Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-09-18

dared walt to release. then. as the de-
Tenders rushed forward. retreated. fly
ing for their lives. Lukovitch came of
with ball In his arm: Yensko dropped.
shot through the heart. The men be-
hind the hill rlddled the defenders with
their fire. But now they were by their
horses. such as were left of them
Nearer twenty than ten dotted the
grass outside the barn door. And the
survivors We're demoraliZed Their
leader, the sergeant major. lay dead
They released the remaining horses.
mounted and with one parting volley
fed down the river. With cry of tri-
umph Lukovitch collected the remain
der Of his men and dashed round the
side Of the barn. The next moment
Colonel Stafnitz found himself attack
ed in his rear as well as held in check
from the ditch in his front
For moment we thought it was
our own men," said Rastatz. continu-
ing his account. and the colonel shout
ed. Don't fire. you fools" But then
they cheered. and we knew the VOL
senian accent-curse them! 'Sheepskins
again" said the colonel, with wry
kind Of smile. He didn't hesitate then;
he jumped up. crying: To the barges.
to the barges! Follow met y,
I'VE all followed 1t was Just as
safe to go with him as to stay where
you were. We made a dash for 1t and
got to the bank Of the river. Then they
rose out Of the ditch in front of US
and they were at US behind, too-with
steel now. They daren't shoot for fear
of hitting their own people In our
front. But the Idea of knife In your
back isn't pleasant. and in the end
more Of our men turned to meet them
than went on with the colonel l went
on with him. though. I'm always for
the safest place if there's one safer
than another. But here there wasn't.
so l thought | might as we'll do the
proper thing. We met them right by
the waters edge. and the first l made
out was the witch herself. in sheep
skins like the rest of them. white as a
sheet, but with that internal mark alb
solutely blazing. She was between Pc
ter Vassip and tall man didn't
know-I found out afterward that he
was the Englishman Dunstanbury-and
the three came straight at US. She
cried. The king, the king!' and behind
US we heard Lukovitch and his lot cry
ing, The king. the kingv
Our fellows didn't like it. that's the
truth. They were uneasy in thei1
minds about that Job Of poor old Mi
stitch's, and they feared the witch like
the devil. The heart, was out of them
One lad near me- burst out crying. A
witch and ghost didn't seem pleasant
things to fight. Oh, 1t was all non
sense, but you know what fellows like
that are. Their cry Of The kingv and
the sight of the woman caused mo
ment's hesitation. 1t was enough t.
give them the drop on US. But the
colonel never hesitated. He flung him
self straight at her and fred as he
sprang. just saw what happened be
fore got crack on the crown of the
head from the butt end Of rifle which
knocked me out of time. AS the colone
fred Peter Vassip flung himself IL
front Of her and took the bullet In his
own body. Dunstanbury jumped righ
| on the colonel. cut him on the arm 81
that he dropped his revolver and crap
pied with him. Dunstanbury dropped
his sword. and the colonels WASH
drawn. 1t was just a tussle. The.
were tussling when the blood cam,
flowing down into my eyes from tn,
wound on my head. couldn't see any
thing more: tainted. Just as wen
of heard somebody cry Hands up!
and imagined the fighting was prett.
we'll over"
| The fighting was over One scene re
manned which Rastatz did not see
| When Colonel Stafnitz. too. heard tn,
call Hands up" when the firing stop
ped and all became quiet, he ceased t
struggle. Dunstanbury found him sud
denly changed to log beneath him
His hands were already on the colo
nel's throat. and he could have stran
gled him now without difficulty. Blu
when Stafnitz no longer tried to de
fend himself he loosed his hold, got Vi
and stood over him with his hand o.
the revolver in his belt The colone
fingered his throat minute, sat ul
looked round and rose to his feet. II
saw Sophy standing before him. By he
side Peter Vassip lay on the ground
tended by Basil Williamson and one O
his comrades. Colonel Stafnitz bowe
to Sophy with smile.
II forgot you. madame" said Stat
nitz.
81 didn't forget monseigneur," sh
answered.
He looked round him again. shrus
ged his shoulders and seemed to thin
for a moment. There was an absolut
stiffness, contrast to the preceding
turmoil. But the silence made uncom
Portable men whom the fight had nc
shaken. Their eyes were set on Stat
nitz.
1.-THE prince died in fair fight" b
said.
mo. You sent Mistitch to murde
him." Sophy replied. Her eyes wer
relentless, and Stafnitz was ringe
round with enemies.
II apologize for this embarrassment
l really ought to have been killed. It
just a mistake" he said, with smtl,
He turned quickly to Dunstanbury
"You seem to be a gentleman, si
Pray come with me. need q wi
ness" He pointed with his unwounde
hand to the barn.
Dunstanbury bowed assent. Tn
colonel in his turn bowed to Soph!
and the two Of them turned and wall