Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1883-07-05


sudden attack was clear enough now.
Van Cuyler had been professional
patriot and A warm admirer Of Grace;
and on bis rejection by her had gone
away vowing TO take q terrible ven
geance on the whole family.
"The traitorP muttered my uncle;
at is ne, then, that has brought down
this swarm Of hornets. What is ne
doing now."
"He has been trying the windows to
see if they are fastened. Now he Is at
the door,"
Mr.. Oakley went to Simon's window
ard demanded:
"Who is there?'
"Walter Van Cuyer."
"What do yoa waui?'
Good, rest and shelter. Brants men
are on my track. Let me in quickly"
The skarp crack of a rifle and the
words "liar and hypocrite" were his
answer. A fierce yell arose from behind
the hay stacks and outbuildipgs as 20
dark forms rushed forward branishing
their weapons and firing at random,
while as many more lowered on the
outskirts of the wood.
Within the house was perfect silence,
broken only by the low nov boys" of
Mr.. Oakley and the crack Of six OF th
best rifles in the country.
"Sx down! A man down for each
bullet. "Good!' exulting voice of my
uncle. "The powder, girls, and well
give them another"
a shower of bullets that rattles ike
hai--stones about the windows, cut
short his words. Mr., Oakley picked up
some that fell harmless on the floor, and
remarked: "The serpeHts are kinde
than anticipated. They are going to
keep US in bullets as well as exercise.
SO much the better for We have no ne
to spare. Now Boys"
Another fash and roar, and again
the voice of Mr.. Oakley:
Fire steady, boys, and take good
aim. Don't waste powder"
A dead silence ensued.
They're cowed, father. They are
sneaking off to cover" exclaimed Sim
on.
mot they; they are only trying some
new deviltry. John and Mathew,
round you to the back of the house. |
Grace my God where did that shot |
come from?' as with a sharp cry, Reu-
ben, the eldest, leaped three feet in the |
air, and fell forward on his face, stone |
dead.
Mrs. Oakley sprang forward, and |
threw herself on his body. Another
shot came crashing in the window, and
imbedded itself in the opposite wall.
"Alm at yonder tree" shouted Mr..
Oakley. 81 saw the gleam of rifle
stock among the leaves. Seel the oak
yonder."
A third shot whizzed so close past us
as to make us start back, and then our
rifles answered back and
down through the brush went dark
body striking with heavy "thud"
against the ground
"He is SILENT" exclaimed Mr.. Oak
ley, with CLEAN Of stern satisfaction
shooting across his face.
Here there was a silence of longer
duration than any which preceded it,
and we were at q Lose to know whether
they had drawn of and given up the
attack. This my uncle doubted for he
was accustomed to the tactics Of those
willy foes. At last he remarked:
where can they be hiding2 see
none Of the rest"
Father, father" called Grace in an
agonized tone.
Mr.. Oakley ran hastily into the back
room where she was. A stalwart man
in hunting frock so bronzed as to al
most make il doubtful if he was white
or red swung himself from an adioin-
ing tree on the balcony and was trying
to force himself through the little win
dow.
AS Mr.. Oakley rushed forward he
drew bis hunting knife that he wore in
his belt, but receiving the sharp edge
in his bare hands, the infuriated father
wIesed IL from his grasp by main
strength and plunged it to the bilt in
his breast.
A fierce yell and harmless yoley
from those in ambush, received this
new defeat and then anot err of those
omlnous pauses.
What can they be about ? "" uttered
Simeon who was again at the lookout.
They are pulling up hay and brush
wood. They surely do not dream Of
firing the house,
The door, the door, gasped Grace.
Right" exclaimed the father "The
girl has more wit than all of us. We
must harricade the hail.
"Never mind the shutters, said Mrs.
Oakley who had regained her marble
composure; I'VE will bar them" and
she began to draw the bolts.
Mr.. Oakley hesitated for the task
was one Of danger but there was no |
time and chairs, tables, and sofas were
piled up at short distance from the
door, and what was really 81 formidable /
barrlcade, guarded rs it was by the I'M |
erriug rifles. The smell of the burn |
ing wood and the smoke that filled the |
hall now grew almost intolerable. Mr.. |
Oakley placed us on the stair case and |
exhorted his sons TO stand close. and |
take good aim. a portion of the door
fell in. MIR. Oakley raised his rifle, and |
Walter Van Cluyer, who was the first
to spring in, staggered and fen back
with groan, the others swsrmed in
ike bees, but second and a third of
those dee dly yOlleys brought tnem to q
stand M n, ~, Javod oV,,,s, l. "