Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1914-12-23

and then Of feet descending the lad
der into pit. Then whispering and
then heavy breathing as Kurt came
struggling up with the first Of the hid
den bombs.
1--WE shall do it yet" said the king.
And then he gasped. Curse that light.
Why in the name of heaven didn't we
shut the barn door?' For the great
door stood wide open, and all the emp
ty, lifeless yard outside and the door
and six feet of the floor Of the barn
were in the blue glare Of an inquiring
searchlight
shut the door. Peter" said Pesto,
witch.
Nor cried the king, too late, as Pc.
ter went forward into the light
Don't show yourself!' cried the king
Kurt made a step forward and pluck
ed his brother back. For time all
five men stood still. 1t seemed that
light would never go, and then abrupt
ly it was turned off, leaving them
blinded. "Now," said the king uneasi
~, NOW shut the door,"
mot completely" cried PestOvitch.
Leave chink for US to 60 out BY"
1t was hot work shifting those
bombs, and the king worked for a
time like a common man. Kurt and
Abel carried the great things up. and
Peter brought them to the carts, and
the king and Pestovitch helped him to
place them among the hay. They made
as little noise as they could.
'Ssh!' cried the king. whats that!'
But Kurt and Abel did not hear and
came laundering up the ladder with
the last of the load.
"SshY Peter ran forward to them
with a whispered remonstrance. Now
they were still.
The barn door opened little wider,
and against the dim blue light outside
they saw the black shape Of man.
ANY one here?" be asked. speaking
with an Italian accent.
The king broke into a cold perspira-
ton. Then Pestovitch answered. "Only
poor farmer loading hay" he said
and picked up a huge hay fork and
went forward softly.
"You load your hay at very bad
time and in very bad light" said
the man at the door, peering in. "Have
you no electric light here?"
Then suddenly he turned on an cleo
trio torch. and as he did so Pestovitch
sprang forward Get out Of my
barn. he cried and drove the fork
full at the intruder's chest He had
vague idea that so be might stab
the man to silence. But the man
shouted loudly as the prongs pierced
him and drove him backward, and in.
stantly there was sound Of feet run
ming across the yard.
"Bombs!' cried the man upon the
| ground. struggling with the prongs in
his hand. and as Pestoyitch staggered
forward into view with the force OF
his own thrust be was shot through
the body by one of the two newcom.
ers.
The man on the ground Was badly
hurt, but plucky. "Bombs!'' he repeat
ed and struggled up into kneeling
position and held his electric torch full
upon the face Of the king. "Shoo1
them!' he cried, coughing and splitting
blood, so that the halo Of light round
the kings head danced about.
For moment in that shivering cir
Gle of light the two men saw the king
kneeling up in the cart and Peter OF
the barn floor beside him. The ole
fox looked at them sideways-snared
white faced evil thing. And then as
with faltering suicidal heroism, b,
leaned forward over the bomb befor'
him they fred together and shot hin
through the head.
The upper part Of his face seemed t.
vanish.
"Shoot them!" cried the man VIII,
had been stabbed. "Shoot them ALP
And then his light went out, and b
rolled over with groan at the feet O.
his comrades.
But each carried light Of his own
and in another moment everything II
the barn was visible again. They sho
Peter even as he held up his hands IL
sign Of surrender.
Kurt and Abel at the head of tn,
ladder hesitated for moment ant
then plunged backward into the pit
IF we don't kill them" said one Of tn
sharpshOoters. they'll blow us to rags
They've gone down that hatchwa,
Gomez
Here they are! Hands up. say
Hold your light while shoot"
1t was still quite dark when his vale
and Firmin came together and told til
ex-king Egbert that the business wa
settled.
He started up into sitting positio
on the side Of his bed.
ibid he go out?' asked the ex-king
"He is Dead" said Firmin. He wa
shot,
The ex-king reflected. That's abor
the best thing that could have happier
3D." he said. where are the bombs
In that farmhouse on the opposite bill
side? Why, the place is in sight! La
us 60. I'll dress. Is there any one
the place, Firmin, to get us cup (
cOffee?"
Through the hungry twilight of tt
dawn the ex-king's automobile carrie
him to the farmhouse. where the la
} rebel king was lying among his bomb
The rim of the sky flashed, the ea'
grew bright and the sun was just ri
ing over the hills when King Egbe
, reached the farmyard. There he four
the hay lorries drawn out from tt