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But an instant later he see branches as he fell; and as he sank a number of leaves whichhis motion had torn off floated out round him

Again the rifle below ainTheout in massBut my own eyes were fixed on the treeAliant body of the Gospodar, his size lost in theisHe fell in a series of jerks, as hekept clutching the trailing beech-branches whilst they lasted, andthen other lesser verdure growing out fro branches had with all their elasticity reachedtheir last point

At length--for though this all took place in a very few seconds thegravity of the crisis prolonged theespace of rock so himself to one side, so that he should fall close to theVoivodin and her guardsThese men did not seem to notice, for theirattention was fixed on the hence they expected their hans in readinessThe shotshad alarer orno er

But though the er from above, the VoivodindidShe raised her eyes quickly at the first sound, and even froan to run towards the ravine path, Icould see the triunized the identity of the htdown from Heaven itself to help her--as, indeed, she, and we too, canvery well iine that he did; for if ever heaven had a hand in arescue on earth, it was now

Even during the last drop froe the Gospodar kepthis headAs he fell he pulled his handjar free, and al its sweep took off the head of one of the assassinsAshe touched ground he stumbled for an instant, but it was towards hisene rapidity the handjar swept the air,and at each sweep a head rolled on the sward

The Voivodin held up her tied handsAgain the handjar flashed, thistime doards, and the lady was freeWithout an instant's pausethe Gospodar tore off the gag, and with his left arht hand, stood face toward his living foesTheVoivodin stooped suddenly, and then, raising the yataghan which hadfallen from the hand of one of the dead marauders, stood armed besidehim

The rifles were now cracking fast, as theout into the openBut well the marksmenknew their workWell they bore incal off the foreet more forward

As we rushed down the ravine we could see clearly all before usButnow, just as ere beginning to fear lest solade, there was another cause ofsurprise--of rejoicing

From the face of the wood see the national cap, so we knew them as our ownThey wereall arersTheyswept on the rushing Turks as though, for all their swiftness, theywere standing still--literally wiping them out as a child wipes alesson from its slate

A few seconds later these were followed by a tall figure with longhair and beard of black reyInstinctively we all, asdid those in the valley, shouted with joyFor this was the VladikaMilosh Plamenac himself

I confess that, knohat I kneas for a short space of timeanxious lest, in the terrific exciteht say or do soht make for trouble lateronThe Gospodar's splendid achievement, which orthy of anyhero of old romance, had set us all on fireHe hih pitch of excitement to dare such an act; andit is not at such a time that discretion er from the woe, I ht not haveunderstood then what it must have been to her to be saved from such adoom at such a time by such a man, as so much to her, and insuch a wayIt would have been only natural if at such a ratitude and triumph she had proclaimed the secret which we of theCouncil of the Nation and her father's Coiously keptBut none of us knew then either the Voivodin orthe Gospodar Rupert as we do nowIt ell that they were as theyare, for the jealousy and suspicion of our ht, evenat such a moment, and even whilst they throbbed at such a deed, haveso acy of distrustTheVladika and I, who of all (save the two immediately concerned) aloneknew, looked at each other apprehensivelyBut at that instant theVoivodin, with a swift glance at her husband, laid a finger on herlip; and he, with quick understanding, gave assurance by a sinThen she sank before hi his hand toher lips, kissed it, and spoke:

"Gospodar Rupert, I owe you all that a woiven me life and honour!I cannot thank you adequately forwhat you have done; ht sure that the men of the Blue Mountains, who so valuehonour, and freedom, and liberty, and bravery, will hold you in theirhearts for ever!"

This was so sweetly spoken, with lips that trembled and eyes thatswam in tears, so truly woarding the reverence that women owe to men, that thehearts of our mountaineers were touched to the quickTheir noblesiallant Gospodarcould have for a ht that so to as unmanly, hiserror would have had instant correctionWhen the Voivodin had risento her feet, which she did with queenly dignity, the men aroundclosed in on the Gospodar like a wave of the sea, and in a secondheld hi on their lifted hands as if onstors of e haveheard, and whose blood flows in Rupert's veins, were choosing a chiefin old fashionI was lad that the men were so taken up withthe Gospodar that they did not see the glory of the ht have guessed the secretI knew from the Vladika's look that he shared my own satisfaction,even as he had shared my anxiety

As the Gospodar Rupert was tossed high on the lifted hands of themountaineers, their shouts rose to such a sudden voluhtened birds rose from the forest,and their noisy alarm swelled the tumult

The Gospodar, ever thoughtful for others, was the first to calmhimself