Adventure, December 1914 — page 90: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

88 this century, and the singing of the bullets overhead seemed the overture to something more stirring, and perhaps more manly, than Robin Hood ever dared dream of. Nor had Robin Hood such a wonder of a sword as Andry handed back. Dick mounted. Andry climbed on a horse and seized a firm hold of t e saddle. “Stand to your horses! Prepare to mount! Mount!’ commanded Dick. “Two’s — right! Forward — t-e-rrrr-ott, march! Left wheel!” > on HE four hundred rode off, and the | @ 4 only man who had the least idea of ~ What their destination might be, or of the nature of the work ahead, was Dick who rode in front of them. They followed him ungrudgingly and with perfect confi- dence, for they had learned by this time that to follow Dick was the same as to woo dame Fortune; and, though they knew that the hollow of his back, the set of his shoulders, the carriage of his chiseled, red head, his very seat on a charger, all spelled will that they might not tamper with and strength they dared not disobey, they were nevertheless beginning to enjoy, almost, his strange new code of honor. And to a man they gloried in the pride of being chosen. They were Deek’s—King Dee-k- Anthonee’s picked men! He rode ahead for a mile or two; and then, since he did not know what new plans the Princess might have made, nor what reinforcements she might have summoned, he sent twenty men along in front of him, under an Afghan officer who knew to an ounce, or a mile, the endurance of a horse and could guess within a reasonable fraction of the limit of a man. “‘Crack the pace on!”’ ordered Dick. “Tnshallahl”’ said the Afghan. ‘And keep awake!” “May Allah blind me if I fail to notice anything! I am a soldier!” “Forward, then!” So on they swept, unhampered, undelayed by infantry—ir twos beneath huge green trees, whose branches made men duck to their horse’s necks, and whose roots kept the horses jumping—in single file where granite rocks closed in on the down-hill trail, and the track was like a series of Gargan- tuan steps—at top speed when the track curved northward and the plain came in full view—at half speed, or less, to rest the Adventure horses on the southward bends, when any one who chanced to see them would be far more likely friend than foe. They were all horsemen except Andry; all except he were light on their horses; and whenever they halted to let the beasts breathe somebody or other changed with Andry, and his two hundred and fifty odd pounds of bone and beef were hoisted on another mount. So what had been a cruel march from Astrabad was scarcely more than a pleasant gallop back again. In the cool of the night the horses were still fresh enough to quicken the pace, and it was long before midnight when the leading scout caught sight of a watch-fire burning before the barricade of wagons. He galloped back to report all well, and nothing less than Dick’s authority could have suppressed the cheer which almost burst out from the column. But Dick had his plan square-cut and dried; he did not mean to have it spoiled by sentiment or any other force that coud be coaxed, bidden or compelled; he went to the front now and led them along in silence, and it was he who answered the challenge of a sentry half a mile before he reached the barricade. He rode on, with scarcely a word to the sentry, and his men filed after him by twos in silence. “Salaam, bahadurl’”’ said a deep voice when the barricade was near.” “You, Yussuf Ali?” “*T, sabib.” “All well?” ‘All well, bahadur!”’ “Good!” said Dick. ‘Leave fifty of your men here. ‘Then take the rest and hurry to Usbeg Ali’s aid. He needs you!” ‘“‘Where, bahadur?”’ The Afghan showed no disinclination. Mention of Usbeg Alis name seemed to act like a spur on him. “Back along the road we came. Yes, now—tonight!”’ VII exeyy OLGA KARAGEORGOVICH— Shie Princess of Russia by incident of eae! birth, despot by inclination, educa- tion, and sheer logic of events—took hold of the reins of government in Astrabad and held them with a grip that would have done credit to a practised ruler of another sex. There were other Russian troops in Persia, MICLOOOK C@