THE "EAGLES"

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 190, 13 September 1909, Page 4

THE "EAGLES"

A SENSATION..i. six.:/■:? I love a;:j adventu.;s,

By I'.W L n>.„i ifAUT, 1 .

i\\lU 5. "Your hous« i.i iietng attacked by burglars." I said, totting to thf |K>int at once. "I have injured one ol them, oncl I do nut think they will conw hack again now that they arc discovered. Hut it may he as well to make an inspection of the place for «oMy. What servants have you hero, Mora ?" "llitrglar.4 •'•• said Flora, opening her eyes widely, and shrugging her shoulders with an air or doubt. "I think you an* mistaken. Thf people in the countrywide ore too honest and too simple, and the bad men from the big town* would not come here to steal : we are too far from them." "Hut has your father any enemies, about here ?" t said this In Herman, realizing that prompt information wait necessary, and it might be ok well to let tb*> servant* understand at once what we were talking about. j "Stein. Herr ttrahaun has no eni»-1 «•»•■*." said the old frail. "He is | (on kind. Ilia ncighbount love him r too much." I "Then how are we to account for f the suspicious movements of these [ in-n at this hour of the night ?" 1 j .-;;-»itf. walking to the window and tak- j ing another look. The men were evi- S denlly holding a council of war. I could see them in the distance huddling themselves as close as possible ' o« th'.« root of a big tree. There were | alrout half a dozen of Ih m. jJb far J a* f could mji,.' out. and if th>-y were n-illier burgtnrs nor |>ersonal ene- jj ini«-s of Von (•rnhnun. what in mis- \ chi*f were tiny doing there"? The answer was found in the ter- j ror-strirken fare of Countess lllaveski I who. in response in n summon* from I , a maid sens to her room, appeared j ( in the doorway just as I turn.-d from . »h> window, t'nable to suppress her I | she rushed across He-room | , 80-l tos'kefl out of Ih-- window. j , "They have found us !" she whis- J 5 pcr>-d. hoars«>ly. j .

In nn instant it fl:ish>d across mo tn«r.. 4»Me as it seemed, that I) Ilr -i(n • ntiil hi* accomplices had track •tl U-. in spile of our twisting* am ttirrur.f-s. Clutching ill*' countess bj th>* .«-houlder. I pull, d her an-ay froii tli>- uhkl.hv ; arid at thai mom n tl»»- .xociiul of ji rill:-shot rang out ii •».* %»«:».I. ri»■: a I»iIMl struck th< <li>n»'«»rli of i;.e window. "K»*»-p l>ark. everybody I" I shout , *l : nr?-I. ni«Mi«g towards an old i »'nshion»sl fulMcitglh mirror. I movct it up imvitrds th- «-indow. in such i iw-sition that lh» outlook wan reflect i*tl »« it. So long a* ihe men remain ..-d where ihey were, in the direct lin« of vision. we should be able to set what they Were l.y ihe help oi til- lights ninth th>- !-ertnnts h:u brought with thnn ' *ASi«t petrp!f have yon in th> h»-uv» ?"* | asked flora c;nin. "Ilo« many men have you '." "Only old Fritz and Frederick. A.« we do not knotv how long we xUnV l" in Sf. IVtersburtf. He hni'e allow ~1 the other nu-n—.TWi-tt . |o vi-il their home*, and the house will Im shttf up wh'-n I follow my father." '"V»'« nr•• not well protected fot sn Ii a !i>n-ly spot." f it-marked. "\V,* do not n-vil prolix-1 ion. IVopti r»r.«i:ul us are all our friends." '•*.»n any oi them lie summoned ?" If r.n- *|ttiie el: nr that ui'h thf b ■**» of the tiv« ni.n I roiild ensil.v I r.il-r( the Itto MiHii-n till daylight, r.i.t I h.id a notion not only of d.- !' ;i.-*. Iml of nMfi'k The lusl o( (af'sj.» was rnvping »»n me. n ttd I vv.i'tt. .1 to head a raid and rapture ■«>*>*' of Fior.t liuikt d round at the old man IVit/, nho by this lime had joined Ih* croup, bis 6 the Vcti raid.- re" ain't *h«rok his head. The nearest farm was the hi her Md>» of the wood, and ; h* would not like to have ihe frauIrSn. "W,» ran keep iff the sroundr.ls nnr.«i•!»-«**■. meia Iv-rr. V.e have somr niu*f.ets in lh»- hou«*»». Frederick has just return <d from his exercises with the army tm-l I Mill know how to «tli.o*ii.*' It.- was a s.*ar.»d old %*etcran whn had fought In the Franco-Prussian V.nr. and hod olso fought the I'russiv.n* when llavorin wo* at enmity tv*eti her present *(la>* partner. On sfonil thoughts Iho advice ol th.- old man *itt wise. After all my I'umiiojm* wn* not to «eek out sf»ort lor mysrlf. but to prot«*ct ihts • womenkind. for whom circiim-°ttaiit-vs had made* me res|»onsilile. I lh.ti-foa» sugg»*sled to Flora that w« «.f-M'lid concentrate in this room thai *. !-i*i d Ihe mo»H jmiinblc for defen*'w pxrpos :». 'fhe lndi.-s am| maid--•"'tviii must make up their mindi t.> r-main Ih-n* for tho night, slopping ii they could on the chairs and touches which they could bring in from tho other room. Fritz and Fmlerick and myself would hove in keep armed watch ttt various parts of Ihe hou.«t», and I warn.nl both the man and the young conscript that th-y were dealing with men with whom they must hold no parley. * "Shoot first, and argue alterttnr.l*."" I said, finally, as we pre-p;ir-d In plan out our beats. It- the mirror I saw that our as---ru r nii's had shifted their position frr.m the direct line of the window, and for a long time there was an ominous silence—a silence I did not li!»e. And with frequent calls at the old room, and many warnings to thr women to keep away from the winHow. I steadily paced from the remnant of Ihe old castle to the modem l»or!inn of the house which Von Granatin had erected. The dogs in the yard were si raining at their collar*, and growling angrily and it suddenly occurred tc me that it would be a good plan to sft them loose. I was about tc open the door leading to that por t'on o* Ihe ground, where old Frit* who was with me at the moment. laid a warning hand on my shoulder Pun's show yourself, mein herr. »r!l -nil know where they are. The mnur.tight is tnn hright. and lhe> tt;M , - .-»»>!.• 'r> - ;•■'» vmi " iVir i( »,' <■■■• rh-- i|.->jf«i 1,).,5v the;. ■•■:•: -|;;;-VU .■.<•••:•.•, fr.-nt -,r.< siir.i)

