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Show I (3y EM6RSON MOUGMom tfie Scenario by CRACtCONARO) f- AUTHOft of "Tfie LAOY?c e PtftATC "JOHN ftAWN" TC. 1 I 5 ' FIFTH INSYALLMENT i " SYXOPSIS. I Kitty Gray, newspaper woman, ttnda In a curio J Bhop halt of a. broker coin, the mutilated inscription I on whlch.nrouHeH her -curiosity and leads her, at f the order o-Jcr1,mana;rInE; editor, to pro to the prin- clpallty of uretxhoffen to plcco out the story hub'" '! posted by the inRcriptlon. She la followed, and on ar- rival In Grotzhoffcn her adventures while chasing tho secret of tho broken coin hegln. H iCHAPTER XVIM. - I A New Intruder. H The keen senses of Roleau,- schooled In peril, I m told him of somo hidden danger the very tense- I M ness of- the situation warning him. Turning, he I M saw the upraised weapon, and in a flash a blow I - from his own powerful arm had sent it flying I ; I through tho window. It fell clinking on the floor I ; at tho feet of Count Sachio and his friends. Kitty, " rescued from a danger which she had not real- ' Ized, sprang back. An instant later Roleau had , ! grappled with the intruder. J Hearing the sound of this encounter, Count ? Sachio and, his companions sprang at the inter vening door, broke It in. Thgy found two strange men engaged in an encounter whose cause they 1; could not guess,' but both of whom undoubtedly ! were intruders In this place, and who, therefore, might be regarded as enemies. i "The American!" exclaimed Sachio, as now he saw also the young girl, who was endeavoring as best she might to give assistance to Roleau in his struggle with the stranger. ; "Quick, excellency, run!" exclaimed Roleau. The strange man was not so easily to be disposed ; of, but gave even the powerful Roleau all he liked to do to handle him. Meantime Sachio flung himself upon Roleau, his comrades did as much for the stranger. In the melee, which slipped from place to place ' upon the floor, Sachio let fall the little bag with I the king's half coin In his excitement he had for-I for-I gotten that he still had It in his hand. The Stranger, whose shifty eyes caught everything, saw the bag as it lay upon the floor. That was the object of his errand here! Once ho had that in ) his grasp, he asked for nothing more. Working gradually towards the place where tho little bag lay, now underfoot, now scuffed aside by I the struggling men, tho stranger managed to trip j and throw that one of Sachio's friends who pressed him most closely. They fell directly before the packet Swiftly, tho long hand of the stranger reached out and caught it up. There remained for him no moro relish for the fight. An instant later, his crossed arm against tho throat of his assailant, he broke away, flung V through the open window and left the others to II shift as they might ti Roleau, still held in the powerful grasp of Count M Sachio himself, struggled furiously, all the time m calling to Kitty to mnk'eher own escape,' ; "Roleau!" called Kitty, "Quick, he has it he has stolen it. We must follow him!" And Roleau did his best to shake himself free. , "Not so fast, not so easily," panted Sachio, k "whose stern grip still held on Roleau's collar. "You , I will not get off Just yet Who are you. to come ; prowling about my place thieves against thieves? ' You shall tell me what all this means." "Go. excellency, run!" panted Roleau, still to his mistress. "Leave them to me. I'll come when I can." : ' Kitty turned, knowing that she must act quickly ' or bo tnken prisoner herself. ! "Follow me, Roleau!" she cried. "Follow me ', ! when you can. I'll leave a trail." And as she caught up a book from the table Roleau guessed - ' what she had meant by this a paper trial. An in- i stant later she also was outside the window. She looked this way and that, but could see no 1 ! traco of tho stranger who had thus treacherously Intruded upon their own plans., A strange feeling came to her mind that perhaps she had seen him elsewhere before now. Where could that havo t been? Ransacking- her memory she concluded that ; ; he must have been some one of the band of banditti who had surprised her and her companions compan-ions In the desert. ' Trusting to fortune to bring4ier aid, she ran forward for-ward in tho general direction which she supposed tho man had takeri. She passed from the floor of tho gallery, which, held no trace of footprints, to ! the softer