The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-05

|
clusive-and sketch from here, just think
what triumph for the 'Searcher! You
| don't mind, do you? / really draw quite
nicely; l took al prizes at school, ana
have taken a special course since, for pur-
poses of newspaper illustration. 1t adds so
to ones income"
Il don't know as l do mind. You're a
plucky little woman, and I respect you.
Pr'raps you'll tell all the news. l don't
see the papers too often
Indeed, I'll tell you everything you want
to know. Sit ere-please-against the
! bin. Ii will make such an appropriate
| background. ] wish | could get a few
redWoods in, but I'm not equal to that"
For an hour Sylvia sketched and chat
ted. The man listened with deep interest
for time, then his eyes closed. The
Woman's presence, her soft voice, the nov
el visitation, soothed his eternal vigilance
and he drifted INTERESTINGLY into sleep.
Sylvia did not mind. She had already
done his eyes and mouth-what she could
see Of the last; she worked on steadily dt
The bold outline and violent hair. Sud-
denly there was a rift in her absorption;
through it filtered the consciousness that
che intense silence about her was disturb
ed. She dropped her pencil and listened
! intently Then she looked up at the rec
woods; they We're mouonless. She rose
to her feet and ran around TO the back
TO the house. company of militia was
within 200 yards of the top.
She bounded back and flung herself OH
Bennett. They are coming" she cried
to the dazed man. THE militia They are
crawling up The back of the hill! They
are almost here!"
He sprang 10 his feet with an oath, and
lifting her by the shoulders made motion
as if to fling her down the mountain
you've given me away!' he screamed,
with volloy of oaths. II might have
known It. But I'll settle with you after"
He ran her into the cabin, made a hur-
| red explanation 10 the two men who were
sitting up, staring bout stupidity, and bar
| licade the door and window Sylvia had
sense enough to make no protest. She re-
tired to a corner of the small dirty room
| resolved to make herself as small as pos
sib'e and at the first chance 10 slip out
and run down the peak. 1t was some time
before she realized her danger.
The noise outside grew louder Through
a small chink between the logs she saw
the men swarm up. Tom Hardness came
forward and formally demanded the sur
render of Bennett. The three prisoners
made no reply, no sound. They stood
with their rifles at their shoulders. Sylvia
looked at their set indomitable farces and
thrilled with the response of woman 10
mans brute courage. With all her soul
she hoped they would win, or, that being
impossible, ihat they had some secret
method of escape. She glanced about with
| her sharp trained eyes. There was no
sign of an underground passage. It was
a small square room, built directly on the
ground. In one corner was a bunk, COW
| cred with filthy pulah mattress. Against
the wall was a pile of straw and blankets
where The friends" slept. In another a
heap of sacks, through the rough meshes
of which was a CLEAN of yellow.
darkness repeated his demand. Again no
answer In another moment there was
rush against the door. 1t stood firm, al
though the cabin shuddered. Bennett ap-
piled his eye 10 a hole beside the door
! He removed it, inserted the muzzle of his
rifle and fred. There was an ugly scream
without, then a volley from every side
There were five small round holes in the
cabin. From three Of these the outlaw
and his friends did deadly work
Sylvia realized her peril. The redwood
logs of which the cabin was built were
soft and thlck, and the balls from with
out had so far ploughed their way indif-
| ferently; as yet not one had entered, and
groans of pain and screams of rage were
multiplying without, but at any moment
q bullet might splinter through a weak
place-and Sylvia be the victimi She
glanced about desperately. There was no
refuge but under THAI appalling mattress
on the bunk Rather a thousands deaths
She decided She dropped from the box
on which she had been sitting, and hud-
died down into the corner, believing thai
no bullet could reach her unless the men
fired on their knees
She put her hands to her knees and tried
10 calculate how long it would take Har-
rison to reach the top of the peak. OF
course, ne would start az the first shot
She decided that she would marry on the
following day if he wished it, and have a
man 10 protect her for the rest of her
life.
The firing ceased. There was another
rush for the door; then another. 1t
creaked horribly, strained. began 10 give
Bennett reloaded and fired steadily, pick
ing MS men A brilliant ray of light ap-
pedrcd between the door and easement
VIII you give in now" shouted Hark
ness.
Bennett made no reply Get muzzle
IN tiat openinsr cried the captain.
Whats that door made OFF"
But Bennetts rifle was already there
Another man screamed Then the com.
pahy without was transformed into vel
ling, cursin, frantic mob. Their pride was
in the dirt. and no one knew whose turn
II would be next. They formed in a solid
body and made another rush Bennett had
| retastened the door but II gave again. The
strip OF light was wider than before.
AID sylvia WAS oblivious Her staring
| eyes were liked on a tiny round hole IN
The ground not three inches from her
Something dark and elastic was rising
from IT, IT bulScd up slowly this thing
| without apparent head-or legs. What
We're those objects that appeared 10 prop
| that charging eXciescence in generous pro-
fusion? The body accelerated its move
mcnts. 1t rose higher Ii dragged eight
Ions hairy legs after it. Sylvia ieaped 10
her feet with piercing shrek. and fling
ING herself on Bennett knocked the gun
out of his hand.
"A tarantuar!" she gasped and tainted
And before he could recover himself the
door was down and six men were holding
INN whiie the officers of the law slipped
the handcuhs on his wrist and the boot
on his Les.
V hen Sylvia recovered she was in the
open. Several of The soldiers were makine
ltttrs with which 70 bear their wounded
i'm comfort for many weary miles. Tn
rest Of the company were marching down
me MN man OF great physique and an
air OF utter hopelessness limping PAINFULLY