Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1894-03-29

quickly, eagerly, raised her mead TO us
ten. For moment no reply WAS made.
Then came the impatient query: "Har-
vey, do you hear? You have no time
to lose. You have but minute in
which to answer"
Major" he burst forth at last in an
agony of doubt, you hear what they
say, you see how / am fixed. If | were
here alone, you would never need to ask
my services-I'd fight with you to the
bitter end-but think of my father, my
mother, if anything befall my sisters.
Can nothing be donc?"
From the lips of the stricken paymas-
ter there came only groan in reply.
81 fear he cannot hold out long, Mr..
Harvey" muttered the clerk. Il doubt
if he heard or understood you"
We'll, why not let them have the
safe if they'll guarantee that that is all
they want? How much have you there2
| feel sure my father would make it
good "
There's over S25, 600, Mr.. Harvey"
We'll, if it was only % cents Mr..
Ned Harvey, all I've got to say is devil
a wan Of them would they get so long
as | could load shot or pull a trigger.
Go YOU, if you will. Take the leddies
by all means if you think it safer, but
before I'd trust the wan sister | ever
had-God rest her soul--to the prom
Use of any such BLACKBOARD party rs
this. I'd bury my knife in her throat.
An awful stiffness followed Feeny's
words. For dn instant there was no
sound but quick beating hearts, the
mutterings and complainings of poor
Mullan. staggering about i'll search of
his carbine, the quickened breath and
/ low moaning of poor old Plummer.
Then again came the loud hail from
without:
"Once more. Ned Harvey will You
come ont and be saved or stay there
and roast? Surrender now and you're
wi right; but. by the God Of heaven,
if You refuse il 8 the last chance for you
or those You were fool enough to bring
here. Think for your sisters, man.
There no hope for one Of you if you
delay another minute. -
And then it was Il woInan's voice.
tremulous but clear.
Ned WASH t il to save us that Ma or
Plummer sent his men: Wasn't it for
our sake he gave mp all his escort"
1T was, Fan, yes-at least he thought
so.
And now YOU would desert him.
would YOU? Leave him to be murdered
by these robbers. the worst gang we
ever had or heard of: | say You shall
not. for one will not 20 into their
hands. Ruth cannot go without me.
Stay and fight il out. Ned, or you re
not your father, SON. ~
Fan. Fan. YOU re a trump. God
bless your brave heart cried Harvey.
1t seemed cowardly to 90, yet the re-
sponsibility was more than could
bear.
May the saints in heaven smile on
your purity face for all eternity" NUT
tered Fceny in Il rapture Of delight
The young Teddy is right, AIr. Har-
vey though it WASH for me to say it.
Shure YOU cant trust those scoundrels
They'd stab We in the back. sir. and rob
you of your pretty sisters and drag them
away before your dying eyes. That
man Pasouai j. a devil. sir, nothing
less. Shure we il fight till rescue comes.
for come it will / tell you the boys
are squirting toward us h-ll to split,
from every side now. and we'll whale
these scoundrels yet.
Then from without came the final
hail:
What answer Harvey: Now or
mover.
"Go to h--l, You SON of an ape and
worse than greaser," yelled Feeny.
IF you had dhrop of Irish blood i'll
yer veins, ye'd never ask the ques-
ton. Now. # you think you can take
this money, herc's your chance. No
Harvey ever went back on his friends.
Even brain muddlod Mullan felt a
maEdlin impulse to cheer at Fecny :;
enthusiastic answer. Even poor old
Plummer gave half stifcd cry. Pos
: sibly he dreamed that rescue was a;
hand. Int there was little time fer re-
jolcine. Swinging back whence he
came. the unseen emissary was heard
shouting some order to his fellows The
next instant the rifles began their crack
ing on both sides, and the bullets, with
, furious sTat. drove deep into the adobe
or whizzed through the gunnysacks
into the barley, The unseen Zoe va,
once more investing them ON every side
and not IA shot could be wasted in re-
turn
Once more the furious crackle and
roar of the flames We're heard close Al
hand. and then tho smoke grew thicker
the heat increased, and poor Ned Har
vcy. his eyes sinarting, knclt steadfast
, at his post and prayed prayed for the
, coming of rescue, for the return of thu
. loved father, all the gallant troop at hi
, back and then, even as though in an
swer to his prayer, there came suddel
r hull in the fight.
Something i coming" shouted Fee
, ny excitcGly. They see or hear some
} body sure. Look, Mr.. Harvey, ain
that two of their fellows scudding ava.
5 westward out there;'
Surely enough In the glare of tn
-l.A