ground where she might see the trail, and caught it now. He was running in great leaps towards the edge of the forest, where the road came In. Yonder lay the trail to Gretzhoffen. Ho Iceemed bound for that. Yes she presently hoard I a sound of horse's hoofs. The intruder was off, before him lying the open road across the desert. i: "Horses!" thought Kitty to herself, recalling tho ' stables where some of Sachio's mounts were kept indeed, she doubted not that some might be sad-I; sad-I; died and waiting in the yard. It was true an if instant later her own flying hoofbeatB pursued c , ! those now lessening in tho distance. And as she 5 fled Kitty left a trail. n ; As for Roleau, his faithful heart was wellnign. ' I broken when, having seen his mistress follow hia 3 advice and make her escape, ho found himself in spite of all unable to join her In the pursuit of the escaping thief who had their coin. The grasp of f, Sachio upon him did not relax, and now others re- enforced their leader. In a moment Roleau had '. been reduced to as passive a condition aB that in which ho so recently had left another who had I undertaken the dangerous quest of the king s coin. Finding himself helpless, at length Jo relaxed his tense muscles, ceased to heavo and thrust, , com- posed himself aB the athlete does who knows ; there Is a continued struggle ahead of him rescrv- I ' ing his powers for the moment of the greater need. I "Ah, well, messieurs," he said grinning, at length. Hi "you havo tho argument." It Sachio and his men led him out Into the main U room where, panting, he was thrown upon a chair. W "Search him!" exclaimed Sachio. "I havo lost 1)1 the coin. It was here. It is gono-he has it about It him somewhere." , Ili The companions of the count complied, but I J could make nothing of the search, Roleau stoutly I I asserting that he knew nothing of it and had it I il not in his possession. I I "I dropped it on tho floor in tho scuffle." ex- J $ claimed Sachio. "Surely this man must havo it. I or it has wings! I had it In my hand but no, this I & very moment. That American surely she Is a I I witch . Md she kke It, fellow? Tell me?" He I ' turned furiously upon Roleau. It "Monsieur, how can I tell?" replied the latter. It "I do not know. I was too busy to seo what v,as II coins on except in my own case." U , Count rSachio walked up and down tho floor, agi- tated, angry. MRobbed of both halves of the cursed coin!" he exclaimed, turning to his friends once moro, before whom he had been but now so frankly frank-ly boasting. "This was the king's half it came from King Michael himself, who was so fatuous as to-give it away to yonder young American, whoever who-ever she may be. And here am I, who expected by this time to have both pieces in my hand I have neither! ' At .last, however, there came the sound of ono riding furiously. "On guard, gentlemen!" exclaimed Sachio. "Wo do not know who comes I hope it may bo Rudolph." Ru-dolph." It was Indeed this missing stranger fhe man who had been left bound in Frederick's apartments. apart-ments. He came now, excited, breathing wrath) against all the world. Fpr one instant as ho held open tho door ho hesitated, then seeing Roleau sitting bound, flung himself upon him with a cry of vengeance. ven-geance. It should be understood now that when Count Frederick had returned to his own apartments and found his private room occupied by a man who evidently had been there for no good purpose a man left trussed up and bound by yet other Intruders In-truders he had had some parley with the helpless intruder in the way of learning what had been the cause of hlB strange plight ,."1 know you, fellow," said he. "You are of Count Sachio's suite. You have been quartered here with him as a guest of this house and now you would rob me' Your master has gone you mean to rob your master's host and friend. Who, then, found you and left you here?" "Your excellency," exclaimed Rudolph, "spare me! I was found here in your room, it is true, or near to it, at least, and was set upon by a ruffian ruf-fian and a young woman. Between them they bound me and left me helpless flung me Into your room here as you see. I ask no belief of you. Take me to Count Sachio I am his man. Let him plead for me. I shall make no plea at all." Count Frederick found upon the floor a little kerchief, which told him much. Ho picked it up, gazing at it strangely. A sudden