Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-11-05

ominOus shake of the head. Ct 'spects
desc b'longs to a band, and if they comes
an we still heah, we gone coons for
shuar."
This view of the case was new to me
but felt the force of it. I know that
such bands do exist in these mountains.
Stunned for moment, I turned round
and stared hopelessly at Bose; but he,
brave fellow that he was, never lost his
head for an instant.
Bound to leab here, Mars Ralph"
he said, quite confidently. can dar
amt no way gwine 'cept tro dat win
dow" and he pointed to the one over
looking the cliff. r
merely shook my head, and turned
to watch again, hoping to get shot at
to rascal on guard.
Bose, left to his own devices, at once
went to work. / heard him fussing
around the bed for some time, but never
looked to see what he was after until he
spoke.
CHOW den for de 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 hempen rope with which it was
corded"
| In five minutes he had drawn the rope
through its many turnings, and then
| gathering the coil in his hands, he drew
up the sash and reappeared to take
soundings.
1t failed to touch the bottom; but
nowise disheartened, he seized the cotton
coverlet and spliced on. This succeeded,
and the cord was drawn up preparatory
to knotting it in place of cross-pieces.
In the meantime the silence without
had been broken once. A shrill keen
whistle, such as we had heard before,
was given by the man on the watch, and
replied to by some one seemingly little
way off. Then heard footsteps soft,
cat-like ones-on the verandah outside,
showing that 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 was held and
made fast to the bed we had dragged
over for the purpose.
CHOW, 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.
Ono, Bose, you shall not" answered,
firmly, drawing him back into the room,
"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 ak were
intermingled with the sharp quick clat-
ter of hatchets as they cut away at the
barrier, and once in while could hear
deep oaths as though they had been rem
dered doubly savage by our resistance.
"Here, Bose your pistol! Quick!" l
whispered, and the heavy charge went
crashing through, followed by shrieks
and curses of pain and rage.
"Now, then, out with you'll I will
hold the place." l said, rushing back to
the window. "Come, Bose, hurry, OF
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 q
heard them renew the assault with ten.
fold fury.
l dare not fire again, for 1 felt that
every bullet would be needed when
affairs were more pressing.
Itseemed an age before felt the signal
from below that the rope was ready fol
me; but it came, and ! let myself down
pausing an instant, as my eyes gain 8
level with the sill, to take last look
into the room.
AS did 80 the door gave way, and the
bloodthirsty demons poured over the
Threshold.
knew that bad 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 al
might have been expected.
With my eyes fixed upon the window
I slid rapidly down, and struck the earth
with jar that wrenched every bone in
my body.
Quick as lightning I was seized by
|
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 WI escape! 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 a quick aim
fired at the swaying figure.
| Without sound the man released his
hold, and came down like lump of lead
shot through the brain.
1 Another had started in hot haste, and
i was more than half out of the window
when suddenly the scene above was bril-
liantly lit up by the glare of torch.
| Again the warning voice of the watch
full black called my attention to the fig
ure now strupplinp desper8talv tn reuaiT