The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-01-05
st n,,, Sf 'TRUXTON KING s StSs:5 Bar,

coward in the world, changed his
mind and made ready to accom-
pany King to the howell in Gan
look Gap.
who are they?" demanded
King. as they rode past a particu-
larly sullen, forbidding crowd at
the corner below the city hall.
There's a strike on among the
men who are building the rail-
road" said Hobbs. ugly look
ing crowd, eh?"
"A strike? Cad, it's positive
ly homelike."
Il heard a bit ago that the
mater had been adjusted. They
go back to work tomorrow, slight
increase in pay and big decrease
in work. They were to have had
their answer today. Mr.. Tullis, II
hear, was instrumental in having
the business settled without a.
row"
X eThey'd better look out for
these fellows" said King, very
soherly. 81 don't like the ap-
peafance of EN-. They look like
sut-throats."
III take my word for it, sir, they
are They're the riff-raff of all
Europe. You should have seen
them of Sunday, sir, before the
FoEder went out closing the drink
ing places on that day. My word.
they took the town. There was
no living here for the decent
People. Women couldn't go out
lof their houses"
81 hope Baron Dangloss knows
how to handle them?" in some
anxiety. by the way, remind me
to look up the baron just as soon
as we get back to town this
evening""
eff we ever get back." mutter-
ed the unhappy Mr.. Hobbs. Pro-
phetic lamentation!
In due time they rode into the
somber solitudes of Ganlook Gap
and up to the witch's glen. Here
Mr.. Hobbs baked. He refused to
adventure farther than the mouth
of the stony ravine. Truxton an
preached the howell alone, without
the slightest trepidation. The
goose-herd grandson was driving
flock of geese across the green
bowl below the cabin. The Amer
' lean called out to him and a mo-
ment later the youth, consider
ably excited, drove his geese up
to the door. He could under
stand no English, nor could Trux-
ton make out what he was saying
in the native tongue. While they
were vainly haranguing each 9TH
er the old woman appeared at the
edge of the thicket above the hut.
i Uttering shrill EXPLANATIONS, she
hurried down to confront King
with blazing eyes. He lefll back,
momentarily dismayed. Her hor-
rid grin of derision brought a
flush to his cheek; he faced her
quite coolly.
''I'll lay you a hundred gavvos
that the kettle and smoke expert
ment is a fake of the worst Sort"
he announced, after a somewhat
lengthy appeal to be allowed to
enter the hut as a simple seeker
after knowledge.
Have 1t your own way! Have
lit your own way!" she cackled.
"Tell you what I'll do: if l can't
expose that trick in ten minutes,
IPlI make you a present Of hun
dred gavvos."
i ! She took him up like a flash, a
fact which startled and discon-
certed him not little. Her very
Ieagerness augured i'll for his prop
Iosition. Still, he was in for it;
he was determined to get inside
the hut and solve the mystery, If
lit we're possible. Exposure of the
witch would at least attract the
Interest If not the approval of a
certain young lady in purple and
.tfine linen. That was surely
worth while.
Il With a low, hooking. bow, the
Ishriveled bag stood aside and
tlmotioned for him to precede her
Into the howell. He looked back
at Mr.. Hobbs. The gentleman's
eyes seemed to be starting from
his head.
"A hundred gayvos is a fortune
not easily to be won" said the old
ldame. How can I be sure that
iyou will pay me IL you Josef"
at is In my pocket, madam. If
don't pay, you may instruct your
excellent grandson to crack me
over the head. He looks as though
he ID do It for a good deal less
money. I'll say that for him."
He is honest-as honest as
his grandmother" cried the old