Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-06-25
hole band rushed ON the Casa degN

Whole band rushed on the Casa degN
In lesi The door was riddled with
bu cts, and two sailors were slightly
hui i, and had to stand aside while the
struggle grew hrisker. With their
pixies and matches the ASSISTANTS
att, mpted to break through the door
and one of the windows, and scrtie
had 10 be undertaken to repel them
under nm incessant fusilade from all
sides Luigi had his hand pierced by
bullet, and Pierre, without the assist
ancc Of Cape Matifou, would have been
killed by pike thrust, had not Hercules
seized the pike and settled its possessor
at one blow.
During this sortie Cape Matlfou was
quite terror. Twenty times was he
shot at and not bullet reached him.
If Zirone won, Point Pescade was
dead man, and the thought of this
redoubled his rage. Against such resist
ance the ASSISTANTS had again to retreat
and the Doctor and his friends returned
into the Casa and reviewed their posi-
ton.
what ammunition have you left ?"
asked he.
Ten or dozen cartridges per man"
said Luigi.
And what O'Clock is it ?"
A." Hardly midnight"
-Four hours still TO daybreak ! The
men must be more careful with the
ammuni ton, for some of it would be
wanted to protect the retreat at the
earliest streak of dawn.
But how could they defend the ar-
proaches, or prevent the capture of the
Casa degli Inglesi if Zirone and his
band again tried an assault? And that
is what he did in quarter of an hours
time, after taking all the wounded to
the rear under shelter of line of lava
that did duty for an entrenchment. when
the bandits enraged at the resistance,
and drunk with fury at the sight of five
or six Of theirinj ured comrades, mounted
the ridge and appeared on the edge of
the plateau
Not shot was fired as they crossed
the open. and hence Zirone concluded
that the besieged were running short of
ammunition. The idea of carrying off Il
millionaire was lIst the thing to excite
the cupidity of the scoundrels that fol-
lowed him. Such was their fury during
tins attack that they forced the door
and the window, and would have taken
the house by assault had not volley
point blank killed five or six of them.
They had therefore 10 return to the foot
of the plateau, not without wounding
two of the sailors, who could take no
further part in the fray.
-Four or five rounds were all that
remained to the defenders of the Casa
degli Inglesi. Under these circum-
stances retreat even during daylight,
had almost become impossible They
felt that they were lost if help did not
come. But where could help come
from? Unfortunately they could not
expect that Zirone and his companions
would give mp their enterprise while
they were still nearly forty in number,
unhurt, and well armed.
They knew that the besieged would
soon be unable TO reply to their fire,
and they returned to the charge. Sud-
denly, enormous blocks like the rocks
OF an avalanche came rolling down the
slope, and crushed three between them
before they had time to step aside.
Cape Matifou had started the rocks
in order to hurl them over the crest of
the Piano del Lago. But this means of
defence was not enough the heap of
rocks would soon be used, and the
besiegcd would have to surrender, or
seek help from outside
TO BE CONTINUED.