The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-07-09

q gorge which they uau iOtu'NNpdse lh
circle and This helped us.
our car seemed 90 leap as we rounded
two or three curves but az last wc were
I'm view OF the little station, and th'
sayagcs Stacked their speed. When va
halted az the platform we found Nell'
and Kate with rifles in their hands anC
the whole town armed ana DarrIcI1ed M
their houses Hiue had gone out in IN,
opposite direction with the blacksmith tC
look up the section men, who had beer
absent three hours beyond time, leaving
Nellie al the wires till my return. Smith
threw the old reliable levers mp, and
we drew the car from the track and hur
ried the girls into the depot, when we
proceeded to close and bar the doors
do YOU think they viii venture to at
tack the tOwn2' / asked Of Smith, who
paused to brush the Precipitation from his
brow and renew his force with "chaw'
of fne-cut tobacco.
IF they git force enough They probly
hey another party comm up from the
west. m I'm afeared Pap Hines has run
straight inter 'Cm. l say, Curt, eythel
YOU or Miss Nellie OrtO telegraph to Daw-
SON fur help, if you've still got conncc-
lions"
1t was a wise thought, and Immediate
lv acted upon it. While | was sending
the message Smith took observations from
the highest portfolio.
1T beats all natur," said he, philosOph-
ically, chow many mean things lniuus kin
think of They've got some iron bars an
tools from the storehouse, am are Dustin
open the grocery door Next thingll be
whisky bv the bar'l, m follerin' that,
hell m destruction -beggin' your par
ding, Miss Nellie! ] wish ! could pick off
that old buffers head dress with a shot
from my rifle! Guess I'll try it!' and he
took a deliberate aim at the leader.
Don't begin the shooting!o cried Kate
let them open fire.
Her warning came too late. There was
a sharp report, followed by wild yell Of
fury aud the tall feathers on the illus
trious savage were scattered and de
strOycd. Then vOllcy was discharged
at our fortress, and the air resouuded
with fierce whoops and cultural eXclama-
tiOns.
The grocery door had yielded to their
assault, and. as Smith had Drophesied,
they proceeded to fill themselves with
whisky.
Stray shots were fired in all directions,
and soon we began to hear the cracking
of flames and the cries of the inmates of
some of the adjacent houses My blood
began to leap and drive through my veins
like a current Of electricity as ] realized
that our turn was coming next. And
Smith with a look of determination,
picked his men and fired at them with ac-
curate precision.
They are throwing kerosene on the
window shutters. = said Kate as she
looked out through the portfolio where
she had stationed herself. 1--WE shall
soon be roasted alive.N
eve shall die at our post said falter-
ingly, and the telegraph instrument
.s1f 4 II
had no meaning to my ears. | looked at
Nellie. A calm courageous look had
settled down on her face that even the
cracking and kissing of the flames out
side could not disturb.
INTO THE CYCLONE CELLAR.
'N1r. Smith," she said thoughtfully,
''don't waste any more time or ammuni-
ton on those wretches. Let's 20 down
into the cellar as quickly as possible"
And be crushed by the falling timbers
and burned underground" l cried.
mo" she replied, II think we can all
escape. Did you never observe the
mound or cave that is located out near
the water tank}"
"The cyclone dugout :" exclaimed Smith,
swinging himself out of his corner.
How kin that blamed hole help us
now"
There is a low, narrow passage leading
from or cellar to that place of refuge The
former agent dug it and showed it TO
papa. l believe we can find the entrance
and get through, though l have never
seen it."
Come on" Cried Kate, as q cloud of
smoke came putting into the room and
little tongues of fame crept about the
front windows. We passed into the back
room and down through trap door that
concealed the cellar stairs Nelly carry
ing lamp and matches. When the heavy
door fell we We're in damp, square,
underground room without ventilation,
but Nellie soon changed its darkness
to light, and we began the search for
the opening in the wall in the direction
of the dugOut 1t appeared perfectly SOL
id. Smith raped upon it and pried with
a cOal-shOvel in the CrcviCeS of the "hard-
head" masonry but with no success.
1--WE can't find it'll" groaned Kate, and a
mOmentary silence Of despair fell on us
all. Above and outside the flames rOared,
rifles cracked, and demons howled.
Smoke leaked through the cracks of the
floor over our heads, and we felt its
smarting touch in our dry throats
Let me try, Mr.. Smith," said Nellie
in husky voice She took the shovel
and walked the length OF the wall, trying
y
very corner she moved a rock, and, push
ing hard, it swung slowly back, leaving a
small opening, Into that untried passage
we crept, Smith leading and l bringing
up at the rear. Nellie carried the lamp
with care, but the air was so close that
it burned dimly, and after time was ex-
tinguished, leaving Us in total darkness.
In that creeping journey time and dis
tance were prolonged beyond all estimate
to the four travellers who followed the un-
known route. When Hank Smith finally
haulted before another wall it seemed as
if we had been crawling in the darkness
for hours, but he made quick work Of
finding door, and we emerged from our
tunnel in safety.
The cyclone cellar was lighter and
moderately ventilated, though its sky
lights We're thickly covered with creep
ing vines and leaves that had not been
disturbed for year, That fact insured
our concealment and present safety and
we sat down on some rude benches and
listened to the Indian pow-wow that was
going on few yards away.
1t was kept up for three hours and the
poor girls bravely comtorted themselves
with hopes for their fathers safety and
congratulations on their own till the sum
mex sun had gone down in the west and
the Northern Pacific express shricked its
way into Steel, with a band of armed
men from Dawson coming to the aid of
the station too late TO save il.
The story of the destruction of that
small settlement looked cold enough in
print when il appeared in eastern papers.
but it was branded in my memory in
burning letters when we saw the ashes
of those ruined houses that We're. alas q.