The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1910-03-17
| RUXTON
{ Ming
Copyright. 1909. by George
NJ Barr McCutcheon
II Copyright. 1909. by Dodd.
II Mead O Company
CONTINUED

HOODS leo MIN 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 adj
vised to pay strict attention to the
rules.
It's no disgrace" growled Hobbs,
redder than ever. You're inside the
grounds. and you've got TO obey the
rules, same as any tourist Right this
way, sir. Well take turn just inside
the wall. Now. on your left. ladies'
and-ahem!-l should say-ahem!-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 if I'll let YOU
lecture me as if were a gang of hay.
seeds from Joshville"
Every good sir No offense quite
forgot sir
Just tell me. Old chap. Don't lee
ture. Hobbs. this is all very beautiful
and very grand and very slow" said
King, stopping to lean against the
moss covered wall that encirced the
park within a park, the grounds ad-
joining the grotto. Cant hop over
this wall and take a peep into the
grotto?"
BY no means cried Hobbs Mortified
King looked over the low wall The
prospect was alluring. The pool. the
trickling riyulets, 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 a dream lady. Now, say.
Hobbs, here's low place. could
jump
MIR. King, if you do that am
ruined forever. | am trusted 10y the
steward. He would cut off all my priv
ileges"- Hobbs could 90 no further
He was prematurely aghast. Some
thing told him that Mr. King would
hop over the wall
Go and report me. Hobbs; there's
good fellow, Tell the guards | wouldn't
obey. That will let you out, my boy.
and I'll do the rest
lie strobe off across the bright green
turf toward the source Of all this en-
chantment, leaving poor Mr. Hobbs
braced against the wall. weak kneed
and helpless
What are you doing in here" de-
manded a voice.
TruXton. conscious of guilt. whirled
with as much CONSERVATION as if be
had been accOsted by a voice of thuu-
der. He beheld very small boy stand
ing at the top Of the knoll above him.
not thirty feet away. His face was
quite as dirty as any small boys
should be at that time of day. and his
curly brown hair looked as if it had
not been combed since the day before
His firm little legs. in half hose and
presumably white knickers. were
spread apart, and his hands were in
his pockets.
King recognized him at once aud
looked about uueasily for the attend
ants who. he knew. should he near II
is safe to say that he came to his feet
and bowed deeply, even in humility
Il am resting. your highness." he
said meekly.
Don't you know any better than to
come in here" demanded the prince
TruXton turned very red
Il am sorry. I'll go at once"
"Oh. I'm not going 10 put you ont"
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 youngster looked cautiously
about Say. do you ever 90 fishing?"
he demanded eagerly.
Occasionally"
You won't give me away, will you"
with a warning frown. Don't you
tell Jacob Fraasch. He's the steward
II know a fine place to fish"
The prince led the way up the bank
followed by the amused American,
who stopped so admirably that the boy
looking back, whispered that it was
"just fine" At the top Of the knoll
the prince turned into a little shrub
lined path leading down to the banks
of the pool almost directly below the
rocky face Of the grotto.
The prince scurried behind a big
rock and reappeared at once with
willow branch from the end of which
dapgled piece of thread A bent pin
occupied the chief end in view. He
unceremoniously showed the branch
into the hands of his confederate and
then produced from one of his pockets
a silver cigarette box, which he gin
gerly opened to reveal to the gaze
conglomerate mass of angleworms and
grubs.
"A fellow gets awful dirty digging
for worms, doesn't heI' he pronounced.
The prince took the branch and gin
gerly dropped the hook into the dane
ing pool In less time than it requires
to tell it he had a nibble, a bite and
a catch. There never was a hoy so ex-
oitad az no when a scarlet uihbler flew