The Washington herald., 1915-12-26
ioopyrisht. l,l.5

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shirt to his name. but With 9
heart that was unafraid-stoo4 out
alone where q. spring splashed. One
hand rested on . rock thakriooked not
very much unlike q rough-hewn throne,
and in the other was a Jeweled clay
more that had been forged IN forgot
ten century. but whose blade was as
bright as silver.
Then, too. a grizzly. tremendous man
with one arm In "a Sing rose out Of the
darkness from behind Dick and stood
ready for emergencies. like Little
John attendant on Robin Hood.
Lie down again, Andry" he ordered;
and Andry MacDougay. who looked big
enough to swallow him. grinned like a
gargoyle and obeyed.
The unseen. undiscipiined horde be-
hind the shadows took its cue: the ex-
ample was infectious. as intended. and
once more the night breathed steadily.
armed men hidden amid the trees
passed his rifle to another man and
stepped out from the shadow OF a
mountain oak.
bowling low to Dick. Il speak for three
thousand men Of Iran in these noun.
tains-al loyal meh-who hide In fear
of Russia. On those plains there arc
Us at heart-who dare not make one
cause with us because Russian guile
and threats and bribery have rotted
trusting nobody, and us least Of all be-
cause-we have no man to lead u.s.
II have said ! am q British Officer. !.
Dick reminded him. II can advise you
Great Britain for very very shame must act
in your behalf. But I cannot lead you
Prince" said the old man. giving
Dick a title that Is only courteous. but
bowling low to emphasize 1T. our cause
is .just-our invitation personal to you.
We do no dishonor to the man we ask
1t was a strange. far-reaching laugh,
unmusical as the devil made up OF
three separate inharmonses. and 1t had
a weird effect as It went ringing
ing fre in Usbeg Ali now. and the
Afghan rose out of shadow.
Lead them. sahib! Lead them" he
leader such as thou, and their cause
The old Persian. who knew only Per-
slap. sensed and understood. 1t SEEM
Sion sic sIS' to the he @ urging Of the other two.
Lead us against Russiar'
Halt" rang 8 sudden'order through
the stiffness: and the same instant the
click OF breech-bolts. Then silence
mst.a' .sss and fssrfulI{ollowed. Not man
enee. ~ < rag ragged OUTLAW. whose chief
claim to notice was a rifle and q band
oleer. came stumbling over the stones
by the. little water course. running Into
the moonlight like shadow shot OUT
0 ine womah-" he painted. Two wom-
en-and two Cossacks-four in all;
They demand speech with Dee-k-An-
Dick was furious. Well he knew
who was the only woman who would
dare to track him through the Elburz
sia.s enemies. The other could only be
her maid. He had turned his back on
the Princess Olga Karageorgovich at
the head OF pass, amid Russian dead
and wounded. fifty miles away, and he
had thought every mile of the inter-
vening climb worth while. because II
was that much more trackless distance
Tell them they may 60 to" he be-
gan.
Rut the shadows burst to pieces and
the darkness shook. as thousand out
laws interrupted him and voiced one
stone them. Shoot them! Burn them
alive: They are Russians-they come
10 win him over-take and burn them
ours"
silence" thundered Dick. and his
voice was like tie sudden crashing OF
the elements.
His defiance rang to the farthest lin
its of the amphitheater. but not muir
Inur answered him. He had no notion
how he looked; bareheaded In the
beg Ali had told behind his back about
his being Alexander Of Macedon come
to life again. He knew nothing in that
minute except that he stood and faced
a thousand in ring of pale light be-
vond which he could not see.
The mob that had SO long been weary
Of its lawlessness was beginning to
Forlthe first time it faced a man whose
voice rang true-who dared dictate to
it-who offered it no compromise. and
only two alternatives-obey or fight!
ing very low. 1T is time. now. to give
orders"'
'Zindabadr yelled somebody with
leather lungs Fro From opp opposite Ute another
then a hundred. Then the timber on
the hillsides shook as the whole crowd
! Dared together:
"Zindabad Deek-Anthonee SHAH
Long live King Dick Anthony"
''SilenceH he thundered. ard instant
~ the whole glade seemd to cease to
Send men to bring those women In"
them be promised
honorable treatment! Send the Cos
sacks back about their business. Prom
ise them in my name they shall not
be molested until they reach the Rus:
sian lines. Tell the women they shall
have 4 bigger. more efficient escort to
take them back again."
They waited, thinking, there was
more to come. or perhaps an explana-
tion- But Dick was not given to ex-
things or wasting words;
Then the glades awoke to the, birth
of discipline. Men who had never yet
obeyed, unless they were forced with
whip or bribed. raced to be first to
carry out the order, and ii needed in
slant action to prevent mad, undignf-
fled stampede. J
'Zindabad Dee-k-Anthonee Shah."
they roared: and the woods and the |
hills were shaking to the thunder when /!
a dozen men escorted two tired horses
through the boulder-strewn gap, along.I
the singing stream. into the amphi-
astride on a Cossack saddle. Each
was blindfolded, for that is outlaw |;
custom the wide world over-designed
far more to emphasize outlaw majesty I
than for the purpose Of maintaining |
secrecy. The rear woman OF the two
weary and afraid: but she in the front /,
had a high chin. and even the cloth !
hat had been thrown over her head !
Was made to lend her an added grace /
and the hint Of coauetry. with an art |
that is born in some women.
were led before Dick. and halted facing 4
'swhy are they blindfolded?" he ask
ed. Are ye afraid Of themT'
Cnordered-uninvited Princess /
olga Karageorgovich raised both hands
$50. tsis .zindabad Anthony shabi'
llready 7'tshe said smiling And tired