insult. Every one noticed it, too. She tried to smooth it over, but--oh,
well, what's the use!"

The dash of the three hundred through the gates and down the avenue was
the most spectacular experience in Truxton's life. He was up with
Quinnox and General Braze, galloping well in front of the yelling troop.
These mounted carbineers, riding as Bedouins, swept like thunder down
the street, whirled into the broad, open arena beyond the Duke's palace,
and were upon the surprised ruffians before they were fully awake to the
situation.

They came tumbling out of barns and sheds, clutching their rifles in
nerveless hands, aghast in the face of absolute destruction. It was all
over with the first dash of the dragoons. The enemy, craven at the
outset, threw down their guns and tried to escape through the alleys and
side streets at the end of the common. Firing all the time, the
attacking force rode them down as if they were so many dogs. The few who
stood their ground and fought valiantly were overpowered and made
captive by Quinnox. Less than a hundred men were found in the camp.
Instead of retreating immediately to the Castle, Quinnox, acting on the
suggestion of the exhilarated King, kept up a fierce, deceptive fire for
the benefit of the distant Marlanx.

After ten or fifteen minutes of this desultory carnage, it was reported
that a large force of men were entering the avenue from Regengetz
Circus. Quinnox sent his chargers toward this great horde of
foot-soldiers, but they did not falter as he had expected. On they
swept, two or three thousand of them. At their head rode five or six
officers. The foremost was Count Marlanx.

The cannons were booming now in the foothills. Marlanx, if he heard
them and realised what the bombardment meant, did not swerve from the
purpose at present in his mind.

Quinnox saw now that the Iron Count was determined to storm the gates,
and gave the command to retreat. Waving their rifles and shouting
defiance over their shoulders, the dragoons drew up, wheeled and
galloped toward the gates.

Truxton King afterward recalled to mind certain huge piles of fresh
earth in a corner of the common. He did not know what they meant at the
time of observation, but he was wiser inside of three minutes after the
whirlwind brigade dashed through the gates.

Scarcely were the massive portals closed and the great steel bars
dropped into place by the men who attended them, when a low, dull
explosion shoo