entrance. Here our horses were standing. A carriage-drive swept all
round the lodge.

"Revolver ready?" asked Sapt.

"No; steel for me," said I.

"Gad, you're thirsty tonight," chuckled Sapt. "So be it."

We mounted, drawing our swords, and waited silently for a minute or two.
Then we heard the tramp of men on the drive the other side of the house.
They came to a stand, and one cried:

"Now then, fetch him out!"

"Now!" whispered Sapt.

Driving the spurs into our horses, we rushed at a gallop round the
house, and in a moment we were among the ruffians. Sapt told me
afterwards that he killed a man, and I believe him; but I saw no more of
him. With a cut, I split the head of a fellow on a brown horse, and he
fell to the ground. Then I found myself opposite a big man, and I was
half conscious of another to my right. It was too warm to stay, and with
a simultaneous action I drove my spurs into my horse again and my sword
full into the big man's breast. His bullet whizzed past my ear--I could
almost swear it touched it. I wrenched at the sword, but it would not
come, and I dropped it and galloped after Sapt, whom I now saw about
twenty yards ahead. I waved my hand in farewell, and dropped it a second
later with a yell, for a bullet had grazed my finger and I felt the
blood. Old Sapt turned round in the saddle. Someone fired again, but