The Press., 1917-01-18

 have. hung himself. and therc WaS nc l accounting for tue disappearance of 1 the body except that the witches had carried it off
 The jailer's suggestion saved him from punishment, and tAe count was obliged to forego the ransom. He was becoming recOnciled to his disappoint l ment when one day neighbOr of Con- rad's came across the border and re ported the suicide living at home in comfort with his wife and children. The count was astOnished Indeed he would not believe the report until he had sent a spy into the Cncmy'S country to learn the truth. When the spy returned and said that he had seen Conrad sitting before his door, the count was convinced that he was there. But the spy. believing that witches had assisted Conrad to get away, supposed himself to be under the influence of his imagination. Conrad was sitting mo- tiOnless at the time, and the spy got the idea into his head that he was a corpse. He reported that he had watched the figure ten long minutes. in all of which time it made no motion
 The count, disgruntled at having lost his ransom and not satisfied with his spy's report, sent another. who saw Conrad chOpping wood. This disposed of the theory that witches had carried back the corpse of suicide, and the count determined to make a raid into the domains of Count EIginbrod with q view to again carrying off the wealthy Conrad.
 Now, Conrad's home was near thr border. and all the count had to do was to send a force across, kidnap Con- rad and carry him away before any of the barOn'S forces could be brought to protect him. But it happened thai Joan had hc2n looking out of the win dow when the second spy saw her bus band chOppin% wood and watched the man slipping away, as he supposed, unnOticed. Joan suspected what this meant and SirAightway took prccau- tirnE. She sent one OldprShuW. d neighbOr. to Count Hastings domain to win the confidence of the count and agree for Il consideration to enticc Con- rad away from his home so that he could be readily captured. This man succeeded in his object. At the same time he Was instructed by Joan to re- port that Joan was d witch
 This continued Count Hastings be lief ill the iailer'S suggestion that witches had heen instrumental in Con rad'S diS;ppcH cHrance, but he attributed ( ;+,.l Il wife cvprthelcSS, he Was so averSp to being beaten even by witch that he accepted OldershOW'S offer and having paid him q round sum- sent a dozen men W ith him to kidnap Conrad
 The expedition approached COmrads house i'll the evening glOammg, and what was thrr horror to see the man they were after hanging by the neck to a tree near his house They at once took to flight and never stopped run ming fill they had reached their start ing I,Uint. having left OlderSh0W be hind them. They reported what they had seen to the count, and OIdCrShOw. retul?ling. entered Conlad'S house and poured heap of gold he had received for his work in loans lap.
 This ended Count Hastings efforts to regain possession of Conrad. for he was convinced of his being managed by witch. that witch being Joan, But he sent d messenger tO Baron Fl 2inbrod to say that the baron had q witch in his tlominions, and If he did not get rid of her she would infect the whole country.
 Upon this the baron sent for Joan and asked her what truth there was in the counts charge.
 ''PlnaSe wOrShip," replied Joan 'WIftlI1 t-r5t!1rt = - aiaAaI'; . cS main he carried off my husband and held him for ransom When the priS- oner wrote me that if l did not pay the ransom by a certain date he wOuI hang himself in the chimney I knew that there was d chimney in the rUulI where he was confined and that he meant that l should on certain night send some one or go myself, get Oil the roof and let d rope down by which hp could climb. l sent one OIderShUv who succeeded in doing that, and mj husband escaped.
 ''Su$poctinw that the count would try again to mako !ny husband his priSou- CT l sent OldershoW to win his con fidence and pilot party to make the capture. l made a stuffed figure of my husband and hung it tn d tree near the house. When :hey came to take him they were fri&htcmed and ran away. Instead of the count getting ransom, got the money he paid my messenger to lead his men into a trap"
 The baron was s0 well pleased with loans story that he gave her tract of land near his castle. where she and her family would be in less danger from Count Hastings incursiOnS