THE "EAGLES"

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 202, 25 October 1909, Page 4

THE "EAGLES"

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A SENSATIONAL STORY OP LOVE AND ADVENTURE.

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I'Alif 17. CIIAPTKK MX. But I was glad that I hail refused the- countess's offer—glad, not only because I did not wish to take favours from such a woman, but liecause it gave me an opportunity of being near Flora. Moreover, ft quite checkmated the countess, for ft was clear that while she had lwen responsible for my arrest. she had not assisted in the persecution of the Von Orahauns. Also the fact that 1 might possibly lie of use to the Von Granatin* if I effected my escape filled me with a certain joy. We lovers delight on piling favour;: on those we love, and If we cannot do it by rescuing them front death. or defending them from a thousand foes * we are reduced to the common methods of heaping gold and jewels npf.n them if we have the means. Hut to me the opportunity might come of doing a practical sen ire to Flora. If 1 could escape, why not she ? I was sure that Tony would do nil in his power to ossist her. Hut while I was turning these things over in my mind our prison door was opened, and the harsh vole of our warder cried out : ".ftMMKph Von Grahaun. and Flora von Grahaun. you're wattled." "Who wants us ? " said old Von Grahaun : and t noticed there was a tremor in his voice. you i That's no affair of vdiip." said the warder, pushing him toward* the door. "Come."

Without another word they crossed the threshold, the door clanged hark ami I wns left alone with my friend the Annrrhist. I had noticed during the few millntf«t I was able to pay any nttcntinn to him that he had been curiomslv excited all day. Xo sooner were* we left alone than he dragged h'-» meagre little form across to my t>.-u.h. •• Comrade." he said, whispering into my ear in his voluble French. ■•w.'«|. n good heart. To-night nil « itt (>►> well." ■•Why f tt l»nt is going to ha|M«en?" "Ah. you will see. 1 have •friends, and they work nt night." llm (are was very descriptive, and the shrug he gate his shoulders implied a depth of m-aning : but I was entirely unable to gather exactly what lie ilid mean. ""I don't understand." I said. "Ah. but you will see to-night."

The little man hurried bark to his own liench as the door swung open. Again catiie the Voire of the warder: "The prisoner calling himself Hubert Gascoigne is wanted." I ro*«» and pa*s».d obediently in front of him ns he h-ld the door ofx-n. o».i.*ide he wbispred quickly to i»" : • You will l»c moved into your title-cent cells to-night. The prim-" is dining with the officers and the of inspection is suspended. At ten o'clock this gang will lie distr ttxited hut the male and female prisnn>'f.». the Von Grnhnnns. will be taker! f»r. I to the guard-room for a f »ii\r t te bit'Tvieir with the prince who will leave his hosts at their vodka. The e'fnrd will bo moved «-.tny from the spot. My rnmrnd" w-dl com" an duty nt half-post nine. Yuri unttrstand, my comrade." With G>is he winked his dull eye. r I t.t'Vit.s me roughly by the slioiil- »• .-. ";oiited aloud : "And there is to lie less talking ami chattering in this crowd." With a push he sent me into the Mock-house, and I was once more left alone with the friendly Anarchist.

