The Irish standard., 1896-07-04

&4ASS WV pSg2os
assailant was of medium height, but
heavily built. He was swaIthy, black
mustached and black-haired, with n
face which, under the influence Of pass
sion, suggested little more than bsuta
ferocity. He was roughly dressed, i'll
this respect differing widely from his
companions, whose garments, though
evidently designed. for hard service.
were of costly material. One OF theae
men was young, hardly more than q
boy-a remarkably comely fellow, with
clean-cut features and q dark clear
skin. The third man, who seemed to
be the leader of the raiders, was tall
and sinewy. His piercing eyes looked
out from under heavy brows;s a long
There was about this man an cir I'll
authority and soldierly bearing which,
more than suggested military training.
None of the three displayed weapons,
though it was not easy to suppose that
they had ventured unarmed ON their
mission.
The peril Lamar had dreaded had
come upon him; the enemy he had fed
from had found him at last. With all
my experience of his marvellous nerve,
] was amazed at the unshrinking cour-
age with which he confronted his foes.
Not muscle of his face quiveued. Thet
only change I could mark was in his
eye; the old look of the fugitive had
gone, and in it's place was the fierce
TIGHT of CesDeTate hate,
For O time, which seemed almost an
eternity, though probably it could have
been measured in seconds, no one spoke
Then the tall stranger, after motion-|
ing to his companions to change their
places-a maneuver which brought tho
stripling opposite me. as 1stood at La
mars right-addressed the master of
the house, pouring out upon him In the
native tongue of both Of them a streanni
Of invectives, as could guess from AMI
occasional expletiye of which I caught
the meaning. AS he spoke, half
snothered curses broke from tho
others. The man who had thrust mel
back seemed to be beside himself with!
rage, while could see the fingers of ths1
youth working convulsively, az fin an-I
: ticipation Of the moment OF closing
about Larnar's throat. |
Nh When the first burst Of passion had1
spent itself, the spokesman began what
appeared to be the recital OF some ter
rible story. More than once he pauscdl
dramatically, but only to proceed with
renewed fieroeness. Withal,I he made
slow work of it-no doubt for the joyI
Of spprc1onging his enemy's oz,deal--for,,
his tale was still unfinished when the
only reinforcement wesoo,ld hope tori
arrived. There: was the sound OF Nv
door thrown open, then quick steps ns
the newcomer crossed the kitchen, and
then johnson burst into the room
With a, bound he was beside Lamar
painting from his ram, but quite pre-
pared TO take handin whatever might
be doing. 1.g5 :ss.iSii Il
4. IT was strange scene that the hnPl
shone down upon. There. We ;wese,|
three to three, ranged On either side OIL
Tie table, the attacking force no longer
outnumbcring the defenders. but, ofi
course. far better prepared Tor, a strng-
gle. They had blundered in delAyingl
= It, and now for moment TREY :hesi.l
tated. exchanging quick glancee, andl
giving the fisherman an opport sanity toi5
study them. lamar sat naotionless, IL
except for his. eyes, which !. followed
every movement Of his chief adversal5.S
8 Spddenlv the tall man gave q shortl
!. quick order, and the youth, epping to-
the;door, opened II, and whist Lad sshril--l'
*, Ms heard IN answering SSipf1aI "a