wave of admiration admira-tion once moro crossed his soul at the daring of this young woman, who seemed to be here, there and everywhere, whose trails of late so strangely crossed his own in every possible situation of life. "Very well," said he to Rudolph, "that Is precisely pre-cisely what I shall do! Wo shall go to find your .master, Count Sachio. There has been too much mystery of late; perhaps he can explain a part of it" It was thus, therefore, that Count Frederick and his new passenger had come in a swift car from Gretzhoffen direct to tho lodge of Count Sachio, beyond the neutral lands. And having arrived at tho chalet Rudolph had lost no time in flinging himself from tho car and hastening to explain to his master that absenco which ho knew would bo so resented. Seeing Roleau there in" advance of him and bound his own rage overcame him and he lost not an instant In casting himself upon Count Sachio's prisonor. This was not altogether a fortunate matter for any; for Roleau, surprised at tho attack, and by this time somewhat in possession of recuperated powers, made so stern a heave at his bonds that he broke them; and thereupon addressing himself to tho combat onco more, soon gavo Rudolph all ho liked to do. Meantimo Count Frederick, thinking It well to guard all exits of the chalet, himself had gone to the rear, and had found tho open window at which Kitty and the stranger had escaped. What he now saw, therefore, in tho main room, was hia own lato prisoner engaged in conflict with Count Sachio's prisoner! For tho moment ho grinned in admiration of tho prowess of his own lato retainer, Roleau, who seemed to havo deserted him for tho service of tho young American. "They And him a Tartar!" exclaimed he to himself; him-self; for at that moment Roleau, casting Rudolph aside, made for the outer door of tho chalet "Stop!" cried Count Sachio loudly, as others would havo followed him "It is useless! Walt he has not the coin. Why wasto timo on him?" They fell back as the count once more took charge of this complicated situation. "As for you, Rudolph," ho exclaimed, "you havo come late, and you have failed you have not the coin that you were sent to bring mo." "Excellency, no I have failed. That man" ho pointed to the door where Roleau had fled "ho and a young woman caught me even as I was searching for it where you directed me. They fell on me and trussed mo up and left mo helpless. I stayed thoro until tho master of the place came. It was he who brought mo hither I told him you would make any explanation that could be made." "And a fine explanation anyone can make!" exclaimed ex-claimed Count Sachio bittorly. "I am helpless I shall be suspected. You cannot tell what consequences conse-quences may follow your own failure." Outside tho chalet there now were two, both of whom were eager enough to leavo tho place, since longer tarrying gould be good for neither Count -Frederick and his late servant, Roleau. The car of Count Frederick still remained for him that of Count Sachio stood in tho front yard of the chalet A moment later the purr of both motors might havo been heard as they whirled out Into the road toward Gretzhoffen! There remained behind them the plotters of the rival kingdom, now left to nurs"e their own Impotent wrath at their own headquarters head-quarters in Count Sachio's hunting lodge. CHAPTER XIX. The Apaches. Tho man who had proved himself the last possessor pos-sessor of tho king's half of the Gretzhoffen coin was tho most unworthy of any thus far concerned in its destinies. True, Kitty's recollection had been correct she had indeed seen him among Lan-dozi's Lan-dozi's condottierl Yet lawless as the mombers of that band were, he scarce was fit to claim comradeship comrade-ship with them. His name in truth was Blake a renegade Englishman, Eng-lishman, who had for some time belonged to the underworld of the capital of Gretzhoffen. If, animated ani-mated by somo greater ambition of his own, he now and then joined tho bands of the desert rovers, his real preference was for the underworld of the city, where, with his comrades of the cheaper cheap-er thieving gentry, he might for tho most part smoke or loaf In idleness, not concerned In deeds of activity or daring. It had been by mere chance of his prowling nature that he had learned something some-thing about the ownership of the broken coin had guessed that it might have some value, and