bravery. Nicholas and Dobri having both broken
their sabres at the first onset, seized the rifles of fallen men and
laid about them with a degree of overpowering energy, which, conserved
and expended rightly for the good of man, might have made each a noted
benefactor of the human race, but which, in this instance, resulted only
in the crushing in of a few dozen Turkish skulls!

Gradually the stabbing and smashing of "God's image," on the part of the
Russians, began to tell. The Turks gave way, and finally took to
flight.

But shortly before this occurred there was a desperate effort made by a
handful of Turks to retrieve the fortunes of the day. It was personally
led by Sanda Pasha, who, reinstated by the vacillating and contemptible
powers at Constantinople, had been sent--too late--to the relief of
Plevna.

At the first rush the Pasha fell. He was only wounded, but his
followers thought he was killed, and, stung with rage and despair,
fought like fiends to avenge him. At that moment the Russian general
rode up to a neighbouring eminence and had his attention drawn to this
point in the battle.

He ordered up reinforcements. Nicholas and his man now seemed on the
point of having their wishes gratified. Poor Petroff's desire to meet
an honourable death had every chance of being realised, while the thirst
for military distinction in Nicholas had at last a brilliant opportunity
of being quenched.

As the fight in this part of that bloody field progressed, it
concentrated into a knot around the two heroes. Just then a fresh body
of Turkish infantry charged, led by the Nubian, Hamed Pasha, whose horse
had been killed under him. Dobri Petroff and Hamed rushed at one
another instantly; each seemed at once to recognise the other as a
worthy foeman. The great hacked sword whistled for a few minutes round
the scout's head so fast that it required his utmost agility to parry
cut and thrust with his rifle, but a favourable chance soon offered, and
he swung the stock of his piece at his adversary's head with such force
as to break the sword short off at the hilt. The Nubian sprang at Dobri
like a tiger. They grappled, and these men of herculean mould were so
well matched that for a few seconds they stood quivering with mighty but
fruitless efforts to bear each other down. It was at this moment that
the Russian reinforcements came up, fired a volley, and charged. Dobri
and Hamed dropped side by side, pierced with