enough to tell me how to reach the Old Forest and the ancient castle

of the Prince von der Tann."

For a moment the two men whispered together, then the spokesman

turned to Barney.

"We will lead you upon the right road. Come," and the two turned

their horses, one of them starting slowly back up the trail while

the other remained waiting for Barney to pass him.

The American, suspecting nothing, voiced his thanks, and set out

after him who had gone before. As he passed the fellow who waited

the latter moved in behind him, so that Barney walked between the

two. Occasionally the rider at his back turned in his saddle to scan

the trail behind, as though still fearful that Barney had been lying

to them and that he would discover a company of soldiers charging

down upon them.

The trail became more and more difficult as they advanced, until

Barney wondered how the little horses clung to the steep

mountainside, where he himself had difficulty in walking without

using his hand to keep from falling.

Twice the American attempted to break through the taciturnity of his

guides, but his advances were met with nothing more than sultry

grunts or silence, and presently a suspicion began to obtrude itself

among his thoughts that possibly these "honest farmers" were

something more sinister than they represented themselves to be.

A malign and threatening atmosphere seemed to surround them. Even

the cat-like movement of their silent mounts breathed a sinister

secrecy, and now, for the first time, Barney noticed the short, ugly

looking carbines that were slung in boots at their saddle-horns.

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