Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-03-15
CHAPTER xxxIIL
A FIGHT FOR LIFE

"It's the VampaF cried they together.
CHAPTER XXxHL
FIGHT FOR LIFE
It was, indeed, the Vampa- Clumsily and
slowly that huge, black, unwieldy craft
forged ahead, cleaving her way through the
CLASSY waters, and, when darkness fell,
came to anchor about a quarter of a mile
from land.
There was no moon; but the stars gave q
feeble glimmer, enough to enable one
family to distinguish objects at moderate
distance.
By and by lights were seen flashing over
the water and the dip of hasty oars grew
louder. Then came the sound as of boats
keel grating over the pebbles, and soon, in
the darkness, a black mass, moving as one
man, came tramping solidly up the slope
with measured step toward the tower which
doomed up high and clear against the starlt
dome of heaven.
Fairfax began counting the men as they
approached nearer.
Twenty, twenty-one, twenty-five. tsOelfy-
three, TwENTY-FoUR, TWENTY-FTVE:
''Great heavensl And all powerful fell
lows, armed to the teeth, too. Boys, this is
fight for life, and the .Namovna's' crew
thirty miles away Will you risk itl''
"What / begin that I finishl'' quoth
Nebbitt, grimly.
AS no other man said anything they all
lay quiet, watching the turn OF events.
Up it marched, that solid phalanx Of des-
perate men; shoulder to shoulder, four
ranks deep; six men in line; their case
knives and guns and pistols cleaning and
glittering in the starlight; silent and grim
and led on by a man Of gigantic stature,
who strobe i'm oeriolsly before them.
THAT'S Matteor' whispered Fairfax as
he glanced mournfully at his own broken
arm and then at the tremendous frame Of
the man.
at word from their leader, the men,
with one accord, paused and stood motion
less, like statues in the night. Stepping
out before them, he remained silent a mo-
ment. Every voice was hushed, save that
of the breeze murmuring through the tow
er and the wave tapping the strand.
Then he began. Nebbitt, Oxford and Fair
fax, with their excellent knowledge Of
Italian, were easily enabled to follow him.
MATES, We know how would have won
the Greek woman; but the poor, silly fool
escaped me. Ye know how we slew our
stubborn captain and his shadow, Luigi, and
that swart Nubian fiend, too, whose knife
bit so viciously into my scarce healed side
Ye know how we have all risked our lives
like brave men. But, like brave men, now
have we come to our reward! The Vampa
is ours and so are the broad seas and all
that sails them. For, with the riches of that
Greek dog, we can make our ship fortress
impregnable.
'Win you follow me and live the life
speak of.''
1--WE wilIr" came back the deep-toned
answer.
''Then will / read the writing
Amidst the most breathless silence,
broken only by the roll of the swell on the
shore and the distant sound of steam es-
Gaping from the Vampa's safety-valve,
MoffnO fran inc IA En- rIiah into italian
read in harsh, hard voice that penetrated
far and near into the quiet night air.
"Ien miles TO the southeast Of Tangiers stands
the ruined to,oer, FL BabG. Tirenty steps due
nOrthUGrd from its eastern doorway Is q sto1e
turf covered. This stone eacLoses the mouth ef
old rsIl, long since dried. DoOr this ssca,
after my fathers death, Ali and cast al his
scealh-jeVels Of untold value, brass-6ound
casks and bores bursting iri.h gold and sitver
coin, diamonds Of nldtchtess spe1adOr, pearls for
Outshinin3 those Of Ind, mousGnd flashing
precious stones and unmelted fngotS-riches
enough for the hardest dreams Of audriee.''
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.
''Now, mates, I scanned the shore with
keenest eye for signs of life when we APP
preached, but saw none, save that stranger
craft which we left behind US, steaming far
out to sea. Butt like not her looks, nor do
know what hidden dangers Turk before US.
Therefore, rest on your arms and be ready
at moments warning to follow me to the
death"
"Ayi 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 leader!''
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
obedience by the tremendous power which
that fearless man welded over them, they
promptly responded as one man:
st shall ber'
''Then, hold tho lantern, Tito. Now, one,
| two, three, fourr' 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 it
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 a 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 viii 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.
lyon are directly in the range of our can