The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-01-06

piazihg 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 and at
leisure. He saw the futility OF
any attempt to pass them. The
only thing left for him to do was
to ride as quickly as possible to
the city and give the alarm: at
the same time, to acquaint the po-
lice with the deliberate assault of
the desperadoes.
His mind was SO full of the
disaster to Truxton King-he did
not doubt for an instant that he
had been destroyed by the sor-
|ceress-that he gave little thought
to his own encounter with the
rascals in the roadway. He had
come to like the impetuous young
man with the open purse and the
open heart. Despite his way
wardness in matters conventional
to the last degree, he could not
but admire him for the smile he
had and the courage that never
failed him, even when the smile
met the frown of rebuke.
Riding swiftly through the mar
row, sunless defile he was near
ing the point where the road
connected with the open highway
from there on the way was easy
and devoid of peril. Suddenly his
horse swerved and leaped furi-
ously out of stride, stumbling, but
recovering himself almost instan-
taneously. In the same second
he heard the sharp crack of fire
arm. far down the unbroken ra-
vine to his left. A second shot
came, this time from the right
and quite close at hand. His horse
was staggering, swaying = then
down he crashed, Hobbs swinging
clear barely in time to escape be-
Ing pinioned to the ground. A
stream of blood was pouring 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 until a third shot brought
him to his senses. The bullet
kicked up the dust near his feet.
He scrambled for the heavy under
brush at the roadside and darted
off into the forest, his revolver 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. 1t dawned upon
him at last that there had been
an uprising of some kind in the
eity-that there was rioting and
murder going on-that these men
were not ordinary bandits, but
desperate strikers in quest of sat
isfaction for grievances ignored.
Night came and he dropped to
the soft, dank earth, utterly ex-
hausted and absolutely lost for the
time being in the painless hills.
At ten o'clock the next morn
ing Colonel Quinnox and a COM
pany of soldiers, riding from the
city gates toward the north in re-
Spouse to a call for help from hon.
est herders. who reported attacks
and robberies of an alarming ma
ture, came upon the stiff, foot
sore, thorn-scratched Mr.. Hobbs,
not far from the walls of the
town. The colonel was not long
in grasping the substance OF
Hobbs revelations. He rode off
at once for the witch's howell,
sending Hobbs with a small, in
structed escort to the castle,
where Baron Dangloss was in con-
sultation with Mr.. Tullis and GER
tain ministers.
The city was peaceful enough,
much to the surprise of Hobbs.
No disturbance had been report
ed, said the guardsmen who rode
beside him. UP in the hills there
had been some depredations, but
that was all.
"All?" groaned Mr.. Hobbs.
"All? Hang it all, man, wot do
you call all? You haven't heard
'alf all of it yet. I tell you,
there's been the devil to pay.