The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-06-16

me He was up with QuinnoN and
General BraZe, galloping well in front
or the yelling troops. These uaounted
carbineers, riding as Bedouins sweDt
like thunder down tie st aet. whfrI..d
into the broad, open arena beyond the
dukes palace and We're upon the sur.
prised rufiians before they We're fully
awake to the situatio
They came tumbling out of barns and
sheds. clutching their rifles in nerveess
hands, aghast in the face of absolute
destruction. The enemy, craven at the
outset, threw down their guns ana triei
to escape through the alleys and side
streets at TIE end of the common Fir
ing 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 thar
large force of men wer- trrinr the
avenue from Regengetz puin,
noX sent his chargers tow.,G eat
horde of foot soldiers, but they - not
falter, as he had expected on they
swept, 1000 or 5000 of them. At the
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
1opcd toward the gates.
Scarcely were the massive portals
closed and the great steel bars drop
ped into place by the men who attend
cd 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 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. MnrlanX's sappcrs had
oeen quietly at work for days drilling
from the common to the gates. 1t was
q strange coincidence that Marlanx
should have chosen this day for iI;es
eliminating assault on the castle The
skirmish at daybreak had hurried his
arrangements no doubt, but none the
less were his plans complete The OK
plosiVeS had been laid during the night
Ihe 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
ELtterinG eyes, he snarlcd 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
the example he set.
Cad, he is soldicr!' cried TruX-
ton. Hello! There's my friend Bru-
tus. He's no coward either. Here's
try for you, Brutus.'
He dropped to his knee and took de-
liberate aim at the frenz,ed henchnan
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
Oh HIS Iect, Gaining to MS 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 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 tnen made II
quick dash for the shelter of the long
balconies. MarlanX, down in the pa
rade ground. was fairly pushing his
men into the jaws of death
TruNton l.ing'S chance to pay his
debt to Vos Engo came after one of
the tercest. most determined charges
The young count had been fighting
desperately or some time. His weak
ness seemed to have disappeared. AS
the foe fell back in the face of des-
perate resistance Nos Engo sprang
down the steps and rushed after them,
calling others to join him in the at
tempt to complete the rout. Near the
edge of the terrace he stopped. His
leg gave way under him, and he fell
to the ground. TruXton saw him fall.
He leapeu over the low balustrade,
dropping his hot rifle, and dashed
across the terrace to his rivals assist
ance. hundred men shot at him.
ITS my turn!' shouted the Ameri-
can. I'll square it up if 1 can. Then