Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-21

times but uSeleSSly to place his valuable services
at the disposal of the War Office. Certainly they
soon would have been in the thick of the struggle
had not movement manifested itself
Some strategist among the defenders of the
monastery realized that in fighting in the open he
and his comrades were playing the ene1nys game.
Overwhelmed there they would be defeated utterly,
whereas behind them lay strong walls and narrow
passages capable of prolonged defense.
So he beloved instructions; a fierce collective
onslaught delivered, momentarily driving back
the peasants; and then the brethren rushed across
the courtyard, entering the great hall and barri-
cading the doors before the others grasped the
ing of this move
The two Enghshmen conducted into the
interior, UP a staircase, and to a broad bal
cony, where they three rockets fired into the
sky, apparently signal demanding help. Sew
eral monks armed with guns were brought to this
vantage ground and ordered to fire at the gateway;
but this tactic met by such sustained fuslllade
from the besiegers that of the marksmen dared
show his head above the parapet.
The greatest activity prevailed in the courtyard.
strong sleigh brought in, lifted by dozen
men, and used a battering-ram against the thick
wooden doors, while obvious preparations made
to set the monastery fire. But the door yielded,
and again there tremendous scrimmage.
1t was evident that, except last resource, the
monks neither would yield up their guests per-
NIT them to take part in the affray. They were
taken to another higher part of the building, and
told them that Cossacks surely would come
in half hour or less, SO they assumed that there
encampment within few miles, where the
signal rockets would be
They refused, however, to remain in place where
they neither could see hear the progress of
events beneath. Nothing except physical force
would stop them, and accompanied by the few
elders of the monastery who stood by them through
out, they descended again to a point whence they
could note the forcing of the passages.
Here to his great surprise, Carlingham noticed
two monks who were amazingly like two of his erst-
while jailers. 1t is defect in foreign
land for stranger to be unable to distinguish
face from another. But this sharp-eyed youngster
had lived in such close companionship for several
days with the heavy-faced muzhiks that he hardly
could fail to know them again, in the uniform
of their order He scarcely had convinced himself
that he not mistaken, when determined rush
by the besegers drove his father and himself up the
stairs again. They by the enemy, and
a voice cried, in good, clear French:
why do you stop in the midst of those wolves?
Come to We your friends"
They swept away instantly, and hurried
council resulted in their being taken, needless of
protests, back to the tower they had left.
Carlngham stamping about in which he
and his father locked, climbed into a recess
where the dim light of the stars visible.
He smashed the dirty glass and woodwork with
his foot and looked out Far beneath lay tiny
square courtyard, and in the gloom he
almost certain that he gazing down into the
walled inclosure from whose depths he often had
looked up during many weary days of imprisonment.
He told his father, and the Earl, scrutinizing the
place. agreed with him. The mystery pro-
found that they could not discuss it then.
Moreover, they interrupted The door was
unlocked, and they brought out amid great
and joyful excitement. sotnia of Cossacks had