Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-03-04

mountain roads early the next morn
ing, both we'll mounted and provided
with luncheon.
1t is a good three hours ride to the
summit of Monastery mountain. And
after the height has been attained one
does not care to linger long among the
| chilly, whiStling cragS, with their
snow crevasses and bitter winds. The
utter loneliness, the aloofness Of this
frost crowned crest appalls, disheart-
ems one who loves the fair, green
things Of life.
1t was o'clock when they clattered
! down a stone road and up to the for
bidding vale in which lurked, like an
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, thin
chimney grew out of the earth itself,
for all the 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 h.f throne
room, her dining room, her bedcham-
Der, her all, 1t 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 open
ing in the foliage below, giving the oc-
cupant of the hut an unobstructed view
of the winding road that led up from
| Edelweiss.
| The two horsemen rode into the glen
and came plump upon a 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 nat
came off with a switch.
Hello! There's the prince!"
Farther up the GLENN fact at the
! very door of the witch's hut-were
| guished portion of the royal household.
1t was not difficult to recognize the
| little prince. He was standing beside
John Tullis, and it is not with a de-
sire to speak ill of his valor that we
add he was clutching the slackest part
Of that gentleman's riding breeks with
an earnestness that betrayed extreme
trepidation. Facing them, on the
stone doorstep, was the witch herself.
Behind Tullis and the prince were sew
eral 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 mis- most
recent dreams, the princes aunt, the
| lady of the goldfish conspiracy!
The Countess Maxlanx, tall and ex-
| quisite, was a little apart from the
| others, with Baron Dangloss and
young Count Vos Engo, whom Trux-
| ton was ready to hate because he was
| recognized suitor for the hand Of the
slim young person in gray. He was
for riding boldly up to this little group,
but a 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
tervention of the alert young woman
in gray. She caught sight Of the re-
Stricted adventurers-or one of them,
ing a swift smile of astonishment,
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
ged 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 party in
| front of the hut
Truxton was duly presented to the
ladies and gentlemen of the party by
John Tullis, who gracefully announced
| that he knew Kings parents in New
York. Baron Dansloss was quite an
old friend, if one were to judge by the
manner in which he greeted the young
| man. The lady in gray smiled so
! sweetly and nodded so blithely that
| Tullis, instead of presenting King to
| MarlanX and others, merely said:
And you know one another, of
course" Whereupon she flushed very
prettily.
Truxton King, scarcely able to be-
lieve his good fortune, crowded into
the loathsome, squalid room with his
aristocratic companions.
Never had Truxton looked upon a
creature who so thoroughly Vindicated
the lifelong reliance he had put in the
description of witches given by the
| fairy tale tellers of his earliest youth.
She had the traditional hook nose and
peaked chin. the glittering eyes, the
thousand wrinkles and the toothless
gums. He looked about for the raven
and the cat, but if she mad them they
were not in evidence. At a rough
guess he calculated her age at 100
years.
"Grewsome lady, isn't she?" whisper
ed King.
Il shall dream of her for months, "
whispered the lady in gray, shudder-
ing.
| Would you mind telling me how |
am to address you?" whispered King.
They were leaning against the mud
plastered wall near the little window
side by side. You See I'm a stranger
in strange land"
You must not speak while she IL
gazing into the crystal" she warned
after quick, searching glance at his
face.
| Although it was broad daylight. the
| low, Stuffy room would have been
| pitch dark had il not been for the