyond, in the side
If the hill. The one window, sans
class. looked narrowly out upon an
odd opening IN the foliage below, CIV
ing tho occupant of the hut IN 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-
mont Of the royal guard, mounted and
rather resoute in their lack Of ami
ability.
Soldiers, I'd say" remarked Mr..
King. His eyes frightened and his hat
came off with q switch
"Hello There's the prince!'
Farther up the GLENN fact at the
very door of the witch's hut-were
gathered a small but rather distin-
guished portion Of the royal household
Ii was not difficult to recognize the
little prince. He was standing beside
John Tullis, and 1t is not with de-
sire to speak Ill of his valor that we
add he was clutching the slnckest
part of that gentleman's riding brecks
with an earnestness that betrayed ex-
IRENE treridation. Facing them, on the
stone doorstep. was tine witch herself.
Behind Tullis and the prince We're
several ladies' and gentlemen.
Truxton Kings heart swelled sud
denly. Next to the tall figure Of Colo
mel Quinnox of the royal guard was
the slim. enhancing lady Of his most
recent dreams. the princes aunt, the
lady Of the goldfish conspiracy!
The Countess MarlanX, tall and ex-
quisite was little apart from the
others, with Baron Dangloss and
young Count Vos Engo, whom Trux-
ton was ready to hate because he was
a recognized sutton for the hand of the
slim young person In gray. He was
for riding boldly up to this little group,
but very Objectionable lieutenant
barred the way. supported In no small
measure by the agitated detection OF
Mr.. Hobbs.
The way was made easy by the In
PREVENTION of the alert young woman
in gray. She caught sight of the re-
, stricted adventurers-or one of them
to be quite accurate-and, after speed
Ing a swift smile of establishment
, turned quickly to Prince Bobby.
The prince broke the Ice.
Hello" he cried shrilly.
"Hello!" responded the gentleman
readily.
John Tullis found himself being drag
? gcd away from the witch's door to
, ward the newcomer at the bottom OF
, the glen. Mr.. Hobbs listened with
, deepening awe to the friendly CONVEX
, sation which resulted in Truxton King
going forward to join the Tarty II
. front Of the hut.
Truxton was duly presented to thu
!. ladies and gentlemen Of the party b!
q John Tullis, who gracefully announced
$ that he knew Kings parents in New
q York Baron Dangloss was quite NJ
+ old friend. If one were TO judge by tn
manner in which be greeted the younl
o man. The lady In gray smiled 81
= sweetly and nodded so blithely tina
;. Tullis. instead Of presenting King t
!. her as he had done to the Countess
: Marlanx and others, merely said:
/. And you know one another. o
, course" Whereupon she flushed YER.
prettily.
Z Truxton King. scarcely able to be
I leve his good fortune, crowded Int
: the loathsome. squalid room with hi
q aristocratic companions.
y Never had Truxton looked upon
creature who so thoroughly vfndlcate
the lifelong reliance he had put in tn
description Of witches given by tn
fairy tale tellers Of his earliest youth
She had the traditional hook nose an
I peaked chin. the glittertng eyes. tn
s thousand wrinkles and the toothles
: gums. He looked about for the rave
= and the cat, but II she had them the
!, werU not in evidence. At roug
II guess he calculated her age Mt 10
r Years.
p "GTewsome lady, isn't she" whi'
q pered King.
u II shall dream Of her for months,
whispered the lady IN gray, shuddel
n Ing.
~ would you mind telling me how
n am to address you?" whispered Kin,
% They were leaning against the mu
plastered wall near the little windo'