t;> n I •-> .-'.'nlo to advance upon x'r.-.-zi •••;:•- -h. •. .if /ifjhtinp the- .-»:. j-uri" •■.' \ • I ■.-:"•! this I „,..■•;, •.( >h~ '.<,! ■'" • ~i-i(-'l <]Uif>t|y out ii lei '•i> 'he n.'arost <log. a h'ijj • :naswhirlj was pranr.'ng on its i.;f I i,-h ami pawing the air in it*; <i:'orts to l*reak loose. : The old man was right. 7";r» cunning rascals, instead of silencing the dogs, had left them as a temptation to us. I had hardly got throu.-.h the door when old Frilz grabbed me by the coal tails and pulled me back At that very" moment another shot rang out from the rising ground overlooking the court-ground utid a bullet struck the woodwork nl-ove the door. Fritz sin mined the door as h(j jerked me inside, ami another *hot sent a second bullet against the door Itself. "They are using shooting rlnl» rihV.*," said Fritz—"small and handy. jnd dangerous at short range. We must ke,-p them at a distance." It was well for us all that the old •atnpoigner was there to advise. The idea of being bottled up by a gang of ruir.nns like this so preyed upon n;y •omballve Instincts that I waii<<d to make a sortie on my own behr.ir. "Kemember the frnulein. m.-in •lerr." said the old man as I pulled angrily at the door. And this brought me to my senses. I lurrying B»ack to the improvised citul-I. 1 assured the "ladies that no harm hnd been done, tty the last shot. lU»< b frauleln and the conn less were wait- j ing to receive me. Flora sympathetic anil anxious, the mum ess panting and agitated, with a look of pas•ionnle inquiry in her glittering •yes. "You have lieen In danger '." s?i«* *nid. rushing towards me as 1 rn;sie into the room. "till. dear. no. Calm yoiirsvlf. roiiniess. There is really no dang-.-r for any of us." "You ilo not know these in-?n." «>h.;

said. "Tliey ilo not value th?ir own liv.-<. or the lives «jf ollu-r p:-op!e. I'hey will stop at noihing." "But I have Konflhing here that will stop them." I said, lapping the rifle with which Frit/, hail armed me. As I said this I looked round casually at Flora. She had noticed that the countess had lost her limp. and she had heard the words that had passed between us. There was a distant dignity and reserve about her attitude towards both of us as she calmly proceeded to make suggestions and arrangements for interesting the servants and providing refreshments.

