The Detroit times., 1908-12-21

lIHHIE was now halr m.1d 10 make
AI for the hills and destroy the
lHI battery. -
He suggested this plan TO
Arbuthnot. but Arbuthnot
said no, arguing tnat II would be folly
\ 10 destroy brave men, who, before
Ihe day was out. would be enrolled In
Strong's service. And so the battery
on the hill was left In peace.
BY now there was great move
ment below them And To his aston
ishment Strong saw the king, dressed
I'm the uniform OF a general. come out
OF the main entrance OF the palace.
His majesty did not deign SO much as
TO glance upward. The eyes or his
troops were upon him. and he guided
his men entirely without fear. He act
ed. indeed. as though the sky did not
hold the Victor" as though his now
implacable enemy did not hold the
whip hand.
Slowly he walked down the steps,
taking the salutes OF his officers pla-
eddy, as though il were a parade. His
charger was led up TO him. and he
mounted. II was the king himself who
gave the orders in sharp, decisive
voice, and there began, as Strong
readily perceived, mastery move
ment OF troops. The two regiments
| OF cavalry were placed In the van OF
I the column, which began TO move
down the hill toward the ministry.
! Then came the battery of artillery
and three regiments. OF foot behind.
From the airship the aides de camp
could be seen galloping about. and
| within a short space or time the
| troops stationed in the main thorough
/ fare were withdrawn and posted at
I convenient distances in side streets.
From the eastern side of the city
two regiments OF cavalry and three
regiments OF foot, together with three
batteries OF artillery, detached them
! selves from the army corps encamped
there, and began 10 move In vide
detour TO the back OF the ministry. IL
was apparent that the king. counting
upon opposition. was not prepared To
take any unnecessary risks, and that
he was practically hemming the min
istry in.
And now about the ministry itself
there arose a great hustle and clam
or, too.
The white-haired, white-bearded NJ.
! Stalvan came out into the forecourt
OF the great building. and. frock-coat-
! ed and top-hatted. mounted an Off
GERS charger. A very tall old officer.
with a white mustache dropping al
most -to0his breast. followed him sol
EMMY and gravely.
Strong put the Victor" down lit
tie closer that he might observe the
tactics OF the old gentleman beneath
| him.
In the space between the different
ministries there was stationed a regi-
| ment of dragons, and ii was those
that NJ. Stalvan. his white beard
tstreaming over his shoulders I'm the
night breeze. first approached. At the
outset he gathered the colonel and
officers OF the regiment about him and
spoke hot words to them. At the end
f, OF his harangue they saluted.
Then they fell apart, and the white
haired old minister faced the troops
! alone. He raised himself in his stir
rups, and letting the bride fall upon
his horses neck, plunged into a pas
sionate speech.
What he said Strong could not
! was working upon the troopers feel
ings, for from time 10 time during
the old mans address they forgot
their discipline and cheered. Strong
could see him waving his hands as he
made a final appeal.
Then the officers OF the dragons
closed about the premier again, and
there happened a strange thing. The
colonel shouted certain commands.
and Stalvan. placing himself at the
troopers head. led them at slow trot
across the vast square.