Evening star., 1928-04-18

az the gypsy girl he had seen In the
crowd on Castle avenue. AT the time
| he had been struck by her beauty
but more than anything else he re.
membcred the big blue eyes that ga2ec
IN at him from brown, gypsy race
Singularly out of place IN such
setting,
He had climbed the mountains tc
the timber line. only 10 be turned
back by the unScalable peaks and cragS
that baffied all human endeavor. He
was tired worn out physically by the
end OF the Summer. and was beginning
to lose hone of success In a short
time Winter would set in, and. unless
he accomplished his aim within the
next few weeks. the grim quest would
have 10 be abandoned for that year, at
least. He knew that somewhere IN
these lofty hills. somewhere IN the
depths of the great forest. Joniter
Davos and his band were hiding, like
animals driven to cover.
And the chieftain's daughter. the
girl with the blue eyes, the STRIPPING
who so dauntleSSly had confronted his
conQueror that day in the paSS--She
was hiding with the rest Of them
Knowing the custom Of the robbers
he found himself wondering whether
she would ever allow herself 10 be
taken alive.
He Shrank from the thought of this
wild. lovely girl shooting herself rather
than fall into his hands
The second week in September was
hot, even in the shades of the great
forest cathedral where nature wor-
shiped in whispers. The soldiers sta
toned along the highway increased
the frequency Of their rather hazardous
visits to the now sluggish stream at
the bottom OF the gorge, where they
ciisported themselves in the cool waters.
Here and there were 10 be found quiet
pools Of considerable depth. approached
with some Clifficulty because of the
steep. Jagged banks Of the stream. con-
traSting sharply with the widely sepa-
rated. Swift-fiowing shadows" where
/, was possible. at certain seasons only,
20 cross to the opposite side by fording.
One evening shortly after dusk Star
court and 'two companions made their
way down to the stream from a tenn
povary camp pitched on the wooded
slope not far from the glen known
as Nights Rest" but on the opposite
side Of the gorge.
Divesting themselves OF their cloth
ing, they slipped down into the shad-
owy black pool. Starcourt. being far
the best swimmer. boldly, as was his
habit, made his way with easy strokes
10 the lower end OF the stretch, while
his less expert friends contented them
selves with timorous ventures and
noisy SplaShings within easy reach of
the bank.
The pool was several hundred yards
long. ending in q swift current. where
its waters rippled over stony obstacles
and surged down 10 a lower level
Starcourt'S camp was nearly half a
mile away The men. a dozen in all
fatigued by a trying day in the hills
we're asleep. except for the two SEN
tinels who stood watch
For the better part OF the afternoon
these soldiers had been trailed by a
stealihy group OF horSemen, who, re-
naming far behind and more or less
under cover. had come 70 q halt q mile
or 50 below the camp without being
observed.
Even as Sfarcourt and his CON-
panions were picking their way down
70 the pool In the semi-darkneSs, a full
score Of silent men on foot we're steal
ing cautiously through the trees toward
the little camp when their progress
was checked by scouts who came back