A wild dove rose ahead of Armitage and flew straight before him over the barricade.

The silence grew tense as the horses galloped nearer; the men behind the cedar-lined wall heard only the hollow thump of hoofs and Claiborne's voice calling to Armitage and Oscar, to warn them of his whereabouts.
But the eyes of the three conspirators were fixed on Armitage; it was his life they sought; the others did not greatly matter.

And so John Armitage rode across the little plain where the Lost Legion had camped for a year at the end of a great war; and as he rode on the defenders of the boulder barricade saw his white face and noted the useless arm hanging and swaying, and felt, in spite of themselves, the strength of his tall erect figure.
Chauvenet, watching the silent rider, said aloud, speaking in German, so that Zmai understood: "It is in the blood; he is like a king." But they could not hear the words that John Armitage kept saying over and over again as he crossed the field: "He bade me do something for Austria--for Austria!" "He is brave, but he is a great fool.

When he turns his horse we will fire on him," said Zmai.
Their eyes were upon Armitage; and in their intentness they failed to note the increasing pace of Oscar's horse, which was spurting slowly ahead.

When they saw that he would first make the sweep which they assumed to be the contemplated strategy of the charging party, they leveled their arms at him, believing that he must soon check his horse.
But on he rode, bending forward a little, his rifle held across the saddle in front of him.
"Take him first," cried Chauvenet.