The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-03-21


in the house?" I asked.
None: their rooms are all outside. at
the end of the covered way"
$50 much the better Now Miss In
gram is with her mother. l suppose"
Yes. i'm my wifes bed room"
Good. The ladies can remain there.
Do you go and see that the window is
shut and barred: and tell Mrs. Ingram
and Miss Mary to go TO bed and not
trouble themselves at all
Mr.. Ingram went off. and I rapidly
arranged a plan Of action with Foster.
You will station yourself by the open
window i'm the spare ROOM" ! told him,
and | will watch on the veranada out
side. When Flower comes, let him get
fairly into the room, and don't touch
him. [ will follow hard on his heels,
and we will go for him together"
But why don't you wait in the room
as well?" asked the squire. who had
Joined us again.
Because if he takes alarm and tries
TO bolt without getting in al all. shall
be there to intercept him"
We left the room. and crossing the
passage. passed through Miss Ingram 5
room, and entered the spare room,
where we found the lower sash of the
window removed and set against the
wall The window-ledge itself was
about four feet from the ground. and /
vaulted ont with parting word TO Eos
ter. Look TO your revolver, Tom, L
said. And mind you let him well in
The veranda came 10 an end about
ten feet from the window of the spare
room, and i took up my post upon the
former behind the last pillar, the thick
creepers growing round which would
have completely concealed me even in
broad daylight. 1t was now about IL
o'clock and everything was very still.
Not a sound was heard i'm the house,
not a rustic in the deep woods beyond.
A clock i'm the house chimed midnight.
Still dead silence. One o'clock. and no
sign of Flower. 1t was dreary work
waiting there in the darkness. and l be
gan 10 long for action. Foster. | knew,
must be fretting his heart out. Two
O'clock-Ah, what that? Family
borne on the still air. my strained ears
could catch the sound of a horse shak-
ing himself with saddle and bride away
down on the fiat.
Our man is at land" / thought He
has hung up his horse below there He
can't be very far away now.
Ten minutes more or so of silence, and
then l heard a slight rustling among
the shrubs in front If the house and
sounds of stealthy feet. treading eau
tiously. l peered out from behind my
pillar; but it was too dark 10 see more
than few feet away Nearer and
nearer came the footballs. Minutes
passed so slowly that they seemed like
hours. and at length the strange visitor
appeared. moving slowly forward. max
ing for the west window. At last he
reached Il and stood still Were his sus-
picions aroused? ! wondered. | held
my breath. and gripping my revolver
prepared to spring, when suddenly a
beam Of light glowed in the darkness
under the window, and the next instant
the robber flashed the broad blaze OF
lantern into and all around the room.
AS instantly two reports rang out in
ri mid /
a bound from my hiding place, | heard
a bullet sing away over the garden and
"A loud cry from Foster: I'm hit"
Flower heard me coming. and turned
to meet me. So short the distance
between us that our revOlvers crashed
together in the air, exploding harmlessly
as they met For moment each seized
and held the others wrist as in "A wise.
and then. as of by tacit agreement. our
revolyers were dropped to the ground,
and we locked in a deadly grapple. 1t
was no childs play. Both of Us were
strong and 1.-THE and active, and we
reeed and swayed hither and thither.
with not a sound between US but the
quick gasping breaths that broke from
each in the dreadful effort to gain the
vantage But the struggle was as short
as il was violent. Flower was the
heavier man, and with fierce trouble at
my heart. / felt myself borne backward
TO the ground. M antagonists knee upon
my chest and his strong fingers gripping
my throat and cOmpressing my windpipe,
so that to call for aid was now impos-
sible. His dark. bearded face was close
TO mine. and his hot breath stfled me
as he painted forth a string of furious
oaths.
Curse your' he said. You've spoiled
my game again. as you've done this
many a time before. But it's my turn
now. and I'll leave my mark on you be-
fore | GO
The breath was nearly squeezed out of
my body: but. half-uncOnscious as I
was, [ dimly saw long bladed knife
raised above me. and then some one
leaped from the window. fell. raised him
self again-crack, crack, one shot after
the other, the knife clattered harmlessly
to the ground. The grip on my throat
relaxed, and shaking himself free, the
bushranger bounded through the shrub
berry before l could collect my scattered
senses.
Help roared Foster. for it was he
who had come TO my rescue so OppOr-
timely. Help he cried again send
ing another shot in the direction Flower
had taken; and then he reeled TO and fro
like a drunken man. and just as / stag
gered 10 my feet and Mr. Ingram come
rushing out fell prone upon the ground
But now the whole establishment was
reused: lights flashed hither and thither
women servants screamed at the top of
their voices. and the men hocked from
their quarters TO learn the cause of the
unusual disturbance. l knelt down by
Foster and turned him over. when he
opened his eyes and looked up at me-
Safe. sergeant" he said family
That's right! Got a bullet in me some
where. Couldn't get out sooner. But
hit him-I'm sure / hit'-and he swOoned
again.
Look at him. squire" 1 cried: land
ie
wounded. / know, and we may catch him
yet The horses are down OH the fiat
Come along" And / raced through the
garden, followed by the stOckman But
before ] reached the boundary fence I
pulled up short, for a deep groan fell
upon my ear.
He is here somewhere" / shouted
Bring along the light, squire
The squire and the men came running
up with lanterns; and a few PAGES
farther on we found Flower. shot unto
death.
Water he moaned as we bent over
him. He was evidently at his last gasp:
but one of the men FASTENED back to the
house for some water. Long before he
could return, however a strong convul-
sion shook the bushranger's frame. He
opened his eyes, and their last conscious
look fell on me. The odd trick to YOU
this time. sergeant" he said, and never
spoke again.
PART H.
Flowers Treasury.