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I love you--I have loved you always!" she said, and then she buried her face upon

my shoulder and sobbed. "I have been so unhappy," she said, "but I could not die

while I thought that you might live."

As we stood there, momentarily forgetful of all else than our new found

happiness, the ferocity of the bombardment increased until scarce thirty seconds

elapsed between the shells that rained about the palace.

To remain long would be to invite certain death. We could not escape the way

that we had entered the apartment, for not only was the corridor now choked

with debris, but beyond the corridor there were doubtless many members of the

emperor's household who would stop us.

Upon the opposite side of the room was another door, and toward this I led the

way. It opened into a third apartment with windows overlooking an inner court.

From one of these windows I surveyed the courtyard. Apparently it was empty,

and the rooms upon the opposite side were unlighted.

Assisting Victory to the open, I followed, and together we crossed the court,

discovering upon the opposite side a number of wide, wooden doors set in the

wall of the palace, with small windows between. As we stood close behind one of

the doors, listening, a horse within neighed.

The stables!" I whispered, and, a moment later, had pushed back a door and

entered. From the city about us we could hear the din of great commotion, and

quite close the sounds of battle--the crack of thousands of rifles, the yells of the

soldiers, the hoarse commands of officers, and the blare of bugles.

The bombardment had ceased as suddenly as it had commenced. I judged that

the enemy was storming the city, for the sounds we heard were the sounds of

hand-to-hand combat.

Within the stables I groped about until I had found saddles and bridles for two

horses. But afterward, in the darkness, I could find but a single mount. The

doors of the opposite side, leading to the street, were open, and we could see

great multitudes of men, women, and children fleeing toward the west. Soldiers,

afoot and mounted, were joining the mad exodus. Now and then a camel or an

elephant would pass bearing some officer or dignitary to safety. It was evident

that the city would fall at any moment--a fact which was amply proclaimed by the

terror-stricken haste of the fear-mad mob.

Horse, camel, and elephant trod helpless women and children beneath their feet.

A common soldier dragged a general from his mount, and, leaping to the animal's

back, fled down the packed street toward the west. A woman seized a gun and

The Lost Continent