River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-04-05

! 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 wall wer' answered they all
with one accord, as they clashed their
weapons together.
Then, suddenly, the leader drew himself
10 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:
''Shal Matteo's share be one-third for
all his pains and risk as leaderl''
An unbroken silence prevailed, which be
/ tokened the unwillingness of the band TO
assent 10 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 fash of pistol-barrel, drawn from
his belt, shot through the gloom. Cowed to
I obedience by the tremendous power which
that fearless man welded over them, they
promptly responded as one man:
1T shall beP'
''Then, hold the lantern, Tito. Now, enc,
two, three, fourl' and he counted of 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 il
/ down with such great force that it drove
down through the earth and rebounded from
the stone which lay beneath. Matteo's set
face relaxed for an instant into smile and
his evil eyes glittered with avarice.
A tremendous shout burst forth from the
excited ltai5ans 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 a 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 ayenging 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 rife, and Numbered out
a command TO them in such terrible tones
that they were willed, perforce, 10 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 fiy,n but not
10 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 10 issue.
Here was a turn in the tide of affairs I
Twenty-Five armed men behind bullet-proof
walls ready TO pick of at their convenience
five unprotected foes!
In an instant both Nebbitt and Fairfax
sprang TO their feet, amid that whizzing
hail of lead, and, each sighting a cannon,
pulled the strings.
Two broad, binding sheets of flame shot
ont far into the darkness, lighting il far and
vide, and, with roar like thunder, each iron
tube hurled out of its huge throat a 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 10 quit the place.
As quickly as they had entered, so quickly
they issued forth twenty-five in number.
Only three killed by that hail of death or by
the falling debris!
The power and discipline exercised over
| his sailors bv the man Matteo was almost
miraculous.
Totally unacquainted with the number
and strength of their adversaries, in the
l 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
I vOlVers.
Twenty-Five OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES and
neutrality-suspicious. men, all desperate
/ villains, against five! But those five-there
was no time for loading the cannon again
/ lying fiat, kept up a CALLING, deadly fire,
while the bullets of the Italians sped by
/ harmlessly. whistling over their heads like
/ so many evil demons.
| One by one they fell-twenty-on twenty,
nineteenl 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 but
| fourteen, but all men of unusual physical
strength, led on by a man Of iron nerve and