The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-09-11
"Geoffrey Heathcote, ESQ"
BY JOHN FiNNmoRE. Copyright 1899, by S. s. Mcclure Co.,

the press in which my enemies had
Wedgeo themselves at the door, every
man striving to enter first, held them
stead1ly for the instant that was re-
CURED to bring Owain to my side. His
oiade nashed past my shoulder and
t pea swiftly again and again into
the medley of ak and spearheads
aimed ~confusedly at us. Not a single
shot SO far had been fred, and the only
SOUND was the sharp clash and CRATE
OF cold steel. Behind US ]. heard a bell
clamor out its shrill alarm and my
uncies voice screaming orders, and the
ciatter Of feet as the garrison ran to
arms. Before us the half-naked saw
ages, their eyes cleaning like sparks
under their fells OF matted red hair,
pushea against us in a dreadful silence
llke wild beasts, too ferocious to utter a
single warming ere they attack,
1t was but q few moments that they
impeded each other by their tangled
huddling in the doorway, then a great
voice which we both knew called on
them from behind, and several fell
PACK, affording their comrades room
10 ply their pixies. But the delay had
given us the backing of five or six stout
ieliows, VINO swarmed up to the de-
tense with sword and huckler. Up to
this We a had but the light of the
smoky lamp, but now the storm burst
forth afresh, n ouch nearer. Great
sheets OF violet flame leaped from end
TO end OF the sky, and seemed to burst
IN lambert floods through doorway and
windows; the thunder followed instant
upon the flash, and, fighting with
races to the storm, we were almost
blinded by the dreadful glare followed
by the inky blackness of the night
closing over it. With the second flash
the voice OF Ieuan Gwyllt rang out
again, and the pikemen, agile as wild
cats, strong as mountain lions, charged
fur1ously upon us. The superior reach
OF their weapons now told; and, though
onee n again in the glancing light I
put aside a pikehead with my sword, a
third reached me, took me in h side
and thrust me down headlong. Our
men now closed over my body, oppos-
ing their bucklers to the points and
heWing ~furiously at the ~bareheads Of
the Gwylliaid Cochion. I felt two hands
thrust themselves into my collar, n
l was dragged from the tangle Of feet
before I could turn myself to rise.
Are you hurt?" cried Owain IN my
ear.
"a mere scratch" aid I, springing
up; the point caught in my doublet."
Then we will fall Jack and guard
the stair foot" said Owain. They have
the entrance; h other they must not
have"
Never" said I, and we fastened
back.
The stairs ran UP midway Of the a
and facing h door. At the top of the
first fight was a square gallery, n
here was gathered a screaming band
Of women, clinging to each other, n
now looking upon, now turning their
heads from, the medley of fight at the
entrance. Enid. her faithful siani close
at hand, stood resolutely at the stair
rail; as we fell back we waved our
hands, and a white smile shone on her
face. We placed ourselves al the stair
foot, and q snrili cry of delight broke
out behind US. I turned my head and
STAND to it, nephew" ne cried, land
pea them off. And yet" he added,
and his tone seemed one Of chagrin, II
saw you fall"
"'Twas but a SLIP" said I, and
glanced his way. The sky opened as I
did SO. and the murky acknowledged
place was filed with a glare beyond
MONDAY. My uncle was biting his
thumb and looking down upon me
darkly. Owain began to hou COM
mands In Welsh. w men armed with
muskets were darting up and down on
the edge of the fray like terriers round
a badger hole, watching for a chance to
help their fellows with shot. At Owain's
call they ran back to him, n he post
ed them on the gallery above and gave
them orders. All this, which has taken
some time in telling, but took little In
the doing, md through 1t all the bat
tie ragged, on our side with great shouts
and heavy cries, on the other side with
a silence and mute ferocfty ~inexpress-
IDLY Dreadful. I lifted my eyes and saw
Miss Vaughan leaning over the rail.
Our glances met, and she spoke, her
clear voice coming easily to my ears
through the tumult.
- l.- E-xo os
said she.
Not in the least" I laughed back;
Il was but pushed down.
Hal" CREW Owain at my side. I
turned my head and saw that IL men
were giving little by little, and now
there appeared, breaking his way easily
through the fight, tie tall, sinewy form
mere play. He intercepted cut, thrust,
stab, and repaid them with deadly in
terest, as a man might hew his way
through a crowd Of children. He was
eagerly glancing from side to side, and
the first noise upon their side of he
gave when he saw Sir Arthur on he
stairs. "Owain-neph- began the
latter in a tone of extreme entreaty.
but his voice died away in his throat.
We grasped our swords tighter, and
the muskets began to thunder over our
neaQS. Inc garrison Was DelllS Sledu-
lily driven back, and there was now
room to fire owe them into the mass
of Red Men Of the Dusk still In the
doorway. The sitting smell of powder
in the air, the reports of the guns in
the confined space were even more
stunning than the thunder which rolled
without, and my uncle began to scream
in Welsh to the musketeers.
I could distinguish nothing but the
word "Ieuan," but his meaning was
easy enough to take. He was bidding
| them mark down Ieuan Gwyllt, but
Ieuan was now in the midst of our own
men, and they were as likely to hit
friend as foe.
I searched the landing once more
with my eye and saw the reason of the
shots following one on another so close
ly as they had done. Several spare
1relocks were leaning ready to the
hands of the men, and were being