The Holly chieftain., 1902-08-08

~ y = ~
intss hand rhss4 euufict WITH :sSa1
French. and then the nercest kind Of
warfare was inaugurated.
The Bavaris6s might have had held
the fort had they 1een quickly rein,
forced, but Twas not the policy of the
German generals to bring on bat.
tie, since, starvation must decile the
question speedily enough. d.
Their object had been attained in
teaching the French that after all
their position was not SO impregnable'
as they might have believed.
And hence the signal of recall
sounded.
6urrounded by struggling forms en-.
gagged in desperate death grapple.
with flres and the blaze of still boom.
ing cannon lighting up the scene a
with the glow Of internal confagra.
tions. the spectacle of Paul engaged
with French swordsman was one
1T for the delectation of the gods, and
Mars himself must have been fully
satisfied with such an heroic picture,
Then came the recall Paul 70
mained, not through choice. but be
cause he had become involved In =
singular engagement, and could not
break away. {s+ y
Two men, sadly lacking in that
chivalrous spirit fol. which Frenchmen
have become famous the world around.
had chosen to attack him at the same
time, and II their eagerness was any
gauge to their capacity for doing
harm, Rhinelander must be in bad
way indeed.
Luckily for him they were mere
tyros with the trenchant blades they
welded so clumsily, and he believed
himself easily capable of mastering
them without trouble.
At the same time the chances OF
his being able to escape, once this
were done, grew very dubious, since
the French were gathering about the
scene Of the singular duel. always
eager to watch any feat of arms out Of
the ordinary runs
They saw a spectacle that was not
likely to como their way every day
for Paul kept his adversaries guess
ing. and parrying all manner of imag
mary attacks until at length he saw
his chance to retire one of them will
a thrust through the shoulder.
After that his work was eas,
enough.
He set upon the second officer, rat
tied his sword with quick tierce an,
thrust, and used him up SO general.
that he finally lost his nerve. when
quick upward blow sent his blade rat
Ting away, and left him unarmed o
the mercy of his foe
Just then, however, Paul was not II
a humor to decide whether to call tn
affair Oh or pink his Jealous antags
mist a. an earnest Of victory. ~
T. Truth to tell he had about all b
wanted to take care of In looking ou
for. himself.
There was about one chance In tel
that he might escape as his comrades
had done, by beating hasty retrea
over the edge Of the ramparts.
Paul was not. the man to hesitat,
and lose valuable time In calculating
chances. Accordingly he whirled OF
his heel, made mock bow to thos,
who had Just witnessed his remark
able fight. which compliment surel,
Frenchmen should appreciate, ant
then made headlong break for the
edge of the ramparts, intending t.
throw himself down regardless Of mi
nor damage. since 1t was his ont
chance to get clear.
So vast had been the number o
troops pressing forward to have {
share in the engagement that hio way
was blocked.
Finding his escape cut OF in the
direction of the wall. he changed his
mind and decided that only a mad
man or one utterly desperate would
continue to advance In that quarter
and his situation did not call for such
needless sacrifice since as prisoner
he would be liberated when the French
surrendered.
Again he turned and made dash In
an opposite quarter, hardly knowing
what lay ahead Of him. yet desirous
NJ evadtnp "a ant,,ro