A Silver Brand — page 230: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

929 A SILVER BRAND. Rant not see,” was all the answer he could wring from er. He thrust her from him, and hurried out to the men stationed in the street to watch the front and the rear of the house. Since sunset the sky had been overcast, al- though no rain had fallen, and the murky clouds had vailed the starbeams. The street was dark, silent—gloomy looking. He demanded eagerly, “Had they seen aught descend- ing from the roof? Had they heard any noise.in the vicinity ?” No, all had been quiet and peaceful. One man alone recalled a singular rushing noise as of a flight of birds. “The cursed balloon again! Had any one seen anything of a second balloon that day?” cried the leader, striking his hands together fiercely. “Yes,” was the eager reply. ‘‘There had been a small balloon fastened up at the roof; but it looked more like a plaything than anything else. He had inquired about it of one of the neighbors, and he had explained that it was the zronaut’s sign. There was no car at all attached to it.” Still cursing the baffled detective rushed down the street, and almost ran into the little cavalcade of swift riders dashing around the corner. He drew himself back, and smote upon his breast fiercely, “‘It is the prince. He has answered my message in person. He has come to identify the lady. And she is gone. He will never listen to my excuses. I am undone! I am ruined !” And he turned, and followed them back to the zeronaut’s door, overwhelmed with shame and terror. The foremost of the cavalcade leaped from the saddle lightly for all his clumsy weight. “This is the house. It must be here my flying bird is caged. ‘This aspiring sronaut shall learn that a sorrier day’s work his balloon could not have done for him. Ho, there! open to me!” He knocked rudely with his sword hilt upon the door, _ which was promptly opened by one of his own hirelings within. * Well, where is Hernberg?” he asked, carelessly, while the man made his profound obeisance.. ‘‘The footsteps of his messenger have hardly kept pace with mine. And what have you done with the lady ?” et , Comicbooks com