The National tribune., 1902-07-17
taking his chances, and 1 was taking

they had barricaded the doors below. and
were holding both front and rear, ready TO
shoot down any man who should try to
reach the dwelling They would wait till
night, and try. to. escape under cover of the
darkness. This thought made me com
paratively easy. The only thing that could
save Scranton would be help from the out
side, for the force, under Throop was suf-
tcient to blockade the house thoroughly,
and hold it, at least, until reinforcemcnts
could be brought from Lanesville and King
William. ,,,,
And now heard sound in my rear.
ana turning hastily. saw mounted man.
| raised my rifle. but Immediately dropped
it. for l recognized York. l went near
him.
"Our cavalry here, York;"
Yes, sub: they ah surrounding the
house now, sub"
"Have you seen Mr.. ShowalterI
"Ycs, sub; he is all right. suh."
l gave York the carbine with its cart
ridges. Soon four men of Throop's squad
appeared at the rear of the house. and
posted them behind trees. Then | went to
find TEroop. He was for ending the thing
by making a rush for the doors. Sho-
walter also was impatient. fearing rein
forcements for the garrison; but believed
that the sacrifice which we must neces-
sarily make in order to take the house by
assault could be avoided. Thro0p then
| pTOUoSeu 10 go IOF"dEu WITH u HiHuhei-
chief, and demand the surrender of the
renega.ies. At this proposition Showalter
shook his head.
You can't trust them" said he; "they
have violated hospitality; they would
shrink from nothing base. The man who
went forward as herald would be shot
down: or else. if admitted, would be held
as hostage
AS for my part. 1 could neither give
them terms. nor make them promises.
There was nothing to do but make n
close investment of the place, and watch
the windows. Throop and / went from
post to most stimulating the vigilance of
| The men; they were thoroughly alert.
Throop proposed to fire volleys into the
principal windows from all sides of the
house. l objected. / did not wish Scran-
ton to know that he was SO thoroughly
surrounded l wanted him to attempt an
escape and run into the net.
Now | took York, and two men Of
| ThroOp's squad. and galloped to the big
camp Of the renegades. Scherzer, horses,
and all. had gone.
When I returned to Throop and report
ed that the horses were gone, he again
urged an assault. and Showalter approved
it. l still resisted. AS for the horses, l
ccntended that the disappearance of the
| nen guarding them did not necessarily
mean that they had gone to seek help;
they had simply fed on hearing the firing
| behind them
ShowaIter again pressed the necessity
for nutting fire to the house.
'-those men will get help: there are
many Secessionists in an hours ride said
he: 1--WE ought to act before they get here.
Yn.- won't give the order to assault; then
give the order to burn"
"My friend" l replied, "if we knew
positively that ScherZer can get help. we
ought to do as you say; but why should we
take such risks before we know we are in
daraer? To burn your house through fear
seems cowardy."
"ScEcrzer is a man of great influence"
he replied. D. sc
what. Scnerzern'
''Yes. Scherzer; that man IS able to pay
q reginentw
| looked at Showalter furiously.
Mind what tell YOU. he exclaimed;
that man ScEerZer is not what he seeins
| to lie, You'd better act quickly
The Old mans earneStness impressed
me- He still urged the usc of the torch.
1t was with great reluctance that l
| agreed at last to an assault Showalter
continued to argue for fire. He said tha!
be ard York could live just as well in the
barn. The Joss of the house would make
| no difference. and the old man proposed
| himself as the tOrcf-bearer.
The men were ordeIe! to open rapid
fire OH the front and wings Of the house.
| while a strong party was formed behind
the hut ready to assault the rear. 1t
was row atcut z o'clock. York was sent
to hnnt for an ak, and speedily cut a
| green log for n batierInc ram. The fire
kept up in front. The bcsiaged did not
reply No doubt they were living down
| behind the barricadel widows seeking
shelter from the bullets Throop himself
was to lead the assaulting party. AT
length. everything ready, the fire from
| the front ceased. and four men began fir
! ing at the windows in the rear as rapidly
as they could. After three rounds the
rear fire ceased, the men ready to pick eff
any one who should show his face at a
| window; the front fire broke out afresh,
and Throop and three men raised the log
from the ground and rushed forward
through the back yard and up the steps.
| Not n shot was fred at them. One
mighty blow and the door fell open. The
| fire in front continued
In the hallway there was a great up
roar. The log was dropped on the floor
with a crash that shook the house. All
windows being closed, there was no light
except that which now streamed through
the back doorway-thc door itself shat
| tered on the foor-and the sudden transi-
ton from the glare without made the men
stop as if they had reached solid OBJ
| stacle. For a moment everything before
US was as black as a cavern. But York
rushed forward, and / followed, and the
men followed, climbing the stairs too
| hastily-crOwding one upon another.
| 1.-TWO of you look into the lower roOms!'
I shouted..then, "No, come back; they are
up here" for now saw that the stairway
was barricaded. Chairs, beds, bureaus
everything, piled mp in n heap at the top
gave evidence of the presence of the rene
gades on the upper floor. Everything be-
| yOnd the obstruction was hidden it rested
on the landing at the turn of the stairs
and reached almost to the ceiling; beyond
that barrier death awaited. And now
heavy footsteps were heard above stairs,
and the rafting of window-panes.
Fire through the foor!' shouted
| ThroOp; "twO men to each room!"
| The lower rooms rang loud with the re-
peated discharges of carbines, and bullets
came back, fired downward by the be-
seged.
/ failed to see Showalter, and hunted
| for him, suspecting. He was found in a
shed room, piling old papers upon fire in
a corner. jerked him away and stamped
out the fire.
He exclaimed, "God Almighty, man!
What else can we do?'
II know better way" said l.
CHAPTER XVIII