The Washington herald., 1916-01-02
fcor,nsht. 1857

As he watched the stricken enemy
stink OF toward the skyline and knew
there would be vengeance. later on,
Dick Anthony no more feared the fu-
ture than he thought OF fiinching from
his own half-driiled rsbble.
He admitted to himself now that his
two quick victories within week
meant little more than two spur marks
on Russia's hide.
He had 70 stir II he was to save
Persia from the Russian yokel Action.
and only action-swift, unexpected
and weIl-planned-could help him In
Persia.
Russian dead and wounded lay
scattered over two square miles OF
plain, and the walled city Of Astra-
bad lay helpless for the taking
His ragged line stood still gazing
in wonder at him in the fush OF his
new success. gaping belief. now, more
than ever of Usbeg Ali Khsn's Wild
story. that made him Alexander Of
Macedon reincarnated. But he can
tered down among the spaced-out com
panies, letting the sunlight Hash
along the blade of his strange Jewell
ed cIaymore, and HIS voice was like
the cracking Of great whips. as ne
made his will known. his seat In the
saddle that of man who is obeyed.
Back he ordered. Back TO your
hills again"
let them loot. behadur!" Usbeg All
Khan advised. riding up to Dicks
side.
Dick wheeled on him. spinning his
big horse in one of those swift move
ments that were as disconcerting as
they were characteristics.
7 made you second in commond!
What are you doing here? Take the
left wing and answer for your mems
behaviori Join your command sir!
the far end of the other wing where
his seven hundred horsemen were
drawn up and Andry Macdougal
leaned, swearing soft, endearing oaths
where awa?" called Andry.
where ava. Mr.. Dicky?r
Dick refined in and the huge man
laid hand on the chargers withers.
Back to the hills, Andry. Are your
men in handT
"Ou-aye!"
Then lead the way! Lead of with
cams!F
.'But-Mr. Dicky-"
About Marie?"
Nam Her that's waitin' wunsman
on the princess yonderr'
Dick scowled at the horizon. A
cloud of dark dust curled and eddied
above a low hill and stampeding Co.'S
sacks: beyond the cloud. he knew, was
the princess who had interfered and
who had once been proud Scots gen
tlsman. 1t was only human to connect
the princess and her maid together in
one comprehensive loathlng, and to
forget for the moment that the maid
had fallen victim to Andry's gargoyle
charms-that she loved the huge man
and that she had already given proof
"Did You hear my orderg"
"Ay; Stan by y'r traces, there! Take
Sixty tired men sprang from the
ground to do his bidding instantly,
and Dick rode on to where all the
Russian reserve ammunition lay piled
on commisaTiat wagons, horsed from
the stables of Russian ofhcers
Forward" he ordered, pointing to
thes hills, and the cayalcade began to
move.
Csbeg Ali swallowed his own thoughts
of .plUnder and forced Dicks will on
men whose ideal might be Persia lib
Grated; but whose Immediate yesrntng'
trabad bazaarS.
'.Bismillahr" he muttered in his
beard. The fellow strokes his stub
born chin. looks up once to heaven,
and then knows what to do! 1 tell
tales of him that 1 invented and the
tales prove true ones! 1 prophesy
truei who am that I should doubt
the hand of Allah! Nay-I am a SOL
der and have my ordersH
He rode like a thunderboIt. once up
and once again down the line, shout
ing for close order; and since close
order presaged movement of some
kind they obeyed him readily enough.
rose abruptly from the level land, and
the horses could no longer drag the
heavy wagons fast enough to keep up
with the climbing infantry.
lie ordered the wounded taken from
the wagons where they lay on the
cartridge boxes. He ordered bough lit
ters made for them. and told OF car
boxes. and he served out two hundred
rounds a man. There were thousands
on thousands of rounds left over, and
he had them packed on the horses.
Then he ordered:
Haul the wagons by hand along
that ridge! Draw them up in line"
They obeyed him, wondering. In full
view of the distant city they arranged
barricade of wagons, overturning
them and locking each to each until
the whole was like a wall.
Vow guard them for me until my
returnT' Dick ordered, riding down to
where the rear guard watched inquis-
itively. Usbeg All stared wide eyed,
but Dick bade him lead the advance
mountains.
Lead OF with the horse!" he order
ed. Throw out a screen ahead and on
either flank. Wait for me unless have
caught up before you reach the fifth
mile"
Dick shut his lips tight in a way
that Csbeg Ali was beginning to rec
oguiEe for the abrupt, blunt end of ar
gument. He saluted and rode away.
"Sow! 'Tention, LISTEN" .-T
They had been leaning on their
rifles. but the crack and resonance
Dick gave his words brought them up
standing like drilled men.
'YOnder Is Astrabad there are not
many Russians left, but those we have
Just worsted may rally and return.
They are likely to. ! am going on, a
days march from here. II you are
attacked you may send a man TO warn
me. Meanwhile you-Yussuf Ali-com-
mnnd this rear guard. Stand here and
defend this position and these
wagons until / come back. Don't trou-
BILE to conceal yourselves. Light fires
tonight; let the Russians know where
you are; and the best way to avoid at
tack Will be to make the Russians
think you are more numerous than you
are To the wagons-forward-m
Five minutes later. he left them
digging trenches with whatever tools
they could improvise. and he rode
away with no doubt in his mind that