Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1902-06-05

sight to see him standing alone, with
q 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?" asked. "How do we
get out?"
"How is the door?' he replied.
l looked through the portfolio and
said:
"a crowd of men waiting"
"We'll have to make q dash for it,
fancy" he replied cheerfully, though
his face was covered with blood and
his breath was coming in short gasps.
sect down the bars and be ready"
But even as he spoke a 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 barricadew Graeme called
out as they both went down.
l sprang to his place, but had not
much hope of holding it long. l 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 chance to
spring.
II have been waiting for this for
some time, Mr.. Graeme," he said, smil-
ing.
EYES," replied Graeme. "ever since
spoiled your cutthroat game in Frisco.
How is the little one?' he added sar-
castically.
Idaho's face lost it's 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 l 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 yell of exultant fury Idaho
hir,,c n ic,x ;crhf
Graeme, who could only cling to him.
They swayed together toward me, but
as they fell | brought down my bar
upon the appraised hand and sent the
knife flying across the room. Idaho'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 l saw that Ida
no was slowly dragging both across
the slippery floor to where the knife
lay. Nearer and nearer his outStretch-
ed fingers came to the knife. In vain
yelled and struggled. My voice was
lost in the awful din, and the barri-
cade held me fast. Above me, stand.
ing on a barrel head, was Baptiste,
yelling like demon. In vain 1 called
to him. My fingers could just reach
his foot, and he Needed not at all my
touch. Slowly Idaho was dragging his
almost unconscious victim toward the
knife. His fingers were touching the
blade point when, under a sudden in
spiration, pulled out my penknife,
opened it with my teeth and drove the
blade into Baptiste's foot. With
bloodcurdling yell he sprang down and
began dancing round in his rage, peer
ing among the barrels.
"Look! Lookr' l was calling in ago
ny and pointing. For heavens sake,
look, Baptistew
The fingers had closed upon the knife,
the knife was already high in the air,
when, with a shrek, Baptiste cleared
the room at a bound, and before the
knife could fall the little Frenchman's
boot had caught the uplifted wrist and
sent the knife flying to the wall.
Then there was a great rushing
sound as Of wind through the forest,
and the lights went out. When l
awoke, 1 found myself lying with my
head on Graeme's knees and Baptiste
sprinkling snow on my face. AS l
looked up Graeme leaned over, and,
smiling down into my eyes, he said:
"Good boy! 1t was great fight, and
we put it up WELL" And then he whis-
pered, 81 owe you my life. my boy"
His words thrilled my heart through !
and through, for l loved him as only |
men can love men, but only answer
ed:
81 could not keep them back"
sit was well DONE" he said, and /
felt proud.
I confess I was thankful to be so
well out of it, for Graeme got off with
q bone in his wrist broken and | with |
a couple of ribs cracked, but had it not