Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-11-26

and most likely way Of getting to tho
root OF this queer business. my idea Is
let us go on with the car, and sec
what happens
Good" said tile Marchcsc. thrilling
NJ the thought OF the danger, the mys-
terry. ahead. His eyes sparkled In the
iantern-lisht. lie did moi want to fade
away now. Indeed. he had forgotten
that he had ever wanted to fade away.
Good! hut the car
Well tow hor. lights out. behind
the curt. so that she may nuke no
noise. You shall sit In her to steer and
put on the brake II necessary. I'll lie
low IN tie cart. ready for anything
with my revolver. I'd give that part
to yh. for ! know you'd like il. hut
you re not quite strong enough yet for
joh where both our lives may depend
on strength as well as uuickness."
Earis raw tina, IL was Races intcn-
ton I" keep him screened and protect
cd in ease o: sudden assault. but he
could not object. lie could only regret.
Tor poignant instant. that he had
busily wasted instead OF husbandinE
his strength. AS for Christopher. he
saw Barias s,9n: disappointment and
was sorry.
Keep these lie said. handing his
fried the glove and the ring
we may be going into n den OF
thieves and assassins.' said Barla.
cheering up az he prepared to change
places with Race.
"if So" said christopher, uailinr; tho
ray OF his lantern along the canvas
cover OF the cart, cit may not he long
before wc get there. Look. here's the
name OF the owncr--or alleged owner
Ravelli; TaleEio. Valegio's that viii
lagc. you remember. whose lights we
saw twinkiinG far above US about half
AN hour ago AS we came down the
M lara, u i.,.r .t,r
here mus, lead to it. II |, does. the
gray horse wiz! take IL. and-perhaps
Signor Ravclli will have a surprise
Out went the light OF tho lantern
The lamps OF tho were already
dark. christopher. lying among the
egg boxes, the ieins held loosely in his
hand. his revolver ready. Let the gray
leader 20 at his own pace and in his
own way. The car trailcd behind
noisclessly. invisible 10 any one in
front Thus the horses, steady enough
now. piohdcd up the PASS down which
Scarlet Runner had swept but a half
hour ago.
Soon. az christopher had prophcsied.
the gray horse turned without hesitd-
ton ~ rough branch road, leading
s'ccpiy uphill Far above hung the
lights Of high Eacgio, like Il thin
crescent made OF yellow stars. But
tho cart WAS still Il long distance be-
low the level az the mountain village
when the gray horse abruptly took
another turn Confidently he walked
through AN open gateway, yawnins
black in - rough stone wall. And in
the darkness Race WAS aware that =,
man had lcaped UP and out Of some
hiding hole Ia lead the horse. as the
gray shape slimmcred towards him.
There WAS not word. scarce tie
rustic OF football nor was there Il
light anywhere. But in the thick blue
dusk Christopher had heard for All in
slant mans breathing.
Suddenly there broke into the still
ness OF the night one deep bnyinE note
from tho throat OF a dog--a blood
hound Race Judged by the rich bell
ianr. different from tho bark of other
e" Next moment there were scuf-
ding. as IL some ono were holding
tho animal Ia check; and christophcr's
heart began 10 pound against his side.
soon tho bulk OF house doomed Il
binckcr mass against the blackness OF
tho sky. The man who guided the
gray horse swung him round Il corner
a half-opcn door let II nood OF yellow
light flow out into a cone paved court
yard: and huddicd in the doorway Race
could sec several figures looking out
peernS, listening. Then tile horse
stopped. san Christopher lay without
moving. He wanted TO know. IL pos
sible, what these people expected to
find.
The man who had guided the loader
came toward the cart, asking IL Ques-
ton as he approached. but he spoke
neither in Italian nor French. nor any
language which Christopher Race had
ever heard before. When no answer
followed he repeated the same words
anNiously. then sprang forward TO look
into the cart
What I've saw waa CHRISTOPHER. sit
ting up-his revolver cooked and aim
ed--for now there seemed little hope O.
explanations, and II was necessary TO
be ready on the instant for reprisals.
The thing which any normal man
would do on suddenly seeing revolver
aimed at his head at such close quar-
tiers is to start back mechanically, hut
this man. Was different. With a roar
of rage he rSkcd death and lcarcd
at ihe>StranScr as Il tiger eiaps. and
Christopher did not h,c.
in an instant the courtyard WAS echo
ing With cries and footballs. The door
Was flung wide open and three or four
young men and Il woman had thrown
themselves. like living shadows, among
! the shadows OF the stone paved square.
Haria. fearless and excited. had dash
ed out OF the car and run forward
at the sound of the first cry. waving
q revolver But he could not FIRE, for
three tall men had torn Christopher
Race out Of the cart and wrenched
his weapon away. The group strug-
Slcd toScther and Earin dared not fire
lest he should kin the one he would
save. Then, suddenly. someone seized
his arms from behind and Snatchcd his
revolver lie discharged IL mad
Ncrtently in tie air, and 1T the same
moment q womans voice Shrcked in
italian: An automobilc-an automo-
bile"
Other voices, al voices OF men, par
laycd passionately together in that
strange language OF which Baria could
understand no more than Christopher
II might, perhaps. he German, thought
liaria. who knew only English and
Italian. with enough French to read
ana travel and the poorest smatterins
Of German. remembered vaguely from
his school days therefore, he called
zip some words of that tongue. and
strovc to protest furiously. as lie and
Christopher were dragged towards tho
house. unarmed now and well-nigh
helpless. in tho grasp OF four or five
strong men.
No one understood or would seem to
} ,Inr, RI md In, ,t l,e