The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-18
CONTINUED from yesterday

was comparing notes with Truxton
King In the room beneath the armor-
er's shop. Count Marlanx was hiding
I'll the traders inn outside the northern
gates. The abductors themselves weIt
scattered about the city, laughing tr-
urnphantly over the success OF the rusc
that had drawn the well feared Amer
lean away on wild goose chase to the
distant passes OF Dawsbergen. More
than that, at 5 O'Clock In the afternoon
second detachment of soldiers left
the city for the scene OF the riots In
the construction camps. twenty miles
away.
Surely the well laid plans Of the
t Iron Count were being skillfuily car
ried out,
al! afternoon and evening men strag-
gled in from the hills and surrounding
country, apparently loath to miss the
early excitement attending the cere-
monies on the following day. Sullen
strikers from the camps came down.
cursing the company, but drinking
noisy toasts TO the railroad and Its flu
ture The city by night swarmed with
reveling thousands. The bands were
playing, the crowds were singing and
mobs were drinking and carousing In
tho lower end,
At 5 O'Clock in the morning word
flew from brothel to brothel. from
lodging house TO lodging house, In all
parts OF the slumbering city. y thou
sand men crept ont into the streets
after the storm. all animated by one
impulse, all obeying single fierce In
junction.
They were to find and XIII a tall
American. They were to keep him or
his companion from getting in touch
| with the police authorities or with the
royal castle. no matter what the cost
At o'clock Il steaithy whisper went
the rounds, reaching the ear of every
vaGabond and cutthroat engaged in the
unIIrlng vigil Like smoke they faded
, away. The silent watch was over.
| The word had sped to every corner
OF the town that it was no longer nee
essary to naintuiu the watch for
| Truxton King. He was no longer In
n position to give them trouble or I'M
! easiness.
/ The Goth dawned bright and COO.
/ after the savage storm from the north.
II don't like the looks Of things"
/ said Baron Dangloss tine and again
/ His men were never so alert a. today
/ and never 80 deceived.
There can't be trouble of any SORT"
/ unused Colonel Quinnox. These fei-
/ lows are ugly. It's true. but they are
not prepared for a demonstration"
/ Colonel, wen yet see the day when
! Graustark regrets the economy that
| has cut our little army TO almost moth
! ing. What have we now all told:
! Three hundred men In the royal guard,
| fewer than GOO In the fortress. | have
1 n hundred policemen. There you are.
| Today there are nearly 200 soldiers
/ off in the mountains on nasty business
/ Of one sort or another. Cad, il these
rufIians from the railroad possessed no
/ more than pistols they could give US a
merry fight. There must be thou
! sand of them. | don't Ike 1t. Wen
| have trouble before the days OVER
I BY II O'Clock the streets in the
neighborhood of the plaza were pack
cd with people. At u the castle
/ gates were TO be thrown open for the
brilliant cavalcade that was to pass
j between these cheering rows of people.
Shortly after half past II O'Clock GER
/ tain groups of men usutpcd the posi-
/ tions In front of certain buildings on
/ the south side Of the square, score
/ here, II half score there, others below
them. They favored the shops OPP
Grated by the friends OF the commit
/ tee of ten; they were the men who
were TO take possession of the rifles
that lay hidden behind counters and
walls.
I From the distant castle came the
4 pounds of shouts. crawling up the long
line of spectators for the full length