Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-18

sever tie hIiu from tne DUuy his SWORD
went gathering to the ground and hung
helpless by his side, the blood gushing out
in spurts that told of a severed artery.
He gave himself up to death like brave
man, and faced me calmly.
ITO the death, SIR he said, speaking for
the first time since the fight began.
ITO the devil" answered. DO you take
me for a butcher?''
He could stand no longer, and sank half
fafnting to the ground
Il must bind up that arm, or you'll bleed
to death before help can come"
mo, no. Fly, SIR he said, his voice now
weak. You will be caught here, and
then
] wasted time in words, but tearing a
SASH from his waist, l managed a rough
kind of tourniquet and stopped the rush
of blood As l was finishing l heard steps
approaching the barn He heard them, too.
Fly, fly he whispered
Catching UP my coat and sword, l ran
toward the door
ID Aguilar. D'Aguilar are you there?"
recognized the majors voice, but made
no reply, The big, unwieldy door swung
back, and Maj. Montrey came in. He saw
me and put himself in my path.
pass he cried
Fore God, man. have care,' I cried.
furousIy. STAND out of my path, or III
cut you down. But he stood his ground
and called for help.
In a nom Mt L was on him. Lifting my
sword on high, and uttering fearful oath,
l dropped my coat and rushed at him.
THAT mans wounded l cried and catch
ing up my coat, dashed out into the dark.
L ran almost straight into the arms of the
soldiers who We're fastening up in reply
to the majors cry for help.
WHO goes there?" they cried. and l
heard the ring of their carbines.
L did not stay to think, but Hung myself
on the nearest and drove him with all my
might against his companions, setting them
all IN confusion, and before they had re-
covered from the confusion I had darted
hal
Fortunately l knew my way, and made
at top speed for the place where l had left
my horse. / had scarcely got away when
three shots rang out on the night air, and
then the place seemed alive with men,
whose shouts and cries and shots l heard
all about the house and stables and
grounds.
tore across the lawn like a hunted thing,
pausing only a moment to throw my coat
over my shoulders so as to keep OFF some
of the rain that was now peiting down
more heavily than ever, bat thinking l
heard them behind me, l sped on faster
than before.
1 felt myself growing weak now from
loss of blood and was Keeling badly when
heaven the key was in it, and a minute
later l had found my horse and led him
through. l was in the act of mounting
when some one rushed through the gate
and called my name. II was lota.
Il was going to let you out of the shed,
when l found you had escaped, FRITZ she
SAID. 'And then / came TO walt mere by
your horse. Are you safer
At that instant the notes of a bugle rang
out calling the men to mount.
My darling child, You must not stop
Il must not stay, either. They know tho
road I must take, and in a minute | shall
have the whole gang at my heels ana the
countryside reused in pursuit of me.
oh. ii is terrible, it is terrible!' she sob
bed. Take me with you, Fritz. They will
kill me for this nights work.
My dearest, 1 dare not. My horse could
not possibly carry US both, and we should
be caught before we had gone a mile
Forgive me; | know know. But / am
mad at having brought you to this. Good
bye; God bless you, Fritz-husband even if
| never see you again she cried.
1t was agony to leave her, but it would
have been death TO, take her. l strained
her to my heart and even as our ilps mot
l could hear my pursuers in the distance
Ny heart was torn at the pain OF leaving
her, but there was no other course.
clambered into the saddle, bent down
for a last caress and dashed off along the
pitch dark road at top speed, glad she dln
not know of my wounds.
If l had not known every step of my
road / could not have escaped. After half
a mile at a mad gallQp / put my horse at
the low hedge by the roadside and strurk
out a bee line across country. 1t was
heavy going and treacherOus, but it saved
very considerable distance, and when
emerged on to the road again L could hear
nothing of the troopers.
| let my horse get his wind, therefore,
and waited until l caught sound Of the men
again before l pricked forward once more
at the galop. l knew Of another point
where | could take a short cut; but this
time I was delayed by the very heavy go
ing, and when ! reached the road again
found the men close behind me.
4 loud shout soon told me they had heard
the sound Of my horses hoofs and a mo-
u7ent later they commenced desultOry drop
ping fire with tf,air carbines.
| I began now to despair l was nearing
a village where [ had come across scout
ing party on my way out while my horse
was beginning to feel the effects of the big
effort he had had to make.
BUT [ set my teeth, drove my heels into
his willing sides and resolved to hold on
till he dropped or one Of their chance bull
lets should hit ne. l encouraged him with
words and caresses as well as the spur,
and he seemed to feel the danger as much
As clattcred into the village I looked
cage rly ahead and around, and to my in
finite relief there was not sign of the
scouting party. But my pursuers were
closing up behind me, while the shouts
they sent up brought the few people who
were still out Of their beds running to doors
and windows to watch the strange race.
| had only two miles further to ride now,
but as left the village street and splashed
on between the hedgeroWs again, my heart
sank suddenly.
q hit and at the top of Il short, easy slope
7 saw drawn up across the road, their fig
ures blackly silhouetted against the sky
line a Gordon of horsemen
1t was all over. | was caught between
the two parties. I drew rein, pulling my
faithful beast almost on to mis- launches,
and glanced desperately at the tall hedges
on either side to see il ] could possibly
lean them. They were hopeless. Had my
horse been fresh and myself unwoundcd, l
could not have dashed through them. But
| bod 10