ved men encamped in a
rocky defile in the heart of the wilderness.

That same night a Graustark mountaineer passed the sentinels and brought
news of the disturbance in Edelweiss. He could give no details. He only
knew that there had been serious rioting in the streets and that the
gates were closed against all comers. He could not tell whether the
rioters--most of whom he took to be strikers, had been subdued or
whether mob-law prevailed. He had been asked to cast his lot with the
strikers, but had refused. For this he was driven away from his home,
which was burned. His wife and child were now at the Monastery, where
many persons had taken refuge.

In a flash it occurred to John Tullis that Marlanx was at the bottom of
this deviltry. The abduction of Loraine was a part of his plan! Prince
Dantan advised a speedy return to the city. His men were at the command
of the American. Moreover, the Prince himself decided to accompany the
troops.

Before sunrise, the command, now five or six hundred strong, was picking
its way down the dangerous mountain roads toward the main highway.
Fifteen miles below Edelweiss they came upon the company of soldiers
sent out to preserve order in the railroad camps.

The officer in charge exhibited a document, given under the hand and
seal of Baron Dangloss, directing him to remain in command of the camps
until the strikers, who were unruly, could be induced to resume work
once more. This order, of course, was a forgery, designed to mislead the
little force until Marlanx saw fit to expose his hand to the world. It
had come by messenger on the very day of the rioting. The messenger
brought the casual word that the government was arresting and punishing
the lawless, and that complete order would hardly be established for
several days at the outside. He went so far as to admit that an attempt
on the life of the Prince had failed. Other reports had come to the
camps, and all had been to the effect that the rioting was over. The
strikers, it seemed, were coming to terms with their employers and would
soon take up the work of construction once more. All this sufficed to
keep the real situation from reaching the notice of the young captain;
he was obeying orders and awaiting the return of the workmen.

The relief that swept into the souls of the newly arrived company was
short-lived. They had gone into camp, tired, sore and hungry, and were
preparing to take a long needed rest before taking up t