ord of the fourth pierced him through the
left arm, but before the German could regain his balance after this
thrust, Alexis' sweeping sword had laid him low also.

The giant Cossack was now the last of his troop in condition to fight.
Suddenly his horse staggered, and went to its knees. With a quick move,
Alexis freed himself and leaped from the saddle just as the animal,
dying from a pistol wound in its head, toppled to the ground.

Alexis leaped up lightly and turned again to face his foes.

A German officer urged his horse forward, seeking to ride him down. As
the horse approached, Alexis fell on one knee, and the horse, pierced by
his sword, fell to the ground. The officer leaped from the animal's
back, but before he could bring his revolver to bear upon Alexis, the
latter had pierced him through with a thrust of his sword.

A dozen of the enemy sprang upon him. With his sword sweeping around his
head, seeming to make a circle of fire, the great Cossack held them at
bay. One ventured to spring at him, and without even stopping the whirl
of his weapon, Alexis dropped him at his feet.

More Germans sprang to the attack--ten, twenty, thirty of them.
Hopelessly outnumbered, and believing that the end was near, Alexis gave
up his defensive tactics and leaped into the very midst of his foes. For
a moment they gave way before him, then closed in again like a pack of
hungry wolves. Here and there the giant's sword darted out and men
dropped beneath its thrust.

Cutting and thrusting with his dripping sword, and striking out with his
naked fist, Alexis fought on. A sword pierced him through the shoulder,
but the man who had aimed the thrust paid the penalty with his life. Two
men closed in, and as the Cossack struck out at the one on his left with
his fist, the second German seized his sword arm.

With a roar like that of an angry bull, Alexis gave a mighty wrench, and
the sword came free. At the same moment he felt a sting in his right
arm. A bullet had struck him. The giant scarcely felt his wounds,
although he was bleeding now in a dozen places. Before him, the ground
was full of dark swaying faces. His sword found another human sheath,
and being unable to withdraw it quickly enough to meet another of his
foes, he left it there and turned upon his enemies with his bare hands.

He snatched a revolver from the ground, and not taking time to aim,
dashed it into the face of the nearest man, and then dashed forward,
h