for some time,
with my back to the angle of the embrasure, I held my own with almost
astonishing ease, and might have held it for many minutes--my
opponents being more savage than skilful--had not one of them
barbarously hurled his pitchfork at me as a man throws a spear.
One point of it pierced and stuck in the upper muscles of my left
arm; the other pricked pretty sharply upon a rib; and the pain of
this double stroke forced me to drop my sword and make a snatch at
the accursed missile, to pluck it out. 'Twas the work of two seconds
at most, and then with a jerk upon the wrist-knot I had the
sword-hilt again in my grip; but it let three stout ruffians in upon
me to finish me. And this they were setting about with a will when,
as I beat up a stroke that threatened to cleave my skull, I heard a
voice calling on them to hold, and the lady in scarlet forced her
horse between us. As the brute's shoulder pressed me back into the
angle of my embrasure she held out her pistol at arm's length, her
finger on the trigger, and pointed it at close quarters full on my
face.

'You are my prisoner.'

I stared up and along the pistol barrel and met her eyes. They
looked down on me disdainfully, with no mercy in them, but (it seemed
to me) a certain curiosity. A slight frown puckered her brows.
She had spoken in a cold, level voice, and if her colour was pale,
her manner and bearing showed no trace of agitation.

'Would seem,' said I, 'there is no choice. I submit, madam--to your
pleasure, but not to the rabble you lead.'

At this her eyebrows lifted a little. 'A gentleman?' I heard her
say, but rather to herself than to me.

'To the extent,' I answered, 'of having a distaste for pitchforks.'

She made no reply to this, but turned about on her men who were
murmuring and calling to one another to cut my throat. 'I think you
heard me say that this officer is my prisoner. The man who forgets
it I will have flogged and afterwards shot. And now stand back, if
you please.'

I had made a motion to hand her my sword, but she signed to me to
keep it, and rode off towards the patrol, leaving the crowd to stare
at me. Being unsure how far her authority prevailed with them, I
stuck to my embrasure, and kept an eye lifting for danger, while I
wiped, as carelessly as might be, the sweat from my forehead--for the
work had been hot while it lasted. I had laid out a couple of these
yokels in good earnest, and while their comrades