end of your journey."

"Whither were you bound when I became the means of wrecking your

motor car?" asked the girl.

"To the Old Forest," replied Barney.

Now she was positive that she was indeed with the mad king of Lutha,

but she had no fear of him, for since childhood she had heard her

father scout the idea that Leopold was mad. For what other purpose

would he hasten toward the Old Forest than to take refuge in her

father's castle upon the banks of the Tann at the forest's verge?

"Thither was I bound also," she said, "and if you would come there

quickly and in safety I can show you a short path across the

mountains that my father taught me years ago. It touches the main

road but once or twice, and much of the way passes through dense

woods and undergrowth where an army might hide."

"Hadn't we better find the nearest town," suggested Barney, "where I

can obtain some sort of conveyance to take you home?"

"It would not be safe," said the girl. "Peter of Blentz will have

troops out scouring all Lutha about Blentz and the Old Forest until

the king is captured."

Barney Custer shook his head despairingly.

"Won't you please believe that I am but a plain American?" he

begged.

Upon the bole of a large wayside tree a fresh, new placard stared

them in the face. Emma von der Tann pointed at one of the

paragraphs.

"Gray eyes, brown hair, and a full reddish-brown beard," she read.

"No matter who you may be," she said, "you are safer off the

highways of Lutha than on them until you can find and use a razor."

"But I cannot shave until the fifth of November," said Barney.

<<BackPagesTo menuNext>>