Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-12-04

the name Of the owner-or alleged
owner-Ravelli; Valegio. Valegio's
that village, you remember. whose
lights we saw twinkling far above us
about half an hour ago as we came
down the pass. Some road branching
off near here must lead to 1t. If 1t
does, the gray horse will take 1t, and
perhaps Signor Ravelli will have
surprise"
Out went the light of the lantern.
The lamps of the car were already
dark. Christopher, lying among the
egg boxes, the reins held loosely In his
hand, his revolver ready, let the gray
leader go at his own pace and in his
own way The car trailed behind
noiselessly, invisible to anyone in
front. Thus the horses, steady enough
now, plodded up the pass down which
Scarlet Runner had swept but half
hour ago.
There was not a word, scarce the
rustic of a football, nor was there a
light anywhere. But in the thick blue
dusk Christopher had heard for an
instant a mans breathing.
Suddenly there broke into the still
ness of the night one deep, baying
note from the throat of a dog-a
bloodhound, Race judged by the rich
bell-tone, different from the bark OF
other dogs Next moment there were
scufflings, as II someone were holding
the animal in check, and Christopher's
heart began to pound against his side.
Soon the bulk of a house doomed a
blacker mass against the blackness OF
the sky. The man who guided the
gray horse swung him round cor
ner; half-open. door let a Hood OF
yellow light flow out into a stone
paved courtyard, and huddled in the
doorway Race could see several fig
ures looking out-'peering, listening.
Then the horse stopped. Still Chris
TOPPER lay without moving. He
wanted to know. II possible, what
these people expected to find.
The man who had guided the leader
came towards the cart asking ques-
ton as he approached, but he spoke
neither In italian nor French, nor
any language which Christopher Race
had ever heard before When on an
swer followed he repeated the same
words anxiously, then sprang toward
to look into the cart.
What he saw was Christopher, sit
| ting up-his revolver cooked and
aimed-for now there seemed little
hope of explanations, and 1t was nee
essary to be ready on the instant for
reprisals.
The thing which any normal man
would do on suddenly seeing re-
volver aimed at his head at such close
quarters is to start back mechani-
cally, but this man was different. With
roar of rage he risked death and
leaped at the stranger as a tiger
leaps, and-Christopher did not fire.
In an instant the courtyard was
echoing with cries and footballs The
door was flung wide open and three
or four young men and a woman had
thrown themselves, like living shad-
ows, among the shadows of the stone
paved square. Baria. fearless and ex-
cited, had dashed out of the car and
run forward at the sound of the first
cry, waving 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 struggled together. and Baria
dared not fire lest he should kill the
one he would save. Then, suddenly
someone seized his arms from behind
and snatched his revolver as he dis.
charged 1t inadvertently in the air
and at the same moment a woman's
voice shreiked in Italian: AN auto
mobile--an automobile"
II Other voices, all voices of men, par.
leyed passionately together in thai
strange language of which Baria coulc
understand no more than Christopher
II might, perhaps, be German, though
Baria, who knew only English anc
Italian, with enough French to reat
and travel. and the poorest smatterini
Of German, remembered vaguely from
his school days. Therefore, he called
UP some words of that tongue ant
strove to protest furiously. as he anC
Christopher were dragged towards tn,
house, unarmed now and well-nigl
helpless, in the grasp of four or fiv,
, strong men.
/ No one understood or would seen
) to understand and they were at tn,
5 open door, surrounded and powerless
: when some inner door opened. an,
: for an instant tall and magnificen
I old man, with long white hair falling