Tin* warder's words had stimulated me with excitement and en-rj»y. It «n.-+ then, t surmised, about five oVl«n*k in the afternoon. I had four and a half hours to wail. And then ! Well. I had no clear plan of action. I did not understand his reference to Mir>ki and the Yon Grobsiuns. What did this meeting with Mirski mean, and what cffVrt was it *.u|>l»> ed to have upon my doings? The suggestion that the guard was to I*' moved from the spot sounded strange. Heavens did it mean I snt lh-re on my bench, beating a devil's tattoo with my feet, the while the Anntrhist hummed songs to himself, now and then exhorting me to !»- of good cheer as the night would bring wonders. I paid no attention to his words, too wrapt was I in my own plans. t suppose not an hour had elapsed since I had received my iivs-ap-*. v.h-n the tramp of feet was h aril ourside. the door opened, and Vun Grahaun and Mora once more appeared, the latter carrying herself erect with a high colour in her fare, the former looking more con-worn than ever and evidently dejected and cast down. As before Flora took no notice of me. but seated herself by her father as far away from my lieneh ns was possible. She began whis|iering excitedly to her father, and a few words now and again fell upon* m> ears. J*ho seemed to be very excited and Von Grahaun appeared to b> protesting and excusing sow attitude that he had adopted. "I tell you." I heard her say. h-r v,,i,v rising unconsciously in h-r c\-,-itement—"l tell yon. father, it was NvuMse of the bargain he did not t'utftl. It was for your soke and for your immunity front danger that I promised. And now. bow will my marriage help yon f Ha ha* already broken his oa4b. Will be not break it again ? " "lly daughter," said Von Grahaun. Id quavering tones, "we have four hours to consider. Let us be calm and talk the matter over reasonably." Then his voice sank again and I did not catch what be said. Apparently this argument had no weight with Flora, for she leaned bock against the wall and closed her eyes now and again shaking her head as her father became more emphatic. Alter an hour of this one-sided argument. Von Grahaun seemed satislied that he rotitd not move her from her Then he. too. lenm-d b:-v k p-.xsn-t th-- wall and clo.i«-rl hl-'t ■}'» i''-'i" reflection

1..; .". . r Ule h>.-ir • I!-' W'lM "..1.-: b.i'iiic li.e lime for a«ti"ii ar...i. Only ih" Anarch:: l seeim-d i ' rmiii'-i not Jo sleep. Minnie after minute he continued humming his -.itgs of the sunny *ou:h. hitting 1 here with his arms folded, n very picture of contentment. The door was now locked upon us, and «u knew nothing of what was going od without. Three hours passed like this, and I heard nine o'clock strike. Then I gave up all thought of sleep. I looked nt Flora. She too was awnke. but still leaned against the wall trying to doze. Ah for Von Grahaun. kindly forget fulness had fallen upon him and he was sleeping ns peacefully as a child.' I began to count the seconds ns near as I could marking each group of sixty off on my lingers. Got through half an hour : then another five, then another five : then for a space I stopped and listened, and went at it again, one. two. three, and so on to sixty. It must have passed the quarter when I counted another, five minutes —ten minutes to. Then suddenly the Anarchist stopped humming his song the silence broke the continuity of my senses, just as the sudden sloppage of a screw that one has heard hour after hour, and week after week on board ship brings one together with a jerk. I heard a step outside. It was finite dark now ; except for one dim rny of light which fell upon the •tide where the Anarchist and the Von Grnhnuns sat the place was in complete darkness. Hut 1 did not need my eyes to tell me that Tony had arrived, and the loud tone in which he summoned Joseph and Flora Von Granatin was a shocking imitation of the warder's vocal notes. Apparently, however, neither Von Grahaun nor Flora had the slightest idea that the guard had been changed. Flora woke her father, helped him, half-stumbling to his feet and together they went out. I thought as they passed that Flora gave one pleading glance in my din-el ion but it must have l*vn imagination. Then again silence fell. Five minutes more and 1 strained my ears. The Anorchist. too wnS**listening for something. Again the sound of a key in the lock, and with difficulty I refrained from jumping to my feet. "The prisoner who calls himself Hubert Gascoigne. come out. You're wanted." 1 pretended to drag myself to ray feet and adopt n weary and crestfallen attitude as I approached the door. • "He quirk." said Tony's voice.

