Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1889-10-17


my fine fellow, just tell your master, or the
man who brides you to give misinfCCSt
ton, that he will presently receive "
itors.
Good" cried out Hank, as we bowled
merrily along. Il was afraid you would
fail to interpret that twinkle in the rascais
eyes"
: have read the same sort of literature
before, as you know" I replied; but il
De Marchmont has his spies planted in
this way six miles from his stronghold, il
behooves us to be SO much the more care
full"
But we met with not another soul upon
the road, which grew wilder and loneliei
with every rod of our progress.
AT last, as We were passing in deep cut
through densely wooded hills, the coach
came to a standstill, and Hank called out
in cautious voice, Il see some pigs and
chickens in the road just ahead"
The house must be near at hand, then, y
l replied, hastily alighting. I'VE must
find some place in which to conceal the
equipage, and then proceed cautiously on
foot"
Such place was found little further
on, deep open glade to the left of the
rood, into which We managed to drive for
some distance. Then, having secured the
horses, we returned to the road and kept
along it with increased caution. We were
accompanied by our driver an old New
York FOUNDER" Lannigan by name, of
whose stanch shoulder hitting qualifca-
tons my companion and had had signal
proof upon various tough occasions.
Pretty soon the road opened little and
we saw the house-the very old house that
Miss Dixon had described in her letter
standing a little to the left, and almost
buried away amid the wild, thickly wooded
hills. The half acre or SO of ground In
which it stood, however, was but little
sheltered, and it was comparatively easy
matter to surround the house, or at least
to SO dispose the members of our group
around it, as to insure against the sudden
escape of any one from it; and an instinc-
tive feeling apprised me that De March,
mont was in there at the time.
We might not only deliver Miss Dixon,
but capture the head and front of all Offend
ing at the same time. My fingers itched
to be at his throat; deep personal ele-
ment had entered into my desire to effect
his capture; when 1 thought of the bare
likelihood Of that lovely and innocent girl
being in that lonely use, and in the
power of that desperate, blood stained
wretch, it set my blood dancing from my
heart to my temples and to my fingers
ends in way that it Lad seldom danced
before.
There was not sign of life about the
house, but we approached it with increased
caution at every step. Before quitting the
concealment of the wayside trees we made
halt; then Hank struck through the
woods SO as to approach the house by the
back garden fence; Lannigan skirted the
forest In front, in order to get on the
further side; and, when / could see from
my position that they were both properly
posted, gave the signal for a combined
advance, and boldly stalked down the road
toward the front gate of the little garden.
The house itself was much as Miss
Dixon had described it, but with the addi-
tional feature of being surrounded by
very broad piazza, or covered porch, very
much the worse for time and weather.
We soon had intimations that our tao
tics were observed. We had Just got in
side of the garden, when three doors upon
three sides Of the house flew open as if by
magic. Hank found himself confronted
by an immense Siberian bloodhound,
which made directly at him, red-eyed and
open-mouthed, like bolt from bow-gun;
and, while big, hulking- looking coun-
tryman made toward me, brandishing a
club, took note of another, very much
like him. rushing for Lannigan, upon his
point of attack.
What are you going to do?" said I,
quietly bringing mig man to a stop by COW
ering him with my revolver. while q shot
from Hanks quarter appraised me at the
same time of the bloodhound being at
tended to.
or mash in your skull, was the amiable
IF mfr OF xu1o
little irresolute, but with his bludgeon still
threateningly raised.
Keep your distance, my kindly yokel, or
you will certainly wish that you had never
deserted your natural vocation of digging
turilips for warlike pursuits / replied,
suavely. lyon are evidently out of your
element, and"
A piercing scream from the house, ac-
cumpanied BY a shrill cry Of Take care,
Mr. Piercsrs he's going to shoot" inter-
tapted me.
\ looked up TO perceive Miss Dixon at
one Of ths windows, where she appeared to
be- Struggling desperately to foil the muir
dsrons Intentions Of De Marchmont him
seif, WAC was alEaing shotgun in my d.
fsstson.
A. sae very inssant that looked up.
EcwepsFs he kufied her 10 one side, and
sxe hex$ ynse&nS the Ducksh0t from the gun
whSsslsd IN seeh close proximity to my
kesA - 70 riddle my hat and send It flying.
There's another barrel for you vet,
ewxse yoatf shouted the villain, hoarse
viii fasy, sEsmember my warning in the
sxnken io4st~
But 1t this instant was altogether occu-
pied with my more immediate and loutish
antagonist. Who had not neglected to take
advantage Of the diversion in his favor and
spring in upon me. To this circumstance
I undoubtedly owed my immunity from
the second barrel Of tho shotgun with
which had been threatened from the
window.
managed to save myself from the sweep
Of the fellows bludgeon. but had my pistol
knocked out Of my hand, and the next
moment was locked in his grasp and
rolling over and over upon the ground
with him, which prevented De Marchmont
from firing again with any more certainty
Of hitting me than Of riddling his hench-
man.
Powerful as my antagonist was. I soon
found that he was no match for me in a
rough and tumble fight, and, after dis
abling him with telling blow under the
chin, tore the club from his grasp and
laid him senseless by heavy stroke with
that Ny blood being up, I might have
oivau him VET mora Int fhara wac a rathar