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

The old man glared at him in un-
mfstakable displeasure. Truxton be-
gan counting out his money. The
customer. a swarthy fellow. passed
out of the door. turning to glance
intently at the young man. A mean
Ing look and a SLY nod passed be-
tween him and Spantz. The man
halted at the corner below and later
on followed King to Cooks office,
afterward to the castle gates, out
side of which he waited until his
quarry reappeared. Until King went
to bed late that night this swarthy
fellow was close at his heels. always
Keeping we'll out of sight, himself.
"iii come in soon to look at those
rings" said King. placing the notes on
the counter. Spartz merely nodded.
raked in the bills without counting
them and passed the sword over to
the purchaser.
Truxton picked up the weapon and
stalked away.
few minutes later he was on his
way to the castle grounds, accom-
panied by the short legged Mr. Hobbs,
Hobbs led him through the great
park gates and up to the lodge of ia
cob Fraasch, the venerable high stew
ard of the grounds. Here. to Kings
utter disgust, he was booked as a plain
Cooks tourist and mechanically ad-
vised TO pay strict attention TO the
rules.
TITS no disgrace" growled Hobbs.
redder than ever. You're inside the
grounds and you've got to obey the
rnles. same as any tourist. Right this
way, sir. Now, on your left ladies
Ia oh -
sir. you may see the first turret ever
built on the wall. 1t is over 400
years old. On the right we have
See here, Hobbs.'' said King. stop
ping short, I'm dashed II I'll let you
lecture me as IL were a gang of
hayseeds from Joshville."
Very good. sir. No offense. quite
forgot. SIR
tell me- old chap. Don't lee
ture. Hobbs, this is all very beauti-
full and very grand and very slow"
said King, stopping to lean against the
moss covered wall that encfrcled the
park within park, the grounds adj
Joining the grotto. Cant I hop over
this wall and take peep into tho
grotto7''
by no means" cried Hobbs, hor-
rihed.
King looked over the low wall. The
prospect was alluring. The pool. the
| trtehftng rivafets, the messy banks.
the dense shadows-it was maddening
to think he could not enter.
Il wouldn't be in there a minute"
he argued. And ] might catch
glimpse of dream lady Now, say.
Hobbs. here's a low place. could
jump
Mr.. kiag, IL you do that ana
ruined forever. / am trusted by the
steward. He would cut or all my
privileges" could so no fur
Their He was prematurely aghast-
Something told him that Mr. King
would hop over the wall
60 and report me. Hobbs; there's
a good fellow. Tell the guards l
wouldn't obey. That will let you out,
nay boy, and I'll do. the rest"
He STROBE off across the bright
green turf toward the source of all
this enchantment leaving poor Mr.
Hobbs braced against the wall. weak
kneed and helpless.
What are you doing In here?" do
| manded voice.
Truxton. conscious of guilt, whirled
with as much CONSERVATION as Ii he
had been accosted by a voice Of thun-
der. He beheld very small boy stand
ing at the top of the knoll above him,
| quite as dirty as any small boys
| should be at that time of day, and his
| curly brown hair looked as IL 1t had
not been combed since the day before
His Arm little legs, in half hose and
presumably white Knockers. were
spread apart. and his hands were in
his pockets.
King recognized him at once and
looked about uneasily for the attend
| ants who, he knew. should be near II
Is safe to say that he came to his feet
and bowed deeply, even In humility
am resting. your highness." he
| said meekiy.
Don't you know any better than to
come in here?" demanded the prince
Truston turned very red
I'm sorry. I'll go at once"
ON, I'm not going to put you OUT"
hastily exclaimed the prince, coming
down the slope. But you are old
enough to know better: You are the
gentleman who picked up my crop
yesterday. You are an American"
Yes. a lonely American" with an
attempt at the pathetic.
The younlster looked cautiously
about Say. do you ever go fishing ?"
he demanded eagerly.
Occasionally"
you?" with a warning frown. Don't
you tell Jacob Fraasch. He's the
steward. IL know fine place to
| fish,,
The prince led the way up the
bank. followed by the amused Ameri-
can. who stopped so admirably that
| the boy, loking back, whispered that
| it was Just fine" At the top of the
knoll the prince turned into q little
shrub lined path leading down to the
banks Of the pool almost directly
below the rocky surface of the grotto.
Tho prince scurried behind big
rock and reappeared at once with n
willow branch from the end Of which
! dangled a piece of thread A bent
| pin occupied the chief end in view.
He unceremoniously showed the
branch into. the hands of his con-
| federate and then produced from one
of hts pockets silver cigarette boxr
which. he gingeriy opened to. reveal
to the gaze a conglomerate mass OF
angleworms and grubs.
"A fellow gets awful dirty digging
for worms. doesn.t he he pro
nounced.
The prince TOOK the branch and
gtngerly dropped the hook into the
dancing pool In less time than 1t
requires to tell 1t he had a nibble.
bite and a catch. There never was
boy so excited as he when a scar
let nibbler flew into the shrubbery
t above.
On the opposite bank of the pool
suddenly appeared two rigid members
Of the royaI guard, intently watching
| the fisEerg. King was somewhat dis
turbed by the fact that their rifles
were in q. position to be used at an In