Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-02-10

ooOi0 q uiUic III my ana L won L De
rested 70 lie in jail until this sheriff can
prove something against me. Now don't
want you to get into trouble, but as YOU
are here you had better stay until the
things settled. You need not help either
side
During our conversation Mrs. King had
been Clearing the decks for action as
sailor would put it, She had brought half
| dozen rifles, shotgun and two Colts re-
volvers into the room. Boxes of cartridges
| already lay close at hand, and thick shut
tiers, evidently constructed for the purpose
were fastened on the windows NV re-
voiver still lay on the table King trans
ferred it to his pocket. If | am killed tell
yoar story, emitting any reference to our
former acquaintance, he said This will
confirm it, and so will Mary here. Won't
you, Mary?
A tear trickled down his wife's check.
Don't talk 80, Tom she said But of
course if anything should happen rll see
| that this friend of yours is not arrested
Her people live in Kansas; she is pro-
vided for all right if ] die said King, as
his wife left the room. Hello, here they
! arei
The sound of horses hoofs WAS dis
lsnctly audible. The house was protected
\ ~ NAiS ISii ny ii JOO
| climb. One of the windows, at which
King took his station, commanded the
road and all approaches The night was
| moonlight. The thud of hoofs came very
near and then ceased. watched the road
from loophole in one of the shutters.
Soon white flag appeared from behind
| the DiuH. 1t was followed by the man who
| carried 1t. Tie halted ut the gate for a mo-
meDt and hailed the house The dogs
| spranS savagely at him, bat seemingly
recognized an acquaintance, for when he
spoke to them the creatures licked his
! hand.
Its Ezra Thornton said King in a
low tone
Tom! hello, Tom" shouted the flag
bearer.
Answer him, Mary, said King. Mrs.
King opened the door.
Toms not at home. Mr. Thornton
she SAID. It's 80 late that | can't ask
you in
THE sheriff is here. Mrs. King; he
knows that Tom is at home. came along
so us to prevent trouble, if | could Now,
1t amt any good Toms fighting. The
sheriff's ridden from Pine lake on his trail
and he means to take him if he has to burn
down the house. Don't let him make trou-
bic, Mrs. King
Shut the door, Mary said King: a
half smile was on his face His wife sighed
It's no use, Mr. Thornton; you must
tell the sheriff that Toms not at home and
that can't open the house at this time of
night, she said. Thornton shook his head
sadly and retraced ms steps
Five minutes elapsed. They seemed an
age TO Inc, but King lighted cigar and
smoked it as placidly as if he were back in
New York, waiting to take his wife to the
theatre. Then dozen men appeared from
behind the bluff and started for the gate
King swung his Winchester to his shout
der, flung open the door and hailed them,
Go back or throw up your handsr
THE barrels of dozen rifles cleaned in
the moonlight as they were focused on the
door, but King had shut it almost as he
spoke
The sheriff and his men slowly retreat
ed. Neither side seemed DESTROYS of begin
ming an attempt at bloodshed AS they
reached the shadow of the bluff the posse
halted, and the sheriff stepped forward and
formally called upon King to surrender
King took no notice of the command
Then the sheriff said something to his fol-
lowers, and they started on a run for the
gate. King raised his rifle again, took
steady aim through the hole in the shutter
! Oh MS WINDOW and nred.
1.-The sheriff dropped. The others came
on. King fired again. Another man fell,
: clutching at the ground and swearing
horribly as he rolled over in agony. Then
his companions halted.
Drop? called King, and crouched be
low the level of the window. King and
his wife were both on their knees out of
danger. As / stopped there was a sharp
volley. Bullets struck the walls which
were impenetrable, and two holes in the
shutter of Kings window showed that the
marksmen had selected the right target
King had risen to his feet and fired three
times, wounding two more men. Another
: vOlley rang out. He was in the act of
pulling the trigger. Three balls peue-
trated the shutter and one wounded him
in the shoulder
Mrs. King turned pale, but she said
nothing and brought some warm water
from the kitchen, with which she stood
ready to battle his wound. He had no time
; to stop for that. The sherifr's men were
almost within such an angle of the door as
would render it impossible to aim at them
from the loopholes. Kings rifle cracked
again; it was answered by another voliey
' from outside, and he reeled back wounded
IN the neck and thigh. He tainted from
= the pain, and l, too, tainted from the nerv-
:, Gus strain, | suppose; l was only young
ster then, You know.
t w hen / regained consciousness the
4 sheriff was inside the house He had been
. only slightly wounded. After King fell
i his wife talked with the attacking party,
u ana admitted them on the sheriff's promise
e that her husbands life should be protect
i ed. 1t would have been madness to bar
them out, as they told her plainly that
y they would break IN at any cost, even il
V they risked her life.
n 1.-TWO of the men wounded by King were
e very badly hurt. A doctor had come III
e from Cow Gap with the sheriff, anticipat
t ing bloodshed, for King had often quietly
d but forcibly declared his intention of re
= sisting to the death any attempt that nigh,
r be made to arrest him. The doctor had
4 remained with Kings friend. Thornton
t behind the bluffs while the fight was in
d progress. He attended to all the wounded
s King was painfully but not mortally hurt
t One of the others, however, was in a very
il dangerous condition. The whole party