The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-04-10


(which way, them l asked.
I'D like to know. We certainly
started up mountain path, but be |
fore we had gone far they blindfolded
US, and then we went down, where !
can't say, but 1t was somewhere near
to roaring water"
and how long have you been here?
Il don't know. Time is not of much
consequence in this country"
what did you come for?"
Money" was his lacOnic answer.
''There must be a way out" l said.
"There ought to be since you found
a way in. Well talk of 1t tomorrow.
Rest now, for we start early"
1t was early morning when Organ
woke me.
Come and look for your friend" he
said
1 felt refreshed. but terribly stiff and
bruised.
Sunlight was upon the mountain
tops, the shadows of light, fleecy clouds
crossing them swiftly. Before the cav
ern ran a broad, hard road, rough and
snow caked, descending somewhat
sharply to the right, ascending grad
ualiy to the left, and directly opposite
was the way I had come last night.
stood looking at 1t in amaZement. A
glacier stretched up to the mountain
opposite, a portion Of 1t ending at the
roadway against which the winds had
piled loose snow, luckily for me, but
part Of it had cracked and sunk. turn
ing to run beside the road for a few
hr-1rr NIL in
what last night had appeared to me
as black line. Here the glacier was
broken off, its support a straight wall
Of rock going down sheer for at least
800 feet. At the base roared tor
rent which burst from the rock and
dashed itself into foam over its rocky
| bed.
IF your comrade wasn't dead be-
| fore he went over that, he was dead
| before he got to the bottom of It,"
said Organ.
looked down at the water tumbling
among the rocks and saw a little
black mass lying there mottonless,
| save for the motion the swirling water
| gave 1t. 1t was impossible to say
what it was, but think it must have
| been Mustapha, for two spots sudden
| ~ rose from it, growing larger as they
mounted toward us with heavy flight.
| "Vulturesr' said my companion.
| Poor Mustapha. He had expected
| so much of tomorrow. God rest his
soul! He had indeed found a new
| country.
| It was still early when we started
|
On in front and told to keep a sharp
lookout; the others fell to the rear. and
Organ and I rode alone.
"What am l TO expect at the end Of
this Journey" 1 asked presently.
Faith, that's more than l can tell
It's every man for himself here, and
you'll find your life pretty much what
you make it."
THAT sounds promising"
ooh, there's plenty of promise. It's
some Of the fulfillment I'm waiting for
It's all very we'll to live back in the
middle ages and feel like the hero of
boys story book, but it wants pay
ing for"
Then the legend is true, or partly
true?' I said.
81 don't know anything about the
legend or how these people came here.
| Anyway, here they are and engaged
in as pretty piece of war as poor old
Ireland has ever suffered from. There
are two factions In the country, the
kings party and the rebels. who are
headed by a relation Of his-Princess
Daria. Those who fight for the prin-
cess fight chiefly for love of her. which
IS all very we'll in its way, but not
attractive to the adventurer who hopes
some day to go home and enjoy him.
self. The king, on the other hand
pays his soldiers, and. not having
enough men in the country to fight
his cause, he has got In a few foreign
ers to help them. I'm one of the for
eigners. We have all been brought In
secretly. and not a man jack Of us
knows his way out"
Does the king pay wellf'
81 think he would If he could, but
his lack of the necessary troubles
me-" Organ answered.
''Then how does he manage"
Much as they do at hOme-makes
promises and pays for the accommO,
dations That's not new trick. II
was an old fashioned one in the days
of ancient Babylon. The king, as q
matter of fact, expects to find treas
ure We were looking for signs of II
when you came. l expect the treasure
is where the legendary part Of the
story comes in"
You found nothing of it?'
Not cent Still, my undertaking
the mission means promotion when
return
And with a prisoner too"
Il would sooner have had a bit OF
the treasure to take back" he an
swered bluntly i don't deny that
shall try TO make something for my
self out Of bringing you back
How will you explain my coming"
asked
It was we'll that should know how
to speak best for myself. To looh
after No l seemed to be the creed o.
the country
Il shall tell the truth" he continued
There is no lie TO equal il. I'm glaC
you're big, healthy looking fellow
We don't take much notice OF weak
nngs. As long as man has a might!
arm the size of his brain doesn't mat
ter
The mountains on either side of III
narrowed as We went on until W.
J We're presently passin" through de