Arizona republican., 1898-07-17

When the first burst of passion na0 spent itself, the spokesman began what appeared to be the recital of some ter ribie story. More than once he paused dramatically, but only to proceed with renewed ferceness. Withal, he made slow work of it-no doubt for the joy of prolonging his enemy's ordeal-for his tale was still unfinished when the only reinforcement we could hope for arrived. There was the sound of 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, panting from his run, but quite pre- pared to take hand in whatever might be doing.
 It was 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 strug- gle. They had blundered in delaying it, and now for a moment they hesi- 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 short 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 ap- 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 similar weapon and sprang toward the table. Quick as the man was, however, John son was quicker, graphing him and hurling him lack against the wall with such force that he lay stunned by the
 blow. I had had high respect for the | fsherman's muscles, but never had 1 | credited them with the ability to put 1 forth such power as was evidenced by ! the crash of the burly stranger against | the wall.
 Again the defense had gained an ad- l vantage, but the odds were still against | it. Three able-bodied assailants re- mained, and all of them now gave proof I that they were armed; for, while John
 son was putting his man out of the fight, the leader and the young fellow opposite me had drawn daggers, al- l 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 a
 fusillade of pistol-shots might have at
 tracted attention from the people of the i knot of houses half a mile away. know that the blades had a most wicked
 look, and that the sweat gathered on my forehead as I watched them and
 wondered which of them might be des- 1 tined for me. I was frightened, thor oughly frightened; such courage as 1 | possessed vanished at the gleam of the
 weapons, and, could I have fled, not
 moment would I have tarried. But l 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.
 l Well-laid plans once disarranged are
 generally worse than none at all. The l programme of the assailants, no doubt, 1 had been prepared most carefully. After posting ono of their number on l the landward side of the knoll, the only | direction from which, in their ignorance | of the line of communication with John sons cottage, they would reasonably
 look for interference, they had ad- | yanced, and forced an entrance to the | house. Once within, their prey was so
 completely in their grasp that, dare
 say, they felt able to go about their | business with coid-blooded dehbera- | tion. I do not fatter myself with the
 belief that my presence disturbed them l in the least. But while thc aTraign- | ment of Lamar may have been intense | ly satisfying as a prelude to their ven 1 yeance, it was sad blunder; for it | rave Johnson time to reach the scene
 and to change the whole aspect of the l affair.
 |
 as their comrade was overthrown, it 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 or two of it's
 existence. Their hesitation, brief as it
 was, meant defeat; for no sooner had | his man fallen than Johnson drew a | brace of revolverS from his pockets, and
 when the strangers started forward } they looked into the muzzles of the l pistols. Lamar, too, thus protected,
 had pulled out a key and was unlocking
 a drawer of the table; and prese ntly he
 added another ugly-looking weapon to
 the array trained upon the foe.
 Sorry there ain't none for you, doc
 tor," I heard Johnson remark, 'but l
 guess we can attend +o our friends | now"
 For a moment thought that two Of | our adversaries would risk the bullets,