Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1910-05-25

III nut his friend might be in
desperate need of aid.
Then, with his heart in his mouth, he
slowly began to retrace his. steps, walk
ing where he had galloped a moment
before. A turn in the road caused him
to draw rein sharply. A hundred yards
ahead five or six men were struggling
with a riderless bay horse.
by Jove" calculated Hobbs. "It's
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 word of warning, lifted
his arm and fired point blank at the
little Englishman. A pistol ball whizzed
close by his head. His horse leaped
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 a 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 unfriendly
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 swerved and
leaped furiously out of stride, stun
bling, but recovering himself almost in
simultaneously. In the same second he
heard the sharp crack Of firearm far
down the unbroken ravine to his left
A second shot came. this time from the
right and close at hand. His horse was
staggering, swaying; then down he
crashed, Hobbs swinging clear barely
in time to escape being pinioned to the
ground. A stream of blood was pour
ing from the side Of the poor beast.
Aghast at this unheard of wantonness,
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 dust
near his feet He scrambled for the
heavy underbrush at the roadside and
darted off into the roadside, his revolv-
err in his hand, his heart palpitating
like mad. Time and again as he fled
through the dark thickets he 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 fol
help from honest herders who reported
attacks and rObberieS of an alarming
nature, came upon the stiff, footsore,
thorn scratched Mr.. Hobbs not fa1
from the walls of the town. The colo,
mel was not long in grasping the sub.
stance of Hobbs revelations. He rode
off at once for the witch's howell, send
ing Hobbs with small, instructed es.
cort to the castle, where Baron Dan.
gloss was in consultation with Mr.. Tul.
lis and certain ministers.
The city was peaceful enough. much
ance had been reported, said the
guardsmen who rode beside him. VI
in the hills there had been some depre
dations. but that was all:
"AllY groaned Mr. Hobbs. "All
Hang it ALL man, wot do you call all
You haven't heard 'alf of it yet. tel
you, there's been the devil to pay
Wait till the colonel comes back from
Ganlook gap. He'll have news fol
you; take it from me, he will Tha
poor chap as gone up in smoke a:
sure as my name 8 Hobbs"
They met Baron Dangloss near thu
barracks, across the park from thu
castle. He was in close. earnest con
versation with John Tullis and Coun
Halfont, both of whom seemed labor
ing under intense excitement
The arrival of Hobbs, pitiful bu
heroic object, at once arrested the at
tention of every one. His story wa
heard by a most distinguished audi
ence. fSs
There is nothing supernatural abou
Kings disappearance" said Tulli
sharply. That's an nonsense. He ha
money about, him. and it perhaps turn
out that there really was man a
the crack in the door, clever brigan
who today has, got the better of on
vainglorious friend. The shooting i
the hills is more disturbing than this
to my mind" x gs
This mystery coming on top of tn
other is all the more difficult to under
stand-I mean the disappearance o
the Countess Marlanxt said Barol
Dangloss pulling at his imperial IL
plain perplexity u But we must no
stop here talking VIII you come wit
me, Mr. Tullis, to the tower? 1 shall
send ont my best man to work on tn,
case OF the Iady tt III most amaa
ingathiDg hone thAt nj