The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1879-11-08

| cat-llke ones-on the verandah outside
showing that robbers were on the aler,
at al points.
AT length Bose announced the Z" lad
der" ready. 1t was sgain lowered from
the window, and the end was held and
made fast to the bed we had dragged
over for the purpose.
Now, den, Mas'r Ralph, I'll go down
fust, and see if UNI strong enough to bar
us."
And he was half way out of the win
dow before | could speak.
No, Bose, you shall not" answered,
hrmIy, drawing him back into the rooa,
You must"
The words were lost in the din of a
furious and totally unexpected attack
upon the door.
The dull heavy strokes of the SIX were
lntermingled 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 rem
dered doubly savage by our resistance.
-" Here, Bose your pistol Quick"
whispered, and the heavy charge went
crashing through, followed by shrieks
1919 oASSS VI pain dAo IdSCs
Now, then, out with you! l will
hold the place." l said, rushing back to
the window. Come, Bose, hurry, or
all will be lost"
The brave fellow now wished to insist
on my going first; but he saw that time
was wasting and glided down the rope,
gradually disappearing in the heavy
shadows.
The fall of one of their number had
caused only momentary lull, and a
heard them renew the assault with ten
fold fury.
[ dare not fire again, for l felt that
every bullet would be needed when
affairs 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 gain a
level with the sill, to take last look
into the room.
As | did so the door gave way, and the
bloodthirsty demons poured over the
Threshold.
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,
| slid rapidly down, and struck the earth
with a jar that wrenched every bone in
my body.
n,1inH lio,hfnino~ n-oa eo11al -,
Bose, and dragged some PAGES on one
side. and close against the face of the
cliff.
Not second too soon, for down came
a volley, tearing up the earth about the
foot of the rope, where moment before
had stood.
"Ihunder, they will escaped After
them, down the rope!" yelled voice,
almost inarticulate with rage.
And | saw dark form swing out and
begin the descent.
"Now, Mars Ralph" whispered Bose,
significantly, and with quick aim /
fred at the swaying figure.
Without sound the man released his
hold, and came down like lump of lead,
shot through the brain.
1liOsuFi Add oldl bCu III LlDI udSkCJ anu
was more than half out of the window,
when suddenly the scene above was bril-
iantly lit up by the glare of torch.
Again the warning voice of the watch
full black called my attention to the fig
ure now struggling desperately to regain
the room, and, as before, | threw up my
pistol, and, covering the exposed side,
drew the trigger.
With a convulsive effort the wretch,
springing 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, or they would never have
attempted the rope, and We plunged
headlong into the dense forest that
clothed the mountain side.
We got clear, it is true, but with the
loss of our animals and baggage; for the
next day, when we returned with party
of regulators, we found the place heap
of smouldering ashes, and no living soul
to tell whittier the robbers had fed.