The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-04-22
CHAPTER VIII.

as possible when we charge the en-
envy. 1t is SO easy to make a mistake
when you ride as a friend beside your
bitterest foe" he went on. We have
changed sham fighting for the real
thing, but
But still you are not satisfied" l
laughed
mo. We haven't left any Of our
| dangers behind us. We've brought
them all with us, excepting one"
And that oneT'
THE princess
How could you expect we were go
ing to leave our dangers behind|
| Il didn't expect that you were going
to become such an important piece In
the game. Verrall." he answered
promptly.
"a kind of white elephant to you,
eh?"
! well, / confess to a partially for
| less exalted persOnages to deal with
| in games of this kind. The greater
you are the more numerous are your
enemies"
And my friends
sometimes, Verrall, only sometimes.
]
a companions pre-eminence are few,
even in the civilized world. In a coun-
try like this. devil of rule is there to
go by"
| II do not quite see how the princess
Is danger" l said.
1t gave me considerable pleasure to
bring the conversation back to her.
For the reason that she is wo-
man." he answered, land, if you want
an additional reason, because she Is a
princess. At present l believe she
is your friend, but tomorrow-who
knows? Why, even Bridget
Bridget. Who is she?"
MY wife in Yadasara. l told you
about her"
"You never said her name was Bridg-
ct"
well, it isn't" Organ answered.
Its Xenia or some heather name of
that sort. but you couldn't expect me
TO go about calling her that, SO chris
tened her Bridget. which smacks of
the old country"
And she did not object?"
object, is it, When left Yadasara
there wasn't created man Bridget
thought so much of as she did Of me
but st. Patrick alone knows what
she'll think of me now. You can't rely
on women. Faith, it's possible she
won't believe my story when l get
back"
Even a man might be forgiven for
expressing some doubt, Organ"
"Of course, but you can knock the
truth into a man, or try to. There's a
prejudice against attempting to knock
anythi-" into a woman. It's a silly
prejudice when you come to think OF
it."
Have you noticed any change in
the princess manner to me?" l asked
Il have been too busy watching
others. One of us has got TO do the
watching, you know"
And | don't. you would say
mo offense, Verrall We must sticl;
together, and a man in love is seldom
the man to act most cautiously. l quite
sympathiZe, but for both our S;ikes
wish you did not think so much OF
Princess Daria.''
1t had never occurred to me to doubt
Count Vasca's ability as a leader.
had become used to hearing him spoken
highly of, but during the next few
days 1t did seem to my Impractical
mind that he lost good opportunities
He knew the country and the enemy
l knew neither, and | therefore con
Guided that he knew best.
We advanced slowly until we were
under the walls of Yadasara, and ye
it seemed to me that we had accom-
pliShed nothing.
Are we going to attempt to take f
by ASSAULT asked Organ.
| shook my head. Although with
other knights l was constantly in cOun
ell with Count Fasca, I had no idea
what his intention was. He looked
sa gacious, talked valiently but die
nothing. Still. it was absurd to thinl
that he was afraid. as Organ sug
gested
You can never tell" Organ sait
when | laughed at the idea. Such
stronghold might brighten the braves
man"
i Between our encampment and tn,
1 city ran a broad river. full Of strang,
| and unexpected currents and of i'm
mense depth, so Organ told Ine- Thu
city lay obliquely 10 the river in tn,
form Of rough triangle. the city gates
as l afrerward found. being situate,
\ at the angles at the base OF this tri
angle. and the city rose from this bas,
gradually toward the huge rock which
formed the apex Of the triangle. Thi
rock, which was the only part OF tn,
city which actually touched the river
rose sheer out of the water for 4
least 600 feet. with hardly bird!
foothold upon II. 1t was the dominan
! feature. towering above the higheS
part Of the city. presenting a problem
as to how access was obtained to III,
fortress browning the summit It wa
problem l was destined to solve later
The fortress seemed TO he cut out o
the solid rock
For several days we encamped idl.
before YadaSara. The enemy had re
crossed the river by means OF hridg
of boats nearly two miles higher up m
stream. but we made no attempt To fol
low them. l was doubtful if they ha,
ever crossed il in great force As IA
as one could Judge there was no ey