The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1913-04-10
CContinued.)

But his dis-.IIl ,olLtInent lasted for a
bare fraction of second. The prince,
recovering from his momentary daze,
went insane with fury. Throwing pru-
dence and dignity to the winds, Vladi-
mir flashed out the great saber that
dang1ed at his left side and hurled
himself upon the unarmed American.
Hawthorne, like most American eli
villains, knew nothing of sword play.
And even had he been adept in it he
was weaponless. But he knew rough
and tumble fighting and the strictest
ethics of a barroom row. So, as the
huge Borrovian charged madly upon
him, saber aloft. he instinctively
snatched up the weapon that lay near
est his hand. And that weapon CHANGED
to be a heavy chair.
Vladimir sprang. Down came the
glittering sword in a sweeping blow
that, had it landed, must have cloven
the Americans skull like a muskmeIon.
But it did not land.
Midway in air the blade slashed
against the chair that Hawthorne had
hurled at Vladimir's head. Chair and
saber clattered harmlessly to the floor.
Vladimir, like a charging bull, rush
ed in upon Hawthorne. But Haw-
thorne was not there. He had sprung
lightly to the top of the nearby table.
And from that height, as the prince
whirled to renew the attack, he launch
ed himself into the air.
Down came Hawthornes $50 pounds
of wiry muscle straight upon the thick
neck and mighty shoulders Of vladi-
mir.
His jump had been well gagged. I'm
@1r it Vladimir crumpled and fell to
tho floor HE hnpr ha WI
On top of him and pinning him down.
General Hohenloe at that instant re-
covered from his trance of dismay.
With a shout he drew his saber and
Bprang to the rescue of the fallen
prince.
But Blake, whom the noise of the
BRuff1e had brought from his room, was
Upon the general at the very first
stride. Wrenching the sword from Ho-
henloe Blake yelled gleefully:
go it. Tony! I've got this one!'
And as he spoke Radulski burst into
the room at the head of the princes
guard.
RadulsEi and four of the guards rush
ed to the rescue of the prince, while the
remainder went over to save the gener-
al. But the poor general needed no one
to come t. his rescue by this time, for
the first blow from Blake sent him
nat and unconscious to the floor.
Blake in the meantime had taken pos
session of the generals sword. The
guards had seized Hawthorne, thus re
leasing the prince. Blake waved his
sword recklessly. The guards drew
back. and. a moment later Hawthorne
was in possessionF of the princes
sword. The two started for the door.
''Stop them" gasped thH prince, so
weak from his beating that he was IN
able to speak above a whisper.
The first one that tries to, dies
warned Blake.
Fate was with Hawthorne and Blake.
The old building hadn't been used to
all the shaking and humping that had
been going on, and no sooner was the
3 door slammed on the prince than che
floor above came down with a crash
''Finei' cried Hawthorne, soon as
certaining that the damage was con-
fined to the immediate vicinity of the
room in which the prince, the general
and the guards were buried. "Now,
the first thing we have to do is to keep
out OF prison. They'll be after US in
minute, and if they catch us they may
find it convenient to have US accident
ally shot so that they can satisfy our
kick coming"
whats the dope?" asked Blake.
well have to get into hiding, and
await the first opportunity to get to
the king and tell him of the plot to
overthrow his government"
But the king won't believe you,"
said Blake.
''WeU make him. said Blake, when
the proper time comes" 1
''HOwT' persisted Blake.
'"They say money talks and If there
Is anything to the saying at all I'm
going to find OUT
The prince and general as well as a
number of the guards were pinned in
by heavy timbers, and while they ap-
parentIy had received no serious in
jury it would be some time before they
could be chopped to freedom.
''This attack" confded Hawthorne
to Blake, sis to take place at mid
night
Are you sure?'
"Sure! / should say So I overheard
the whole scheme and the prince
knows I know it. That's one reason
he was so anxious to get me into
jail You're right Il sFheEeisI no use
going to the king now, for he wouldn't
believe me any more than he would
earlier today. Something has got to
be done to arouse him to the peril of
his position. Then I can tell my story
and have it believed. Until something
happens we have got to keep out of
jail. When the guards fail to return
to the castle, as ordered by the king,
he may begin to suspect that there is
some truth to what I told him earlier
in the day. Then if the king begins |