had resolved to possess himself of it. the desert, not so far away in their own rendezvous, rendez-vous, were gathered for an evening's converse a dozen or more of Landozi's band of desert riders, hail fellows well met, friends of the king's troops and enemies, as they boasted, of none but the rich. Their headquarters, as was generally known, lay a llttlo way back on the cross-trail of the main road, between the two kingdoms of Grahoffen and Gretzhoffen, which crossed midway of the neutral lands. When Kitty fled after the thief Blake, it was at first with no definite purpose of her own; but sho had not gone far before she realized that alone she could accomplish little against such men as he; and she doubted not that he was on his way to join his comrades. What then was there to do? Who could aid her' Even as she rode the thought came to Kitty'3 mind of the debonair bandit leader, Landozi, the same who had so gallantly freed her and escorted her to the city's gates but a short time before. She was woman enough to know the Impression she had made on the bandit chief and shrewd enough also to hit upon him as an ally in her own plans. Therefore, as Kitty rode now not bo fast as not to leavo abundant bits of paper on the trail so that Roleau might be able to track her it was not towards any citadel of the law not to Gretzhoffen town itself but towards the capital of lack of law; the rendezvous of tho ragged banditti ban-ditti of tho desert. They sat, these rude and careless folk, lllclatl, ragged, yet not ill content, under the sheltering rocks which made their lair or den on tho cross- 1. He Broke Away and Flung Through the Open Window 2. Count Frederick, Shielding Kitty, Stood at Bay 3. She Caught From the Table the Coveted Coin. As he fled now, therefore, he made not for tho desert so much as for the dens of his own sort n the purlieus of Gretzhoffen town itself. When at length, after his long ride across the neutral country, ho found himself onco more near to what he called home, he cast looso his horse and completed his journey on foot At the door of the underground divo, where he counted upon meeting most of his friends, ho made the UBual sign of admission. It was achoico band of kindred souls who rose to greet him as ho entered. They asked of him what cheer. "What havo I done what have I taken?" Swaggering, Swag-gering, ho pushed them aside and threw on the table in the center of the room a bit of coin which he took from his pocket. "Something, comrades, I am thinking." A roar of laughter broke from them, as, a motley group, they surrounded him. "He Is a jolly Jester, is it not so, my brothers!" exclaimed one. "A coin! If It were whole it might be worth perhaps a lira or bo but broken it is worthless. What can wo get for this in a bank, my brothers? So, Blake, Is this your day's work!" "You may laugh, comrades." said he, "all you like; at the same time, I venture you that coin will be worth something to us before wo are dono with It." "What is It?" exclaimed one, curiously, examining examin-ing tho inscription. "An old Roman coin, do you think?" "True, thero is a mystery about It, my bullies, never doubt that. It Is a mystery that will pay well when solved. Besides, it might act as some sort of safeguard for us. There has been plenty of talk of late that our band may need friends to keep us from the noose. Very well, then I think tho ownership owner-ship of this coin at least will give us friends when wo may need them. Guard It "well, that same broken coin, my brothers." "What do you mean?" asked tho spokesman curiously. cu-riously. "Who has sought it, then?" "Such men as Count Sachio of Grahoffen. It was of him I took It. Thero was pursuing It also, that samo young American and that ruffian of hers, who serves her so like a dog Roleau, I heard her call him. My word, he had a grip of steel in hia hands ho well nigh did for mo before I could mako my escape. I saw Count Sachio drop the coin upon the floor. I threw my man so I could pick it up, and then I fled. My word to you, brothers, broth-ers, I fled at speed! So, here I am." Now, whilo these thieves of the city were holding hold-ing their little conference, their bolder brethren of ".i ' road in the neutral lands. Cooking, eating, drinking, drink-ing, they spent the time as persons of no moro mentality than theirs would spend It joking, conversing, con-versing, talking of what they