Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1910-08-03
RUXTON
{ King
Copyright. 1909. by George
VI Barr McCutcheon
III Copyright. 1909. by Dodd.
II Mead a Company
CHAPTER Xxx.
THE LAST STAND.

ment that might be attempted. Three
hundred mounted men were selected to
make the dash down Castle avenue
straight into the camp Of the sharp
shooters. 1t was the purpose Of the
house guards to wage fierce and noisy
conflict off the avenue and then retire
to the castle as abruptly as they left
it, to be ready for Marlanx should he
decide to make final desperate effort
to seize their stronghold.
The dash Of the 300 through the gates
and down the avenue was the most
spectacular experience in Truxton's
life. He was up with Quinnox and
General Braze, galloping well in front
Of the yelling troops. These mounted
carbineers, riding as Bedoufns, swept
like thunder down the street, whirled
into the broad, open arena beyond the
dukes palace and were upon the sur.
prised ruff1ans before they were fully
awake to the situation.
They came tumbling out Of barns and
sheds, clutching their rifles in nerveless
hands, aghast in the face of absolute
destruction. The enemy, craven at the
outset, threw down their guns and tried
to escape through the alleys and side
streets at the end Of the common. Fir
ing all the time, the attacking force
rode them down as if they were Sc
many dogs.
After ten or fifteen minutes Of this
desultory carnage it was reported that
a large force of men were entering the
avenue from Regengetz circus. Quin-
nox sent his chargers toward this great
horde of foot soldiers, but they did not
falter, as he had expected. On they
swept 1000 or 5000 Of them. At their
head rode five or six officers. The fore
most was Count Marlanx.
Quinnox saw now that the Iron
Count was determined to storm the
gates and gave the command to re-
treat, Waving their rifles and shout
ing defiance over their shoulders, the
dragons drew up, wheeled and gal
loped toward the gates.
Scarcely were the massive portals
closed and the great steel bars drop
ped into place by the men who attend
ed them when a low, dull explosion
shook the earth as if by volcanic force.
Then came the crashing Of timbers,
the cracking of masonry, the whirring
of q thousand missiles through the
air. Before the very eyes Of the
stunned, bewildered defenders, dis
mounting near the parade ground, the
huge gates and pillars fell to the
ground.
The gates had been dynamited.
Then it was that Truxton King re-
membered. MarlanX's sappers had
been quietly at work for days drilling
from the common to the gates. It was
a strange coincidence that Marlanx
should have chosen this day for his
eliminating assault on the castle The
skirmish at daybreak had hurried his
arrangements no doubt, but none the
less were his plans complete. The ex-
plosives had been laid during the night.
The fuses reached to the mouth of the
tunnel across the common. AS he
swept up the avenue at the head of
his command, hawk faced and with
glittering eyes, he snarled the com
mand that put fire to the fuses.
| A moment later his vanguard stream
ed through the aperture and faced the
deadly fire from the driveway.
At last they began to advance across
the grassy meadow. When one man
fell under the fire of the guardsmen
another rushed into his place. Three
times the indomitable Graustarkians
drove them back and as often did Mar
lanx drag them up again, exalted by
the example he set.
Cad, he is a so1dier!" cried Trux-
ton. Hello! There's my friend Bru-
tus. He's no coward either. Here's
a try for you, Brutus''
He dropped to his knee and took de-
liberate aim at the frenzied henchman.
The discovery that there were three
bullets in Brutus' breast when he was
picked up long afterward did not af.
feet the young mans contention that
his was the one that had found the
heart.
The fall Of Brutus urged the Iron
Count to greater fury. His horse had
been shot from under him. He was
on his feet, calling to his men to fol
low him as he moved toward the stub
born row of green and red. Bullets
Missed about his ears, but he gave nc
heed to them.
The commander of the guard gave
the command to fall back slowly to
ward the castle.
Firing at every step, they crossed
the parade ground and then made {
quick dash for the shelter of the long
balconies. Marlanx, down in the pa
rade ground, was fairly pushing hi.
men into the jaws of death.
-Truxton Kings chance to pay BIZ