Part 22 (1/2)

But you win, monsieur, you win; they fly, the laches But listen, ood; the Queen is to be ht in the palace of Milosis; her guards will leave their posts, and the priests are going to kill her Ah yes! they little thought it, but I was ensconced beneath a banner, and I heard it all'

'What?' I said, horror-struck; 'what do you mean?'

'What I say, ht to settle the affair with the Archbishop [Agon] The guard will leave open the little gate leading froon's priests will come in and kill her Themselves they would not kill her'

'Co to the staff-officer next to alloped as hard as I could for the spot, between a quarter and half a , and where I knew that I should find Curtis if he were still alive On we tore, our horses clearing heaps of dead and dying h pools of blood, on past the long broken lines of spearmen to where, mounted on the white stallion Nyleptha had sent to hi above the generals who surrounded hiain A bloody cloth was bound around his head, but I saw that his eye was as bright and keen as ever

Beside hi quite fresh and uninjured

'What's wrong, Quater There is a plot to murder the Queen tomorrow at dawn

Alphonse here, who has just escaped from Sorais, has overheard it all,'

and I rapidly repeated to him what the Frenchman had told me

Curtis' face turned deadly pale and his jaw dropped

'At dawn,' he gasped, 'and it is now sunset; it dawns before four and we are nearly a hundred miles off--nine hours at the outside What is to be done?'

An idea entered into my head 'Is that horse of yours fresh?' I said

'Yes, I have only just got on to him--when my last was killed, and he has been fed'

'So is aas mount; he can ride well

We will be at Milosis before dawn, or if we are not--well, we cannot help it No, no; it is impossible for you to leave now You would be seen, and it would turn the fate of the battle It is not half won yet

The soldiers would think you werea bolt of it Quick now'

In ainto the empty saddle

'Now farewell,' I said 'Send a thousand horsemen with reeneral to the left wing to take over the command and explain my absence'

'You will do your best to save her, Quatermain?' he said in a broken voice

'Ay, that I will Go on; you are being left behind'

He cast one glance at us, and accoalloped off to join the advance, which by this ti the little brook that now ran red with the blood of the fallen

As for Uaas and myself, we left that dreadful field as arrows leave a bow, and in a few hter, the s, which only ca like the sound of distant breakers

CHAPTER XXI AWAY! AWAY!