Part 16 (1/2)

A fierce growl frouard over the tith bared fangs and bristling back, called Alexis tonothing at the hands of one , had co a shot at the trio Now, as they approached closer, the leader of the band called out: ”You areto reply, Alexis leaped toward them His sword flashed from his scabbard and whirled aloft even as he ju the enemy before they realized what had happened

The suddenness of the giant's spring stood hiht to bear on the huge form, Alexis had come to such close quarters with his foes as to prevent the use of firearms The German leader did draw his revolver, but the led up so that he was unable to fire for fear of hitting one of his own ht ahead darted the fiery sword of the giant Cossack The Gereness of this attack, but Alexis kept close in a h to realize that his hope of life lay in his keeping in the center of the enery sword three men fell The blades of the others who encircled hile weapon so far had formed a perfect barrier Not a thrust or a slash had passed it Ten swords clashed against the giant's blade at once With a quick move, he swept them all aside, and with a quick thrust disposed of another of the ene forward he avoided the weapons that would have been buried in his back by his foes in the rear, and sweeping his sword around his head with such rapidity that he seemed a circle of fire, for a moment he cleared a space around hiht his revolver to bear and fired

Alexis had perceived this ht forward into thehis sword about his head, the Cossack spun on his heel The guard of the Gerh to ward off this terrible bloords went spinning in the air, and Alexis' weapon, sweeping through one of the eneain the Cossack had left an opening for the officer's pistol, and the latter was not slow to take advantage of it

Slowly he raised his weapon and took careful aihtened on the trigger, and----

Aid came from an unexpected source

Marquis, who, up to this instant, had remained alert over Chester, had not taken a hand in the battle His eyes fastened at this ence told hiiant friend stood at death's door With one fierce growl, he sprang from Chester's side, and leaped upon the Gerer The officer's aim had been deflected, and the bullet passed over Alexis' head

The German turned upon this new assailant with an imprecation His hand went to his holster in an attempt to draw his second revolver But Marquis was prepared for this move His teeth met in the officer's hand and the latter yelled with pain

Marquis released his hold and sprang straight at his enemy's throat The latter was thrown fro his head ca hi entered the battle, had no thought of leaving Alexis to fight it out alone Once in the fight, he was there to stay He sprang forward and leaped upon a Gered his sword into Alexis' defenseless back The round

And still the giant Cossack, with herculean strength and unbelievable prowess, was fighting his assailants A sword had pierced hih the left hand, another had scratched his cheek and a third had struck hiht shoulder But still, unht on with the sa dragged the ed into the h and through by the quick and hty thrusts of the powerful arht him squarely with a quick back-handed blow just in time to avoid the point of the other's weapon

Now there were but eight Ger to put enough distance between theave the after thehty strokes Then the others scattered The Cossack sprang after one and disposed of him before he could draw his pistol, but the others now had had tiht shoulder, but he did not even stagger He rushed quickly upon one of his enemies, who stood with a revolver pointed squarely at hier There was a sharp report, followed instantly by another and the Gerround with a bullet in his head Alexis sprang out of the cloud of smoke unharmed

This time the Cossack had been saved fro recovered sufficiently to take in the scene about hio to the aid of his companion

But he was so weak he could not stand Then, seeing the revolver dropped by the German officer, he had crawled toward it At last he reached it, and he had just time to aim and fire before the er

There re witnessed the iant Cossack, turned to flee But Alexis was after the in a dozen different places, he had no mind to quit the battle until the last of his ene Germans, unfortunately for the direction Hal and Stephan, who had been struck spellbound by the terrible fighting of their friend and brother, saw the fourtoward them, weapons in hand, with Alexis in hot pursuit Quickly they aimed and fired At this distance a ered in their stride, reeled, and dropped over backward

The others halted, appalled by the forgotten presence of this new enemy

The stop was unfortunate for theer, and close on his heels came Marquis The Germans hesitated, then started to run It was too late

Alexis' hty sword cut down one before he had taken a dozen steps The other, bewildered, and not knohich way to turn, thren his weapons and raised his hands in token of surrender

Alexis, however, did not perceive this ht of battle still flashed in his eyes, and he could see nothing but glittering swords and shi+ning revolver muzzles His upraised sould have split the head of the Gerht the blow upon his oeapon

”Alexis!” he cried sharply