The captain, like a maniac in his fury at this interruption, drew his sword and shouting out a vile epithet, rushed at Gatrina, intending, I believe, to strike her down.
But Chris, whose ominous growl at my treatment I had had to pacify, went almost as mad at this as the bully himself and with a savage growl launched himself right at the captain’s throat, bore him to the ground, and pinned him down, despite the blows and kicks which the soldiers rained upon him.
“Loose him, Chris,” I cried, fearing the man would be killed; and at my voice he obeyed. Then, as he was looking up to me, one of the soldiers who had picked up the captain’s sword slashed at the dog’s leg and when he dropped, the brute thrust the blade between his ribs.
With a cry of rage I broke from the men who held me and rushed to Chris, but Gatrina was before me.
“You coward!” she cried to the soldier, who stood half gloating, half dismayed at his act; and the next moment my fist crashed into his face, knocking him sprawling among his comrades.
As I bent over my gallant dog, my heart full of sadness and pity for him, I was seized again by the men, and such a scene of confusion and riot followed as baffles description.
They beat me, of course, and I was dragged back and held panting, struggling, straining, breathing out impotent threats, and cursing all who had had a hand in the cruel work, as I strove vainly to get again to the spot where Gatrina, white-faced and pitying, knelt by the dear dog, who had so valiantly given his life to save her.
Another group had the bully of a captain for its centre. He was getting up, all bloody about the throat where Chris had fastened on him, and madder than ever with rage, gasped out a repetition of his orders to have Gatrina seized and me taken away and shot.
Still fighting with the men about me I was being lugged and hustled and thrust out of the room, oblivious to everything but my insensate rage, and they had got me to the door when two officers entered the house.
“What is this riot?” cried one in a loud, stern tone; and the men about me started instantly at the voice and I felt their grip on me to relax.