had done, vaporing of what they were about to do. Most prominently in thoir minds seemed to linger the memory of their little expedition in which they had taken prisoner the Count Frederick and the beautiful young American. "And tho chief let that prize go!" grumbled one. "Out of the whole enterprise wo got nothing, noth-ing, absolutely nothing. What the count gave us would not have made two lire apiece, divided fairly among our band The main prize the young woman wom-an we got nothing for her whatever. And yet, what a chance for ransom!" "Such a chance doe3 not come often. But I wonder -where the chief himself is tonight. And nre the pickets out down the road? In theso times we cannot be too careful, for they say that between be-tween tho two kingdoms war may come, and If so it would be but our luck for one of the armies to ask us to recruit with them." "Go, you fellows, two of you." Instructed ono who seemed to be some sort of lieutenant. "Step out and scout down the road a bit." It was not long after this that the men left at the rendezvous heard in the darkness a woman's scream. With this came tho laughing shout of their comrades. A moment more they bore into the light of tho circle between thom a young woman! "IIo, brothers!" cried the ruffian who held Kitty in his arms "By the Lord, 'tis the same! 'tis tho young American highness whom we lost!" "Loose me! Let me free!" cried Kitty vehemently vehe-mently "I came to you for help. I trusted in you. I am in need and I ask you gentlemen to be my friends." "What, your friends!" They laughed loudly at this. "Yes, your leader knows, me do you not remember re-member how he took us captive the other day? He told me then that if I needed aid to count on him. Does one of your brotherhood speak falsely?"' They fell back from her now respectfully, Impressed Im-pressed in part by what she said, and in part by tho fear that they might offend their leader. This latter fear was well placed, for even now they heard tho sounds of rapid hoofbeats. "Hist!" exclaimed one, "Landozi it Is very likely like-ly he." And it was he, the man whom they all respected through their fears. He flung himself from his horEc now and strode into tho lighted circle. "What now. fellows!" exclaimed he, as he ffjij caught sight of the young woman standing there, Stt disheveled, pale. "Do you not. know this excel- ftH i lency? What, would you insult her!' Mt "I camo hither for help," exclaimed Kitty, ad- 'I dressing him with such appeal in her eyes as any ' ml man would havo found it difficult to. resist "I am lili in need I am in pursuit of a thief and I " til "And you ask a thief to catch a thief?" Tho 111 bandit chieftain sailed grimly. If I? ' "No, not in the least I do not call you so, you ifjf brothers of the desert You yourself, Captain ljllj Landozi, told mo to come to you if I needed help. (2j ( Well, I need it now, tonight, this very moment! jf I I am all alone. I need conduct to Gretzhoffen ft j I town. I am convinced that the man who Tobbed '$ me fled thither. What, would you allow one to ! escape who would rob a woman?" jt "No," exclaimed Landozi. "That Is not our trade. it j It is our profession that we tako only from the ! ' rich; and wo do not side with those who rob th J v.eak. Excellency, my word Is my word. You come to us for aid, and we should bo barren of all It j honor did we not give you aid. What can we do?" l H 1 "Ride with me!" exclaimed Kitty. "Yourself !ij two or three men show me the way from here to !ri Gretzhoffen. Shield me against any other possible ' riders who may not be of your brotherhood. Is r I it agreed?" ( 1 "It is agreed!" exclaimed Landozi, ill CHAPTER XX. ' 'l The Sewer Rats. f 1 "Who was the thief that robbed you, exce f,a lm...4l JIJ T J I 11 J ' ' il M iciijr ; ucuiituueu utuuuii, ib Limy urew up near it & the edge of the city did you see him well?" ij , "Perfectly," said Kitty. "Moreover, I am sure I ' R have seen him before." v B "Where?" , MJ "With your own band, monsieur he was one ot l 1 those who rode with p'ou the other day!" IP "Ah, a slim man sharp face whito?" . y "Precisely the same." ifl "I know him Blake! He was with us that day, vX yes, but I promise you he is not really ot our wl brotherhood. He is not worthy of association with ht I gallant gentlemen like ourselves. We ride tho guif trails ho creeps through the alleys of the city. mMi We are borderers he is a common