The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-09-18


the press in which my enemies had
wedged themselves at the door, every
man striving to enter first, held them
| steadily for the instant that was re-
CURED to bring Owain to my side. His
blade nasned past my shoulder and
plunged swiftly again and again into
the medley of AK and spearheads
aimed confusedly at US. Not single
| shot SO far had been fired, and the only
sound was the sharp clash and CRATE
of cold STEEL Behind us 1 heard a bell
| clamof out it's shrill alarm and my
| uncle's voice screaming orders, and the
clatter 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,
pushed against us in a dreadful silence
| like wild beasts, too ferocious to utter a
single warning ere they attack.
! 1t was but a few moments that they
impeded each other by their tangled
budding in the doorway, then a great
voice which we both knew called on
them from behind and several fell
back, affording their comrades room
to ply their pixies. But the delay had
given us the backing of five or six stout
fellows, who swarmed up to the de-
Tense with sword and buckler. Up to
this we had had but the light of the
smoky lamp, but now the storm burst
forth afresh, and much 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 our
faces 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
furiously upon US The superior reach
| Of their weapons now told; and though
once and again In the glancing light I
put aside pikehead with my sword. a
third reached me, took me in the 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. felt two hands
thrust themselves into my collar, and
I 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" said I, springijlg
up; "the point caught in my doublet."
''Then we will fall back and guard
the stair foot said Owain. They have
the entrance; the other they must not
have"
Newer" said I, and we fastened
back.
The stairs ran up midway Of the hall
and facing the door. At the top of the
first fight was a square gallery, and
here was gathered a screaming band
Of women. clinging to each other, and
now looking upon, now turning their
heads from, the medley of fight at thu
entrance. Enid, her faithful SIAM close
at hand, stood resolutely at the stair
rail; as we fell back we waved our
hands, and white smile shone on her
face. We placed ourselves at the stai'
foot, and a shrill cry Of delight broke
out behind us. l turned my head and
saw my uncle two or three steps up.
"Stand to it, nephew he cried, land
beat them off. And yet he added
and his tone seemed one of chagrin, Il
saw you fall
"'Twas hut slip" said 1, and
glanced his way. The sky opened as
did so, and the murky yellow lighted
place was filed with a glare Beyond
MONDAY. My uncle was biting his
thumb anG looking down upon me
darlzly Owain began to shout com
mands in Welsh. Two man armed Will
muskets were darting up and down ol
the eIge of the fray like terriers ROUND
a badger hole, watching for chance t.
help their fellows with shot. At OWain's
call they ran back to him, and he post
ed them on the gallery above and gave
then. orders. All this, which has taker
some time in telling, but took little II
the doing and through 1t all the bat.
tie ragged, on our side With great shout:
and heavy cries. on the other side witt
a silence and mute ferocity ineXprcss
IDLY dreadful. lifted my eyes and saw
Miss Vaughan leaning over the rel!
. Our glances met, and she spoke, hei
clear voice coming easily to my ear:
) through the tumult.
Are YOU hurt, Master Heathcote?'
!, said she.
mot in the least" 1 laughed back
II was but pushed down."
, Hal" criew Owain at my side.
turned my head and saw that our mel
, were giving little by little, and nov
there appeared, breaking his way easil,
; through the fight, the tall, sinewy form
of Ieuan Gwylit. To him this wa
:, mere play. He intercepted cut, thrust
, stab, and repaid them with deadly in
terest, as q man might hew his Wa
through crowd of children. He wa
; eagerly glancing from side to side, an
! the first noise upon their side Of TIL
battle was the roar of dreadful joy h
gave when he saw Sir Arthur on tn
= stairs "Owain-neph-" began tn
I latter In q tone of extreme entreaty
but MS voice QleQ away IN MS ClrOa
We grasped our swords tighter, an
+ the muskets began to thunder over GU
/ heads. The garrison was being stead
+ lily driven back, and there was noN
: room to fire over them into the mas
Of Red Men Of the Dusk still in tn
! doorway. The sitting smell of powde
. in the air, the reports of the guns i
: the confined space were even NOR
, stunning than the thunder which role
: without, and my uncle began to screa,
;. in Welsh to the musketeers.
1 could distinguish nothing but tn
: word "Ieuan,' but his meaning wa
$ easy enough to take. He was biddin
= them mark down Ieuan Gwyllt, BIT
4 Ieuan was now in the midst of our ow
+ men, and they were as likely to h
. friend as foe.
4 I. searched the landing once MOI
i with my eye and saw the reason of tn
. shots following one on another so close
n ly as they had done. Several spar
frelocks We're leaning ready to til
) hands Of the men, and were bein
Il charged again as soon as fired by Mis-
!. Vaughan and Siani. turned agai
q and saw Ieuan Gwyllt breaking throug
!. the last fringe Of the skirmish, an
n rushing upon his prey. He was TO
i lowed by a gigantic Red Man Of tt
h Dusk, whom had observed in the figl
n close at Ieuan's back.
{,Ir To-. i