Evening star., 1903-07-25
CHAPTER XXI.
Stratapem.

CHAPTER XXI.
Stratagem.
However graceful the Frenchman might
be on foot. and no one denied his elegance
OF bearing, he was but an amateur on
horseback. and when his steed unexpect-
edly plunged forward he relinquished the
reins and grasped the name. For one brief
moment the attention of the troop di
verted toward the unexplained antics of
the maddened horse and the imminent
overthrow of its rider. 1t is one of the de-
fects of human nature that man is prone
to laugh when he sees a fellow creature in
some predcament from which his own
superior skill leaves him free. Every man
In the company was fautleSS rider, and
nothing their horses could do would have
been any embarrassment to them. TO see
this dandified foreigner. whom at heart
they deSpSed in any case, crouching like
a guadily dressed monkey on frolcsOme
dog, and screaming for help, was too much
for even the saddest of them. and a roar
of laughter went up. which did nothing to-
ward quieting the injured and frightened
quadruped. If it had been the horse of
Armstrong that had begun these dancings,
his guards would have been instantly on
the alert for an attempted escape, but at
the very moment their eyes should have
been on the Scot their attention was with
drawn. Armstrong did not laugh, but.
thrustins back his knife whipped out his
sword and struck De Courceys horse twice
with the broad of it. His own Steed leaped
forward under the prick of the spur, and
be fore the colonel could give word of
command the two had disappeared in the
fog ahead. Even then the colonel, who was
the only man that had his wits about MN,
did not think there the least chance of
escape. for he had heard the troop coming
toward him and Armstrong must run di-
rcctly into it. lie rose in his sttrrups to
give the alarm to those ahead when all
heard n ringing shout: Charge. cavaliers,
God save the king. TO hell with the Round
heads, Charger
Out of the fog came a Spattering fire.
then a vOlley. Two horses and three men
went down. while the other troopers hastily
unslung their carahines and fired down the
street without waiting for the word of
command.
stop YOU fools" yelled the colonel, you
are shooting your own men Then to the
oncomcrs he rOared q lik" warming. Wt'ch
WAS drowned in another VolleE. IN" Lien
field men were not to be taken in. even II
they had heard the warning. With their
own eyes they had seen Two cavaliers burst
upon them out of the fog with strident
cry for the king. De Cnurcy coming first
they concentrated upon him and he went
Gown before them. Armstrong, swinging
his sword smiting right and left. believing
like a fiend in true cavalier style" very
Prince Rupert come again. dashed at th,
weakest spot, and his lmpetuOSlty cdiiied
all before him.
Never mind him. cried the leader, as
some would have pursued
Fire and break their charge and fire
they did right stoutly until a maddened
officer, with bravery that scorned their
bullets around him. galloped along tnelr
front waving his sword and commanding
them to stop.
"You are killing your own men. lhere
are no royalists, but an interfering 1901
of a F'renchmau and an escaped Scot Back
to I.ichfeld,' Nevertheless, a battle is not
quelled at a word. and the brave coione
pressed through among them and Salloped
in pursuit of his late prisoner.
Once clear of the clash Armstrong was
not sparng of horse that belonged TO
some one else. At great risk to ms neck
he raced through the blind fog. sword IN
hand ready for further opposition should
he meet it. He emerged from the foS with
a suddenness that startled him. The sun
had set. and there. barely a mile away
stood out against the dark"nlng SKY the
great red bulk of the cathedral, with its
war-broken towers, and the little town mud
died at it's feet At the same moment he
became aware that some one was thunder
ing after him, and again he dug the cruel
spurs into the laboring horse. y glance
over his shoulder showed him the colonel
breaking through the bank of fog. and he
thought of turning and fighting him on the
run but the sound of firing had ceased
and he knew the colonel would prove
Stoutcr combatant than the Frenchnan, SO
he hurried on. Aside from this. Lichtfeld
and he saw the long. narrow street that lay
between him and the cathedral becoming
alive with pikemcn. and knew he would
have his work cut out for him, if he was
to get safely through the town. AS soon
as he came within earshot he shouted to
them:
"Barricade the street, The king is upon
us | have just escaped Our men are on
the retreat. Defend the town to the south.
Barricadc, Barricadc!" Thus he clattered
through Iichtield, shouting.
Soldiers are so accustomed to the word
of command that they obey first and think
after, if at all. Seeing a rider in the cos
tune of a cavalier come tearing down upon
them they made haSty preparation for
stopping him. but his tone of authority was
so well assumed that they gave way before
him. and began the running out of carts
and whatever other distractions they could
lay their hands upon, to make the way
difficult for the Oncomng colonel. who
swore as loudly at their stupidity as If he
were the kings own.
'W hat are you about, you accurSed clod-
hoppers? Don't you know a kings man
when you see one? Leave that rubbish and
follow me to the cathedra1.'
t'ro be cOntinued.)