Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-03-08

shffty 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 no found
note addressed TO himself. It did not
have much 70 say, bait 1t meant q great
deal. There was no signature and the
handwriting was that Of woman
.PseGse 10 sote COMO 1oosA" That was
All.
He laughed with Z tine tone OF de-
fance and went back to tho shop ut
s O'Clock, just to prove that nothing
30 tinnd as note could stop him. On
the occasion Of this, last visit 70 the
shop he did not stay Long. but went
away somewhat dassd 10 find himself
tho pcassssor Of q ring heidi not want
and out OF pocket just go. Amar1can.
Having come to the conclusion that
knight eEramtry Of that kind was not
only pronlgate, lint distinctly Irritating
to his sense Of hunoor, he hooked up
Mr.. Hobbs and arranged for day's
ride IN the mountAinA
Mr.. Hobbs led his patron into the
mountain roads early the naxt morn
ing. both well mounted and provided
with luncheon
It n a good three hours ride the
summit OF Monastery mountain. And
after the height has baen attained
one does not care to nnger hing among
the chilly. whistling crnss, w1th thsir
SNOW crevssses and b1ther w3nds. The
utter loneliness. the alpofneaD Of this
frost eEsseGppaIls, disheartens
ono who loves the fam, green things
Of lifa
1t was 8 O'Clock whenA&fsy- clnttersd
down stone road ana up to the for
bidding vale In which lurhsd, Ike an
evil, guilty thing, tho hog bdG homo
Of tho witch Of Gunlook. gan that an
Gent female who made no secret Of
her practices In witchcraft.
A low matched roof protrude1s from
the hill against which tho hut was
built. AS a matter Of TACT. Thin
chimney grew out Of the earth ITSELF,
for all the world Ike smoking tree
stump. The single door Was 90 low
that one was obliged to stop 10 enter
the little room where the dame had
been holding forth tor ttresscore
years, twas ea1d. ThiB was her thro..e
room, her dining room, her bsdcham-
Der, her AL, 1t would ssem. unless one
had been there before and knew that
her kitchen was beyond. In the side
OF 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 m unob-
structed view Of the winding road that
led up from Edelweiss.
The two horsemen rode into the glen
and came plump upon small detach-
ment Of 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 OF with a switch.
"Hellol There's the princew
Farther up the GLENN fact at the
very door Of the witchs hut-we
gathered small but rather distin-
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 de,
sire to speak Ill Of his valor that we.
add he was clubching the slackest
part of that genheman's riding breeks
with an earnestness that betrayed ex-
treme 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 to the tall figure OF Colo
mel Quinnox Of the royal guard was
the slim, enhancing lady OF hts most
recent dreams, the princes aunt. the
lady Of the goldfish conspiracy!
The Countess Marlanx, tall and ex-
quislte. was little apart from the
others, with Baron Dangloss and
young Count vos Engo, whom Trux-
ton was ready to hate because he was
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
Mr.. Hobbs.
The way was made easy by the In
tervention Of the alert young woman
In gray. She caught sight OF the re-
stricted adventurers-or one Of them,
to be quite accurate land, after speed
Ing swift smile Of astonishment.
turned quickly to Prince Bobby.
The prince broke the ice.
"Hellow he cried shriily.
"Hellow responded the gentleman
readily.
John Tullis found himself being drag
ged away from the witch's door to-
ward the newcomer at the -sasom Of
the glen. Mr.. Hobbs listened with
deepening awe to the friendly CONVEX
sation which resulted in Truxton King
going forward to Join the party in
front Of the hut. !.
ITO be Continued)
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