with the joy of achievement.

Mr. Hobbs afterward informed him that Count Vos Engo's oaths were worth
going miles to avoid.

"We need such men as King!" cried Colonel Quinnox as he waited inside
the gates for the wild rider. A moment later King dashed through and the
massive bolts were shot.

As he pulled up in front of the steward's lodge to await the orders of
the Colonel, the exultant American completed the soliloquy that began
with the mad impulse to ride into port under his own sails.

"I'll have to tell her that he did a fine thing in coming back for me,
much as he hated to do it. What's more, I shan't say a word about his
beastly temper. We'll let it pass. He deserves a whole lot for the part
he played. I'll not forget it. Too bad he had to spoil it all by talking
as he did. But, hang me, if he shall exact anything from her because he
did a thing he didn't want to do. I took a darned sight bigger chance
than he did, after all. Good Lord, what a mess I would have been in if
the nag hadn't stopped! Whew! Well, old boy, you did stop, God bless
you. Colonel," he spoke, as Quinnox came up, "do you think I can buy
this horse? He's got more sense than I have."

Small bodies of foot soldiers and policemen fighting valiantly against
great odds were admitted to the grounds during the next half hour.
Scores had been killed by the fierce, irregular attack of the
revolutionists; others had become separated from their comrades and were
even now being hunted down and destroyed by the infuriated followers of
Marlanx. A hundred or more of the reserves reached the upper gates
before it occurred to the enemy to blockade the streets in that
neighbourhood. General Braze, with a few of his men, bloody and
heartsick, was the last of the little army to reach safety in the Castle
grounds, coming up by way of the lower gates from the fortress, which
they had tried to reach after the first outbreak, but had found
themselves forestalled.

The fortress, with all guns, stores and ammunition, was in the hands of
the Iron Count and his cohorts.

Baron Dangloss had been taken prisoner with a whole platoon of fighting
constables. This was the last appalling bit of news to reach the
horrified, disorganised forces in the Castle grounds.

Citizens had fled to their homes, unmolested. The streets were empty,
save for the armed minions of the Iron Count. They rushed hither and
thither in violent detachments, seeking out the men in uniform, y