guard over the two,
with bared fangs and bristling back, called Alexis to more serious work.
The Germans, apparently fearing nothing at the hands of one man, a
wounded boy and a dog, had come within fifty feet without firing a shot
at the trio. Now, as they approached closer, the leader of the band
called out: "You are my prisoners!"

Without waiting to reply, Alexis leaped toward them. His sword flashed
from his scabbard and whirled aloft even as he jumped. He was among the
enemy before they realized what had happened.

The suddenness of the giant's spring stood him in good stead. Before a
rifle or a revolver could be brought to bear on the huge form, Alexis
had come to such close quarters with his foes as to prevent the use of
firearms. The German leader did draw his revolver, but the melee was so
fierce and men were tangled up so that he was unable to fire for fear of
hitting one of his own men.

To the right, to the left, and straight ahead darted the fiery sword of
the giant Cossack. The Germans gave back before the very savageness of
this attack, but Alexis kept close in among them, for while he was
fighting mad, he was still cool enough to realize that his hope of life
lay in his keeping in the center of the enemy.

Before the thrust of the angry sword three men fell. The blades of the
others who encircled him hissed above his head, flashed by his side, but
his single weapon so far had formed a perfect barrier. Not a thrust or a
slash had passed it. Ten swords clashed against the giant's blade at
once. With a quick move, he swept them all aside, and with a quick
thrust disposed of another of the enemy.

With a rapid spring forward he avoided the weapons that would have been
buried in his back by his foes in the rear, and sweeping his sword
around his head with such rapidity that he seemed a circle of fire, for
a moment he cleared a space around him.

But in that instant the German officer brought his revolver to bear and
fired.

Alexis had perceived this move out of the tail of his eye and, leaping
straight forward into the midst of the foe once more, escaped the
bullet.

Whirling his sword about his head, the Cossack spun on his heel. The
guard of the German soldiers was not strong enough to ward off this
terrible blow. Two swords went spinning in the air, and Alexis' weapon,
sweeping through one of the enemy, also cut down another. But again the
Cossack had left an opening for the officer's pistol, a