The Delta independent. [volume] (Delta, Colo.) 1886-19??, 1897-07-28

quick order, and the youth, stepping to
the door, opened it, and whistled shril-
ly. We heard an answering signal,
followed by sounds of some one APP
preaching the house, and then n fourth
man, dressed like the rutfian at whose
hands i had suffered, appeared in the
doorway. The light dazzled him at
first, and he halted on the threshold,
shading his eyes with his left hand and
displaying an ugly-loolling knife in his
right. While he stood there, his mate,
with an oath, whipped out similar
weapon and sprang toward the table.
Quick Us the man was, however, John
-on w.-, quicker, graphing him ana
hurling him back against the wall with
such force that he lay stunned by the
blow. had had high respect for the
fshermnn's muscles, but never had l
credited them with the ability to put
forth such power as was evidenced by
the crash of the burly stranger against
the wall.
Again the defense had gained an ad-
vantage. but the odds were still against
it. Three able-bodied assailants re-
manned, and all of them now gave proof
that they were armed; for, while john
son was l.utting his man out of the
fight, the leader and the young fellow
opposite Inc had drawn daggers, al
though they had been unable to use
them in aid of their ally, SO speedily
had he been worsted. l dare say they
had revolvers as well, but preferred
cold steel for the work they expected
to do. Even on that lonely knoll
fusillade of pistol-shots might have at
tracted attention from the people of the
knot of houses half mile away. l
know that the blades had most wicked
look, and that the sweat gathered on
my forehead as l watched them and
wondered which of them might be des-
tined for Inc. / was frightened, thor
oughly frightened; such courage as /
possessed vanished at the CLEAN of the
weapons, and, could l have fed, not
n moment would have tarried. But
there was no escape; was forced to re-
main and to see the end, which, though
it involved the defeat of the enemy, l
had no hand in bringing about.
Wcll-laid plans once disarranged are
generally worse than none at all. The
programme of the nssailnnts, no doubt,
had been prepared most carefully.
After posting one of their number on
the Iandward side Of the knoll, the only
direction from which, i'll their ignorance
Of the ffhc Of communication with john
sons cottage, they would reasonably
look for interference, they had od-
yanced, and forced an entrance to the
house. Once within, their prey was so
completely in their grasp that, 1 dare
say, they felt able to go about their
business with co!d-blooded delibcra-
ton. TO not fiat ter myself with the
belief that my presence disturbed them
in the least. But, while the arraign-
ment of Lamar may have been intense
ly satisfying as q prelude to their ven
geance, it was q sad blunder; for it
gave johnson time to reach the scene
and to change the whole aspect of the
affair.
Had they pressed the attack rs soon
rs their comrade was ovcrthrown, II is
altogether likely that one of them
might have reached Lamar; but, un-
luckily for them, they failed to seize the
opportunity in the second OF two of its
existence. Their hesitation, brief as it
was, meant defeat; for no sooner had
IiIS cohhcoAA VI a.
brace of revolvers from his pockets, and
when the strangers started forward
they looked into the muzzles of the
| pistols. Lamar, too, thus protected,
had pulled out key and was unlocking
drawer Of the table; and presently he
added another ugly-looking weapon to
the array trained upon the foe.
'Sorry there amt none for you, doc
| tor" l heard johnson remark, but I
guess we can attend TO our friends
| now
For n moment I thought that two of
our advcrsaries would risk the bullets,
though the last conner quailed at the
| first sight of the firearms; but even for
| them the odds were now too great.
They dared not even risk trying to
reach their own pistols. They probably
had no stomach for such n combat as
was now offered them. Reluctantly,
step by step, they retrcnted toward the
| door. Then, suddenly, with an oath,
the leader wheeled about, and, gnasl-
ing his teeth in bafled rage, strobe from
the room.
Here, you two" cried johnson,
carry of your wounded"
doubt il they understood his words,
but his gesture as he pointed to the
man lying unconscious on the floor was
plain enough. Sullenly they picked up
their comrade and bore him into the
open air. The fisherman followed them
to the door, and watched them hurry
away toward the stream on the north
| side Of the little hill.
Come in q boat, eh?" said he.
That's IL; you can hear the oars. I'll
bet they've something To do with that
schooner lying OF there in the bay.
Well, Mr.. Lamar, they're on, and I
guess they've had enough, thank ye, for
one evenin'"
ct was fortunate they chose to do
their talking first and their business
nfterward,' said 1. But think we're