The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-07-31

cat-like ones-on the veranda outside,
showing that the robbers were on the
alert at all.points.
At length Bose announced the lad
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.
Now, den, Mas'r Ralph, go down
fust and see if 'um strong enough to
bar u.s."
And he was half way out of the win
dow before l could speak.
"No, Bose you shall not" answered,
firmly, drawing him back into the
room. You must"
The words were lost in the din of
furious and totally unexpected attack
upon the door.
The dull heavy strokes of the axe were
intermingled with the sharp quick clat-
ter of the hatchets as they cut away at
the barrier, and once in a while could
| hear deep oaths, as though they had been
rendered doubly savage by our resis-
tance.
"Here, Bose, your pistol! Quick" l
whispered, and the heavy charge went
crashing through, followed by shrieks
and curses ofpain and rage.
Now, then, out with you! I will
hold the place." said, rushing back to
the window. Come, Bose, hurry, or all
will be lost"
The fellow now wished to insist ON
my going first; but he saw that time was
wasting and glided down the rope, grad
ually disappearing in the heavy shadows.
The fall of one of their number had
caused only momentary lull, and |
heard them renew the assault with ten
fold fury.
dared not fire again, for I felt that
every bullet would be needed when af-
fairs were more pressing.
1t seemed an age before l felt the sig
nal from below that the rope was ready
for me; but it came, and | let myself
down, pausing an instant, as my eyes
gained 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 delib-
crate movement. They would instantly
discover the mode of escape, and either
cut the rope OF else fire down on me.
l 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 win
dow, l slid rapidly down, and struck
the earth with a jar that wrenched every
bone in my body.
Quick as lightning l was seized by
Bose, dragged some PAGES on one side,
and close against the face of the cliff
Not Il second too soon, for down came
volley, tearing up the earth about the
foot of the rope, where, a moment be-
fore, | had stood.
"Thunder, they will escape! After
them, down the rope!" yelled a voice al
most inarticulate with rage.
And l saw dark form swing out and
begin the descent.
Now, Mars Ralph" whispered Bose,
Significantly, and with a quick aim l
tired at the swaying figure.
Without a sound the man released his
hold, and came down like a lump of
lead, shot through the brain.
Another had started in hot haste, and
was more than half way 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 the trigger.
With convulsive effort the wretch
springing far out into the empty void,
turned once over, and came down with
a 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 a
party of regulators, we found the place a
heap of smoldering ashes, and no living
soul to tell whittier the robbers had
fled.