Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-16
PRINCESS MARTHA
BY PERCY BREBNER
Copyright T Mcbride son,
BY PERCY BREBNER.
Copyright 1905. T. J. Mcbride & Son,

We cannot fail"
Does the princess know. Dumitrur"
Not certainly. but she will be expectant
and ready You understand whose COM
mand you have TO obey. and the signal?"
The men about him nodded and smiled
with quiet confidence, while Dumitru passed
on to others to answer similar questions
He was OF much Importance among them
| tonight They felt that he was but the
mouthpiece Of the princess. that she was
their real leader, that the time they had
waited for and plotted toward had really
come. few nervous ones there were
among them who calculated what the price
OF failure would be. and had planned what
they might do for their safety in
such an event: but the majority Of them
were enthusiasts who rejolced that the hour
OF action had arrived at last.
After tonight. Dumltru. there will be no
turning back. whispered one man. who.
standing on a chair, had called for the
toast TO Martha on that night fatal to the
deserving soldiers. The next few days will
make the name of Sturatzberg ring through
the world. and our deeds strike terror into
the heart of the nation"
Dumitru nodded and passed on, but he too
kept eager watch upon the time even as
did the officer at the guard house
The crowd became more excited and rest
less as the hands OF the clock crept farther
and farther from midnight. Surely It Is
time now" they whispered at intervals.
And the leaders had some difficulty in re-
strafning them. AS It was in the Toison
d'Or. so it was In many dark house where
men lay hidden and waiting.
From the Waterman over the gate word
was sent to the officer that the prisoner had
come, and at his command the gates silent
~ swung back upon their hinges Ii was
a large body OF men that entered, having
In their midst slim boyish figure mounted
on a charger. SO Martha entered Sturatz-
berg
The men at the word of command halted
to right and left. and only n few, compare
lively. continued their silent march along
the Bergenstrassc With the city fun Of
troops what chance Of escape had that lone
ly prisoner, who spoke no word yet fur
lively glanced to this side and that. and
studied the attitude Of the men nearest to
her? She noted that soldiers stood at at
tention at street corners. a few here few
there: that Of all other signs of life the
streets were empty. She realized that she
had been bought in al an unexpected hour,
and the silence over the city fell upon her
soul. Hopelessness and despair seized her.
and wild thought prompted her to make
a sudden dash for freedom. Death might
come, but such death was preferable to
the fate which must await her at the end of
this Journey Her fingers had frightened on
the reins, when the silence was suddenly
broken, and, with a swift hiss. a streak OF
light cut through the darkness skyward.
paused a moment, and then, with muffied
detonation. burst into globes Of light which
floated downward. The foremost OF the
troop refined in their horses sharply at the
unexpected flight of the rocket, causing
some confusion among those behind. Then
which was half lost in the great shout
which rent the air Oh every side
For Grgosie! Grigosie!'
Had the cry been for Martha the soldiers
might possibly have understood better what
this sudden stopping of their progress
meant; but. as 1t was. black, rushing
mass was upon them before they had time
to draw their weapons. The attack was
fierce sudden and overwhelming, that
when the meaning of IT had thoroughly
dawned upon the soldiers. they had enough
to do to potect themselves without giving
much thought to their prisoner. There
hardly a trooper who was not in moment
separated from his fellows by a swaying
mob, whose one object seemed to he to
force the soldiers apart and prevent any
concerted action. The ring OF steel and
the. crack of revolvers mingled with groans
and curses and sharp cries which blades
thrust home drew forth Here a horse fell
PROSTATE on its knees, bringing its rider
head foremost into the arms OF his assail-
ants; and there some plunging charger,
dexterously managed. beat down and
trampled on a writing mass of limbs.
Shouting came from a distance, the
soldiers from the various street corners
came running into the Bergenstrasse to the
assistance of their comrades and. since
they ran compactly and with bayonets
fixed, the mob gave way before them An
officer, whose plunging horse cleared
path before him, slashed right and left as
he cams" and shouted ITO the prisoner!
Secure the prisoner" and desperately he
struggled toward the slim figure carried
this way and that by the swaying. fighting
crowd. At his shout the crowd threw itself
more savagely upon him. The greatest
danger seemed to center in this man. and
bullets sang about him. and steel struck
al him from every side.
Quickly. princess
A strong arm about her and drew
her swiftly from her house. In a moment a
ring of men had formed about her as they
pushed their way through the crowd. Two
soldiers who sought to stop them fell back
grooming and We're trampled under foot;
and then the little band with the slim fig
ure in the midst ~ 1t was outside the mob
and at the entrance to a narrow, dark
street.
Hold this street with your lives!" cried
one. This way, princess and with half a
dozen men to guide and guard her she ran
forward. the din of the struggle in the
Bergenstrasse growing fainter and fainter
they went
(To be Continued Tomorrow