The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-01-30

gentlemen. We have three quarters of a
hour yet; they will take that time to mu
ter.-Clontarf, some Hook"
The boy to whom he spoke held out h
glass with a pleasant smile. The comm
peril had not altered tint upon his fres
beardless cheeks-rosy and clear as a page
in one of the Boucher's pictures.
A good contrast he made with the miser
BILE attorney, who had followed us uninvite
! Git seemed he only felt safe in our presence
and who was crouching in corner, his Ian
hair plastered round his livid convulsed fac
with the sweat of mortal fear.
1t struck MOhun, | think. He laid hi
hand on Clontarfs shoulder, and spoke wit
| a kindness Of voice and manner most unu
sual with him
swell que the savage mounts taineer,
A. their Tinchell cows the gaIhe
They come as fleet forest deer.
Wen drive them back tame"
Even at that anxious moment could no
help laughing at the idea of Ralph auotin!
poetry-of that grim Saul among the pro
phcts.
| went to keep up Kate's spirits. She Dor
up gallanily, poor child, and l left her tol
eraby calm. She believed in ME as
'plunger.' to an enormous extent. and il
Mohun still more. When l returned my
companions were in the gallery.
This ran around two sides of the hall
which went up to the roof The only acces.
to the upper part of the house was by Z
stone staircase Of a single flight. The kitch
en- and offices were on the ground floor, 9TH
erwise, it was uninhabited.
Ralph had his pistols with him, and bis
cavalry sword, long and heavy, but admra-
bly, posted, law within his reach.
81 have settled it," he said. You and
Connel are to take the guns. Smooth bores
are quickest loaaed, and will do for the shor,
distance. Clontarf, who is not quite so sure
with the trigger, is to have the post of hon
or, and guard the staircase with his sabre -
Throw another bucket OF water over it, Con
nel-is it thoroughly drenched? And draw
the windows up" (they did not reach with.
in ten feet of the foor); we shall be stfied
else. Bat there will be thorough draft
when the door is down, that's one comfort.
One word with you, Carew"
lie drew me aside, and spoke almost in a
whisper, while his face was very grave and
stern.
d" You will do me this justice, whatever
happens. Unless it had been forced upon
me, | would not have risked a hair of your
wfe's head to save all the attorneys that are
patronized by the father OF lies. But mark
me. if it comes to the worst keep bullet
for her. Don't leave her to the mercy of
those savage devils. | know them. She
had better die ten times over than fall into
their brutal hands. You must use your
own discretion, though. | shall not be able
to advise you then. Not man Of them
will be in the gallery till am past praying
or-Nevertheless. | hope and believe that
all will he right. Don't trouble yourself to
reload; Fritz will do that for you. have
given him his orders Aim very cody.
too; we must not waste bullet You can
choose your own sword; there are several
behind you. All. | hear them coming up.
Now, men, to your posts"
There was the tramp of many feet, and
the surging of a crowd about and against
the hall door. Then harsh, loud votce
spoke
"Onst for all, will yez give him up, or
shall We take him, and serve the rest of yez
Is bad? Ye've got wimen there too.-"
/ will not add the rest of that threat for
very shame. | know il made me more wolf
sh than ever thought it possible to feel,
ror am a good natured man in the main.
Mohun, who is not bit his moustache furious
Y, and his voice shook little as he answer
,d:-
"Do you ever say a prayer, Pierce Della
ley: You need one now. If you live to
see .o-morrow's sunset, ! wish my right
land may wther at the wrist"
A shrill howl peaed out from the assail-
lnts and then the stout oaken door cracked
md 9uivered under the strokes of a h,avy
beam in hnndred seconds the
hinges yielded, and it came Gathering in;
,ver it leaped three wild figures, bearing
orches and pixies, but their chief, Delaney,
vas not one of them.
% The left-hand man is yours, Carew
,onnel take the middle one," said Ralph, as
DOLLY as if we had sprung pack CT grouse.
u hle he spoke his pistol cracked, and the
light hand intruder dropped across the
hreshhold without a cry or stagger, shot
light through the brain. The keeper and
we're nearly as fortunate. Then there was
pause; then rush from without, an ire
,ular discharge of musketry, and the clear
,art of the hall was crowded with enemies.
can't tell exactly what ensued. ! know
hey retreated several times for the barri-
ade was impassable; and while their shots
ell harmlessly on the mattresses, every one
# ours told-nothing makes man shoot
traght like being short of powder-but
hey came on again, each time with added
erocity.
| heard MOhun mutter more than once in
dissatisfied tone, why does not that
show himself? | can't make out
Delaney. All at once heard stihed cry
n my right, and to my borrow saw Clon-
arf dragged over the baustrade in the
ripe of giant, whom guessed at once to
,e the man we had looked for so long. Un-
Ter cover of the smoke he had swung him
eli up by the balustrade of the staircase,
nd grasping the poor boys collar, as he
ooked out incautously from his shelter,
|ropped back into the hall, carrying his
ictim with him.
With a roar Of exultation the wild beasts
losed around their prey. Before | had
ime to think what could be done, heard,
lose to my ear, blasphemy so awful that
made me start at that critical moment; it
vas Ralph's voice, but | hardly knew it
loarse and gutteral, and indistinct with pas.
hesitating an instant, he
wung himself over the balustrade, and
ghted on his feet in the midst of the crowd.
hey were half drunk with VIII skcy, and
naddened by the smell Of blood but, SO
.reat was the terror of Mohun's name, all
ecoiled when they saw him thus face to
ace, his sword bare and his eyes blazing.
that momentary panic saved Clontarf In
second Ralph had thrown him under the
rch of deep doorway, and placed him
elf between the senseless body and its as
ailants Two or three shots were hred at
i'm without effect; it was difficult to take
Inn in such a tossing chaos; then one man |
delaney, sprung out at him with a dubbed
onskcf nAt iast!' we heard Mohun say,
,ughinr low and savagely in his beard as
"a stenned one pace forward to meet his en-
INV A blow that looked as if it might |
ave f.lled Behemoth was warded dexteri-
usly by the sabre, and, by quick turn of
be wrist, its edge laid the Rapparee's face
pen in bright scarlet cash, extending
.o,, avahrou 10 chin