Page:Vance--Terence O'Rourke.djvu/88

 center—for it was but an enclosure, open to the sky save around the walls, where a partial roofing served as protection from the elements—they found occupied by a swirling, seething mass of men, from whose throats proceeded the unearthly concert. It was surrounded by a dense cloud of dust; and from its midst there proceeded a veritable eruption of fists, fragments of torn clothing, hats and bones.

Slightly in advance of his companions, O'Rourke halted, his presence for the time being unremarked of the combatants. He watched them in silence for a little while, his lips curving into a grim smile.

Finally, however, raising his walking-stick—a slim wand—he opened his mouth, and let out a stentorian command:

"Fall in!"

In the excitement it went unheeded. Again he called, and again:

"Fall in! Fall in!"

Gradually his voice carried meaning to the intelligence of the rabble. One turned, saw the motionless, commanding figure of the newcomer; he shrieked the news to his comrades. Others observed. By degrees the tumult died.

At the third command they were quiet, with one accord turning to gape at this rash intruder. Suddenly he was recognized; at the fourth command the trained soldiers sprang to their places as if electrified—one long line of thirty-nine figures stretching across the patio.

"Attention!" roared O'Rourke angrily. "Silence in the ranks!"

There was not a whisper to be heard, where had been the uproar of a chaos.

"Captain Mahone?" he demanded.

From around the end of the line appeared the shape of a