Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-02-23

FLINGING HIMSELF FULL AND STRAIGHT AT
MATfEO's THROAT.
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 a 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
groan, Matteo fell back, stone dedd
All this happened in far less time than it
takes to read about it, but not moment too
quickly. For when Nebbitt, 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 rife,
which he grasped by the muzzle as he would
q club, and was whirling about him with
such Hghtning-like rapidity that it looked
like the flying spolzes of a swiftly
assailants.
Dana and Arthur Fairfax, back to back,
the one swinging his rifle Justify and the
other welding keen sword in his unin-
jured right hand, were fighting desperately
with four of the Italians, while a 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 rifle, with which he
dealt the villain such a terrific blow on the
head that the seaman dropped to the earth
like 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
swing ing rife, but hung aloof, watching for
a 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 a pistol, which he
was Just about to fire at Oxford, when Neb-
bltt, with most awful, blood-curdhng yell
that pierced far into the night and must
have greatly terrified those who renamed
on the Vampa, bounded forward with a ire
mendous leap and brought down the rifle
butt squarely upon top of the mans head
with such resistless impetus that 1t crashed
through bone and brain and literally split
open his skull from top to bottom, driving
the vertebrae of his neck down into his body,
so that, completely collapsed, he was
crushed to the earth as if by the mighty
hammer of a pile-driver, while Nebbitt felt
the rapid bullet from his discharging pistol
burn his own cheek like hot iron.
h.,x-f 1.Nv,sN amor
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 Nebbltt,
he made hasty lunge forward and passed
the blade completely through the larger Eel
low: then, quick as flash, 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 and shot
him through the head.
The remaining four Italians, finding them
selves now outnumbered, turned and hed
towards their boats. Just as Fairfax was
crying out: "Let them go! Don't follow
them ~ one of the desperadoes unexpected
ly turned and fired his pistol. With sharp
cry, Dana dropped to the ground.
The eye of Fairfax flashed fire and he
dashed forward after the fleeing man, draw
ing his revolver. All at once he stopped,
muttering to himself:
"Why should Il. 1t is not in self-defense
Dana may not be dead.''
As it was, his brother was only stunned
But poor Roger had received a deep stab
from which it took him many long day to
recover. Fairfax himself escaped without
so much as scar. Nebbitt and Oxford dis
covered about their body several little
tslashes and abrasures of the skin-suspl- |
'ciously like knife-cuts and bullet-grazes-
showing narrow escapes from death.