Trusia: A Princess of Krovitch

by Davis Brinton

  XXIII

  NOBLESSE OBLIGE

  "Marie, you are to go with the first detachment. You, Therese, with thesecond. Your mistress will ride with the gentlemen of her household."

  Clad in the Duchess's clothes, as they had volunteered devotedly, thebetter to throw off pursuit from Her Grace, the maids with many tearfulprotestations of undying loyalty took their allotted places in thecavalcade which was forming in the courtyard of the castle.

  "First section," rang out the preliminary command, "draw sabres. Byfours, left. March. Trot," and the first of the forlorn hope wasstarted. The troops swung by the little group which held Trusia in itscentre. As the head of the scanty column came abreast of where she satin her saddle, the lieutenant, Casimir, turned on his horse, his voicehusky with emotion, to give a command. "Present sabres," he cried, and ascore of blades were pointed heavenward, perhaps for the last time forthe royal house of Schallberg. Something caught in Trusia's throat asthe gallant band swept by to challenge Death that _she_ might live.

  After these had turned into the narrow incline, Marie in their midst,the second detachment followed, gravely saluting their loved liege lady.

  Swords in hand, then, came the grave-faced men who had borne her hopesfor Krovitch in their hearts. Courageous as any knights of old, theirfaces betrayed what an awful price they considered this flight to be.Alone, they would have preferred to have fought it out to the last dropof blood in their veins, but had yielded to the expedient because thegirl's safety was dearer to them than their most cherished wish. At thefoot of the declivity, the entire force reunited before finallydebouching into the road.

  "Should our party be attacked," suggested Sobieska, "it is imperativethat Her Grace should be hurried right on to the frontier withoutawaiting the issue of the combat. Some one must accompany her. Will YourHighness choose?" he turned to her with a deep bow, a wistful lightglowing in his cynical eyes.

  "If Major Carter will accompany me," she said almost timidly, "I willselect him." The others pressed forward to wring his hand in silence.

  "We are ready, Lieutenant Casimir, advance your men," cried Sutphen.

  "Columns of eights. First section to the right, second section to theleft. March. Trot. Gallop," rang out the commands, as, with their lastcheer for Krovitch, the troopers dashed into the highway to clear thespace for Trusia. A wild confusion of sounds apprised those waiting thatat least one party had engaged adversaries.

  "Now," shouted Carter rising in his stirrups. With an involuntary cheer,they bolted for the cover of the woods across the road. They beheldCasimir's little band hotly engaged with an entire troop of cavalry, butit was stubbornly, unyieldingly, holding the Cossacks back. On the leftthe remaining squad merely awaited the passing of the Duchess to go totheir comrades' assistance.

  With such speed as the underbrush and rough ground would permit, thecourt party, headed by the white-haired Sutphen, plunged onward to thelane which led to the charcoal burner's hut. They were soon beyond eventhe sounds of the conflict. Carter, riding at Trusia's right, saw thetears gathering for the devoted heroes they had deserted of such cruelnecessity.

  They swept into the narrow lane and reached the crest of that littlehill where sudden sorrow had made mock of sudden joy. Coming towardthem, as if apprised of their neighborhood, they saw a squadron ofRussian cavalry numerically overwhelming. Both parties stopped for thebreathing space preliminary to the death grip.

  "We cannot turn back. We'll have to fight, gentlemen," said the fleshyTreasurer. "Who knows," he said with a quaint smile, "it may reduce myflesh." He turned back his sleeve very deliberately and carefully untilhis arm was bare to the elbow. Drawing his sword, he securely fastenedthe thong on the hilt about his wrist that no matter how fierce the_melee_, he would not be disarmed. Delmotte imitated his example. Givingthe blade a preparatory swing, the doughty Treasurer settled back in hissaddle with a sigh of anticipation.

  Zulka and Sobieska rode back to Trusia.

  "Just for 'Auf wiedersehn,'" they said smilingly. Trusia held out herhands to them with sweet impulsiveness. In turn they took them andcarried them to their lips. Sobieska turned to Carter for a partingword. "The charcoal burner is loyal. He can hide you by day and guideyou by night. None knows better all the byways and secret paths in theforests. By to-morrow evening you should be safe in Austria. Good-bye,Highness," he said, turning to Her Grace. "God bring you safe through."His voice was hoarse with repression.

  "Good luck, Carter," said Zulka, and turned away as he spoke.

  "FOR TRUSIA!" THEY SHOUTED, AND THEN, "FOR KROVITCH!"]

  Bustling good-naturedly in the very jaws of danger, Muhlen-Sarkey madehis adieux with no ruffle disturbing his customary urbanity. "Sorry wecan't have your help," he remarked to Carter; "you have the place ofhonor, though. No need to caution you. Go now. Go quickly."

  "Wait," said Trusia, holding up a denying hand. "See, they are sendingout a single rider around our flank." A courier detaching himself fromthe main body of their foes could be seen making his way past their linethrough the wilderness.

  "To report that the quarry has been run to earth." Carter gathered uphis reins grimly as he spoke. "Come, Highness," he said to the girl whowas lost in some sad dream.

  "I do not wish to leave them. It seems so heartless," she burst forth.Then she turned to him appealingly as to that one who must henceforthorder all things for her guidance. "Let me stay," she begged, "I can dielike a Krovitzer."

  "For you to fall into their hands, sweetheart," he whispered, "mightmean worse than death. Would you leave such a reproach to haunt thesurvivors? The enemy is already approaching; come." His insistent handwas at her bridle and compelled her compliance.

  The Krovitzers, with high-bred courage, spurred forward to meet theiropponents, scorning to await the attack of even such superior numbers.

  "For Trusia!" they shouted, and then, "For Krovitch!" as they engagedwith a crash which halted the fugitives by its vehemence.

  "A short life and a merry one, a stout blade and a noble one," theyheard Muhlen-Sarkey shout as he lunged forward with a laugh into thethickest of the fray. At the first onslaught they saw Delmotte fallapparently dead. Carter drew the girl away from the sight of furthercarnage.

  "He has proven himself a gallant gentleman," said Carter for hercomfort, as once more they entered the protection of the patriarchaltrees.