Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-10-01

shout awoke him from bis slumDer.
His room was brilliantly llluinlna'
cd. but IL was not with the goldei
RAYS OF the early sun, but with III
crimson glare of fire.
In an instant he sprang from on
the bed AMI looked from she whdo"
The cause was but too apparent.
Some of the outbuildings bad beel
set fire to. and. being of dry wood
blazed ~furiously, while gathered
around was a %concourse OF yeiilhs
frantic. half-nakcd blacks.
There came a violent knocking Il
the door Of Ernest'S he pence
it and gave admission 10 his host an,
Major Darlington. who were Dot
armed with pistols and cutlasscs.
What is the meaning of this!
asked the young squire.
The blacks have risen aLswere,
their entertainer. in an excited tone
of voice: and unless we can deienc
the house. our lives are barely WORTH
an hours purchase
Even while he spoke the negroes
%perceiving that their work of destruc
ton as regarded the outbuildings, was
completed. rushed upon the Gus
Their master. quick as thought
grasped n double barrelled gCn-0nc
of those heavy, ,umbrous Things III
use before the invention OF percussion
caps and discharged the contents oil
both barrels at the advancing troop,
ut the same time calling upon Ernest
and the major To follow his example
1t was in self-defcnse; for the blacks,
in their present state. iniiamed VIII
fury and r1lm. were not likely 10 show
mercy 10 any white man.
Il have barricadcd the door" said
the master of the house. 1T VIII take
some time to force il, If we can only
keep them off Il LITTLE longer we may
escape
Again and again the guns were dis
charged. and each time some Of the
blacks fell or retreated, bowling dis
mally, although they still mustered a
hundred to one.
They were terrific odds TO fight
against, and but small was the chance
of the besieged escaping a dreadful
death.
Fooled in their attempts TO force an
entrance into the house, the furious
negroes rushed TO the still blazing out
buildings, and. pulling from them fired
wood. they hurled it against the house.
and piled it. blazing rs it was. beneath
the yerandah. D
In a very few minutes the wood
work caught fire. A ~suffocating smoke
penetrated to the room in which the
three white men We're, and the heat
became almost in~suppCrtable.
1T seem Il choice OF Deaths said
their entertainer; but anything must
be better than stopping here to be
roasted alive. Follow me, each with
a cutless. and we will try to cut our
way through those bowling blacks
1t was the only course remaining.
AS noiselessIy as possible they I'M
barred the door, so as TO give their
enemies no notice OF what they We're
about to do; and then, brandishing
their swords. they rushed forth.
A shot of hatred and derision greeted
their appearance; but still they rushed
on. hoping. by the impetuosity of their
charge, to force "A passage through the
revolted negroes. But it was all in
vain.
Ere they had gone a hundred yards,
Il heavy club and a shary knife had
robbed the owner Of the slaves of his
life. and Sent him TO answer for his
misdeedS before the highest tribunal.
Ernest Hartrey and Major CARING
ton were surrounded.
They stood resolutely back to back.
and fought with the courage of
desperation.
Their powerful arms, and sharp
cutlaSses. did great execution. but it
vas all but useless contcnding against
so great Il number, even though they
were ularmed.
n sudden blow felled the Major TO
the earth, and then. beset on every
side. Ernest was speedily overpowered.
y Heavy club. welded by 4 gigantic
negro. was raised high in air. and de-
scendCd with crushing weight. missing
our here's head, at which il wa aimed.
but falling on his shoulder, and bear
ing him to the ground.
For y moment, he lay hclplessIy
looking upwards.
The next, a Knee was planted on
his chest, n sable countenace grinned
repulSively close to his own and a
sharp-pointed knife was elevated TO
give the death-thrust.
Instinctvely, Ernest closed his eyes.
His thoughts. in that one moment of
agony, flew back to E~ngland--to his
darling May. He thought Il prayer
for her future welfare. and than-then
he felt the knee suddenly removed
from his chest. the hand from his
throat. and Il strong arm helping hial
TO rise from the ground.