The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-10-29
CONTINUED
BY RALPH CCNNO2
hack at 'em." "

| We had no dl1nculty GettlnS Lneln out.
Abe began to yell. Some men rushed
out to learn the cause. He seized the
foremost man, making hideous up
roar all the while, and in three minutes
had every man out of the hotel and q
lively row going on.
In two minutes more Graeme and
had the door Of the ballroom locked
and barricaded with empty casks. We
then closed the door Of the barroom
leading to the outside. The barroom
was a strongly built log shack, with a
heavy door secured, after the manner
of the early cabins, with two strong
oak bars, so\that we felt safe from at
tack from that quarter.
The ballroom we could not hold long,
for the door was slight and entrance
was possible through the window. But
as only a few casks Of liquor were left
there our main work would be in the
bar, so that the fight would be to hold
the passageway. This we barricaded
with casks and tables. But by this
time the crowd had begun to realize
what had happened and were wildly
yelling at door and windows. With an
az which Graeme had brought with
him the casks were soon stove in and
left to empty themselves.
AS l was about to empty the last
cask Graeme stopped me, saying: "Let
that stand here. 1t will help u.s." And
so it did. "Now skip for the barri-
! cadew yelled Graeme as a man came
crashing through the window. But be-
fore he could regain his feet Graeme
had seized him and flung him out upon
the heads Of the crowd outside. But
| through the other windows men were
| coming in, and Graeme rushed for the
barricade, followed by two Of the enc
my, the foremost Of whom received
at the top and hurled back upon the
| others.
''Now be quick~ said Graeme. 'I'll
hold this. Don't break any bottles on
the floor. Throw them out there"
pointing to little window high up in
the wall.
made all haste. The casks did not
take much time, and soon the whisky
and beer were flowing over the floor.
1t made me think Of Geordies regret
over the ''sinfu' waste" The bottles
took longer, and, glancing up now and
then, I saw that Graeme was being
hard pressed. Men would leap, two
and three at time, upon the barricade,
and Graeme's arms would shoot out,
and over they would topple upon the
heads Of those nearest. It was great
sight to see him standing alone, with
smile on his face and the light Of bat
tie in his eye, coolly meeting his as
sailants with those terrific, lightning
like blows. In fifteen minutes my work
was done.
what next?' I asked. "How do we
get out?"
How is the door," he replied.
looked through the portfolio and
said:
"a crowd Of men waiting"
"We'll have to make dash for it, l
fancy" he replied cheerfully, though
his face was covered with blood and
his breath was coming in short gasps.
Get down the bars and be ready"
But even as he spoke chair hurled
from below caught him on the arm,
and before he could recover man had
cleared the barricade and was upon
him like tiger 1t was Idaho Jack.
'Hold the barricader' Graeme called
out as they both went down.
sprang to his place, but had not
much hope Of holding it long. I had
the heavy oak bar Of the door in my
hands, and, swinging it round my head,
I made the crowd give back for few
moments.
Meantime Graeme had shaken off his
enemy, who was circling about him
upon his tiptoes, with long knife in
his hand, waiting for a chance to
spring.
''I have been waiting for this for
some time, Mr.. Graeme," he said, smil-
ing.
yes" replied Graeme, lever since l
spoiled your cutthroat game in Frisco.
How is the little one?" he added sar-
castically.
Idaho's face lost its smile and became
distorted with fury as he replied, spit
ting out his words:
'She-is-where you will be before
am done with YOU
"Ah, you murdered her too! You'll
hang some beautiful day, Idaho" said
Graeme as Idaho sprang upon him.
Graeme lodged his blow and caught
his forearm with his left hand and held
up high the murderous knife. Back
and forward they swayed over the
| floor, slippery with whisky, the knife
held high in the air. | wondered why
Graeme did not strike, and then I saw
his right hand hung limp from the
wrist. The men were crowding upon
| the barricade. l was in despair.
Graeme's strength was going fast.
With q yell Of exultant fury Idaho
threw himself with all his weight upon
Graeme, who could only cling to him.
They swayed together toward me, but
as they fell I brought down my bar
upon the upraised hand and sent the
knife flying across the room. 1daho's
howl Of rage and pain was mingled
with a shout from below, and there,
dashing the crowd to right and left,
came old Nelson, followed by Abe, San
dy, Baptiste, Shaw and others. AS
they reached the barricade it crashed
down and, carrying me with it, pinned
me fast.
Looking out between the barrels, I
saw what froze my heart with horror.
In the fall Graeme had wound his
arms about his enemy and held him
in a grip so deadly that he could not
strike, but Graeme's strength was fail
ing, and when looked I saw that Ida
| ho wos slowly dra rrinc both across