"yon lazy blackguard '." I hurried oliedienily. in a second I was outside, the lock was turned and Tony was standing In-fore me. with a smile on hi.* good-natured face. "Talk about the Tale of Two Cities ' and 'The Only Way.' " he said. "This is not in it." "What do you propose to do ? I said hurriedly. "Gel you away." !»•• replied, still grinning. "Hnl~ what about the Von Granatin* ? I can't leave them hero with that brute." "Oh. we must take them along with us: but villainy has this time done us n good turn. They are with the prince at the present moment. There is a solitary sentry posted a distance a way to keep off intruders. He has left the officers drunk at mess and cleared all the soldiers away frt.m lhat part of the gaol." "Well, what are we to do ? " "I>o for the sentry as well as wc con." replied Tony, "and as quietly ns we can : for if there's the slightest noise, we Miall have the whole regini-nt of artillery down upon us. Hut route, we must not stay here."-

And with that he walked out into the starlight night. "Don't speak a word." said Tony, '■. lust follow me ; the place is over there." I saw a sort of wooden blockhouse from one corner of which thero streamed a flood of light, ft stood nt the end of one n( the walls which enclosed the prison in n square, and fortunately the mean light cast a deep shatlow on the snow. Within the space of this shadow wc crept along the wall until we reached the house. There tinder the window, wc halted while nn angry voice fell upon our ears. "Never ! " said the voice of Flora. "You have broken the compact with m\ father, and I break my compact with you. Our marriage is a proposition which I shall refuse to discuss." "Hut Flora." exclaimed the voice «f Mirski. "I assure you that I had no hand in this. As soon as I heard you had been arrested I came l»ost haste. I always warned your father that his connection would bring him trouble, but he has refused to take my advice ; even now, only with great danger to myself can I effect his escape. The police have had their eye upon him for a long time. In view of the unrest that exists throughout the country, the police have received direct orders from the Czar to arrest all suspects, and your father is a victim of that order."

"How am I to know that ? What proof is there? " said Flora. "I am sorry, but no proof is forthcoming. You will have to take my word for it." replied the prince. "The guarantee «s not sufficient." "Hut | don't understand,"- replied the prince. "The other day you were my betrothed, and now " "I was Itetrothed 'to you," put in Flora quickly, "as part of a bargain That bargain has lieen broken, so I am released from my promise.""You don't love me ? ' said the prince, and there was a note of. surprise in his tone, "Lo%*e you *. "• retorted Flora, scornfully. "Docs the slave love her master to whom she is sold ? It seems almost impossible to me that you can ever imagine that I loved you. The thing is too preposterous altogether." He laughed a little. "A thousand curses," he retorted, his voice rising in anger. "I've had enough of this. Whether you marry me or not. I care not. but you shall be mine at any rate, 1 * "For God's sake. Prince,"- come the voice of Von Grahaun, "havt pity " "You old dotnrd I've had enough of you fir ;-<eir pnimi'-s. I h.-vv snv-'d your life '■!•>■ ff.h from th,M:at'ioi<:i. I have [.rote.-?, d ynu fruii;

th ' r}-;,\- ■■' c< S::..r:a. Y"'i .= hali )'■'.'■' : ■' ' I• '' • : " '." ■ ■•l'"'.r Co.i's 5;.:..-. Flora. tl:i:i\ ol wiiai \i,u ar..> 'lc'!i:-'." came t lv.- old mail's voir,- pleadingly. ''What, i."rmuriac". »:'"<-r a'!, compared with Hi'- s'.ui.-rinj/ thai not only I, l>"t oil the members of our party will have to undergo— the persecutions, the horrible ceils, the mental and moral torture ? "■■ I nudged Tony. "Come." I said "it is time to act Where is the sentry? " "Listen." said Tony, putting his mouth close to my ear. "The sentry is pacing up and down some yards from the door. I will go to him. as the warder I will speak to him, and you mu.st come up behind and do the business—when I cough. Do you understand ? '-'■ I nodded my reply. He crept past the window and then drew himself up. I followed him as far a-s the corner and then wailed. From within the house I heard Flora exclaim : "I refuse to sacrifice myself." T heard an angry exclamation from Mirski. Then there was the sound of a scuffle, a cry from the old man. I heard the voice of Flora protesting bitterly. Then more clearly I heard the voice of Tony speaking to the sentinel. I heard their feet moving about on the snow as Tony worked his man into position. Then there came a cough. Without thinking of the danger. 1 crept rapidly round the corner. Another moment and I had my knee i.n the fellow's back, one hand on his throat, the other on his mouth : and as he quickly fell on me I saw Tony (fuickly b.nd forward and twist the rifle out of his grasp so thai he could not fire. In another second he brought down the butt-end clashing down on his forehead. I f-lt the man stop his struggles and fall hack limp and apparently lifeless. Tony took a handkerchief and a tobacco pouch from his pocket thrusting the tobacco pouch as far into the man's mouth a-s possible, and then bound it round with the handkerchief. "What business we've got to do we. must do before he comes round," said Tony, still grasping his bayoneted rifle and with his hand on the latch of the door.

