Argosy, Vol. 117, No. 3 — page 106: what you’re looking at

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

416 under a man’s legs. Ah, look, Fortune, they’re bringing the girl this way—see, there goes your famous beauty, your dear love!” Now Fortune thrust aside Wolff and Frederick and peered down. A knot of soldiers had struggled down the stair and was moving slowly below them. In their midst he saw Mary. Of all that mad throng she was serene. She held her head high and she looked about her fearlessly. Her face was pale, but beautiful with a courage that glowed. Fortune stared on her and a sob choked in his throat. This was his doing. Mary to this! His sob translated abruptly into a gasp. His gray eyes widened and turned suddenly black with rage. A choking cry burst from his lips. “ You filthy devil—you dare strike her, J—” The threat dissolved in sudden action. In a flash he crowded back those about him. He had hurled himself from the bal- cony before they realized. Staring down they saw the armed group dissolve with his fall. The soldier who had struck Mary was among those downed. Before he could rise Fortune’s sword had pierced his body. Then the young captain wheeled on the man’s startled companions, At his word of command they closed about Mary and moved away. He had brought CHAPTER XIII. ASHES OF FREEDOM. CTING according to prearranged plan, Wolff’s soldiers struck quickly and with organized effectiveness. In a few minutes excitement had quieted. The Folk found themselves deprived of their leaders and the packed thousands huddled, uncertain what to do. The glorious morning that had been Zorn’s life ambition had dawned black. The thing men had dreamed of all their days and longed for with the bitter longing of despair had lingered a second within their grasp, only to vanish like all their dreams— THE ARGOSY. dissolving into the harsh reality of life as it was. Had this multitude been left long idle, in its present state of mind it might have acted in some manner; undoubtedly it~ would have acted. But the clever planning of Alda had foreseen this moment. When the arrests had been completed and the soldiers thus engaged were gone the re- turn of quiet was again interrupted by the bugles. Now they shrieked and blared their triumph, and down the stair where the ban- ner of the Torch lay trampled and still bodies huddled like heaps of rags, through blood and litter, came a score of musicians in the flaming red of Wolff’s livery. Be- hind these moved an armed guard in glitter-. ing array, and after them Wolff himself, Alda on one side, and Frederick, alert to take what advantage he could of events, at his left. Compared to that black-robed man who had so recently moved in silent dignity along that same striking perspective, the Great Towerman cut a poor figure. His slight form, for all its splendid yellow robe, glittering with trappings now revealed by discarding his cloak, advanced hesitantly, half fearfully. His pale face, with curling black hair and dandified beard framing its vacuity, suggested more of mean, gloating triumph than right justified. _Wolff suffered, too, in comparison with his companions. Alda moved always with a queenly air, insolent, powerful, and sure. F'rederick’s great body was held in military pomp. The robust comptroller was the pat- tern of a man to appear well in public. After this trio followed the various direc- tors of government, the hated officials of the Tower People, and behind them more soldiers. Finally came several servants with a great flag. In a brief time they had made fast this banner to the same tackle that had lifted the banner of freedom, and its crim- son folds rose slowly, displaying the bril- liant red field with the golden tower, sym- bol of Wolff’s authority. The trumpets ceased their bragging. march. The Great Towerman stepped for- ward until he stood out alone, ahead of all his company. He had no need to invoke COPMICLOOOKS (C@)