Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-02
PRINCESS MARTHA
BY PERCY. BREBNER.
Copyright. 1908. I. J. Mcbride & SOM

| It We shall be in sight of the horses How
| far behind have We left them"
| He stood for moment to look back along
the ridge under which they had come. Some
| distance away men were coming into view
| Quick, Grigosie it's speed now" said
Ellerey.
The way before them was clear and they
| ran side by side, careful Of their steps lest
| noie might mean fall and a sprained an
| kie. Presently bullet passed between
| them and they began to run in zizzag
| FASHION to puzzle the craftsmanship. Ell
] ierey constantly turned to look back. There
| We're many pursuers some widely strag-
Cling, but a few Of them were gaining rap
| idly. These did not pause to Are; they ran
Judging their pace and distance to a nicely
Long before the point for which the fugi-
ives were making could be reached these
| men would be upon them.
| We must stop them. Grigosie"
the lad looked back He was beginning
| to pant heavily.
Not YETI he said they are not close
| enough
| so they ran on. 1t was evident to Ellerey
that the boys pace was palpably slackening
| ana there was yet some distance to cover to
the height, to say nothing of the final da sh
TOT the horses. The men behind were rap
Idly overtaking them. Ellerey could hear
! the dull! rhythmic pad of the running feet
Twelve PAGES. Grigosie.'' he murmured
tnen turn sharply. Do not kill. lame
! them"
EIerey counted the twelve PAGES aloud
ana then they both turned Four shots rang
| out sharply, and three of the foremost run
| ners stumbled and fell. An answering bull
| let cut through Elerey's coat sleeve, and
there was the pain of hot skewer laid
| for a moment on his flesh as he and Orig
| oslo ran on again.
Every step lessons the distance, lad" he
SAD encouragingly. That will teach them
! to keep little farther in the rear"
Still Ellerey turned constantly to watch
/ their DuTSuprS fUo l,od bt,
their wounded companions. but the rest
held on their way, undeterred by the fate of
their comrades. Twice again did Ellerey
count twelve PAGES, and he and Grigosie
| turned together and fired The foremost
| runner on the last occasion was Grigosle's
mark and he missed him. The man had
bounded forward to make his capture when
I Eierey's revolver sounded again. It was
| not the moment to hazard a shot to aim at
the swiftly moving limbs. The man Ieapt
| into the air and fell sprawlng on his face
| and with one spasmodic kick lay still.
Grlgos1e turned and ran on again without
word. They were close to the height now
| 1t was to their left. and the boy pointed to
| depression which lay between it and an
which was in their favor, and il only the
| brigands were not in force on the other
| side. and Grigosie had made no mistake in
| the direction, there was chance of es-
| cape.
Ellerey let Grigose enter the narrow way
| first, and then paused in the entrance Only
i two men followed Them and seeing Ellerey
| STOP they fired. Ellerey fired twice in an
| swer, and without waiting to see If the shots
| had taken effect dashed after Grigosie
The boy had made no mistake. They had
come out halfway down the rising ground
which they had climbed directly after dis
mounting. Below them stood Stefan and
Anton with the horses. and higher UP the
| slope above them more of the brigands were
! hastily descending. Some of the men had
gone this way to cut off their retreat. and
had mot
| their final dash for freedom.
Ellerey fired into the air to put Stefan on
| the alert. and Selling Grigosie's arm-for the
| boy was nearly beaten-he dashed down the
steep incline. Stefan saw them and spoke
| quickly to Anton. who for a moment seemed
| inclined to lose his head. The soldiers
sharp command steadied him. and the mo-
ment Grigosie was beside him he lifted him
bodily into the saddle and then sprang to
| his own.
mo others?" Stefan shouted wheeling
Ellerey's horse round toward him.
| mo"
Without word Stefan cast loose the reins
Of the other horses. and the next instant the
| four riders were galloping for dear life up
the pass, Ellerey and Grigosie in the center
Anton and Stefan on either side. Knee to
knee they galloped. their bodies low upon
| their horses necks Several shots followed
them, but went wide of the mark and
they held on their way. speaking no word.
There was only the sound of the rapidly
beating hoofs and the rough purrihg of the
leather as the legs rubbed the saddles.
Ellerey thought that along the pass any
surprise or ambush was impossible He
had taken careful notice of the mountain
walls which shut them in. but he was not
so satisfied that they would find the castle
open to them. Those who occupied It, IL
any were there. could hardly have heard of
the failure of the meeting yet. and he there
fore hoped that he might gain possession of
1t by stratagem To ride out of the pass
ms uyffh fI,n
Sturatzberg guarding the plain. The castle
was their only hope-their place of refuge
| as Grigosie had prophetically called it.
Ellerey drew rein presently.
1--WE have dstanced Them" he said
What do you think, Stefan-will the castle
be empty?'
The soldier shrugged his shoulders.
IF any brigands still occupy the hills
about 1t, they cannot know that our mission
has failed"
"These fellows manage to signal very
quickly to one another" Stefan answered
Then we must fight for its possession 1t
is our only chance"
"Our chance is a poor one if it comes to
fighting" said Stefan
I'VE will try strategy first" Ellerey said.
Let us ride easily"
What happened?" aueried Stefan
! 1.-THE box did not contain the right token,
and they attacked us without a word of
warning"
What of the others?"
Heaven knows. They hardly seemed to
strike blow after we were surrounded. 1t
was Grigosie who thought of the way across
the hills, and we've had to run for 1t like
hunted rabbits. eh. lad?'
Grfgosie smiled family. but did not speak.
He was still painting after his tremendous
eXertion. Anton had stretched out a hand
to support him in his saddle as they gal
Hoped.
''They are dead, then. those others?" said
Stefan.
II fear So"
"And we've been deceived sent into a
trap like a lot of rats There's a reckoning
to be paid
Thine enough to think of that, Stefan
Let us secure the castle first" said Ellerey
I'm fearing the reckoning must be left for
others to pay" growled the soldier. TITS
putting our trust in a woman that's been
the curse of us"
No one contradicted him, and they rode
on in silence until the castle came in view
1t looked gaunt enough. as silent and de-
serted as when they had first seen it. There
was no movement on the plateau. no sign
that any living creature except themselves
was near 1t.