Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-03-07

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the stone which lay beneath Matteos 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 Matteos mighty will could not
restrain this outbreak
In the midst Of the hubbub and confusion,
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, if YOU
do not turn and fee, you will all be dead
mem"
At the first words an awful fear came
upon the murderers, and they shook as il 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 rife, and Numbered out
a command 70 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,n but not
TO the shore; for, quick as flash, they all
disappeared within the tower, whence con
slant bursts Of fame 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 whizzing
hail Of lead, and, each sighting cannon,
pulled the strings.
Two broad, binding sheets Of fame shot
out far into the darkness, lighting 1t 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 crumbhng
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, so quickly
they issued orth-twenty-two in number
Only three killed by that hail of death or by
the falling debris
The power and discipline exercised over
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 instant
death to the entire band, they Immediately
fell into line, and presenting an array two
ranks deep, on they came at full run, Matteo
leading and encouraging them, the front
rank keeping up steady fire with re-
volvers.
Twenty-Five splendidly-disciplined and
marvelously- controlled men, all desperate
villains, against five! But those tive--there
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
50 many evil demons.
One by one they fell-twenty-one, twenty,
nineteenl Only eighteen now left
Fire low and don't lose Dur head ~
yelled Nebbitt, 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
muscle, himself equal to any five Of them
fourteen desperadoes, liable at any moment