The Argosy, January 1906 — page 83: what you’re looking at

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

THE RAVENS OF THE RHINE. Bosworth climbed upon the table, which groaned under the double burden imposed upon it. Von Werner handed him the glass. Looking down, the American could see an open space of ground before the gate; beyond this space, and sheltered by some trees, was a group of fifty or more I'renchmen, the majority of whom _ were plainly bona-fide soldiers of the em- pire, for they wore the baggy red trousers and blue jackets, carried chassepots, and were commanded by an officer whose cap was heavily braided with bands of gold. “Those are our principal assailants ; the rest are scattered all along the wall —hut at a safe distance,” remarked Von Werner dryly. “What are they going to do?” asked Bosworth, lowering the glass. “Tf you asked me what we were going to do, I could tell you, but those }'rench- men We must wait and see,” an- swered his companion. | Bosworth looked at the Uhlans stand- ing just beneath him. Hach was armed with a short-barreled, ugly-looking cav- alry rifle, the hammers of which were at full cock. The little shining caps had been laid aside, and the men waited bareheaded for the order to be up and doing. Five minutes passed, then suddenly there was a commotion among the Frenchmen. The group parted, and out from it eight soldiers, bearing a long, heavy log, rushed toward the gate. “Fire!” ordered Von Werner sharply. From the windows burst six jets of flame, and the thunder of the report shook the pictures on the wall. At the same instant a series of reports came from behind the gate; three of the men carrying the battering-ram loosened their hold and pitched headlong. The log rolled upon the ground; the re- maining five Frenchmen turned and dashed back to their companions. “Y don’t know whether it was our bullets or those from behind the gate, but it stopped that game,” quoth Von Werner gruffly. “Yes, and it did something besides,” muttered Bosworth in an undertone. The Frenchmen were looking toward 265 the chateau, up at the two windows from which the Uhlans had fired. The officer was pointing with his sword. A dozen of the French soldiers de- tached themselves from the others and ran in the direction of the L. Having gone two hundred yards, they were di- rectly opposite the windows but*some distance from the wall. ‘They halted, crouched down, and waited. “Ah!” remarked Von Werner. “Now it is coming. You had best get down from the table, my friend.” Bosworth knew just what would hap- pen. If any of the Uhlans attempted to fire from the window, the Frenchmen would send a volley at the openings. The table was in direct range, but Bosworth did not follow Von Werner’s suggestion. The latter had no intention of leaving the top of the table, and Bos- worth was willing to take the chances with him. The Uhlans were crouching at the windows, the barrels of their guns rest- ing across the sill; it was evident they would have liked to take a shot at the Frenchmen in front of them, but Von Werner did not give the command., It came a moment later, when, for the sec- ond time, a second group of the enemy, armed with another battering-ram, dashed toward the gate. The crash of the six reports was ring- ing in Bosworth’s ears when a dozen spurts of flame burst from the ground where the twelve French soldiers were crouching. The next instant a swarm of angry bees seemed to be buzzing about his head; the zip,.zip of the speeding bullets made him duck involuntarily. Pieces of plaster fell from the wali be- hind him, a picture crashed to the floor, but neither he, Von Werner nor the Uhlans were injured. Looking through the smoke, he could see that the second attack upon the gate had failed. Von Werner’s voice came out of the pungent cloud. “ Let those fellows down there have a taste of their own medicine.” Two of the Uhlans raised their weapons and fired at the Frenchmen op- posite the window; the example was fol- lowed by their four companions. One of the soldiers fell, and a second sank com chook con