Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-02-16

northward from cts eastern dooscay Is a stoss,
tarJ covered. This stone encloses The month Of
G7i old tcell long since dried. Do,cn this sceR.
after mig .fatter's death, Ak and cast all his
anealth-je,cels of untold Ualue, brass-bound
casks and boxes bursting aciih gold aud silyer
coin, diamonds Of nsdtchtess speasdor, pearls FAR
outshining those of Ind, a thousand flashing
precious stones aud unmelted ingots-riches
enough for the maddsst dreams of avarics'
A wild cheer broke forth at the conclusion
of his words But it was hushed into i'm
mediate silence by the sharply uttered COM
mand and threatening gesture of the
Italian.
Snow, mates, scanned the shore with
keenest eye for signs of he when we APP
preached, but saw none, save that stranger
craft which we left behind US, steaming far
out to sea. But like not her looks, nor do
1 know what hidden dangers Turk before US.
Therefore, rest on your arms and be ready
at moments warning to follow me to the
death"
"Ayl that will wep' answered they all
with one accord, as they clashed their
weapons together.
Then, suddenly, the leader drew himself
to his full height, and, looming gigantically
up in the darkness, put his hand upon one of
the pistols in his belt, and in slow, measured
tones that implied but one answer to his
question, asked:
"Shall Matteo's share be one-third for
all his pains and risk as leadera''
An unbroken silence prevailed, which be-
tokened the unwillingness of the band to
assent to any such unequal division.
Once again, sharp and clear, piercing the
calm air like the hard cold ring of steel,
rang out the resistless question, while the
sudden flash of pistol-barrel, drawn from
his belt, shot through the gloom. Cowed to
49,
that fearless man welded over them, they
promptly responded as one man:
sit shall ber'
s'Then, hold the lantern, Tito. Now, one,
two, three, four!' and he counted off twenty
steps, with the compass in hand, and stood
erect and still.
''Give me the iron bar, Tito"
High in air he raised it and brought it
down with such great force that it drove
down through the earth and rebounded from
the stone which lay beneath. Matteos set
face relaxed for an instant into smile and
his evil eyes glittered with avarice.
A tremendous shout burst forth from the
excited Italians and went echoing and re-
echoing about the tower and far along the
shore Even Matteo's mighty will could not
restrain this outbreak.
In the midst of the hubbub and confusion,
a calm, yet clearly-penetrating voice, speak
ing in the purest Italian, fell through the
gloom like keen knife.
'You are directly in the range of our can
non and rifles. In just ten seconds, if you
do not turn and flee, you will all be dead
menu
At the first words an awful fear came
upon the murderers, and they shook as if it
had been the voice of the avenging angel
calling down from the clouds to them. But
Matteo, who never yet lost his presence of
mind nor knew fear, dropped the iron bar,
picked up his fallen rifle, and Numbered out
command to them in such terrible tones
that they were willed, perforce, to obedi-
ence. A sharp rattle of musketry re-
sounded through the air and twenty-five
singing bullets few high over the heads of
the five men concealed in the bushes, and
then the Italians did ''turn and fly" but not
to the shore; for, quick as a flash, they all
disappeared within the tower, whence con-
slant bursts of flame and sharp reports be-
gan speedily to issue.
Here was turn in the tide of affairs
Twenty-Five armed men behind bullet-proof
walls ready to pick off at their convenience
five unprotected foesl
In an instant both Nebbitt and Fairfax
sprang to their feet, amid that whizzing
hail of lead and, each sighting cannon,
pulled the strings.
Two broad, binding sheets of fame shot
out far into the darkness, lighting it far and
wide, and, with a roar like thunder, each iron
tube hurled out of it's huge throat mass of
shot and grapnel that went screeching and
tearing and plunging through the dilapi-
dated arches and windows of the crumbling
tower bringing down stone and mortar
rafting about the ears of the inmates.
Matteo called to them to quit the place.
AS quickly as they had entered, so quickly
they issued rth-twenty-two in number.
Only three killed by that hail of death or by
the falling debris :.
The power and discipline exercised over
his sailors by the man Matteo was almost
miraculous.
Totally unacquainted with the number
and strength of their adversaries, in the
face of what might be certain and instant
death to the entire band, they Immediately
fell into line, and presenting an array two
ranks deep, on they came at full run, Matteo
leading and encouraging them, the front
rank keeping up steady fire with re-
volverS.
Twenty-Five OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES and
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. men, ali desperate
villains, against five! But those five-there
was no time for loading the cannon again
lying flat, kept up CALLING, deadly fire,
while the bullets of the Italians sped by
harmlesslys whistling over their heads like
so many evil demons.
One by one they feIl-twenty-one, twenty,
nineteen! Only eighteen now left!
Fire low and don't lose your head!'
yelled Nebbitt, as he dropped" another
man.
Four more fell. And now they were hut
fourteen, but all men of unusual physical
siren 9th led on nv n man of iron nerve and