The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1909-01-09

theyE asked Armltage. pauslng rev
yards from CIaiborne's rock his eyes
upon the barricade.
The gentleman with the curly hair
Il drove him in. He is poor shot
yesT
Oscar frightened his belt and waited
for orders. while Arrnitage and Clai-
borne conferred in quick pointed SEN
fences.
':Shall we risk a rush or starve them
out? Id like to try hunger on them"
, said Arnitage.
They'll all sneak of over the bridge
tonight If we pen them up. If they all
90 at once they'll break it down. and
we'll lose our quarry. But you want
70 capture them-aIivey
IL certainly dog" Armitage replied
and turned 70 laugh at Oscar. who had
cred at the barricade from the back OF
ais horse. which was resenting the In
dignity by trying to throw his rider
The enemy now concentrated q sharp
fire upon Armitage. whose horse snort
ed and paved the ground as the balls
cut the air and earth.
For Gods sake get or that horse.
Armitage," bawled out Claiborne. ris-
ing u.1n the rock There's no use in
wasting yourself that way"
My arm aches, and I've got to do
something. Let's try storming them.
just for fun. It's a cavalry stunt. Clai-
borne. and you can play being the artii-
lery that's supporting our advance.
Fall away there. Oscar. about forty
yards. and well race for it TO the wall
and over. That barricade isn't as stir
about It There are great chunks out
of 1t that can't be seen from this side"
Thank me for that, Armitage. l
tumbled down good many yards of
1t when | played up here as a kid
Get of that horse. I tell you. You've
got hole in you nowi Get DOWN.
You make me tired. Claiborne. This
beautiful row will all be over in few
minutes. never intended to waste
much time on those fellows when
got them where | wanted them"
His left arm hung quite limp at his
side. and his face was very white. He
! had dropped his rife in the road at the
moment the ball struck his shoulder,
but be still carried his revolver. He
nodded TO Oscar. and they both gal
Ioped forward over the open ground.
making straight for the cedar covert
Claiborne was instantly up and
away between the two riders. Their
! bold advance evidently surprised the
! trio beyond the barricade. who shouted
! hurried commands to one another as
they distributed themselves along the
wall and awaited the onslaught Then
they grew still and lay low out Of
sight as the silent riders approached
! The hoofs Of the onrushing horses
rang now and then on the harsh out
cropping rock and here and there
struck fire. Armitage sat erect and
steady In his saddle, his horse speed
ing on in great bounds toward the bar
ricade His lips moved in a curious
stir fashion. as though he were Ill,
muttering:
For Austria. For Austrial He
babe me do something for the empirer'
Beyond the cedars the trio held their
fire. watching with fascinated eyes the
two riders. every instant drawing clos
er, and the runner who followed them.
They can't jump thisI They'll veer
| of before they get here" shouted
Chauvenet to his comrades. Wait
till they check their horses for the
turn
Eve are fools. They have got us
trapped" And Durand's hands shook
as he restlessly fingered revolver.
The big Servian crouched on his knees
near by. his finger on the trigger Of
his rifle. All three were hatless and
unkempt. Tie wound in Zmafs scalp
had broken out afresh. and be had
twisted a colored handkerchief about it
to stay the bleeding. A hundred yards
away the waterfall splashed down the
defile, and its faint murmur reached
them. A wild dove rose ahead Of Ar
mitage and few straight before him
over the barricade. The silence grew
tense as the horses galloped nearer.
The men behind the cedar lined wall
heard only the hollow thump OF boots
and Claiborne's voice calling to Armi-
tage and Oscar 10 warn them OF his
whereabouts.
But the eyes of the three conspira-
tors were fixed on Armitage. 1t was
his life they sought The others did
not greatly matter. And so John Ar
aitage rode across the little plain where
the lost legion had camped for a year
at the end Of a great war. and as he
rode ON the defenders Of the bowlder
barricade saw his white face and noted
the useless arm hanging and swaying
and felt iD spite Of themselves the
strength Of bis tall. erect figure.
Chauyenet. watching the silent rider,
said aloud. speaking in German. 81
that Zmai understood:
1T is in the blood. He is like a
king"
But they could not hear the words
that John Armitage kept saying over
ard ovar AGAIN nc no crossed tho field.