Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1891-11-13

which he was leaning. Almost at the
same instant another shot rang out, and
this was followed by cry and crashing
sound in the bushes about fifty feet from
them.
! Donovan had Instantly taken aim and
| fired, with no other guide than that af
forded by the smoke caused by the first
shot. Then, as the dog darted eagerly for
ward, Donovan as eagerly followed, utter
| ly unmindful of the danger that might
! threaten him.
| Forward cried Evans. ave cannot
| let him go alone"
An instant later they had overtaken
! Donovan, and formed a circle around a
PROSTATE body, which showed no signs OF
life.
at is Pike" said Evans. 1.-THE scoundrel
is really dead. There is one less villain in
the world"
"The others cannot be very far off," re-
marked Donovan.
mo; don't let them see us. Down on
| your kneesl-on your kneesr'
A third bullet whistled through the air.
| This time from some point to the left OF
! them. Service had net obeyed his leaders
order very promptly, and the missile
grazed his forehead.
You are woundedp exclaimed Gordon,
running to him.
at is nothing, Gordon-nothing. Only
the merest scratch"
"Where is Brian2" cried Garnett, sud
denly.
| 81 don't see him anywhere" responded
Wilcox.
Brian had indeed disappeared; and as
Fans barking was becoming more and
more frantic, there was good reason to
| fear that the daring boy was engaged in
| hand-to-hand combat with one of the mu-
| tineers.
"Brianl Brian" shouted Donovan.
Then all, rather rashly, perhaps, started
in pursuit of Fan.
Take care, Evans, take care" cried
Cross suddenly, throwing himself fat on
! the ground.
| The mate instinctively ducked his head
! just as bullet passed a few inches above
| his head, and as he Strengthened himself
up he caught sight of one of WalstOn's
companions fleeing through the woods
1t was The man Rock who had escaped
him the evening before. Evans fired in
return, and Rock disappeared us suddenly
as il the ground had opened and swallowed
! him up
"Can it be that I've missed him again?"
cried Evans. THE devil 1t would be
really too bad"
All this happened in the space of a few
seconds and then the dog began barking
again, this time only short distance
away, and Donovan's voice was heard ex.
claiming
Hold him, Brian! Hold Tight"
Evans and the others ran with all their
might in the direction from which the
voice proceeded, and in another moment
| they beheld Brian engaged in a hand-to-
hand struggle with Cope.
The wretch had just thrown the lad to
the ground and was about to strike him
a savage blow with his cutlaSs. but DOno-
van rushed up just in time to avert the
blow and spring upon Cope; but before he
-Donovan-had had time to draw his pis
toll, it was he, not Brian, who received the
blow full in the breast, and he fell without
uttering n sound.
Cope, observing that Evans, Garnett,
and Webb were trying to cut off his re-
treat, fled toward the north. Several shots
ere fired at him simultaneously, but he
disappeared and Fan returned without
having been able to overtake him.
As soon as he could spring to his feet
Brian darted to Donovan, lifted his head
and tried to revive him. Evans and the
others joined him after they had hastily
reloaded their guns The struggle had
really begun ominously for Waston, as
| Pike had been killed and Cope and Rock
were probably no longer in fighting trim,
but Donovan, unfortunately, had been
wounded in the breast, and to all appear.
ance mortally, for he was lying absolutely
mOtionlesS with his eyes closed and his
face waX-lille in its palor. Evans bent
over him and after opening the boys vest
tore open his shirt, which WIS covered
with blood. A small triangular wound
was visible on his left side at about the
height of the fourth rib Had the point Of
the cutlass pierced the heart? No, for
Donovan still breathed, but there was rea'
son to fear that the lung had been injured
! for the wounded boys respiration was ex-
tremcly weak.
Let us take him to the French Cave
cried Gordon. 1--WE can do nothing for
him until we get him there"
I'VE must save him." exclaimed Brian.
"Ah, my poor friendl 1t was for my sake
that you imperiled your life"
Evans approved the suggestion, espec-
tally rs there seemed likely to be a cessa-
tion in the struggle. In fact it was more
than probable that WaIston, seeing how
disastrously matters were going for him
had decided to beat retreat through the
Trap Woods. Evans, however, certainly
felt some misgivinGs when he recolsected
that he had as yet seen nothing of Wal
stou, Brant or Brook.
Donovan's critical condition made it ne
cessary that he should be transported to
the cave with the utmost care, so Baxter
and Service hastily constructed a litter
out of some branches and laid the lad ten
derby upon it.. Four of his comrades then
raised it carefully while the others guard.
ed it on either side, revolver in hand. DC
casionally Donovan uttered such heart
rending moan that Gordon motioned the
bearers Of the litter to pause for an instant
after which they gloomily resumed their
march.
Three fourths of the distance was safely
traversed in this way, and a few hundred
yards more would bring them to the
French Cave, though the entrance to il
was still concealed from their view by -
-.