The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-06-14

YLINGISG HIMSELF FULL AND STRAIGHT AT
MATrEOs THROAT
now one above, now the other But his enor-
nous physical strength and will threw the
odds fearfully on the side of Matteo; for
when he fell he had dropped his knife, and
was now gripping the American in his long,
powerful arms, whose muscles Of iron slow
IL and relentlessly closed about the chest
Of his adversary, until it seemed to Nebbitt
as if his ribs were crunching and cracking
and his very life being crushed out in that
awful hug Of death. Fortunately, his arms
were outside. Putting both hands against
the chin of the Italian, he suddenly and
sharply jerked the mans head upward and
backward. Taken at unawares, Matteo, to
save his neck from being broken, relaxed
his grip for moment.
Quick as flash of lightning his an
tagonist. who was beneath, rolled the giant
over, leaped to his feet. and, grasping the
knife lying close by, plunged it into the
heart OF Haydee's murderer, who was
struggling to his feet, but SO awful was the
force Of the blow that the blade drove clear
through the mans lungs and passed out be-
tween his shoulders, and, without SO much as
Q groan, Matteo fell back, stone dead,
All this happened in far less time than it
takes to read about it, but not moment too
quickly. For when Nebbtt breathless and
aching from the crushing grip of his foe,
but quite '.game" yet, was enabled to turn
his attention to the others, he saw Oxford
engaged in deadly contest with three men
whom he was holding at bay with his rifle.
which he grasped by the muzzle as he would
club. and was whirlng about him with
such lightning-like rapidity that it looked
like the flying spokes of a swiftly-revolving
IL .~l IL Al l.
assailants.
Dana and Arthur Fairfax, back to back,
the one swinging his rifle Justify and the
other welding a keen sword in his unin-
jured right hand, were fighting desperately
with four of the Italians, while huge
ruffian was decidedly worsting poor Roger,
who was bravely trying to defend himself.
Ere Nebbitt could reach him, Roger
groaned deeply, and, suddenly relaxing his
hold on the other, fell backward as If dead.
The Italian raised his knife to strike the
PROSTATE man, but Nebbitt had already
picked up the Wallets rife. with which he
dealt the villain such terrific blow on the
head that the seaman dropped to the earth
like a log.
The victor then sprang to the side Of Ok
ford, splendidly holding his own against
those three swarthy opponents who did not
dare come within range Of that lightning
swinging rifle, but hung aloof watching for
q chance to spring upon the Englishman.
None too soon was this timely aid for. de-
spairing Of firing their adversary, one of
the men stepped backward and, STOPPING
quickly down, picked up pistol, which he
was just about to fire at Oxford, when Neb-
bItt, with most awful, blood -curdling yell
that pierced far into the night and must
have greatly terrified those who remained
On the Vampa, bounded forward with ire
mendous leap and brought down the rife
butt squarely upon top of the mans head
with such resistless impetus that it crashed
through bone and brain and literally split
open his skull from top to bottom, driving
the vertebrR of his neck down into his body,
so that, completely collapsed, he was
crushed to the earth as if by the mighty
hammer Of pile-driver, while Sebbitt felt
the rapid bullet from his discharging pistol
burn his own check like a hot iron.
Although he could have done SO more than
once, Arthur Fairfax refrained from trans
fixing either OF his two men, as he would,
then, lose his sword and thus be weaponless
against the other. However, nerved to des-
peration by that frightful yell of Nebbitt,
he made hasty lunge forward and passed
the blade completely through the larger fell
low; then, quick as fash. struck outward
with his left foot, suddenly tripping up the
other, who fell sprawling TO the ground.
Before the man could spring TO his feet,
Fairfax whipped out his revolver aud shot
him through the head.
The remaining four Italians, finding them
selves now outnumbered, turned and fed
towards their boats. Just as Fairfax was
crying out: "Let them go! Don't follow
themr' one Of the desperadoes unexpected