Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-01-07

who hurled me from him with such
force that I reeled against the table.
AS I caught at it for support, saw
Lamar step back to the wall and with
a motion like flash for quickness
press the knob, the use of which he
had explained after my discovery of
the wire across the marsh. Then, with
all his habitual GOODNESS, he returned
to his chair, and sat facing the in
truders.
Three men had forced their way into
the room, and, having locked the door
behind them, were now ranged against
the table, glaring at Lamar like tigers
ready to spring upon their prey. My
assai1ant was Of medium height, but
heavily built. He was swarthy, black
mustached and black-haired, with
face which, under the influence of pas
sion, suggested little more than brute
ferocity. He was roughly dressed, in
this respect differing widely from his
companions, whose garments, though
evidently designed for hard service,
were of costly material. One of these
men was young, hardly more than
boy-a remarkably comely fellow, with
clean-cut features and a 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; a long
mustache failed to hide the firm mouth.
There was about this man an air of
authority and soldierly bearing which
more than suggested military training.
None of the three displayed weapons,
though it was not easy to suppose that
- I,oi,,
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,
I was amazed at the unshrinking cour-
age with which he confronted his foes.
Not muscle of his face quivered. The
only change I could mark was in his
eye; the old look of the fugitive had
gone, and in its place was the fierce
light of desperate hate.
For 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 the
STRIPPING opposite me, as I stood at La
mars right-addreSsed the master of
the house, pouring out upon him in the
native tongue of both of them a stream
Of invectives, as I could guess from an
occasional expletive of which I caught
the meaning. AS he spoke, half
smothered curses broke from the
others. The man who had thrust me
back seemed to be beside himself with
rage, while I could see the fingers of the
youth working conyulsively, as if in an
ticipation of the moment of closing
about Lamar's throat.
When the first burst of passion had
spent itself, the spokesman began what
appeared to be the recital OF some ter
rible story. More than once he paused
dramatically, but only TO proceed with
renewed fierceness. Withal, he made
slow work of it-no doubt for the Joy
of prolonging his enemy's ordeal
his tale was still unfinished when the
only reinforcement we could hope for
arrived. There was the sound of a
door thrown open, then quick steps as
the newcomer crossed the kitchen, and
then Johnson burst into the room.
With bound he was beside Lamar,
painting from his run, but quite pre-
pared to take q hand in whatever might
be doing.
1t was d strange scene that the lamp
shone down upon. There we were,
three to three, ranged on either side of
the table, the attacking force no longer
outnumbering the defenders, but, of
course, far better prepared for a strug-
gle. They had blundered in delaying
it, and now for q moment they hest
tated, exchanging quick glances, and
giving the fisherman an opportunity to
study them. Lamar sat motionless,
except for his eyes, which followed
every movement of his chief adversary.
Suddenly the tall man gave a short
quick order, and the youth, stepping to
the door, opened it, and whistled shril-
~. We heard an answering signal,
followed by sounds of some one APP
preaching the house. and then fourth
man, dressed like the ruffian 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-looking knife in his
right. While he stood there, his mate,
with an oath, whipped out a similar
| weapon and sprang toward the table.
| Quick as the man was, however. John
son was quicker, graphing him and
hurting him back against the wall with
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