The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-03-19

OF me yeIIlng troops. 1nese mounted
carbineers. riding as Bedouins, swept
like thunder down the street whirled
into the broad. open arena beyond the
dukes palace and wete upon the sur
prised ruffans before they Were fully
awake to the situation.
Tuey came tunb,ing out Of barns and
sheds. clutching theic lilies In ne-veleSs
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 IL they were so
many dogs.
After ten or fifteen minutes Of this
desuitory carnage 1t was reported that
q large force Of men We're entering the
avenue from RegeneetZ circus. Ouin-
nox sent his chargers toward this great
horde Of foot soldiers. but they did not
falter, as he had expected. On they
swept, 1900 or 5000 Of them. At their
head rode Ave or six officers. The fore
most was Count Marlanx.
Quinuox saw now that the Iron
Count was determined to storm the
gates aud gave the command to re-
treat Waving their rifles and shout
Ing defiance over their shoulders, the
dragons drew up, wheeled and gal
lopcd 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 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. 1t was
a strange coincidence that Marlanx
should have chosen this day for his
eliminating assault on the castle. The
skirm!sh 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 lie
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 indomitabIe Graustarkians
drove them back and as often did Mar
! lanx drag them up again, exalted by
! the example he set.
Cad, he Is soldier" cried Trux-
ton. Hello! There's my friend Bru-
, tus. He's no coward either. Here
a try for you. Brutus.''
! He dropped to his knee and took de-
! liberate aim Mt the frenzied heIchman.
! bullets in Brutus' breast when he was
| picked up long afterward did not af-
! feet the young mans conten;ion that
! his was the one that had fund 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
Kissed 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 8
quick dash for the shelter Of the Ions
! balconies. Marlanx, down in the pa
rade ground. was fairly pushing hi:
! men into the jaws OF death.
Truxton Kings chance to pay hi:
| debt to Vos Engo came after one o.
| the fiercest. most determined charges
The young count had been fighting
! desperately for some time. His weak
ness seemed to have disappeared. \!
the foe fell back In the face OF des
perats resistance Vos Engo spran.
down the steps and rushed after them
calling others to join him in the at
tempt to complete the rout. Near tn
edge Of the terrace he stopped. Hi
leg gave way under him, and he fel
to the ground. TruXton saw him fall
He leaped over the low balustrade
dropping his hot rife, and dashet
across the terrace to his rivals assist
ance. A hundred men shot at him.
Its my turn" shouted the Ameri
can. "Ill square 1t up II can. The
we're even"
He seized the wounded man in hi
strong arms. threw him over his shou
der and staggered toward the steps.
Release NE, curse you shrieke
Vos Engo, striking his rescuer In til
face with his fist
I'm saving you for another day,
said King as he dropped behind th
balustrade with his burden safe.
There were other witnesses 10 Trul
| toms rash act. In lofty window c
the north wing crouched a white face
girl and a grim old man. The latte
held rife in his tense though 1eebl
cid hands. Now and then the old ma