The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-03-21
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intently and felt Of each others arms
in a clumsy kind of a helpless way.
Then We started to gaze around to get
a lint on The topography of the coun-
try.
AS our eyes became accustomed to
the surroundings it was plain we were
in no populous centre Of civilization.
ON all sides of us stretched the velvet
carpet of the lawn or meadow. and in
the distance I soon was able To make
out dense woods that were as black
as ink. cnclosin' us on all sides. There
were no lights of human habi'ations.
"Ict'S r%econnoitre a bit says !,
and We started in no certain direction.
our legs dragg!n' after us like the
ta!lpicccs of the big guns when they're
gOin' into action.
w hadn't gone more than a hum
dred painful yards when we halted in
our tracks. out of the woods there
loomed the big pile Of a stone house.
We must remember we were sensible
enough to fetch our artillery along
with us. Spug had his rifle and we
both had pistols at our sides.
I'VE studied the house for a couple
Of minutes. 1t was Il %prctentious kind
Of dwcllin', I should say, though not
what ye'd call a baron's castle.
From me knowledge # architcc-
ture.' remarks SpuE quietly. and
judgin' 10y the giniral contour Of the
establishment. I am fain to he thinkin'
that we are in the inimy's country. So
let us Ice Reasonable in our approach
There was no sign Of light or hu.
man i'm the front Of the house. for \
certainty, nor in the back. 20 which
W next pulled our feet. We had
turned to investigate some smaller
bu.ldin's in the rear hat might have
been a barn and a garage when from
one of them come forth an old man
with a dim look.n' lantern.
Il knew he was old by t1e teeterin'
wdbble and motion { nm. Spug and
| forgot all about our dCh.n logs and
before the old duck knew what had
happened TO him he was between W.
hobgohlins. and all he could do was tn
let out a Croak Tx the dyin' gasp %
"A stuck pig. | lifted his lantern and
got the loot Of terror in mis- scanned
old Countenance. sure, there was
nothin' to fear from this laddybuck.
If it weren't that he'd die on our
hands from sheer fright.
Il tried some soothln' words ON
him. to reassure him We were hut
human and seek.n FOR Information.
hut he only slook h!S old gray head
in a helpless kind Of way ana NUT.
tered somethin' | couldn't make out.
lies a furrn r remarks Spug.
with marvellous intelligence.
s.,-. ~ -.. =.
with his lantern IN the direction OF
the house and muitor some more. /
cou,dn't max head or tail of Il. TIL
| heard him say over and over again
somet.in that sounded Ike lombard.
ment,' but gradually took on the gem
orll conformation Of lombard.
Il repeated the word and the old
duck positively grew animated with
n, joy Of maxim me understand and
kept ON say!n'. lombard. Lombard.
noddin' toward th" house.
1T Sounds TX, come kind Of
cheese says Spug. But were hun
cry at that. and a. Ions IS We cant
e., any'hiu' better les Try what KIND
j. is
: arm in arm tn, ,hr." ut us went
to- soc what | took to hc 3D., hdck ,u-
trance Of tn" house, sure. We could
not run into anythin' wors, than bcln'
taken prisoner 10y ov~erwhc.m.n' mum
l." RS. we h,.n' without gaSul,Ho ~ \
compass and nut known Whyr, We
Wvr,. .As Ne went along ! kept re-
lcat!u' tina, word 'Lomharji and
scratchiu' me- head and pIllin' he
wool of me memory, Wuud,r.n Where
mad heard L before.
We followed ,he I'd man into the
house and down q corridor If shid-
lit up 10y the wSrI. good for
noth.n' lantern. There wasn't the
sign Of another light anywhere within
no more than without, nor a sound
but our footsteps.
our guide made a no.so like want.
n to open a door, and " Jet him
tumble with a knob, us -'indin either
SIDE Of him.
opened. and Spug and ! had our lin
gers on the triggers as our eyes
hl.nked in the Light # an lmminse
room.
Now. what the d.v.l 10 : he mean
lay l.omhardi? | kept pI2Z.n' inside
mesclf
'Look.n' down % long line Of books
n elves on the walls, | saw a table
lit up more than the rest Of the
room. Md from the back Of tn" table
! saw rise a man that, judc.n' ny the
p,aceahln looks Of him, was not the
Il to trouble Spug and me or give
us any occasion TO use our artillery
N the gentle art of Solf-dcfonCo. He
was in a long Kind OF drossin' gown