Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1879-11-06

from the main building there rang out:
"Murderl murder! Oh, helpW
Like lightning it flashed across my
mind. There we're three horses out in
the open lott There was, then, another
traveller besides ourselves.
A heavy blow descended upon the
door, and voice roared:
"Quick! Burst the internal thing
open, and let me get him. The scoun-
drel has killed Dave!"
Let them have it, Bose," whispered,
rapidly reloading my pistol. "There,
second panel"
With steady hand the plucky fellow
leveled the huge weapon and pulled the
trigger.
A deafening report followed, and
again shill cry of mortal anguish told
them the shot had not been wasted.
"Sabe us! how it do kick!" exclaimed
Bose under his breath.
The blow had fallen like an unex-
pected thunderbolt upon the bandits,
and moment later we heard their re.
treating footsteps down the corridor.
"Dar'll be more of 'em heah fore
long, Mars Ralph" SAID Bose, with an
ominous shake Of the head 81 'spects
desc blongs to 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. | know that
such bands do exist in these mountains
Stunned for moment, | turned round
and stared hopelessly at Bose; but he,
al hat he, L.. l.
head for an instant.
Bound to Leah 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.
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. l heard him fussing
around the bed for some time, but never
looked to see what he was after until he
spoke.
"Now 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 rs we had heard before,
was given by the man on the watch, and
replied to by some one seemingly little
way of. 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.
=" Now, den, Mas'r Ralph, I'll go down
fust, and see if um strong enough to bar
w."
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 roora,
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 rs 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" |
whispered, and the heavy charge went
crashing through, followed by shrieks
and curses of pain and rage.
Now, then, out with you! | 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
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 | felt that
every bullet would be needed when
affairs were more pressing.
1t seemed an age before | felt the signal