Part 60 (1/2)

”Co the cloak tightly round her, he caught her in his arms, and, in the midst of those who fled, rushed from the Square The plan he had made earlier in the day when the Countess walked beside him he would carry out now

He had ears for no entreaty, for no threat

”We'll win through, Grigosie,” he said over and over again as he turned now into one alley, now into another, leaving the flying rabble further and further behind ”We'll win through, Grigosie It's the Captain's orders”

Ellerey heard that cry too, and knew itsThere was a shout of triu back of the rebels, and he was carried along with the mass of friends and foes

”She is dead!” someone cried; and the effect was instantaneous Men took up the cry and shouted that Maritza was dead, and the soldiersa woht his way out of the crowd, his own safety his only thought They day was lost, it was the time to seek safety if it were to be found The Baron and Ellerey were still side by side, and together they were forced back toward a narrow street

”There is still a chance for you,” Petrescu whispered And the nextmadly to force his way back to the statue, to the side of the woman he had loved Then he was cut down and trampled under foot as Ellerey was carried away in a rush of pursued and pursuers Suddenly the pressure relaxed, the open street was before him

”Ellerey! No nized, and for hi blow of his sword and sprang forward The way seeure suddenly dashed from a doorway and fired at hi his name to those who appeared to have lost hi in of a red-hot skeas in Ellerey's arh in the air and fell with relentless force

”Quits, you devil!” he cried as De Froilette reeled backwards, cut with deadly depth doard fro hundreds seeking safety, followed by their conquerors, who showed no mercy Suddenly an arm was outstretched fro thus turned in his headlong flight carried him some yards down the narroay

”Quickly!” said a voice in his ear ”To the right, now to the left”

A guiding hand and a supporting ared him forward Ellerey asked no question, never turned toward the man who ran beside hi nightmare Then a door was slammed heavily, there was the sensation of rapidhorses, and then faintness and oblivion

The red sun sank ard, glowing on the roofs and spires of the city

The minutes passed swiftly, and the hours Still in the s feet, and now and again a shriek as some poor wretch pitched forward, shot or stabbed by his relentless pursuers Resistance there was none; that was over The dead and dying lay in the roadhere they had fallen, the only cry noas for e too, and rebellion must be stamped out

By the statue of Ferdinand a squad of soldiers was halted, and on the steps, just as she had fallen, lay Frina Mavrodin She was beautiful in death, and there was a pathos in that prostrate forh soldiers Had she not been the Lady Bountiful in that city? They were silent for the most part, or if they spoke, hushed their voices to a whisper, and used no oaths She had sacrificed her life for the man and wo, where a little while since fierce conflict raged; here where Maritza's cause had been fought for and lost; here where sosky, Frina Mavrodin had found her rest No tra feet had touched her, and only the blood staining the brown hair where the bullet had struck showed that this was death and not sleep Themusically at short intervals over the city, and the sun slowly sank lower and lower into his bed of purple and red and gold

CHAPTER XXVIII

THE DIPLOMACY OF LORD CLOVERTON

Desradually After the sensations ofhorses, there was utter oblivion for a time, followed by sharp pain which seeure whose attack upon him he was powerless to resist Then he heard voices, and uely across his vision Presently he realized that he was stretched out at full length, and that he was in a roo, the lines and curves of which his eyes were trying to follow

”Well, Doctor?”

”Nothing serious,” was the answer ”A bullet has torn the fleshy part of the arm, but it would hardly account for his collapse The hly played out, and has had no sleep for so time”

”But will he be able to travel?”

”He would be better for twenty-four hours' sleep first”

”That is out of the question,” was the answer

”Is it a long journey?” asked the doctor

”Yes; but he will be well cared for, and will have nothing to do”