The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-06-07

broken only by the roll Of the swell on the
shore and the distant sound OF steam es-
Gaping from the Vampa's safcty-valve,
Matteo, translating the English into Italian,
read in harsh, hard voice that penetrated
far and near into the quiet night air.
"Ten miles 10 the southeast Of Tangiers stands
the ruined forer, FL BabG. Twenty STEPS due
norfhDard from It's eastern doorway 10 q stone,
tnrf-covered. This stone enctoses Tie mouth Of
an old nell, long since driei. Doom this soetl,
after my fathers death, Ali and I cast all his
sceaith-.jensl, Of untold raine. brass-boxnd
casks dnd boxes bursting ,riA gold and silvsr
coin, diamonds Of mafcatess spiendor, pearls far
outshining those Of Ind, thousand flashing
precious stones and uamelsed fngots-riches
enough for n. uaide,t dreams Of aearice.'
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 ap-
preached. but saw none, save that stranger
craft which we left behind us, steaming far
Gus to sea. But like not her looks. nor do
know what hidden dangers Turk before US.
Therefore, rest on your arms and be ready
DEATH
"Ay. that will we!' 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-
tokencd 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 fash Of q 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:
at shall be!''
'Then, hold the lantern, Tito. Now. one,
two, three, four!' and he counted OF twenty
steps, with the compass in hand, and stood
erect and still.
''Givc me the iron bar. Tito
High in air he raised it and brought II
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 trependous shout burst forth from the
excited Italians and went echoing and re-
echoing about the tower and fer 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, il you
do not turn and flee, you will all be dead
men,
At the first words an awful fear came
upon the murderers, and they shook as II il
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
q 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 fiy,' 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 of at their convenience
five unprotected foes!
In an instant both Nebbitt and Fairfax
sprang to their feet, amid that whizzinR
hail Of lead, and, each sighting cannon,
pulled the strings.
Two broad, binding sheets of flame shot
out far into the darkness. lighting il far and
wide, and, with roar like thunder, each iron
tube hurled out Of its 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, 50 quickly
they issued forth-twenty-two in number
Only three killed by that hail Of death or b.
the falling debris!
The power and discipline exercised ovel
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 instan,
death to the entire band, they Immediately
fell into line, and presenting an array two
ranks deep, on they came at full run, MATTED
leading and encouraging them, the front
rank keeping up steady fire with re
volvers.
Twenty-Five neutrality-suspicious. and
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. men, all desperate
villains, against Ave! But those fve-therl
was no time for loading the cannon again.
lying fiat, kept up 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- one, twenty,
nineteen. Only eighteen now left!
Sire low and don't lose your headl'
| yelled Nebbi!t, as he dropped" another
man.
| Four more fell. And now they were but
fourteen, but all men Of unusual physical
strength, led on by man Of iron nerve and