CHAPTER XX. As the door flung open I followed close at Tony's heels, and what I saw filled me with a very tempest of anger. On the floor, with his head near the o|hmi door, lay the senseless form of Von Granatin, a thin si read of blood trickling from a brutal blow on the forehead. In the corner the prince—with his back to us—was struggling with Flora, trying to press his cursed lips to her face In the struggle her hair had come loosj ami fell over her shoulders and face, a very cataract of gold. She was fighting gamely, but the brute had her two small hands tightly clasped in one of his huge palms, while with the other arm he was trying to drag her towards him. Hut Tony soon altered the situation. In the excitement of the moment nobody seemed to have noticed the opening of the door ; the prince never looked round —only Flora saw us. It was not until Tony buried the bayonet in Mirskt's leg that the prince realized our presence. If I had had the rifle I would have buried the steel in the man's heart. I'ut for some reason or other Tony was more merciful. With a yell of rage and Main the prince dropped Flora's hands ami turned on Tony,- who had just lime to draw out the bayonet. Unfortunately he only put it through th<fleshy part of the leg. ami though the wound must have been a nasty one, it did not interfere with the activity of the prince.

Springing to one side he seized a chair and aimed it at Tony, who dodged only just in time. l'"t b<forc he could do more I had clamlwred across the table and flung my.-elf straight at his throat. I don't know whether it is the instinct that still survives in us of the bruie. hut my own instinct on such an occasion was to go straight for the man's throat even as the dog does. Alinost naturally a man puts his hands up to tear away his antagonist's fingers, and that altitude agisted in overwhelming him. At any rate in a moment I had him on the floor ; releasing the grip of one of my hands 1 proceeded to beat his face with a fury into as unrecognizable a mass of blood and bruises as I could before Tony pulled me off. "Don't spoil the man's beauty altogether, Hubert," he said, bending over tho prince's prostrate form with the bayonet pointing at his throat. "If you do so much as breathe till we have finish'.-J with you, I'll put it through your gullet," he said. As rapidly as we could we gapc-d and bound him, and at Tony's Mi':gestion carried him out and thivw him on top of the sentinel. "When the dog wakes up," whispered Tony in a fit of excited joy. "some plunging work will begin. That will finish the work you so ably began on the prince's face. And now for the sledge."

With that we went back to the Grahauns. Flora was kneeling by Iht father's side cooling his head with sonv incited snow. Von- Grahaun had Just come to himself and as wc returned he began to struggle into a sitting posture. "If the old man can manag- it." said Tony to Flora, "we had Im-u<t be moving before trouble begins." "But how. or where? " saiil Flora. •'We'll bo taking th" print's sledge." saitl Tony, "if only Mr. Crahaun can pick \-p enough strength to move."Von Grahaun looked up at Tony. puzzled for a minute, scarcely realizing where he was. "Thank you." na said, weakly, -"for the trouble you have taken- I think I shall be able to walk." And with that he struggled to his feet. • "Yes. we have to thank you, sir."said Flora, "for your opportune . - rival. I don't quite un•■!• -r -■;■■ . i everything just now," she sa:d. <;>-•- ing a glanre at Tony's i;n::'' rrn, "but later, no doubt, ynu v.:!i be nl.le to explain <-\ <t.\ 'h : r;tr, <ind I .-hall !.■• r. 1 :<• t,, expreK-: my \:..-.::ka to Jll'l I/"? •■•!'"• To !.•■.• Coiitinued.