Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1901-09-12
CHAPTER IN.
THE HEAD OF ER AsMus

Waiting. and waiting alone; The
gates were almost down now. The
gang of rutilans without. reinforced
each moment by volunteers eager for
plumber, raiued blows INCREASINGLY on
hinge and socket: and still hotter and
faster through q dozen riffs in the
timhers. came the fire of their threats
and curses. Many grew tired, but others
replaced them. Tools broke, but they
brought more and worked with savage
energy. They had shown at first q
measure of prudence; looking 10 be
fired on, and to be resisted by men, sur
prfsed, indeed, but desperate; and the
holder of them only had advanced. But
now they pressed around unchecked.
meeting no resistance. They would
scarcely stand back to let the sledges
nave swing; but hallooed and ran in on
the creaking beams and beat them
with their fists whenever the gates
swayed under blow
one stout iron bar still held its place.
And this l watched as ii fascinated. L
was alone in the empty courtyard.
standing a little aside, sheltered by one
OF the stone pillars from Which the
gates hung. Behind me the door of the
house stood ajar. Candies. which the
daylight rendered garish, still burned
IN the rooms on the first floor, OF which
The tail narrow windows We're open. On
the wide stone sill of one of these stood
Croisette, boyish figure, looking
silently down at me, his hand ON the
idl.lsea shutter He looked pale. and l
NODDED and smiled at him. | felt rather
aneef eaah rear myself, femennbering,
as the lieHulSa crleS halt-deaIehed me,
olu laies OF 'ne Jacquefle and IT'S doinss
and how we had trodden it out
Suddenly the din and tu,nult flashed
~. ~ louuei note, as when hounas on
t .,,e ssene give tongue AZ ssht; !
.uiiieu quickly lrom the mouse, recalled
~ q sense OF posltlon ana peru. Inc
iron y, par was Sieialng 10 the pressure,
SioMly ,He leit wing OF the gate was
slt'nii,s lhW;lfus. Through tue widen
ny viis's'ii l causht q siimpse OF WIG.
sii'is races ana bloodshot eyes, and
neafd above the noise sharp cry
turned ana ran, With defiant gesture
una an answering yell. right across
.lle iofeeourt ana up the steps to the
ooof.
ran the raster for the sharp report
OF pistol behind me, and the whirr of
pan past my ear But l Was not
scared by 1T; and as my feet alighted
win bound ON the topmost step, l
slaEeed back. The dogs We're halfway
attempt to shut and lock the great
doof-falled in this; and heard behind
me roar OF coarse triumph. waited
LOT no more dafted up the oak stair
case. four steps at a time, and rushed
into the great drawing-room on my left
banging the door behind me.
Inc once splendid room was in state
OF strange disorder. Some of the rich
tapestry had been hastily torn down.
window D, n lob, n.
no doubt Croisette had done 1t. The
other two We're open--as If there had
not been time to close them-and the
cold light which they admitted con-
,fasted IN CHASTITY fashion with the yell
low rays of candles still burning in the
sconces. The furniture had been hud-
died aside or piled into barricade, a
chevauN de frise of chairs and tables
s.fetching across the width OF the
room, its interstices stuffed With. and
It's weakness partly screened by, the
torn-down hangings. Behind this frail
oeiense, their backs to Il door which
seemed to lead to an inner room. stood
MARIE ana Cfoisette, pale and defiant
Inc former had long pike; the latter
ieveled heavy, bell-mounted argue
nuse across the back of chair, and
prev up nus match as l entered. Both
haa IN addition swords. l dalted like
u Iapiil lhfough niue tunnel left on
purpose Tor lne IN the rampant. and
looh my stand by them.
rs an right calculated Croisette
turning 10 me neiNously.
NJ right, think ! answered. j
was GREATNESS.
You are not hurt??
Not touched"
had just time to draw my sword be-
lore the assailants streanea into the
room, dozen ruffians, rocking and
lattered, with flushed faces and
greedy, staring eyes. Once inside
hoWeVer suddenly-so suddenly that
an IDLE spectator might have found the