The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1910-03-31

'A1AA - hAHNiANoo va hotSG-
BY Jove" calculated Hobbs. Its
| his horse.'
As he drew nearer it struck him
fOrcibly that the men were not what
he had thought them to be- They were
an evil looking lot. more like the strik-
ers he had seen in the town earlier in
the day. Even as he was turning the
new thought over in his mind one of
them stepped out Of the little knot
and, without a word of warning, lifted
J his arm and fired point blank at the
! little Englishman. A pistol ball whizzed
close by his head. His horse leaned
to the side of the road in terror. al
most unseating him.
But Hobbs had fighting blood in his
veins. What is more to the point. he
had MauSer revolver in his pocket
He jerked it out and. despite a second
shot from the picket, prepared to ride
down upon the party. An instant later
/ half a dozen revolvers were blazing
away at him. Hobbs turned at once
and rode in the opposite direction,
whirling to fire twice at the unfripndly
| group. Soon he was out Of range.
The only thing left for him to do was
to ride at once to the city and give
the alarm
suddenly his horse swprved and
leaped furiously out Of stride. stun
bling. but recovering himself almost in
/ simultaneously. In the same second he
heard the sharp crack of a fircarm far
down the unbroken ravine TO his left.
/ A second shot came. this time from the
right ard close nj hand. His horse was
staggering, swaying: then down he
/ crashed. Hobbs swinging clear barely
| in time to escape being pinioned to the
/ ground. \ stream Of blood was pour
inc from the side Of the poor beast.
/ Aghast at this unEeard of wantouucsS.
the little Interpreter knew not which
way to turn. but stood there daZed IN
til a third shot brought him to his
! senses. The bullet kicked up the dus'
near his feet. He scrambled for the
heavy undcrbrush at the roadside ana
darted off into the roadside. his revolv-
I er in his hand. his heart palpitating
like mad. Time and again as he fed
through the dark thicllcts lie heard the
hoarSe shouts of men in the distance.
/ At 10 o'clock the next morning Colo
mel Quinnox and a company Of soldiers,
riding up from the city gates toward
the north in response to a call for
help from honest herdorS who reported
attacks and robberies of an alarming
nature, came upon the stiff footSore.
thorn scratched Mr. Hobbs not far
from the walls of the town. The colo
/ mel was not long in graspng the sub
/ stance of Hobbs revelations. He rode
off at once for the witch's hovel. send
ing Hobbs with a small instructed es-
/ cort to the castle. whore Baron Dan
gloss was in consultation with Mr.. Tul-
/ lis and certain ministers.
/ The city was peaceful enough. much
to the surprise Of Hobbs. No disturb
ance had been reported, said the
! guardsmen who rode beside him. Up
/ in the hills there had been some depre-
( dations but that WAS all.
"AllF" groaned Mr. Hobbs. "AllE
/ Hang it all. man. wot do you call all:
/ You haven't heard 'alf Of it yet. tell
you. there's been the devil to pay.
/ Wait till the colonel comes back from
( Ganlook gap Hell have news for
/ you; take it from me. he will. That
/ poor chap as gone up in smoke as
sure as my name 5 Hobbs"
| They met Baron Dangloss near the
/ barracks. across the park from the
/ castle He was in close. earnest con
versation with John Tullis and Count
| Halfont. both of whom seemed labor
( ing under intense excitement.
| The arrival of Hobbs a pitiful but
| heroic object. at once arrested the at
| tention OF every one. His story was
/ heard by most distinguished audi
| ence.
There is nothing supernatural about
/ Kings disappearance" said TuliS
! sharply. That's all nonsense. He had
| money about him. and it perhaps turns
out that there really was a man at
| the crack in the door, clever brigand
/ who today has got the better Of our
/ vainglorious friend. The shooting in
| the hills is more disturbing than this,
| TO my mind"
This mystery coming on top of the
/ other is all the more difficult to under
| stand-I mean the disappearance Of
/ the Countess MarlanX' said Baron
Dangloss. pulling at his imperial in
/ plain perpleXity. But we must not
stop here talking. VIII you come with
me, Mr.. Tullis to the tower? / shall
send out my best man TO work on the
case of the lady. 1t is most amaz-
/ ing thing. | still have hope that she
will appear in person to explain the
affair"
81 think not" said Tullis gloomily.
This looks like abduction-fOul play.
or whatever you choose to call it. She
has never left her fathers house in
Just this manner before. l believe
baron, that MarlanX has taken her
away by force. She told me yesterday
that she would never go back to him
if she could help It, | have already
given you my suspicious regarding his
designs upon the-ahem!' Catching
the eager gaze of the prince, he
changed the word throne" to treas
ury"
I Lorraine. her cheeks white with reso-
I 10 T,,lI lac