The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1877-11-24

Inducements.
Stunned for moment, | turned
round, and started helplessly at Bose;
but he, brave fellow that he was, never
lost his head for an instant.
Bound to leah heah, Mars Ralph"
he said, quite confidently. "An' dar
amt no way gwine 'cept tro dot wipder~
and he pointed to the one overlooking
the cliff
l merely shook my head, and turned
to watch again, hoping to get shot at
the rascal on guard.
Bose, left to his own devices, at once
went to work. | heard him fussing
about the bed for some time, but never
looked to see what be was after until he
sopke.
"Now den for the rope" | heard him
say, and in an instant | caught his
meaning.
He had stripped the bed of its cover
ing, dragged off the heavy tick, and the
stout hempeR rope with which it was
corded"
In five minutes he had drawn the rope
through its many turnings, and then,
gathering the coil in bis hands, he threw
up the sash, and prepared to take sound
ings.
1t failed to touch bottom; but, nowise
disheartened, he seized the cotton cover
let, and spliced on. This succeeded,
and the cord was drawn up preparatory
to knotting it in place of cross-pieces
In the meanwhile the silence without
had been broken more than once. A
shrill, keen whistle, such as | heard be-
fore, was given by the man on watch,
and replied to by some one seemingly a
little way of. Then | heard footsteps
soft, cat-like ones-on the verandah out
side, showing that the robbers were on
the alert at all points.
At length Bose announced the clad
der " ready. 1t was again lowered from
the window, and the end we held was
made fast to the bed we had dragged
over for that purpose.
Now, den, Mars Ralph, / 90 down
fust, and see if UNI strong 'nough to bar
U.S."
And he was half way out of the win
dow before could speak.
No, Bose, you shall not" answered,
firmly, drawing him back into the room
"You must"
The words were lost in the dim of a
furious and totally unexpected attack
upon the door.
The dull, heavy strokes of she ak were
intermingled with the sharp, quick clat-
ter OF hatchets as they cut away at the
barrier, and once in a while / could
hear deep oaths, as though they had
been rendered double savage by our re-
sistance.
Here, Bose, your pistol Quick!"
| whispered, and the heavy charge went
crashing through, followed by shrieks
and curses OF pain and rage.
Now, then, out with you'll l will
hold the place" | said, rushing back to
the window. "Come Bose, hurry, or all
will be lost"
The brave fellow now wished to insist
upon my going first; but he saw that
time was wasting, and he glided down
the rope, gradually disappearing in the
heavy shadows.
The fall of one of their number had
caused only a momentary lull, and |
heard them renew the assault with ten
fold fury.
l dared not fire again, for felt that
every bullet would be needed, when af-
falrs were more pressing.
1t seemed an age before felt the signal
from below that the rope was ready for
me; but it came, and let myself down,
pausing an instant, as my eyes gained
level with the sill, to take last look
into the room.
As did so, the door gave way, and the
blood-thirsty demons poured over the
threshold.
l knew that | had no time for deliber
ate movement. They would instantly
discover the mode of escape, and either
cut the rope or else fire down upon
me.
| had taken the precaution to draw
on my heavy riding-gloves, and my
hands, thus protected, did not suffer
as much as might have been expected.
With my eyes fixed upon the window,
L slid rapidly down, and struck the earth
with jar that wrenched every bone in
my body.
Quick as lightning I was seized by
Bose, and dragged some PAGES on one
side, and close against the face Of the
cliff.
Not second too soon, for down came
volley, tearing up the earth about the
foot OF the rope where, a moment before,
| had stood.
Thunder, they will escape! After
them, down the ropep' yelled voice. al
most lnarticulate with rage.
And L saw dark form swing out and
begin the descent.
Now, Mars Ralph" whispered Bose,
significantly, and, with a quick aim,
fired at the swaying figure.
Without sound the man released his
hold, and came down like a lumpof lead,
shot through the brain.
Another had started in hot haste, and
was more than halfway out of the win
dow, when suddenly the scene above
was brilliantly lit up by the glare of a
torch
Again the warning voice of the watch
tul black called my attention to the
figure now struggling desperately to re-
gain the room, and, as before, threw
up my pistol, and, covering the exposed
side. drew trigger.
With a convulsive effort the wretch.
sprlnglng far out into the empty void,
turned once over, and came down with
rushing sound upon the jagged rocks that
lay at the foot of the precipice.
A single look to see that the window
was clear-we knew there could be no
path leading down for long distance
either way, OF they would never have at
tempted the rope-and we plunged head
long into the dense forest that clothed |