Rocky Ford enterprise., 1915-03-19

as the leader Of the Reds and the coun-
tess conduce him to where Buckhurst Is
secreted o
CHAPTER IV.-contInued.
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 I
saw a dozen horsemen come scamper-
ing up the drive toward US. At the
same moment I stepped out into the
driveway to signal the riders, raising
my hand.
Instantly a pistol fashed-then an
other and another, and dozen harsh
voices shouted: "Houura! Hourra!
Preussen!"
"Milie tonnerrei" roared belmont;
the Prussians are here!"
Look out! Stand back there! Get
the women backi" l cried. as an
Uhlan wheeled his horse straight
through a bed Of gerantums and fired
his horsepistol 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 Delmont.
as Bazard snatched up the pistol
had taken from Buckhurst. But the
invalid had already fred at a horse
man. and had gone down under the
msrciless hoofs with a lance through
his face.
My first impulse was to shoot Buck
hurst, and l started for him. ran
past Bazard's trampled body and fired
at an Uhlan who had seized the
horses which were 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. i 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
ncer. I'VE respect your uniform"
will you parleyf" / asked. listen
ing intently for the gallop of my
promised sendarmes. II l could only
gain time and save Buckhurst
"Foulez-fous fous rendre? Oi ou
non?" shouted the officer. In his ter
ribie French.
ran for the chateau. As II gained the
doorway they shot at me. but I only
ned the faster. springing up the stair
way. Here l stood. saber in hand.
ready to stop the first man.
UP the stairs rushed three Uhians.
sabers shining In the dim light from
the window behind me; l laid my
forennger fat on the blade of my
saber and shortened my arm for a
thrust-then there came binding
fash. roar, and / was down, trying
to rise, until clinched fist struck
me In the face and l fell fat on my
back.
They got me out to the terrace, and
carried me to the lawn. One of the
men brought a cup of water from the
pool.
Herr Rittmeister." said, family, Il
had a prisoner here; he should be in
the carriage. Is he?"
Tho 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. was
perfectly conscious.
And all the while l was listening for
the gallop of my gendarmes. not that
cared very much. now that Buck
hurst was gone.
Suddenly the chapel bell of La
Trappe rang out startling peal; the
Prussian captain shouted: stop that
belll Shoot every civilian In the
house!" But the Uhlans. who rushed
up the terrace. found the great doors
bolted and the lower windows
screened with steel shutters.
On the battlements of the south
wing red radiance grew brighter;
somebody had thrown wood into the
Iron basket OF the ancient beacon.
and set nre to It.
That tsachss me lesson" bavled