"Wave the handkerchief!" he added. "We're getting near the barricade. Life is too sweet to end just yet!" She smiled up into his eyes, and waved the handkerchief at arm's length above their heads. Stewart, glancing up, saw a row of faces crowned by queer black shakos peering curiously down from the top of the barricade. "They have seen us!" he said. "They're not firing! They understand that we are friends! Courage, little comrade!" "I am not afraid," she smiled. "And I love that name--little comrade!" "Here are the last entanglements--and then we're through. What is that cavalry doing?" She gave a little cry as she looked back along the road. At the same instant, Stewart heard the thunder of galloping hoofs. "They are coming!" she screamed. "Oh, put me down! Put me down!" "Not I!" gasped Stewart between his teeth, and glanced over his shoulder. The Uhlans were charging in solid mass, their lances couched. There was just one chance of escape--Stewart saw it instantly. Holding the girl close, he leaped into the ditch beside the road and threw himself flat against the ground, shielding her with his body. In an instant the thunder of the charge was upon him. Then, high above the rattle of guns, rose the shouts of men, the screams of horses, the savage shock of the encounter. Something rolled upon him,--lay quivering against him--a wounded man--a dead one, perhaps--in any event, he told himself, grimly, so much added protection. Pray heaven that a maddened horse did not tramp them down! The tumult died, the firing slackened. What was that? A burst of cheering? Stewart ventured to raise his head and look about him; then, with a gasp, he threw off the weight, caught up his companion and staggered to his feet. Yes; it was a body which had fallen upon him. It rolled slowly over on its back as he arose, and he saw a ghastly wound between the eyes. "They have been repulsed!" he panted. "Wave the handkerchief!" With his heart straining in his throat, he clambered out of the ditch and staggered on. "Don't look!" he added, for the road was strewn with horrors. "Don't look!" She gazed up at him, smiling calmly. "I shall look only at you, my lover!" she said, softly, and Stewart tightened his grip and held her close! There was the barricade, with cheering men atop it, exposing themselves with utter recklessness to the bullets which still whistled from right and left. Stewart felt his knees trembling. Could he reach it? Could he lift his foot over this entanglement? Could he possibly step across this body? Suddenly he felt his burden lifted from him and a strong arm thrown about his shoulders. "Friends!" he gasped. "We're friends!"