thief, Blake m" truly, it must have been he. No one of our own jHlj gentry would have robbed a woman. Now, you fRH help me In your own quest I know Blake's lurk- Hit ing place. He and his kind have a sort of a den rJ in the low quarter of the town. The prefect of jtjsl police leaves them pretty much alone,, because In JrJ these times the officers of the law have much else jjjlj to think about. Their opium lair their den for Jwl'l stolen goods yes, yes, I know. But dare you go jjfcj with me?" . , 111(1 "I must dare It," said Kitty firmly. ' "Perhaps mm my friends will follow me 1 do not know but Eficl even If not, you and I must-get'back what-he has BE J stolen from me." M "And what was It, excellency?" Hi "No more than a broken bit of coin, captain, of JkJ value to none aB It is now, of great value to me jj(J provided I can -attain It and the other half." j!.j "You need say no more. Tho errand is enough Bi to interest me because now I shall have that fel- IJRj low Blake where I have longed to find him. He llj shall not ride with us again. But come," ho Hfj added. jjj They found their way through the darkening Hri streets in the purlieus of Gretzhoffen town. Under ll the leadership of the chieftain they threaded street Jl after street, alley after alley, until at length their BJ party descended into a steep gully In a. less im lj portant portion of the city. A faint light showed Rjl through the chinks of a( wall which seemed to bo Sif the facing of a bank, but which really concealed It some sort of den within. ?' "Yonder, excellency," whispered Landozi, "is the p' place where they hole "up like rats in a sewer J l and they havo no more principles they are J worthy of no more. Come, my men, close In." j He pushed against the door round which shone 1 the gleams of light, and hastened into a sort of JS passageway. Their entry attracted no attention ;f(i for the time. Jr Only two of the gang remained, tho others hav W ing departed on one errand or other of their own. Hw Whon Kitty and her companion looked through utj the little window, which gave In upon the recess llsil under the bluff, they saw Blttng close to the table sJJ two men Blake, the renegade, and another of his ?( band. Tho keen eye of Kitty detected Blake's jj hand lying upon the table and near It the object P which she sought the missing coin! l! "Quick," whispered Landozi, and as he spoke he j I broke into the room. Without hesitation he flun? tm himself upon Blake, and Kitty, wishing to be of IJI1 service, and finding no better means, caught up an wW empty bottle which stood near and dealt so in- Ma teresting a blow upon the head of the remaining ijljg ruffian as to put him out of the combat for the it timo. An instant later she had caught from the j table tho coveted coin. jjjl "Lot him go, Landozi quick! Come! I have 'eM got it!" she exclaimed. And an Instant later she bHB was In the passageway once more. IpJjj She had almost made her way out into the jjfOi open, when in the semidarkness she felt a strong jh hand catch at her wrist heard a low laugh at her H ear ' 1 $ "Roleau!" she cried aloud. ; jit "No. not Roleau," said a voice she knew well ; M enough the voice of tho Count Frederick. j U "So, you have It! Very well, cling to it, then ( ij but don't drop it To prevent that I will even hold jj i your hand In mine." ,1 ffl "You brute!" exclaimed Kitty, sobbing now In ! 8 tho Intensity of her emotions "after all I havo ! LjL done to get it And it is mine!" ; K "Why argue it, my dear young lady?" exclaimed I Lu Count Frederick. "I have told you I must have it. I I regret as much as you that I must disturb you." jER "Release me let me go!" S Panting, sho looked up at him In the half light. i What sho saw was a face grim and full of purpose itl a face which it Beemed to hec she would always jjJ hate but in which at least there was no trace of 'flJ any fear. iHIfJl "Come," he said and flung an arm about her ;jjLS waist as ho stepped toward the open. "Let Ro- JP leau feud for. himself I am satisfied with what JjjH I have now." jJa An instant later ho halted. From what sounds ffifk he heard at the rear, he knew escape was cut off ,lfn there. And now crowding In at the entrance of Jv - ljM the main gallery in which they stood, thero cam , ""! yet others of the thieves' band, barring exit th p as well. ,0 F Count Frederick, shielding Kitty, stid at' ' ijJM (TO BE CONTINUEDJ ' 1 lj j - ,S |