The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-09-26

"You see the loopholes cut by the
doors and windows? There's others In
| the back room. Daddy shouldn't have
gone into this. but l hope he won't get
hurt. | hate TO so back on daddy. but
I'm tired of this life. Get ready for u
hot fight. for daddy must have u 'des
perate gang behind him."
During the next hour the rain came
| down steadily and monOtonously. and
| no other sounds We're heard. The three
on watch inside blew out one of the
candles and shaded the other and con-
versed In whispers. BY and by the rain
ceased. and hardly had it done so when
a gentle tapping was heard at the
back door. The trio tip-toed into the
loopholes. Kit called out
''ls that you. daddy"
Yes, open the door" he replied.
what have you done with the sol
dlers?"
Tied 'em IN. Open the door"
who's out there with you
NO matter-Open up"
81 can't do 1t. daddy. You fixed To
drug the captain and his clerk, but I
right and have got carbines. and mean
to make Il fight for H. don't want. to
night You. daddy, but | must help EN-
out. Please give it UP and go away
Jim Finch's gang had arrived. 1t
was their work which had delayed the
escort-their plan to oblige the pay
master to stop at the Ranche-their eN-
pectation of making an easy capture.
The soldiers had been drugged and
We're helpless. hut the house was Sc
cured against them and there We're
three people inside to handle Weapons.
There was a moment of silence after
Kits appeal, and then it was Jim Finch
who shouted through the door:
Inside thar! We have no time to
fool away, and We ar bound to hev
that safe. VIII YOU open the door to
u.s."
Never" replied the paymaster.
''Then Wen open it fur ourselves, and
you kin takethe consequences"
The captain took one door-his clerk
and the girl the other. and they had not
long tn wait. Both doors We're attacked
simultaneously with battering-rams.
while others OF the gang outside opened
fire on the windows. Bang! bang!
bang! went the three carbines, fired
into the darkness at a venture, and the
logs We're dropped and the assailants
took cover, leaving two wounded to
crawl after them and one who would
never move hand nor foot again. Five
minutes later four or five rifles opened
fire on the doors, which We're not bull
let-proof, though almost stopping the
bullets. and Kit left her place to say to
the captain:
There's weak spot in the wall over
there, and daddy knows it. Some of
them will be digging through while the
others are shooting"
The candle. which had been shaded,
was now extinguished, and the captain
and Kit moved to the spot she had in
dcated. Knives wer already at work.
and when the dirt was heard falling in
side the girl whispered to the captain:
"Now use your revolver, and give 'em
every bullet in it,"
She fired two shots from her carbine
while the captain emptied his revolver.
and the yells and grOans from the men
outside showed that some of the bullets
had taken effect. Leaving the captain
to guard the spot, the girl took her sta
ton at the back door, and for the next
quarter of an hour there was lively fir
ing from without and within. Then the
gang had enough of it and drew off,
but it was long past midnight before
the beseged felt sure that the enemy
had retired. Not a word had been
heard from Kit for half an hour when
the captain struck a light and eX-
pressed his belief that it was now safe
to go out and see how it fared with
the men. The flame showed her lying