Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1919 edition. Excerpt: ... And, as they hastened through and bolted the heavy door behind them, Franz, with a long sword, faced the men, who struck at him from every side. The Count, safe outside, with his wife and child hastened away. Going quickly to the home of Dame Henda he said: "Here is my little son. It would be death to try to escape with him. Keep him safe for a little time, and I will reward you richly." Then, before she could answer, for she was much frightened, he went away into the darkness. Now three years had passed. Dame Henda had changed his name to Arlo, and told no one how he came there, but she had taken good care of her charge, and had spent almost all her savings, for she was poor. She hoped that the Count would return and pay her for her trouble, but news came that the Count and Countess could never return again. People said that they were dead. This might not have been such ill fortune for her, if Arlo had learned to work, but this is just what he had not done. He was a dreamy boy, who delighted in wandering about, and playing on his violin, which Dame Henda had purchased for him. Alas, he had not even learned to bake bread. As time went on she became more and more discouraged, and lost her temper more often. She was not a bad woman at heart, but when she lost her temper it was very hard for her to find it again before she had used the stick which she kept behind the door. So it had all come to this. She had spent her money; the Count would never come back; the boy could not even watch bread in the oven. She called him a vagabond, and a beggar, and would have struck him with the poker had he not escaped. Then she had ordered him to go away. "Oh, well," she thought, "I will try to speak more kindly to him when he comes back for his supper, ...