Part 42 (2/2)

It was a relief to see the lad before hiosie talks folly,” he said ”I would far sooner take his life ands” A cry from Stefan, which was half an oath, startled the to the soldier's side Anton at the same moment seized his knife, and all threefuriously at those without For a moment there were only two or three, who had approached silently, but their shouts upon being discovered brought a crowd rushi+ng to their assistance

When Anton had deserted his post to coosie's help, the tereat for those atched the plateau Vasilici rantly broken, but those who had seized the opportunity kneell enough that success would win easy forgiveness

As it had been at the gate guarding the zig-zag path, those in front, wounded or dying, were thrown back upon their co the rush which must have effected an entrance Perhaps there was still a desire a most of them to let any comrade ould force himself into the forefront of the attack The prowess of the defenders had already taught them a salutary lesson

”Quick, Stefan; see that the door will close and fasten,” whispered Ellerey ”When it is ready, shout; give us a et in, and then we'll shut them out, if we can”

Stefan made a sharp cut at the first man within reach of him, and then slipped back into the tower He shouted alosie was already at the door, and had seen that it was in working order

At the shout Ellerey and Anton made a dash out as if in a last atte back of those in front gave them the opportunity and the time they wanted In another instant they ithin the tower, the door was shut, and the great bolts in it shot ho this way out for a while,” said Ellerey, ”so we'll pile everything against it we can to strengthen it”

They worked with a will, and while the brigands beat at the door without, they barricaded it within; and having heaped up against it everything they could lay their hands on, they drove in sole to hold the obstruction in its place and resist the pressure

”That will stop them for a little while,” said Ellerey

No one answered hiosie turned away, and Stefan, wiping the sweat from his broith the back of his hand, looked with unutterable fierceness at Anton

”You--you----” And then he burst out with a hty oath ”There's no word in devil's or man's vocabulary to call you by You're to thank for this Weren't you ordered to keep guard by the barrier yonder?”

”Let hi his hand on the soldier's ar it He caosie, whose back was toward hi deeply; oaths they may have been, but the words seemed to lose themselves in his beard Anton said not a word He looked at Ellerey, and it was a look of which it was difficult to read the ratitude Perhaps he was trying to understand the real character of this strange Englishands still continued to ha

”It will hold for a time,” said Ellerey, ”but we must see what can be done to interrupt their attentions as ht help them to become quieter Come, Stefan, and let us see e can do”

In the chamber above there were narrow slits in the walls, and the top of the zig-zag was coe place, but those i by the broken-down barrier, and Stefan wanted to fire at them, but Ellerey stopped hie presently ht be worth much more to them than one man's life just now

”Those at the door below are the danger,” said Ellerey

”There's a good deal of loose stonework on the roof,” said Stefan ”A piece of that heaved over at intervalsat that door”

”They shall have a lesson at once,” said Ellerey, cli carefully up the broken stairhich led to the roof It has been said that a turret had fallen in, breaking part of the stairs away, but the roof could easily be reached There werethere, and one piece of considerable size Ellerey and Stefan et on to the wall of the parapet immediately over the door Theshout to those below

”Over with it,” said Ellerey

It did its work effectually There were groans and execrations, and several bullets struck hare had been hurled, but the haers retired to a safe distance

”We must keep watch from here, Captain,” said Stefan ”Help me to mount another piece upon the wall It can rest there until they get courageous again and ask for it to be thrown upon the Stefan there for the present, returned to the base in exactly the same place as when Ellerey had ed It was quite evident that in the interval soosie, and that, whatever the subject of the conversation, Anton disapproved of it Grigosie was leaning against the wall counting the cartridges he still had in his possession

”We have stopped their ha for a while,” Ellerey said ”While the loose stones on the roof last, we have another weapon of defence”

”Do I relieve Stefan?” asked Grigosie