CHAPTER XTHE NEW ERA
“The King! The Guards! They have been attacked!” cried Kearns as, breathless and panting, he ran into the Chancellerie.
“Attacked!” repeated Mortimer, standing sword in hand, stern-faced and bleeding from a wound in the arm. “Attacked by whom?”
“The air-ships—the air-ships!” gasped Kearns. “But,” he exclaimed, pointing to the form upon the ground; “what—what is this?”
“One who has met a rightful doom!” answered Mortimer. “But the attack—tell me of the attack.”
“I was on my way to the King,” said Kearns, in rapid tones, “and was approaching Fairoaks when I perceived the air-ships and ordered the phaeromobile halted. I watched and saw it all.”
“Saw all what?”
“They had driven the King—the guests—the Guards—all of them into the mansion,” continued Kearns, with the same rapid enunciation, “and the air-ships attacked them there. My God! they blew great holes into the side and front of the house, and through these holes they made attack upon the Guards. Then I saw the men in the motors come up and charge into the mansion and I knew that all was over. Then, back I came here to you at full speed, but as I reached the palace I looked behind and saw that I was being pursued both on land andfrom above. I tell you they are hot upon us—in a few minutes they will be here!”
The portieres parted as he spoke and Beatrice ran, eager and excited, into the room.
“We are attacked! A swarm of men are pouring into the palace and the grounds. Where is Dorothy? Oh!—oh!—what is this!” and she ran to the figure lying upon the divan.
“I must go to my post,” cried Mortimer, casting a desperate glance toward the divan. “I must rally the men to the defense of the palace!”
“Too late!” exclaimed Kearns, turning sharply.
As he spoke, there were sounds without and through the portieres and the main door of the Chancellerie a number of armed men, with stars at their shoulders, swarmed in, an officer at their head.
“Surrender!” cried the officer, as his eyes fell upon Mortimer’s uniform.
“Surrender!” repeated Mortimer, with rage. “How dare you utter that word in the King’s palace to an officer of the King’s Guard? Back, you horde of rebels, I say, or I will cut a path through you!”
From behind him there came an exclamation of fear, a plaintive appeal to him to stop, but he heard it not and, with upraised sword, he advanced upon the men barring his passage. The officer raised his sword in an attitude of defense and a dozen rifles instantly flashed into position.
“Halt! Do not fire!” came suddenly the sharp command from the rear and a tall and commanding figure forced its way through the ranks. An instant later, Mortimer found himself confronted by General Mainwarren.
“Do not fire!” repeated General Mainwarren to his men. “I place this officer and all these here under my special protection.”
“But I cannot—I will not—avail myself of your protection!” cried Mortimer, still standing with upraised sword. “I will force my way through to my men, or fall in the attempt!”
“There will be no necessity for that,” said General Mainwarren, gently. “Your passage shall not be barred and you shall be free to go where you will. But,” he added, calmly, “it will be useless to seek your soldiers, for they are all dead.”
“Dead!” repeated Mortimer aghast.
From the grounds without came a great cry:
“Long live the New Republic!”
Before General Mainwarren could make answer to Mortimer’s exclamation, a file of men, with an officer in command, invaded the room.
“A wounded guardsman, sir, and his companion,” reported the officer, saluting General Mainwarren. “What shall be done with them?” and he brought forward Captain Swords and Professor Dean.
“Oh, cousin, cousin!” cried Beatrice, running up to General Mainwarren, all excitement, “I demand protection—special protection for him!” and she pointed to Captain Swords.
“It is granted!” said General Mainwarren, with a smile. “His companion, likewise, shall be protected. We all of us owe something,” he added, turning to his men, “to Professor Dean and to Captain Mortimer.”
“Long live the New Republic!” again came the cry from the grounds.
“How so? What do you owe us?” exclaimed Mortimer in astonishment.
“To Professor Dean,” said General Mainwarren, gravely, “we owe the primary invention of the air-ship from which we derive our strength; and to Captain Mortimer, because to his unexpected escape fromus, the New Republic owes its birth three days earlier than was anticipated. Yes, Captain Mortimer, your escape precipitated our attack just three days.”
“Oh!” exclaimed Mortimer, blankly.
“I think you are needed over there,” said Beatrice, touching him lightly upon the arm, and turning her eyes toward the divan. “As for me, I must give my attention to the wounded. How sweet and cute he looks with the bandage tilted down toward his left eye!” And she walked to where stood Captain Swords and rested both hands upon his arm.
Mortimer crossed to the divan where Dorothy lay. He bent over her until their lips nearly met and whispered so low that none other heard—something which brought the color in a warm tide to her pale face.
“Yes,” continued General Mainwarren, with fervor, “we owe, as I have said, something to both of these men. To-day the New Republic has birth—a New Republic which shall give men that equality which can never be found under a monarchy and which shall be untainted, please God, from the hideous evils which fastened themselves upon the Old Republic of our forefathers—a New Republic which shall free its citizens from the bondage of industrial slavery and shall set to the world at large an example of higher economic conditions and a higher standard of human happiness. Let us joyously greet, then, this glorious event!”
“Three cheers for the New Republic!” rang forth from the men gathered about their General.
From the grounds without came the answering cry:
“Long live the New Republic! Long live the New Republic!”
The End