The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1914-02-20
cHApTER Iv-contlnued.


Buckhurst looked at me, long
enough to see that the end OF his rope
had come Then he slowly turned his
deadly eyes on the girl before him.
Scarlet to the roots OF her hair, she
stood there, utterly stunned Then
the sudden double beat of horses
hoofs broke out along the avenue be
low, and. through the red sunset l
saw a dozen horsemen come scamper-
ing up the drive toward US. At the
same moment ! stepped out into the
driveway to signal the riders, raising
my hand.
Instantly a pistol fashed-then an
other and another, and a dozen harsh
voices shouted: "Houura! Hourra!
Preusseni"
Mile tonnerre!" roared belmont;
"the Prussians are here!"
Look out! Stand back there! Get
the women back!" ! cried, as an
Uhlan wheeled hts horse straight
through a bed of geraniums and fired
his horse-pistol at me.
belmont dragged the young Count
ess to the shelter of an elm; Sylvia
Elven and Tavernier followed; Buck
hurst ran to the carriage and leaped
in.
mo resistance!" beloved belmont,
as Bazard snatched up the pistol /
had taken from Buckhurst But the
invalid had already fired at horse
man, and had gone down under the
merciless hoofs with a lance through
his face.
My first impulse was to shoot Buck
hurst, and l started for him. ran
vast Bazard's trampled body and fired
at an Uhlan who had seized the
horses which we're attached to the
carriage where Buckhurst sat.
Again l ran around the wagon,
through a clump of syringa bushes,
and up the stone steps to the terrace,
and after me galloped one of those in
comparable cossack riders-an Uhlan,
lance in rest, setting his wiry little
horse to the stone steps with a loud
"Hourra!"
1t was too steep a grade for the
gallant horse. l flung my pistol in
the animals face and the poor brute
reared straight up and fell backward,
rolling over and over with his unfor-
tunate rider, and falling with a tre-
mendous splash into the pool below.
'In Gods name stop that" roared
belmont from below Give up, Scar
lett! They mean us no harm!"
Come down, hussar!" called an of
1icer. 1--WE respect your uniform"
will you parley?" l asked, listen
ing intently for the gallop of my
promised gendarmes. If | could only
gain time and save Buckhurst
'Foulez-fous fous rendre? Oui ou
non?" shouted the officer, in his ter
rible French.
"Eh bien, non!" cried, and
ran for the chateau. AS l gained the
doorway they shot at me, but / only |
fed the faster, springing up the stair
way, Here l stood, saber in hand, |
ready to stop the first man.
Up the stairs rushed three Uhlans,
sabers shining in the dim light from
the window behind me; l laid my
forefnger fiat on the blade of my |
saber and shortened my arm for a
thrust-then there came binding
flash, a roar, and was down, trying
to rise, until a clinched fist struck
me in the face and l fell fiat on my
back.
They got me out to the terrace, and
carried me to the lawn. One of the
men brought cup of water from the
pool.
Herr Rittmeister," said, family, Il
had a prisoner here; he should be in
the carriage. Is he?"
The officer walked briskly over to
the carriage. Nobody here but two
women and a scared peasant" he
called out.
Two soldiers lifted me again and
bore me away in the darkness. l was
perfectly conscious.
And all the while was listening for
the gallop Of my gendarmes, not that
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