The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1915-12-17
FIFTH lNSTALLMENT
CHAPTER XVIII.
A New Intruder,

~ NG" IHITuuCTs
The keen senses OF Roleau, schooled
In peril, told him Of some hidden dan
ger-the very tenseness OF the situa
tion warning him. Turning, he saw
the appraised weapon, and in a fash
blow from his own powerful arm
had sent 1t flying through the window.
II fell blinking on the floor at the feet
OF Count Sachio and his friends. Kit
ty. rescued from the danger which
she had not realized. sprang back. An
instant later Roleau had grappled
with the intruder
Hearing the sound of this encoun.
ter, Count Sachio and his companions
sprang at the intervening door, broke
1t In. They found two strange men
engaged In an encounter whose cause
they could not guess, but both OF
whom undoubtedly we're lntruders in
this place, and who, therefore, might
be regarded as enemies.
The American" exclaimed Sachlo
as now he saw also the young girl,
who was endeavoring as best she
might to give assistance to Roleau
in his struggle with the stranger
Quick. excellency. rum" exclaimed
Roleau.
The strange man was not easily
to be disposed Of but gave even the
powerful Roleau all he liked to do to
handle him. Meantime Sachio flung
himself upon Roleau, his comrades did
as much for the stranger
In the melee, which slipped from
place to place upon the floor, Sachio
let fall the little bag with the kings
half coin-in his excitement he had
forgotten that he still had It in his
hand. The stranger. whose shifty
eyes caught everything, saw the bag
as II lay upon the floor.
Working gradually towards the
place where the little bag lay, now
underfoot, now scuffed aside by the
struggling men, the stranger managed
to trip and throw that one of Sachio's
friends who pressed him most closely
They fell directly before the packet
Swiftly the long hand Of the stranger
reached out and caught It up.
There remained for him no more
relish for the fight. An instant later,
his crossed arm against the throat of
his assailant, he broke away. flung
through the open window and left the
others to shift as they might.
ROleau, still held in the. powerful
grasp OF Count Sachio himself, strug-
gled furiously, all the time calling to
Kitty to make her own escape.
"Roleau!" called Kitty quick, he
he has THE has stolen It. We must
follow HIM" md Roleau did his
best to shake himself free.
mot so fast, not so easily" painted
Sachlo. whose stern grip still held
Roleau's collar you will not get
of just yet Who are you, to come
prowling about my place-thieves
against thieves? You shall tell me
what all this means"
Go, excellency, rum" painted Ro.
leau, still to his mistress. Leave
them to me. I'll come when can"
Kitty turned, knowing that she
must act quickly or be taken prisoner
herself.
Follow me. Roleau!" she cried. |
Follow me when you can. I'll leave
n trail" And as she caught VI a book
from the table Roleau guessed what
she had meant by thls--a paper trail
She looked this way and that, but
could see no trace Of the stranger
who had thus treacherously intruded
upon their own plans. A strange feel. |
ing came to her mind that perhaps
she had seen him elsewhere before
now. Where could that have been?
Ransacking her memory she conclud.
ed that he must have been some one
OF the band banditti who had sur. |
prise her and her companions in the
desert
Trusting to fortune to bring her
aid she ran forward in the general
direction which she supposed the man
had taken. She passed from the floor
of the gallery, which held no trace of
footprints to the softer ground where
she might see the trail, and caught it
now. He was running in great leaps
towards the edge of the forest, where
the road came in. Yonder lay the
trail to Gretzhoffen. He seemed bound
for that. Yes-she presently heard a
sound of horses hoofs.
Horses thought Kitty to herself
recalling the stables where some of
Sachio's mounts were kept-indeed.
she doubted not that some might be
saddled and waiting in the yard. 1t
was true-an instant later her own
flying hoofbeats pursued those now