Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-09-10


K What their next move would have been
cannot be known, for at that instant the
entire posse was startled by the loud bang
of a gun close behind them. There was Il
howl of pain, aud several made u break
towards the gate, but Silas was there be-
fore them. From that direction also came
n dash and report which drove them back,
surprised, confused, and smarting with
wounds that burned like fire. In an in
slant, while they were still unable 10 see
anything for the smoke, tall, brawny
figure, brandishing some unknown kind
of weapon. was upon them. A thick,
heavy sound. followed by erunt, could be
heard as whitecap after whitecap was
struck by some terrific force, lifted bodily
off his feet, and sent sprawiing hen,dlong.
There was an attempt on the part of the
regulators to Use their horsewhips, hut to
no purpose. The tall figure with the ter
rible weapon seemed to be everywhere at
once, always out of reach, and always
between them and retreat. Like flock
of sheep, they one and oil stampeded for
the meadow fence. With Silas's help,
several went over more quickly than they
intended.
l'Dern We" he shouted, "'tain't only
cows m horses I'm posed to havin' Mt
large, but calves and hogs as well. Vince,
wheel"
Under the unusual strain, the top
boards of the fence gave way, and the
regulators tumbled helter-skelter upon the
loose coils of barbed wire.
That was all the old man wanted. He
turned his attention to those who had gone
to the back of the house. Upon them he
rushed like cyclone. One of them he
recognized.
''Bill Leukins," he yelled. .'if once sot
hand to your hide they won't be 'nough
left fer soap-grease.'
Bill Leukins trembled, for it was he,
and, turning, fed with all his might down
the lane. Panic was in the air that night.
His two companions. seeing the general
\ rout. in front, turned and He'd with him
One attempted to climb the garden fence
Old man Hawkins dealt him such a blow
i as he was getting over that the top rail
| broke and the fellow tumbled backwards,
stunned by the blow. Down the lane fed
the third man, after Bill Leukins. Bills
! foot hit the clothes-line first, and he
found himself prone upon the tafred
| sheetiDg. His comrahe was close upon
him. Bill heard the steps and thought
II was the mighty Silas. With Il
great effort he rose halfway, only
TO he dragged down; the other fugitive
had also struck the clothes-line and fallen
upon the sticky cotton. In the darkness
and excitement, each thought the other an
enemy. with whom he grappled desperate
ly. Silas found them inextricably stuck
and twisted up with each other He
i snatched up the ends of the sheeting and
wrapped them about the men, gluing them
head and heels like lilies. There was no
escape.
GOSH" exclaimed the old man, wip-
ing the perspiration from his forehead
with his sleeve, Il amt had so much fun
since the tiger got loose and had a scrap
with the el'phunt."
Just then rattle of musketry sounded
from the front of the house, followed by
dull crash that Jared the windows.
THUNDER N blood" said he, that's
Mandy" and hurried round to see.
The three men who were guarding the
north side, hearing the noise, supposed
the attack was from the rear, and thought
that by going round the house they could
execute flapk movement, so they started
In that direction. They had gone but d
few steps when the one in advance stopped
abruptly and began to swear. The barbed
/ wire had sawed his face from ear to ear
The others ducked, but Jared no better
STOPPING lower, they encountered the third
, strand, and after extricating Themselves
, beat retreat around the front
Mandy had seen the tide of battle sweet
, south and eastward, and had noted witt
, satisfaction the way it was turning, wher
three men suddenly appeared from the
opposite direction. They were very neal
the house. She thought they were max
ing for the door. 1t was time for her /,
, prove her mettle. Snntching ND her Ian
! board, she placed il before her expansiy,
! abdomen, and held the butt of the mIlske
!, close against ii. To the best of her cal
!, eulation she pointed the muzzle in tn,
:, direction of the invaders: she shut hel
, eyes tight, and pulled the trigger.
i Brother Jonathan was effective ut botI
ends. A whitecap fell, cursing with pail
I and rage. From their explanations, tn,
r Others were evidently not untouched, bu
1 they seized their companion and ran TO
a wards the gate. simultaneously with TIN
report Mrs. Hawkins experienced vic
! lent shove backwards,-so violent, indeed
that she sat down without noting the ab
g sence of anything to sit on. That was til,
I crash Silas heard.
n "Ie amt hurt, be We. Mandyg" Gale,
!. the old man, looking in the window.
= Mo-" came the answer from tin
;. darkness, 'but sunthin' must all tina
pesky old musket o yourn | never hear,
v o guns actin like that before Where
r, the whitecapsT' she asked, opening tn
4 door.
n Dunno. Two on ems wollerin' to
g. gether down the lane, an | guess Nv
II Knocked the stnilin' Out'n another. TIL
d rest on ems been havin' a piay-spell il
r the medder. Guess I'd better go m Sc
that they don't Spite the hay"
= He found one fellow, evidently hurt
I, still struggling with the wires.
d What the blazes ye-iOin' here?" aske,
2 the old man. Git out o. this" And h
swung the buster.
VI Fer Gods sake, don't hit me wi tina
y thing ag'in." implored the man. ats di
c me up Already"
WHO be We, nnywayT' asked old Haw
lie kins. stop tryin' to git away so fast
y won't hurt yc. Why, by the jinglir
gosh! it's Pete Leukens. Well, Pete, I'v
k got yer dad where guess he amt goir
is to do much hurt fer Il spell; an. SEEM n
K some one'll be needed TO your place TO loo
b srfter chores in the mornin', guess you
p better run home. Hold stiddy. There
10 now you're out. Git over the fence ar
Is go by the road, an We won't have an
5, more trouble. An say. Pete" calle
'e Slias, as the young man slowly limped of