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fearsome creatures occupying the very thrones of the sovereigns of
England； the low growl was repeated； and a great male rose slowly to his
feet。
His devilish eyes bored straight through the semi…darkness toward us。
He had discovered the interloper。 What right had man within this palace
of the beasts？ Again he opened his giant jaws； and this time there rumbled
forth a warning roar。
Instantly eight or ten of the other beasts leaped to their feet。 Already
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the great fellow who had spied us was advancing slowly in our direction。
I held my rifle ready； but how futile it appeared in the face of this savage
horde。
The foremost beast broke into a slow trot； and at his heels came the
others。 All were roaring now； and the din of their great voices
reverberating through the halls and corridors of the palace formed the
most frightful chorus of thunderous savagery imaginable to the mind of
man。
And then the leader charged； and upon the hideous pandemonium
broke the sharp crack of my rifle； once； twice； thrice。 Three lions rolled；
struggling and biting； to the floor。 Victory seized my arm； with a quick；
〃This way！ Here is a door；〃 and a moment later we were in a tiny
antechamber at the foot of a narrow stone staircase。
Up this we backed； Victory just behind me； as the first of the
remaining lions leaped from the throne room and sprang for the stairs。
Again I fired； but others of the ferocious beasts leaped over their fallen
fellows and pursued us。
The stairs were very narrowthat was all that saved usfor as I backed
slowly upward； but a single lion could attack me at a time； and the
carcasses of those I slew impeded the rushes of the others。
At last we reached the top。 There was a long corridor from which
opened many doorways。 One； directly behind us； was tight closed。 If
we could open it and pass into the chamber behind we might find a respite
from attack。
The remaining lions were roaring horribly。 I saw one sneaking very
slowly up the stairs toward us。
〃Try that door；〃 I called to Victory。 〃See if it will open。〃
She ran up to it and pushed。
〃Turn the knob！〃 I cried； seeing that she did not know how to open a
door； but neither did she know what I meant by knob。
I put a bullet in the spine of the approaching lion and leaped to
Victory's side。 The door resisted my first efforts to swing it inward。
Rusted hinges and swollen wood held it tightly closed。 But at last it gave；
and just as another lion mounted to the top of the stairway it swung in； and
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I pushed Victory across the threshold。
Then I turned to meet the renewed attack of the savage foe。 One lion
fell in his tracks； another stumbled to my very feet； and then I leaped
within and slammed the portal to。
A quick glance showed me that this was the only door to the small
apartment in which we had found sanctuary； and； with a sigh of relief； I
leaned for a moment against the panels of the stout barrier that separated
us from the ramping demons without。
Across the room； between two windows； stood a flat…topped desk。 A
little pile of white and brown lay upon it close to the opposite edge。
After a moment of rest I crossed the room to investigate。 The white was
the bleached human bonesthe skull； collar bones； arms； and a few of the
upper ribs of a man。 The brown was the dust of a decayed military cap
and blouse。 In a chair before the desk were other bones； while more still
strewed the floor beneath the desk and about the chair。 A man had died
sitting there with his face buried in his armstwo hundred years ago。
Beneath the desk were a pair of spurred military boots； green and
rotten with decay。 In them were the leg bones of a man。 Among the
tiny bones of the hands was an ancient fountain pen； as good； apparently；
as the day it was made； and a metal covered memoranda book； closed over
the bones of an index finger。
It was a gruesome sighta pitiful sightthis lone inhabitant of mighty
London。
I picked up the metal covered memoranda book。 Its pages were
rotten and stuck together。 Only here and there was a sentence or a part of
a sentence legible。 The first that I could read was near the middle of the
little volume：
〃His majesty left for Tunbridge Wells today； he 。 。 。 jesty was
stricken 。 。 。 terday。 God give she does not die 。 。 。 am military governor
of Lon 。 。 。〃
And farther on：
〃It is awful 。 。 。 hundred deaths today 。 。 。 worse than the
bombardm 。 。 。〃
Nearer the end I picked out the following：
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〃I promised his maj 。 。 。 e will find me here when he ret 。 。 。 alone。〃
The most legible passage was on the next page：
〃Thank God we drove them out。 There is not a single 。 。 。 man on
British soil today； but at what awful cost。 I tried to persuade Sir Phillip
to urge the people to remain。 But they are mad with fear of the Death；
and rage at our enemies。 He tells me that the coast cities are packed 。 。 。
waiting to be taken across。 What will become of England； with none left
to rebuild her shattered cities！〃
And the last entry：
〃。 。 。 alone。 Only the wild beasts 。 。 。 A lion is roaring now beneath
the palace windows。 I think the people feared the beasts even more than
they did the Death。 But they are gone； all gone； and to what？ How
much better conditions will they find on the continent？ All goneonly I
remain。 I promised his majesty； and when he returns he will find that I
was true to my trust； for I shall be awaiting him。 God save the King！〃
That was all。 This brave and forever nameless officer died nobly at
his posttrue to his country and his king。 It was the Death； no doubt； that
took him。