The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1910-03-31

KN the meantime our excellent
young friend. Truxtoa King. was
having n sorry time Of IT. II MI be-
gan when he went to the cathe.
dral IN the hope Of seeing the charming
aunt OF the little prince Onc moro
Not only did he attend one service. but
all Of them. having been assured that
the real family %wOrshiped there quite
as regularly and as religiously as the
lowliest communicate. She did not
appear.
More than all this. he met with fresh
disappointment when he ambled down
to the armorer's shop. The doors were
locked and there was no sign Of life
about the suffered place.
The next day King made Il purely
business call ut the shop OF Mr.. Spantz.
He looked long. with q somewhat
snifty eye. at the cabinet OF ancient
rings and necklaces. and then depart,
ed without having seen the interesting
Miss Platanova.
At his room In the hotel he found q
note addressed TO himself. 1t did not
have much to say. but 1t meant a great
deal. There was no signature, and the
handwriting was that Of a woman.
please do not come again" That was
I'll.
He laughed with a fine tone OF de.
fianCc and went back to the shop al
5 o'clock, just to prove that nothing
so timid as a note could stop him. Oh
the occasion of this last visit to the
shop he did not stay long, but Went
away somewhat dazed to find himself
the possessor Of a ring he did not want
and out Of pocket. just $50. American
Having come to the conclusion that
knight errantry Of that kind was no;
only profigate. but distinctly Irritating
to his sense of humor. he looked Up
Mr.. Hobbs and arranged for a days
ride In the mountains. .
Mr.. Hobbs led his patron into thu
mountain roads early the next morn
ing. both well mounted and provided
with luncheon.
1t IS a good three hours ride to the
summit Of Monastery mountain. And
after the height has been attained
n does not care to linger long among
the chilly, whistling crags, with their
snow revasse and bitter winds. The
utter loneliness. the aloofness Of this
frost crowned crest appalls, d~isheartens
who loves the fair. green things
VI life.
1t was 8 o'clock when they clattered
down a stone road and up to the for.
bidding vale in which lurked, like al
evil, guilty thing, the log built home
OF the witch Of Ganlook gap, that an
cient female who made no secret Of
her practices In witchcraft.
a low matched roof protruded from
the hill against which the hut was
built. AS a matter Of fact, q thin
chimney grew cut Of the earth itself.
for ali ne world like a smoking tree
stump The single door was so low
that ore was obliged to stoop to enter
the little room where the dame had
been holding forth for threescore
years. twas said. This was her throne
room. her dining room, her bedcham-
Der. her all, 1t would seem, unless one
had been there before and knew that
her kitchen was beyond. In the side
IT the hill. The one window, sans
glass, looked narrowly out upon an
odd opening in the foliage below, CIV
ing the occupant Of the hut an unob:
structed view Of the winding road that
led up from Edelweiss.
The two horsemen rode into the glen
and came plump upon d small detach-
ment CT the royal guard, mounted and
rather %resolute in their lack Of ami
ability.
Soldiers, I'd say" remarked Mr..
King. His eyes frightened and his hat
came off with a switch.
Hello! There's the prince.."
Farther up the GLENN fact ut the
very door Of the witch's hut-w, q
gathered n small but rather distiu-
guished portion Of the royal Household.
1t was not difficult to recognize the
little prince. He was standing beside
John Tullis, and it is not with q Gr-
sire to speak Ill Of his valor that We
add he was clutching the slackc~t
part Of that gentleman's riding brecks
with an earnestness that betrayed eX-
IRENE trepidation. Facing them. on the
stone doorstep. was the witch herself.
Behind Tullis and the prince were
several ladies and gentlemen.
Truxton Kings heart swelled sud-
denly. Next 20 the tall fgure Of Colo
mel Quinnox Of the royal gnard was
the slim, enhancing lady of his most
recent dreams. the princes aunt. the
lady Of the goldfish conspiracy!
The Countess Marlanx,, tain and eX.
duisite. was a little apart from the
others. with Baron Dangloss and
young Count vos Engo. whom Trux-
ton was ready to hate because he was
o recognized sutton for the hand of the
slim young person in gray. He was
for riding boldly up to this little group.
but a very Objectionable lieutenant
barred the way. supported in no small
measure by the agitated detection Of
MI. Hobbs.
The way wa, mace easy by the in
feryention of the alert voun0 woman