Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-03-19

Aswe pulled our swords out and the man
dropped, | had a brief view into the room,
! where now the blazing liquid ran of the table
in stream. Settle, stamping with agony
had his palms pressed against his scorched
eyelids. The fat landlord, IN trying to beat
! out the flames, had increased them by up
setting two bottles Of aqua vita, and wa:
dancing about with three fingers in his mouth.
/ The rest stood for the most peSt DUN
founded; but Black Dick had his pistol lifted.
Jacques and 1 sprang out for the landing
/ and round the doorway Between the flash
and the report felt sudden scrape, as OF
red hot wire, across my left thigh and just
/ above the knee
''Tenez. caInarGde." said JlvG:a~ yni-e Il
my ear; "a moi Ia porJe-a vous lie mature,
/ la-bas;" and he pointed down the staircase,
where by the glare Of the confagration that
beat past us, saw the figures Of Sir Deakin
and his daughter standing.
but how can you keep the door against
dozen"
The Frenchman shrugged his shoulders with
a smile
"Mais-comme cal"
For at this moment came a rush of foot
steps within. the room. saw a fat paunch
thrusting past us, a quiet pass of steel, and
the landlord was wallowing on his face across
the threshold. Jacques teeth snapped to-
gether as he stood ready for another victim;
and as the fellows within the room tumbled
back he motioned me to leave him.
l sprang from his side, and, catching the
rail of the staircase, reached the foot in a
couple of bounds.
Hurry" cried, and caught the old bar
onet by the hand. His daughter took the
other, and between us we hurried him across
the passage for the kitchen door.
Within, the chambermaid was on her knees
by the settle, her face and apron of the same
hue saw she was incapable of helping, and
FASTENED across the stone floor and out to-
wards the back entrance.
a stream Of icy wind blew in our faces as
we stepped over the threshold. The girl and
bent our heads to it, and, stumbling, trip
ping and painting, pulled Sir Deakin with us
out into the cold air.
The yard was no longer dark In the room
above some one had pushed the easement
open, letting in the wind: and by this twas
very evident the room was on fire Indeed,
the curtains had caught, and, rs we ran, a
penHon Of flame shot out over our heads,
licking the tEaUch In the clare of it the
outbuildings and the yard gate stood clearly
out from the night. | heard the tramplin3
of feet, the sound of Settles voice shouting
an order, and then a dismal yell and clash of
steel as we flung open the gate.
"Jacques!" screamed the old gentleman;
my poor Jacques! Those dogs will mangle
him with their cut and thrust
Twas very sigular and sad, but, as if in an
swer to Sir Dealins cry, we heard the brave
fellows voice; and famous shout it must
have been to reach US over the roaring Of the
flames.
'AIon matre-mOn maitre!n he called twice,
and then "Sauve toll" in fainter voice, yet
clear. And after that only a racket of shouts
and outcries reached us. Without doubt the
villains had overpowered and slain this brave
servant In spite of our peril for they would
be after us at once, twas all we could do to
drag the old man from the gate and up the
road, and as he went he wept like a child.
After about fifty yards we turned in at a
gate and began to cut across a field, for l
hoped thus not only to battle pursuit for a
while, but also to gain the wood that we saw
dimly ahead 1t reached to the top of the
hill and knew not how far beyond; and, as
| was rejecting that there lay our chance of
safety, heard the inn door below burst open
with loud cries and the sound of footsteps
running up the road after Us
Moreover, to complete our fix, the clouds
that had been scurrying across the moons
face now for minute left a clear interval of
sky about her; so that right in our course
there laya great patch brilliantly lit, whereon
our figures could be spied at once by any one
glancing into the field. Also, it grew evident
that Sir Deakin's late agility was but a short
and sudden triumph of will over body; for
his poor crooked legs began to trail and lag
sadly. So, turning sharp about, we struck
for the hedges shadow, and there pulled him
down in dry ditch and lay with hand on
his mouth to stife his CALCULATIONS, while we
ourselves held our breathing
The runners came up the road, pausing for
moment by the gate. heard it creak, and
saw two or three dark forms enter the field
the remainder tearing on up the road with a
great chatter of boots.
ALAS, my poor JacqGesl" moaned Sir
Deakin; land to be butchered so, that never
in his days killed a man buu as if he loved
himr'
Sir" whispered harshly, eff you keep
this noise l must gag you" And with that
he was silent for a while.
There was thick tangle of brambles in the
ditch where we lay; and to this we owe our
lives. For one of the men, coming our way,
passed within two yards of us, with the fat
of his sword beating the growth over our
heads.
"Reu-benl Reuben Gedgesl" called voice
by the gate.
The fellow turned; and, peeping between
the bramble twigs, saw the moonlight gilt
tering on his blade. a narrow, light haired
man he was, with weak chin; and since then
Ihave paid him out for the fright he gaveus.
"What's the COLI" he shouted back.
'The stable roofs ablaze-for the Lords
sake come and save the hossesl''
He strobe back, and in a minute the field
was clear. Creeping out with caution grew
aware of two mournful facts: first, that the
stable was indeed afire, as l perceived by
standing ON tiptoe and looking over the
hedge; and, second, that my knee was hurt
by Black Dicks bullet The muscles had
stiffened while we were crouching, and now
panied me badly. Yet kept it to myself as
we started off again to run.
But at the stile that, at the top of the field,
led into the woods pulled up.
Sorry / am to say it, but you must go on
without men
"O-Ohln cried the girl.
"fTis for your safety. See, leave a trail
of blood behind me, so that when day rises
they will track US easily"
And, sure enough, even by the moon, twas
easy to trace the dark spots on the grass aud
earth beside the stile Ny left boot, too, was
/ full Of blood.
She was silent for a while. Down in the
valley We could hear the screams of the poor
horses. The light of the flames lit up the pine
! trunks about us to a bright scarlet