I "li is evident. Mr. Onscoi}me, that to-night will lu* o vigil for u.> all." ■she went on : and, turning to the countess she said : "Can I induce vou lo appropriate this couch ? I 3111 afraid you will *.e overstraining yourself after vour accident." "No, I cannot rest. I must bear my part in this work. tjcl me do 4omeihing. Do let me do thing."In her excitement she had moved -cwiflly across the room, and fur an instant her shafx>ly head was in direct line with the window. There wast a rifle-shot from the forest, ami Che countess, with an involuntary ;-ry of pain. pressed her hand lo the *ide of her head. A little stream of Mood trickled down her neck and she daggered to a sofa. Flora, forgetting her reserve, in womanly tenderness stepped forward and pressed her ' handkerchief to the wound. It was only a slight scratch on the side of th" head, a skin, wound, but an- J other half inch, and it would have , struck her temple. I nsrain cautioned them all to keep well away from th-* "window and went off to see if I could get a *i«.'ht of any of the m-n from any other protected part of thf building.

fHAPTKK V, The m?n who were keeping watch outside knew their busing** as will aw thus** n( us who ui-r.- in'id-. II eith r of us passtd n wimlow in Ihe corridor, splash went the glass as a bullet came through. They kept us going from uiii- end «if Che building to another, nml|:uv us no single opportunity of a good look out for reconnoitring purpose*. U was a hiiKou.t ex|»erience. I fell liko a rat in a hole with a terrier watching the exit. If one could have got out and met them hand to land, it would have lu-eii possible e\v;j to exchange shots with them on anything like fair terms, and there plight have been sport for us all. As it was the sport was all on the other nide. There was another lone period of silenre and I liegan tc think they had drawn off. Hut as I suggested it to Frit/, he said, quietly : "Listen to the dogs, mein herr." The faithful brutes were still growling and pulling at their chains. Instinct told th.-m there were enemies about and their quick ears raught the stealthy movements ol the blackguards who were flitting from point to point watching an opportunity to pot one of us through I the window. "Frit* « Fritz ! Mein herr ! Mein heir !" It was Frederick's voice shouting from tho back of the hous-. and we made our way quickly towards him. "They are near us now." he said. "I heard them at the south door." This was interesting news. l( they were going to rush us by j-torm, there would at any rate Ik» some chance of a stand-up fight, and (hat was exactly what I wanted. This weary vigil with nothing to do was positively intolerable. "Keep quiet." I said to the youth, "and let them get in if they can. As soon as they appear, shoot. and then fall back with me towards the room where the ladies are." The big blue eyes of the Bavarian lad gleamed in anticipation. Like myself, he was young, and his blood was hot. lie had no greater liking than myself for this tindffrn:<ied and unsportsmanlike game of hide-and-seek. There was no further attempt, howevci, to force the door, and again there was another long, tantalizing silence, broken at last l>y a sudden movement of Frederick, who hacl been looking out through n small hole in the shutter over one of the back windows. HurMmp op<-n 'he shutter" ami the window «nh it. the big Ind was nut in the oj>.;ri befor,; either Frit? or m>vil' "•. i:M i-'-s'.rain him. There wo.- a and rn'ii-h pTun'inrr nrvl <=w,•.->:■::.;_-. r.n'i runninc 'o th ■ ,1,.. .- ! ; ; > ; ;• <- j>f-n, Wha-ev.-r -;,- ,- .:...-,;.;.. L.iK-i.f Ik;

