The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-02-23

STRANGE DIsAPPEARAScEs.


He decided to return to the
hut. 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 i'll the road caused him
to draw rein sharply. A hundred yards
ahead five or six men We're struggling
with riderless bay horse
by Jove" calculated Hobbs. cts
bis 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 a word Of warming 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
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 I'M
| 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 fed
| 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 company Of soldiers,
riding up from the city gates toward
| the north in response to call for
help from honest herders who reported
| attacks and robberies Of an alarming
| nature, came upon the stiff, foOtsOre.
| thorn scratched Mr.. Hobbs not far
| 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 a 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
to the surprise Of Hobbs. No disturb
ance had been reported, said the
guardsmen who rode beside him. Up
in the hills there had been some depre-
dations, but that was all.
"AI" groaned Mr.. Hobbs. "All
Hang it all, man, wot do you call all:
You haven't heard 'alf Of it yet l tell
| you, there's been the devil to pay.
Wait till the colonel comes back from
| Ganlook gap. He'll have news for
| you; take it from me, he will. That
poor chap as gone up in smoke as
sure as my name s Hobbs
/ They met Baron Dangloss near the
| barracks, across the park from the
| castle. He was in close. earnest con
| versation with John Tullis and Count
Halfont. both of whom seemed labor
ing under intense excitement.
The arrival Of Hobbs, a pitiful but
heroic object, at once arrested the at
tention Of every one. His story was
| heard by a most distinguished audi
II ence.
There is nothing supernatural about
Kings disappearance" said Tullis
sharply. That's all nonsense. He had
money about him. and it perhaps turns
out that there really was q man al
the crack in the door, clever brigand
who today has got the better Of ou1
vainglorious friend The shooting il
the hills is more disturbing than this
to my mind"
This mystery coming on top of the
other is all the more difficult to under
stand-I mean the disappearance OF
the Countess Marlanx," said Baron
Dangloss, pulling at his imperial il
plain perplexity. But we nust not
stop here talking. Will you come with
me, Mr.. Tullis. to the tower: l shall
send out my best man TO work on the
case of the lady. 1t is a most amaz
ing thing. l still have hope that she
will appear in person to explain the
affair."