Ten thousand rough riders from the Western plains had been smuggled9 into the suburban10 districts of New York since the embargo11 on horses had been lifted. They were armed with lances and only awaited the advent12 of revolvers to lead the attack.
Each soldier from the Far West had reached the Eastern seaboard as an individual and reported secretly to his commander. They were in their brown kahki suits tonight stripped for action, awaiting the signal to strike.
Billy Holland, a captain of infantry13, had been chosen by Vassar to lead the assault on Waldron’s place. His sweetheart and sister were behind the walls of the Governor-General’s magnificent house and the division leader knew the boy’s mettle14. That he would give a good account of himself Vassar was absolutely sure.
As Waldron entered the grand ballroom15, accompanied by Virginia, Marya, Zonia and a group of young admiring officers, Billy led his men cautiously through the underbrush toward the house.
On the signal of the toast to the Emperor, the Daughters of Jael had agreed to join their lovers, extinguish the lights, strike down the sentinels and the rest would be easy.
The men in the palace were joyously16 drunk before eleven. Only a few officers survived the siren call of the cup urged by the charming girls in their white and gold uniforms.
Waldron led the dancing with Virginia Holland. He moved with the easy grace of a master, never missing for an instant the perfect rhythm of her lithe17, graceful18 body.
The surprise of the evening for the Governor-General had been the appearance of every American woman wearing the shining helmet of the soldier of the ranks in token of their full surrender to Imperial authority.
“A beautiful idea—those helmets!” he whispered as they swept through the throng19.
“You are pleased?”
“I am more than pleased, I am happy tonight. I know that only your brilliant imagination could have conceived so graceful a tribute to my Imperial Master—”
He paused.
“You are closer to me tonight than ever before,” he said softly. “I feel it, I know it.”
She turned her head and breathed her answer:
“Yes—”
The dancing ended at eleven-thirty. Waldron gave his arm to Virginia and led the way to the banquet tables. A band of stringed instruments, concealed20 in bowers21 of roses, filled the room with exquisite22 music. The waiters moved with swift, noiseless tread.
The revelry steadily23 grew faster, the drinking deeper, the dancing more exciting.
Billy’s men had dropped flat and were crawling toward the open space in front of the palace when a light footfall was distinctly heard approaching. Billy lifted his head and saw Zonia. She halted with quick precision and gave the countersign24.
In a moment she was in his arms.
“What on earth’s the matter, little girl?” he whispered excitedly.
“Virginia fears that Waldron suspects,” was the quick answer.
“Nonsense”—
“He has doubled the guard—Virginia says you’d better retreat until a full division comes up—”
“I’ll not do it,” Billy broke in. “Four to one, or ten to one, I’m going to take that house—”
“She’ll give the signal if I don’t return,” Zonia warned.
“All right—I’m ready,” was the firm response. In quick business fashion Billy led Zonia back of his lines. “Wait here and report if I fail”—
The young Captain crept back to his place and watched for the flash from the Madison Square tower and the signal of lights out from within.
On the stroke of twelve, Waldron rose, lifted his glass and gave the toast—the exact form of which he had sent to every toastmaster in America:
“To the Lord of War—master of the world—the Emperor!”
Virginia’s left hand clasped the glass, her right was lifted with nervous intensity25 giving the sign of the Daughters of Jael to Marya whose hand was on the electric switch. The searchlight on the Madison Square tower flashed and every whistle in the city and harbor screamed its tribute.
With a sudden click the lights went out. In total darkness again and again the blows of the dagger26 found their mark on the sentinels at the door. Over the curses, groans27 and shouts rang the shrill28 battle cry of the Daughters of Jael:
“For our God and country!”
Waldron’s keen eye caught the tremor29 of Virginia’s fingers as she gave the sign to Marya. The uplifted glass came down with a crash and his iron fist closed on her right hand.
“So!” he growled30.
She fought with tigress strength to free her hand and reach the knife concealed in her bodice.
Waldron shouted through the darkness, “Lights! Lights!”
His servants threw the switch in vain. The current had been cut.
With muttered curses he choked Virginia still, carried her in his arms into his library, tore the knife from her bodice and flung her across the room.
“Move a muscle now—damn you! and I’ll blow your brains out.” He had found a pair of automatics in his table drawer.
He called from the doorway31 and two guards who had rushed in from the lawn answered.
He pointed7 to Virginia.
“If she moves, shoot her dead in her tracks. Stay until I return.”
He sprang up the narrow steps to the wireless32 tower. His operator sat lifeless in his chair.
He seized the keys and called central in the Woolworth tower.
“The Garrison33 to arms! At once—every man to his place and every ship’s deck cleared!”
The tower answered O. K.
Vassar sprang to his feet trembling with alarm.
She had failed at the Palace. What did it mean? Her life was in peril34. There could be no doubt of it.
He called every wireless station of the enemy on the North Atlantic. Not one answered.
“Good!” he muttered.
He summoned the nearest operator to his relief in the tower:
“Come, for God’s sake, quick,” he called to Brooklyn, “and bring me a car—there’s trouble at the Palace—”
“Coming!” the answer sang.
In fifteen minutes an automobile2 dashed across the bridge and drew up on the curb35 at the Woolworth building.
