Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1915-12-03

He Broke Away and rIuni
not for the desert go much as for the
dens OF his own solt In the nurlieus
Of GretzhofPen town itse'f When at
length, after his lorg ride across the
neutral country, he found himself once
more near to What h. called home he
cast loosa his horse and completed his
Journey On foot,
At the door of the underground dive,
where he counted uTon meeting most
OF his friends he ma le the usual SIN
Of admission 1t was a choice band Of
kindred souls who rose to greet hin
as he entered. They asked him what
cheer.
What have done-That have !
taken?" Staggering he pushed them
aside and threw on TIE table in the
center of the room d BIT OF coin which
he took from his pocket
Something. comrades, an think
Ing"
A roar Of laughter broke from them.
as, motley group, they surrounded
him.
"He is Jolly Jester, is it net So my
brothers." exclaimed one "a coin!
If It were whole 1t might be worth per.
haps a liza or so, but broken--it is
worthless What can we get for this
In a bank my brotN crs? So, Blake.
Is this your days work."
"You may laugh comrades" said he,
AL you IKE; at the sane time, /
venture you that coin viii Re worth
something to us before we are done
with Il"
what is IT." exclaimed one, curt.
ously, examining the inscription. An
old Roma coin, do you think"
True, there is rystery about L.
my bellies. never doubt that. 1t Is .
mystery that will pav well when
solved. Besides 1t migit act as Some
sort of saieg uafd for US There has
been plenty Of talk OF late that our
band may need friends TO keep Us
from the moose. Very well, then--I
think the ownership OF this coin at
least will give US friends when we
may need them. Guard it vel, that
same broken coin, my brothers"
"Wha: do you IL ln?" asked the
spokesman curlousig who HIS
sought It, them"
Such men as Count SaCh!o Of era.
hofien. 1t was CT him took it. Taero
war pursuing il Elso, that ssue ygEEs
Amnric2n--ard that rplilan Of hers,
WAC serves her SO Ike 4 ,s-Roleal,
I heard her call him liy word, ha
had grip Of steel IN his hanls-.o
well.nigh did for ne bsfore ! could
make my escape, saw Count S'chiG
drop tie coin uron Il tcor threw
my man so I coul3 Pick il VI, and
then fed Ny word 10 you, brothers
] feel at speed 80 ! ore | an"
Now. while these thieves OF the c!t5
were holding their little conference
their holder brethren OF the desert,
not so far away in thor own reHdeg.
vous, were gathered TOR an EVENINGS
CONVERSE dozen or mere Of Ian.
dozi's band Of desert riders, hal i'll.
lows well met, friends Of the king
troops and enemies, as they boosted,
Of none but the rich. Their headluar-
ters, as was generally known, lay 1T
tie way back Oh the cross-lrail Of the
main road, between the two Kingdoms
of Grahotlen and Gletzh0'Ien, which
crossed midway Of the neutral lands
When Kitty fed after tive thief
Blake, II was at first with no definite
purpose OF her own; but size had not
gone far before she realized that aiuAo
she could accomplish little aganst
such men as he; and she doubted not
that he was on his way to join his
comrades What then was there TO
do? Who could aid her?
Even as she rode the thought camo
to Kittys mind OF the debcu-ir bandit
leader, LanAozi, the same Who had SO
CALAMITY freed her and escorted her
to the city's gates but short time
before. She was woman enough to
know the impression she had made On
the bandit chief-and shrewd enough
also to hit upon him as an ally in her
own plans. Therefore, as Kitty rode
now--not so fast as not to leave abun.
dant bits Of paper on the trail SO that
Roleau might be able u track her-it
was not towards any citadel Of the law
hot to GretZhoffen town ltSe.f-but
towards the capital of lack Of law;
the rendezvous OF the ragged ban.
ditti OF the desert.
They sat, these rude and careless
folk, Ill cad, ragged, yet not i'll con-
tent, under the sheltering rocks which
made their lair or den on the cross
road In the neutral lands. Cooking,
eating. drinking. they spent the time
as persons Of no more mentality than
theirs would spend it-ioking, con
versng talking OF what they had done,
vaporing of what they were about TO
do. Most prominently In their rinds
seemed to lnger the memory of their
little expedition in which they had
taken prisoner the Count Frederick
and the beautiful young American.
And the chief let that prize co."
grumb.ed one. "Out Of the whole en-
teEprise We got nothing. absolutely