Mexico weekly ledger., 1889-09-19

/ know what hidden iark before us.
Therefore, rest on your arms and be ready
at q moments warning to follow me to the
death.f
Gay! that will vel" answered they all
; with one accord, as they FLASHED their
weapons together.
Then, suddenly, the leader drew himself
to his full height, and, looming gigantically
up in the darkness, put his hand pol one of
the pistols in his belt, nj in slow, measured
tones that implied but one answer to his
question, asked:
s.Shail Matteots share be one-thiri for
all his pains and risk as leadera"
An unbroken silence prevailed, which be-
tokened the unwiliingness 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 a pistol-barreI, 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 bel"
''Then, hold the lantern, Tito. Now, one,
two, three, four!" n he counted of twenty
steps, with the compass in hand, and stood
erect and still.
sGive Inc the iron bar, Tito"
High in air he raised it and brought il
down with such great force that it drove
down through the earth and reboundedfrom
the stone which lay beneath. Matteo's set
face relaxed for an instant into q 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 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 a 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
menu
At the first words an awful fear came
upon the murderers, and they shook as if it
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
a 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 fly" but not
to the shore: for, quick as a flash, they all
disappeared within the tower, whence con-
slant bursts of fame and sharp reports be-
gan speedily to issue.
Here was a turn in the tide of affairs
Twenty-Five armed men behind bullet-proof
walls ready to pick off at their convenience
five unprotected foes!
In an instant both Nebbitt and Fairfax
| ~ thasr Foot arn,l chat ,r1s,,rA-
hail of lead, and, each sighting o cannon,
pulled the strings.
Two broad, binding sheets of fame shot
out far into the darkness, lighting it far and
wide, and, with a roar like thunder, each iron
tube hurled out of its huge throat a 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, so quickly
they issued forth-twenty-two in number.
Only three killed by that hail of death or by
the falling debrisi
The power and discipline exercised over
his sailors by the man Matteo was almost
miraculous.
Totally ~unacquainted with the number
ChIt1 tlIhSb VI LhSA IA tASo
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 a steady fire with re-
volvers.
Twenty-Five splendidly-disciplined and
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. men, all desperate
villains, against five! But those five-there
was no time for loading the cannon again
lying fat, kept up a CALLING, deadly fire,
while the bullets of the Italians sped by
harmlessly, whistling over their heads like
30 many evil demons.
One by one they fell-twenty-one, twenty,
nineteenl Only eighteen now leftI
Fire low and don't lose your headi''
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 a man of iron nerve and