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

Ne hnfled ne rom him with such force th8t feeied
against the table,
aAsailant was of medium height, but
heavily built He was swarthy, black
mustached and black-haired, with n
face which, under the influence of pas
sion, suggested little more than brute
ferocity. lie 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 q
boy-a remarkably comely fellow, with
clean-cut features and n dark clear
skin. The third man, who seemed to
be the leader of the raiders, was tall
and siDewy. Ills 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
they had vcntured unarmed on their
mission.
The peril Lamar had dreaded hnd
come upon him; the enemy he hnd fed
from had found him at last. With all
my experience of his marvellous nerve,
l was amazed at the unshrinling cour-
age with which he confronted his foes.
Not q muscle of his face guiveed. The
only change ! 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 a 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 mancuver which brought the
stripping opposite me, as l stood at La
mars right-addIcsscd the master of
the house, pouring out upon him in the
native tongue of both of them n stream
of invectiyes, as ] could guess from an
occasional cxpletiye of which 1 caught
the meaning. AZ he spoke, half
smothered curses broke from the
Others. The man who had thrust me
back seemed to be beside himself with
rage, while could see the fingers of the
youth working convulsively, as il 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 orde;l-for
his tale was still unfinished when the
only reinforcement we could hope for
arrived. There was the sound of q
door thrown open, then quick steps as
the newcomer crossed the kitchen, and
then johnson burst into the room.
With n bound he was beside Lamar,
painting from his run, but quite pre-
pared to take hand in whatever might
be doing.
II WIS a 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 n strug-
gle. They had blundered in delaying
it, and now for 4 moment they hesi-
tated. exchanging quick glanccs, and
giving the fisherman an opportunity to
study them. Lamar sat mofionIcss.
except for his eyes, which followed
every movement OF His chief adversary.