The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1894-02-15
= oHyRIoAL 1898 BY CHARLES KING.

a''is 1oOOO' ~ ONr\II) N1NN.
"Once more. Ned Harvey, will you
come out and be saved or stay there
and roast? Surrender now and you re
all right; but, by the God of heaven,
if you refuse it's the last chance for you
or those you were fool enough to bring
here Think for your sisters. man.
There's no hope for one of you if you
delay another minute
And then it was wonan's voice,
tremulous but clear.
Med, WASN'T it to save us that Major
Plummer sent his men? Wasn't it for
our sake he gave up 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. l for one will not go into their
hands. Ruth cannot go without me.
Stay and fight it out, Ned, or you re
not your fathers son.
Fan! Fan! you're a trump! God
bless your brave hearth cried Harvey
1T seemed cowardly to go, yet the re-
sponsibility was more than l could
bear''
MAY the saints in heaven smile on
your purity face for all eternity!' NUT
tered Feeny in a rapture of delight.
''The young Teddy is right, Mr.. Har-
vey, though it wasn't for me to say it.
Shure you can't trust those scoundrels.
They'd stab ye in the back, sir, and rob
you of your pretty sisters and drag them
away before your dying eyes. That
man Pasqual is devil, sir, nothing
less. Shure We'll fight till rescue comes,
for come it will. tell you the boys
are spurring 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
never
"Go to h-ll, you son of an ape and
worse than a greaser!' yelled Feeny.
''If you had dhrop of Irish blood in
yer veins, ye'd never ask the ques-
ton. Now. if you think you can take
this mone., here's your chance. No
Harvey ever went back on his friends. :"
Even brain muddled Mullan felt
maudlin impulse to cheer at Feeny's
enthusiastic answer. Even poor old
Plummer gave half stifed cry. Pos
sibly he dreamed that rescue was at
hand, but there was little time for re-
joicing. Springing 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 spat, drove deep into the adobe
or whizzed through the gunnysacks
into the barley. The unseen foe was
once more investing them on every side
and not shot could be wasted in re-
turn.
Once more the furious crackle and
roar of the flames were heard close at
hand, and then the smoke grew thicker,
the heat increased, and poor Ned Har-
vey, his eyes smarting, knelt, steadfast,
at his post and prayed-prayed for the
coming of rescue, for the return of the
loved father. all the gallant troop at his
back-and then, even as though in an
swer to his prayer, there came sudden
lull in the fight.
Something s coming!" shouted Fee
ny excitedly. ''They see or hear some
body sure. Look, Mr.. Harvey, amt
that two of their fellows scudding away
westward out there?''
Surely enough. In the glare of the
burning sheds the besieged caught a
glimpse Of two of the gang bending low
in their saddles 100 yards away and
scudding like hounds over toward the
open plain.
lis it rescue? Are our people COM
ing?" was the query that rose to every
lip. "God grant it!''
Heavens, how hearts were beating!
How ears were straining underneath
that now blazing roof! Louder, fercer
roared the flames. Furious became the
swapping of sun baked branch and twig.
Sitting and thick the smoke.
"Quickl Come here for breath of
air." called Harvey to his sisters. Its
safe for moment at least" I" And in
stantly they Joined him at the doorway,
still clinging close to the floor.
Listen! Hoofs! The thunder of gal
loping steeds! A distant cheer! A SOL
dierly voice, in hoarse command:
STEADY, steady there! Keep togeth-
er, menr'
God be praised!" screamed Feeny
in ecstacy. "Look up, major, look up,
! cir Wo'ro oil cafo now uoro <,o,,,o
the boys. Hurroo!" And mad with
relief and delight the sergeant sprang
from his lair just as tall trooper in
the Union blue shot into sight in the
full glare of the flames, sprang from
his foaming steed, waving his hat and
yellins:
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