trated in the attempt to take the main gates. From
the walls about the park, Quinnox's men, few as they were, sent such
deadly volleys into the streets below that the hordes fell back and
found shelter behind the homes of the rich. With half an eye, one could
see that the rascals were looting the palaces, secure from any
opposition on the part of the government forces; through the glasses,
scattered crowds of men could be seen carrying articles from the houses;
more than one of the mansions went up in flames as the day grew old and
the lust of the pillagers increased.

The next morning, Captain Haas announced to his followers that Marlanx
had begun to shell the Castle. Big guns in the fortress were hurling
great shells over the city, dropping them in the park. On the other
hand, Colonel Quinnox during the night had swung three Gatling guns to
the top of the wall; they were stationed at intervals along the wall,
commanding every point from which an assault might be expected. It was a
well-known fact that there was no heavy ordnance at the Castle. All day
long, Marlanx's men, stationed in the upper stories of houses close to
the walls, kept up a constant rifle fire, their bullets being directed
against the distant windows of the Castle. That this desultory fusillade
met with scant response at the hands of Quinnox, was quite apparent to
the uneasy, champing watchers near the Monastery.

"Marlanx will not begin the actual bombardment until he knows that
Tullis is drawing together a formidable force," prophesied Prince
Dantan.

"But when he does begin the real shelling," mourned Truxton King,
chafing like a lion under the deadly inaction. "I can't bear the thought
of what it means to those inside the Castle. He can blow it to pieces
over their heads. Then, from the house tops, he can pick them off like
blackbirds. It's awful! Is there nothing that we can do, Prince? Damn it
all, I know we can force a gate. And if we once get in where those
cowardly dogs are lording it, you'll see 'em take the walls like
steeple-chasers."

"My dear Mr. King," said Prince Dantan calmly, "you don't know Colonel
Quinnox and the House Guard. The Quinnoxs have guarded Graustark's
rulers for I don't know how many generations. History does not go back
so far, I fear. You may depend on it, there will be no living guardsmen
inside those walls when Marlanx lays his hands on the Prince."

That night recruits from the farms and villages began to str