Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-08-08

! furnace once again, and the fire sool
| glowed and burned up TO the required
| pitch, the noise of the blast completely
covering the heavy breathing which came
from various hiding places, and a Low
moan or two which rose from right away
by the outer door.
Hah! that's better Hurrah! /
shall do it yet. How soon everything
had cooled down. But it is all right
now. -
He began to alter the application OF the
blast once more, and as he did so the
place began to darken again rapidly anti
he did not see that a dark stOOp-
ing figure began TO creep up be-
hind from one corner of the
great building, nor yet another
and another from different lurking
places, while, as they advanced slowly
and cautiously toward the busy expert
menter, the fast dJlling furnace east
strangely monstrous shadows of the ruff
fans on the wall, and elongated the
knobbed bludgeons they bore in a curl
ously weird way 49,
'Now!'' cried the experimenter; ex-
citedly, as he stood with the fre-GhaS
tube in his hand. Triumph or failures
Which?''
He thrust in the tube deep into the pot
of molten metal and turned on the blast.
Failure!" cried a hoarse voice.
''Now, lads, now!
cha! towards. houndsl'' roared Mar
tin as he saw his danger, and, snatching
up the iron bar which served as a stirTer
for the charcoal, he bounded on to the
furnace and stood at bay, just as from
the crucible there burst forth n wondrous
blaze of light, and tongues of vIvidly
colored flame and myriads of sparks, as
from some glorious pyrOtechnic display
came rushing out with a roar.
':Down VII him, Iads!' cried the
leader of the gang. ''There's no mis-
take this time!''
The men dashed at him; but 81 whirl
round of the iron bar sent one wretch
bleeding and disabled to the ground, and
the others stopped for moment.
It was wonderful group, for as the
strong blast of air made the liquid metal
bubble, the whole place was a blaze of
light, and the figures of the fierce COM
battants stood out in grand relief, Martin
high above the others, who surrounded
him, ready for spring.
'FWhen l say Now. lads, turn a to-
gether!'' growled the leading ruf1ian.
:'We nun to do it now, and there 5
plenty o. light to see. Why don't ye
CT for help, master?'
''You cowardIy rufIiansl keep back!'
cried Martin, as he lowered up behind
the blazing crucible, the sparks flying
over and around him. ''Keep back, or
I viii not answer for your Gves,
may, nor we for thine, WI your
cursed 'ventions! Ready, lads?"
"Ay!'' was growled savagely.
''A' together, then. Down VII him
as ID starve thy wives and BARNS! Onel
two! Now!''
fStop!'
There was piercing shrek, and
through the golden dazzling light a slight
figure was seen to dart-adroSs from the,
open door, spring right up on the back of
the furnace, and throw herself before
Martin Dene, whom she clasped With
one arm, as she faced his startled asS9iE
ants.
''Wretches. cowards!'' she cried
cts only the old man S BARN. lads.
Come on. We nun 60 it nOwl''
There was another quick, cat-lihe ad-
vance, and Martin struck at his foremost
assailant as well as he could, hanlpered
by the presence of Dinah Swift.
''Here, this way, here. - yelled
shrin voice just at that moment, when
bludgeon was about to fall on Martin s
defenceless head, and Dinah uttered
wild cry of horror.
But the help was there, for Gunneu
and Swift rushed III, with Dan'I closely
followed by Eben JOY and half q dozen
police, two of whom rushed to and Sc
Cured the farther door.
''You cowardly dogs!' roared the
manufacturer. ''Dinah, my girl, you
here!'
eyes, master, - snarled one of the
disappointed hounds. owe letched 'em
here together, and was going to bring
thy BARN home. s..
''That q a Iie!'' roared GunAal and
Swift, for your companion, EbAh Joy
here, came and blew up the whole con-
- you 70 did thai, EDsng .grqv,ied the
leader of the gang.
oman must take his chances when they
come, lad - said Eben coOlly. ''There 8
$500 reward, the gaffer' s going to give,
and BthQught i might as well have it for
nv wife ana BARNS. - ''Bahl' was
growled out by the gang, each of whom
hatknow,a policeman s hand upon his
stfd6l aaf n
) 9hank cd my boy, you aFessafe, -
cried Gunnell RpI Sc Efsslsss
f5a q h nd Bat Dfhah, my igirf,; 6hsiise
g5u'tp be here?''
''Would you have had me stay, father,
when I knew your friend was in such
peril?"
"No, - said Gunnen and Swift shortly
And then to himself, 90 a lucky dog; Il
thought as much. Is he much hurt ser7s
geant?"
The policeman was raising mp the man
whom Martin had struck down with the
bar.
"'He's got enough ,fqf mbuth in the
hospital, Z, said the Gan, letting the head
sink down. NseS0pe of you had better get
help and the stfetcher. -
Bring two while you're bout it,
lad, - said the leader of the gang cal
lousy. ''There's mother one down
Wonder. - = 4
Mr.. Swift andithe sergeant crossed to /
the corner neareTthe door, and carried
the dark figure lying there and pore it 20
the 1ight. 4
, .asyjsss5sfF Gray!'' cried the manufacturer
ssAa erina2 "Dene, is this youEa
s3se = camp in feeble voice.
s. 1fhese sacnn dIels. I came to help"
wen, sssersoa shouldn' I ha come q
growled the ss6tsesman of the. gal%
: We thowt it were ssfiRs- II wsfd Oh a
mistake -