Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-10-31

grounds he bent forward in the saddle to lift the cha!n that held It. urged his horse Inside. bent down to refasten It. and as his fingers clutched the iron a man rose in the shadow of the little lodge and clasped him about the mid de. The iron chain swung free and rattled against ike post, and the horse snorted with fright. then at word from Oscar was still. There was the barest second of waiting, in which the long arms frightened and the great body of his assailant hung heavily about him; then he dug spurs into the horses Hanks. and the animal leaped forward, with snort of rage: jumped out of the path and tore away through the woods.
 Oscars whole strength was taxed to hoid'lis seat as the burly figure thump- ed against the horses Hanks. He had hoped % shake the man of, but the gree. arms still clasped him. The sit. r1tlou could not last Oscar took ad- yr-tagr of the moonlight to choose a s2ot n which 10 terminate it. He had lis bearings now. and as they crossed an opeIins i'll the wood he suddenly lcosened h!s grip on the horse and flung himself backward. His assail- ant. no longer supported, rolled to the ground, with Oscar on top of him. and the freed horse gallo2ed away toward tie stable.
 < rough and tumble light now fol- lowed Oscars 1.-the, vigorous body Wrlthe1 in rhe grasp of his antagonist, non- free, now clasped by giant arms. They saw each others faces plainly in the clear moonlight and at breathless pauses in the strIggle their eyes main- tained the state of war. At one in- stant. when both men lay with arms interlocked. half lying on their thighs, Oscar hissed.in the giants ear:
 You are a Servian. It Is an ugly race"
 And the Servian cursed him in a fierce growl. . We expected you. You are a bad hand with the knife" grunted Oscar, and, feeling the bellowslike chest be- side him expand as though in prepara- tion for renewal of the fight, he sud denly wrenched himself free of the Servian's grasp. leaped away a dozen paces to the shelter of a great pine and turned, revolver in hand.
 Throw up your hands, he yelled.
 The Servian fired withoutpausing for aim, the shot ringing out sharply through the wood Then Oscar dis charged his revolver three times in quick succession. and while the dis charges were still keen on the air he drew quickly back to a clump of un- derbrush and crept away dozen yards to watch events. The Servian, with his eyes fixed upon the tree behind which his adversary had sought shel- ter, grew anxious and thrust his head forward warily.
 Then he heard a sound as of some ona running through the wood to the lsis and behind him. but still the man EA had grappled on the horse made no ss1I. It dawned upon him that the tnTee shots fired in front of him had been signal, and in alarm he turned toward the gate, but q voice near at Lsad called loudly. "Oscarw and re- Is2ted the name several times.
 Behind the Servian the little soldier answered sharply in English:
 All steady. sir"
 The use of a strange tongue added to the Servians bewilderment, and he fed toward the gate, with Oscar hard after him. Then Armitage suddenly leaped out of the shadows directly in his path and stopped him with a leve!ed re- volver
 Easy work, Oscar. Take the gentle mans gun and be sure to find his knife.'
 The task was to Oscars taste, and he made quick work of the servian's pockets.
 Your horse was a good dispatch bearer You are all sound. Oscar?"
 t-seNeN IeIteI. Sll. A IeNUlNeT anu two knires"- The weapons flashed in the moonlight as he held them up.
 Coed. Now start your friend to- ward tine bungalow" They set of at Il quick pace. socn found the rough driveway and trudged along silently, the Servian between his captors..
 When they reached the house. Arni- ! tage, flung open the door and followed ] Oscar and the prisoner into the long sitting room.
 Armitage lighted pipe at the man. tel, readjusted the bandage on his arm | and laughed alcGd as he looked upon | the huge figure of the Servian standing ] beside the sober litile cavalryman. ! "Cscar, there are certeinly giants in , lLese days. and we have caught one. You will please see that the cylinder of | rour revolver is in good order and pre- ]
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