1 was no', ir-j.'..:. •! i~, -;'o;> undei co'.'. 1 !' while- an""L-.r :r.a:: win-, risking his life. A blinding. suiTccat ii-.g cloud ol snicks blew in a ■ th.- door r 1 .).-- -cl. ] un<i->r>iood :.<-.v :!•,.• n,.•;>..•.:■-;- , ; this stealthy silence. They had 1 -n piling' tip dry v.'00.l outsn.'e th- door and «'f-re setting it alight. Truly as the niunU-ss said, fhc-y kviiiW .st<>;.i at nothing. Frederick was struggling with u rouple of hairy m<-n. 'i"Jvir comrades in the c;stain ■e\ 'iderr \y dare not shoot, because th.;.- could not be *ure of hitting th<- righ- iwm. The big. strong youth had one of his opponents by lh<- throat. ;..:,,1 the other was desperately m ru-.-giirtg to break his hold. Much ;: 1 would have liked to make Mire of one of the scoundrel*. I ;:aw in a ir.omen* that Ihe first thing to 1.- done was to •it op the fire. Rushing at the heap of dried wood. 1 kicked it right e.nd left away from the door. My .-lolhes caught on fire, and throwing myself flat on the ground, in order that the flames might not get at my vitals. I .shouted to old Fritz to Ihrow something over me. The old fellow gathering up some loose smollu-red the flames and I sprang to my feet. Fortunately the cloud of dust and smoke from the icattered wood hid us from the ?nemy. Frederick, on seeing my Jangvr. had relinquished his hold on nis prisoner and turned to my assistance. Instantly the two men lad bolted, and 50 we returned to !he hou«v empty-handed. A small nose kept in the house for immediate Jse in case of fire was promptly Iraggwl to i!i.« spot, and a dash of tvatcr about the portals of the door ?ffectually prevented th- spread of Ihe flames. 'l'i.- miser.-ants we:v baulk.-.1 at on? .->oint, bin it was impossible to say where they might break out next. They mifit be attacking some other part of the house even while we were waiting, aid I found it nec-s----*ary now to commandeer the wonun*olk f<-r sentry duty. Th? gi'ls ivere not at all displeased at the -iro::p:>ct of dohig sou: • work. Flora •ittd been keeping their spirits up by ringing to them, telling them stories and assuring them fiere was nothing to fear. Hut as the night advanced, even their younjf mistress 'ailed to keep them interested. Warning them over and over again not to look out but to lis"en and .•ome to me if they heard anything. I nostril them at each door, wherever Jhere was a window too high for Ih'tn to be seen thro-igh. The marauders had riven up the id a of •shooting us like rats in a trap, and were now bent. I could see. on setting ire to the place, nn-l s'looling u,,. 'ountess and mysr'i" as we escap -1 j-om the flames. Morning was fortunately ndvatu ing n<-.-.v and daylight would p-it an end to th' ir plots in the course of an hour <• t two. Hut well I knew that in thos;> two hours our watch have to be redoubled. Mistered and aching from my burns. I moved from room to room. I had used up what ointments and liniments in the house I could lay my hands on without appeal tnjf to Flora : the situation was bad enough without telling her I was hurt.

j It was not long In coming. I ha< warned the girls not to scream out but to come and tell me quietly i they heard anything. But to tell i girl not to scream is one thing : tc ensure that she will not do so is an other. This particular lass was sta lioind with a companion under i window in the western part of th< I l.ouse, and daring and desperate a< :!ic night went on with their wort unaccomplished, one of the men hac climlied up and put his head through the window. If only the girl had slipped quiet l\ away and fetched us. we should have captured him. Her screams. however, put him on his guard, and when we got back he had disappeared. The door of a lumber-room opposite the window in which was stored a lot of paper, rags, and loose rubbish, was open, but I did not, «t the moment notice that. Lifting myself cautiously up to the rorner of the window I peered out. One of the men was taking shelter behind a tree, and had reach, d safely before I could gel a shot at him. "Don't cry out next time, my girl" I said, as kindly as my disappointment would permit me ; and as I was passing on to another point to renew the same warning to the other watchers, a fizz and an explosion brought me back to the room where the rubbish was stored. "Call Fritz and Frederick," I said to the girl as I dashed into the room This particular part of the house was a narrow connecting link between the kitchen offices and the drawing rooms ; it was only one room and a passage in breadth, and there was a window on the other sid.-. As I burst into the room J there was a report from some brushwood outside, and a bullet just grazed my shoulder. I leapt back into the passage and pulled the door to sufficient to conceal m •. This was a new development indc .1. The in gen foils scoundrels had op n.-d some cartridges and with the. powder had manufactured a miniature bomb. The fellow who had climlied up to the window had set it alight and Ihrown it into the room. w-hile his companions on the n?h<>r sid« were waiting to shoot us do-.vn as we w;-nt in to put out Even while I was tbinkini: its j over In this speedy fashion t!v- fir" | bngau to spread rapidly, and I s,->w : at once that unless <-■:.-..; hint: wa* done th-' plaee wn'.ili: •■•■.: ;:; a bin/.". The window w.i - ! ; r. a■! nnd f«ract Ir.Vy cam- down u, >hr> floor: the man or nvn in :h" !■■!••:>;-Tvnorj covered it with ihur '-ivu- rifl'- n••ompl'tely as thowtrh ;; v,-.-v- an open s.»aco o; tsid<>. To be Continual.