The new operator took his instructions and Vassar turned to the chauffeur6:
“Quick now—to the Sixty-ninth Regiment36 Armory37. We have men and guns there.”
Angela had waited in the machine for her leader to leap from the Palace and drive to the first cavalry38 rendezvous39 in Westchester. Her chauffeur sat by her side, smiling, his belt and automatic about her waist.
She heard the shout of Waldron for the guards and knew that the complete plan had failed. Billy’s men had been crushed by superior numbers and driven to the foot of the hill. The great man’s servants were trained soldiers. They would fight like devils inside.
With quick wit she threw in the clutch and the big touring-car shot down the road and flew over the smooth open way of Riverside Drive. In fifteen minutes she overtook the first division of horsemen on the outskirts40 of the city galloping41 to their appointed rendezvous.
“To the Palace of the Governor-General! Quick!” she shouted to the Captain. “Take my car—I can take your horse—quick! Quick! Our leader’s a prisoner—or dead—they fight and fight. Quick!”
The Captain sprang from his horse, called to the chauffeur, leaped into the car and gave his horse to Angela. She had learned horsemanship too in these two years of training.
“You know the rendezvous?” the Captain called.
“Si, signor!” Angela answered. “I know. I have been to every spot. I was to drive my leader there. I go! I tell them. You go to her quick—for God’s sake—quick!”
Urged by her low, nervous voice the horse dashed down the roadway through Yonkers and on to summon the men.
Waldron returned to the banquet hall—an automatic in each hand. He was a man of dauntless courage. The lights were on again. His assistant engineer had found the break and hastily repaired it.
The magnificent hall was deserted. Only the dead sentinels lay in pools of blood on the slippery floor. The Daughters of Jael had done their work and gone—their task to disarm42 the enemy and deliver the equipments to our waiting men. Every sword and automatic had fallen into their hands except those worn by the sleeping guard in their quarters and the half-dozen men who were scattered43 over the lawn.
Waldron quickly brought order out of chaos44, barred his doors and found that he held his castle still with eighty faithful soldiers and a dozen wounded servants.
He entered the library and took his place as the special guard of Virginia.
He deliberately45 took her in his arms and kissed her lips. Her mind was still stunned46 by the anguish47 of her failure. There was no longer feeling in body or soul. Nothing mattered.
“You’re mine!” he cried fiercely. “I hold you Cossack fashion now!”
He paused in breathless rage, stepped close and struck her a stinging blow with his open hand. She fell across a divan48 and he stood over the prostrate49 body with clenched50 fists.
“To think,” he growled, “that I made this idiotic51 blunder to win your smile! Well, it’s mine! I’ve won it—do you hear? You’ve failed! My men are coming—do you hear?”
The slender, graceful form lay limp and still—the face chalk-white. She had swooned at last. The blow was more than unconquered pride could endure.
He gazed a moment with bloodshot eyes, dropped suddenly on his knees and took her in his arms.
“I love you—I love you—and you’re all mine now—all—all mine, body and soul! My Lucretia Borgia—eh? Well, you’ve found your master. And you’re worth the fight!”
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1
automobiles
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| n.汽车( automobile的名词复数 ) | |
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automobile
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| n.汽车，机动车 | |
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persuasive
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| adj.有说服力的，能说得使人相信的 | |
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maudlin
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| adj.感情脆弱的，爱哭的 | |
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chauffeurs
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| n.受雇于人的汽车司机( chauffeur的名词复数 ) | |
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chauffeur
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| n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机；v.为…开车 | |
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7
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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9
smuggled
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| 水货 | |
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suburban
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| adj.城郊的，在郊区的 | |
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embargo
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| n.禁运（令）；vt.对...实行禁运，禁止（通商） | |
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advent
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| n.(重要事件等的)到来，来临 | |
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infantry
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| n.[总称]步兵(部队) | |
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mettle
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| n.勇气，精神 | |
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ballroom
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| n.舞厅 | |
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joyously
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| ad.快乐地, 高兴地 | |
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lithe
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| adj.(指人、身体)柔软的，易弯的 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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21
bowers
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| n.（女子的）卧室( bower的名词复数 )；船首锚；阴凉处；鞠躬的人 | |
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22
exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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23
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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24
countersign
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| v.副署，会签 | |
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25
intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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groans
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| n.呻吟，叹息( groan的名词复数 )；呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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28
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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tremor
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| n.震动，颤动，战栗，兴奋，地震 | |
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growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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31
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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32
wireless
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| adj.无线的；n.无线电 | |
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33
garrison
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| n.卫戍部队；驻地，卫戍区；vt.派(兵)驻防 | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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35
curb
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| n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制 | |
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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37
armory
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| n.纹章，兵工厂，军械库 | |
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38
cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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39
rendezvous
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| n.约会，约会地点，汇合点；vi.汇合，集合；vt.使汇合，使在汇合地点相遇 | |
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40
outskirts
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| n.郊外，郊区 | |
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41
galloping
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| adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式 | |
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42
disarm
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| v.解除武装，回复平常的编制，缓和 | |
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43
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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44
chaos
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| n.混乱，无秩序 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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46
stunned
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| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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47
anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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48
divan
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| n.长沙发；（波斯或其他东方诗人的）诗集 | |
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49
prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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50
clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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51
idiotic
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| adj.白痴的 | |
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