Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-04-01
OO
IRUXTON.
{ KING
Copyright. 1909. by George
Barr McCutcheon
Copyright. 1909, by Dodd.
Mead q Company
ESTABLISHED 1865.
CHAPTER XIX.
The Last Stand.


down that the forces in the hills were
moving in compact body toward the
ridges below the southern gates.
One hundred picked men were to be
left inside the castle gates with Vos
EngO, prepared to meet any flank
movement that might be attempted.
Three hundred mounted men were Sc
lected to make the dash down Castle
avenue straight into the camp of the
sharpshOOters. 1t was the purpose Of
the house guards to wage a 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 a final desperate eff
fort to seize their stronghold.
The dash of the 300 through the
gates and down the avenue was the
most spectacular experience in TruX-
tons life. He was up with Quinnox
and General Braze, gallopins well in
front of the yelling troops. These
mounted carbineers, riding as Bedouins,
swept like thunder down the street,
whirled into the broad, open arena be-
the surprised ruftians before they were
fully awaken to the situation.
They came tumbling out of barns
and sheds, clutching their rifles in
absolute destruction. The enemy, era
Ven at the outset, threw down their
guns and tried to escape through the
alleys and side streets at the end of
the common. Firing all the time. the
attacking force rode them down as if
they were so 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 dropped
into place by the men who attended
them when low, dull explosion shook
the earth as if by volcanic force. Then
came the crashing Of timberS, the
cracking of masonry, the whirring of
a thousand missiles through the air.
Before the very eyes of the stunned,
bewildered defenders, dismOunting near
the parade grounds, 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. 1t 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
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
tn" example he set.
Cad, he is a soldier" 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 We're three
bullets i'm Brutus' breast when he was
picked up long afterward did not af-
feet the young mans contention that
he 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 MIN as he moved toward the stub
born row of green and red. Bullets
Missed about his ears. but he gave no
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 Il quick
dash for the shelter of the long bal
comics. MaranX. down in the parad"
ground, was fairly pushing his men
into the jaws of death.
TruXton Kings chance to pay his
debt to VOS Engu came after one Of
the fierCest. most determined charges.
The young count had been fighting des-
pcratcly for some time. His weakness
seemed to have disappeared. As the
foe fell back in the face of desperate
resistance Nos Eng0 Sprang down the
steps and rushed after them. calling
others To join him in TN" attempt to
complete the rout Near the edg" Of
the terrace ne stopped. His les gave
way under him. ana he fell tn the
ground. TruXton saw him fall.
He lraped over the low balustrade,
dropping his hot rifle. and dashed
across the terrace - his rivals assist
anCc. 4 hundred men shot at him.
It's my turn" shouted tn" Ameri-
can. "rn square it up if can. Then
we're even"