Evening star., 1899-03-11

Col Singleton; run every step of the way,
and tell him I'm IN danger. Go-auick"
| 20 Gawd,' missy, doan' SEN this pooh
| niger out" pleaded the boy. "You just
same as kill me- missy kase they hate me.
| Deed and double you do, missy. Befo
Gawd, missy, yYu woan' do that He
| dropped on his knees before her and clasp
ed his uplifted hands, his eyes starting with
| terror, his veins swelling
| If you don't cd I'll blow your brains out
right here she answered, so sternly that
he suddenly rose5 eAnd remember, if you
| fail to go to Colo Smgleton's after YOU are
| safe on the outside he will hold you re-
| sponsible for anything that happens to me.
hang for it."
This liberal Interpretation of the law had
| its effect, and with, final injunction for
| him to hurry, Amy let the trembling wretch
| out into the darkness
| Hours seemed to pass before anything oc-
| Cured. With the weapon still in her
| hands, she walked from window to window,
| around and around peering anxiously out,
| but neither seeing nor hearing anything.
| At last. in the absence of succor, she was
| forced to the conclusion that the boy had
| either been intercepted by the rioters or
| mad played her false. Once she thought of
! making a sudden dash for Dggory's. She
would be safe there. perhaps, but the rail-
| road property would surely go. Could she
| in the morning look upon the charred ruins
| ana say that she had done her duty? Then
| there were her books and clothng-small
| things compared with life. but nevertheless
something that men might fight for.
| Suddenly she became conscious of pecu-
| liar sound. 1t might have been twenty
| miles away; it might have come from the
| clouds, for 1t sounded something like the
! distant roll of thunder; or it might have
| come from subterranean depths. But in
| instant she guessed the true cause, and the
! thought almost paralyzed her faculties for
a moment. To the north of the station lay
! b1nd siding. upon a sharp grade. The
| siding was then full of box cars, in all
| stages of loading with melons. The ne
| groes had turned these loose!
The noise increased the headless train
| gained momentum and bore pitileSSly down
| upon the frail fortress and its devoted de-
| fender. Still she sat in fatal caimness. as
| though all eternity were hers, until a yell
| without and glare of light on the ceiling
| broke the spell. She threw back the bolts
| of the front door and sprang out on the
platform just as the runaway cars crashed
! with insensate fury into the warehouse
| end.
A black greasy, wild-eyed throng swarm
| ed around the scene of devastation, wav-
! ing blazing pine torches above their heads
! For just a moment they held themselves
| silent and motionless. as though appalled,
| at their own work; then one, braver or
| drunker than the others. hurled brand
into the wreckage Without hesitation
| Amy sprang down, snatched the blazing
| pine from out the infiamnable material
| and sent it defantly back into the faces of
| the mob. Then drawing herself proudly
| and fearlessly up, she leveled her revolver
!
marble, fragile but determined, one against
| many, the representative of superior
race, she must have appeared if the blood
| shot eyes of the maraudGrs like guardian
| 3nge!. But they knew that the angel was
| flesh and b!ood-a finer flesh than theirs
| but OF the earth.
I will shoot the next man who throws
| firebrand,' said she. in low, distinct tones.
Those in front heard the threat in dogged
silence, but those in safer positions in the
rear. urged their companions on. What
| might have happened can only he guessed,
| for at that moment, to Amy's neXpreSSible
relief, she heard the clatter of hoofs. The
negroes heard it, too. and began to look
uneasy. Half pminnte later Rod Single
ton s black mare now white with froth,
| dashed up to the end Of the platform
| Amy did not turn her head; she knew it
was he. In a mfraculously short space of
time he stood AZ her side, as grim as an
avengins desty, and two long horse pistols
| paralleeed the barrel Of Amy's weapon
The little line vas quickly reinforced by
Col. Singleton and bis two other sous.
The old coloneltwas now strangely calm.
| He marched down the platform as though
| on dress parade. holding his repeating rifle
| with military PRECISION. He even took the
| time to wheel into the line with a square
| turn. as though The were a whole column
by himself. He was living over Chica-
| manga. II
The negroes aihundred or more in num-
ber. stubbornly held their ground. Whisky
! had done more for them. temporarily. in
t.
! Every black hand gtasped "a knife, razor or
| pistol. r. 8,
BOYS" commanded the colonel in loud
formal tone: cooking his rife, Shoot to
| Kill. Miss Amy level youah weapon at
| Sugah Masons breast You black devils
| if man of you is in sight afteh I count
| fifteen. his friends can come for him with
a wheelbarrow. One! two. three! four. five.
| six
The little line of whites stood as immov-
able as statues. Five pistols and two rifles
| showed their yawning nuzzles TO the mob
| opposite.
Seven. eight. nine. tcn,' ......
| Caucasian against Ethiopian There
| could be but one Outcome to such con-
test. and vet the brain -bcnumhinse whisky
with which every negro was filed was a
doubtful factor. The blacks did not move
hut a deadly CONSERVATION was beginning
TO depict Itself upon the distorted features
| of those in the front rank.
Eleven, tWelye."
The stentorian tones, swelling in volume
| as the fatal number drew near had their
effect The sons of Ethiop were beaten
they fcll back a step. AT ''thirteen"' they
began to push at fourteen there was a
mad, wild scramble, At "dfteen"' delayed
| Il second or two, the storm of lead that
| swept across the space laid low not a sim
gle victim.
The danger over, the last black dispersed
and the railroad property sa we'd, the heroic
| little agent did the most womanly thing
possible under the circumstances. she
tainted.
|
| warehouse and platform having borne the
| brunt of the blow of the wild cars and into
| these the colonel carried Amy. She u'4kly
regained her senses and plainly asharn-
| ed of her weakness at the last moment But
! the colonel gave her time for self-re-
| proaches.
My deah girl he exclaimed enthusias-
| tically. Il have been in battle. l have seen
| 10000 brave men face death. but I'll neveh
| fohget how you and Rod looked as you
stood theh and held the foht. So help me-
| / expect to tell of that in heaven, if it's
Gods will that I go that way. Boys
| wondeh if theh ain't a Niger prowling
| around heah that we could take a shot at
And the old man marched outside followed
! by Peyton and Randolph, with knowing
| grins on their faces.
I'VE did hold it WELL murmured Amy
| with a coy glance at Roderick.
| Yes" he answered, with his grave snnla
| taking her hand. II was just wondering if
| we couldn't hold it just as well all our
lives
| II shouldn't be- surprised-Rod, she re-
| turned with dropping eyes.
| Wife-"By the way, Give. I had a letter
| from my banker while you were away. He
| said 1 had overdrawn my account"
| HuSband-"YeS. dear: and what did voI,