The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1903-11-06
CHAPTER XXI.
CLOSE ~oJ.ARTERs.

IA Nv 1al1o DGSSdSS
and In ran Slam.
many, coming she called in
loud whisper; got go!"
! shook my head n she darted to
I the window "A low cry burst from he,
! lips as she saw the watchers without,
"A great clatter of feet on the stairs
and8a hubbub OF angry voices warned
me- or the danger which threatened
from within, and l cast a glance about
me- 10 make a stand where I was
would be impossible. The passage was
the only place to hold them. In a few
words T. explained to Siani-who UNI
derstood English much better than she
spoke 1t-what I intended to do, and
7 she nodded.
- keep here" she said. mo one
come this way She had provided
herself with a formidable knife, and
now spat on her fist, took a firm grip of
I the haft, and posted herself at the win
dow. patted her shoulder, drew my
sword and ran for the passage. 1 shut
the door Of the room softly and lis
tened. A loud cry Of surprise rang
along the gallery. The attacking party
a found my room empty. Then
heard an excited voice screaming up
the stairs, and I knew they would be
on the right scent without delay.
Luckily for me the passage was not
straight. It took a sharp turn half way
Nv SlldIIiDcI uOOT ana the
MOUTH, Where 1t opened to the gallery.
1t was unlfghted, and the closing Of
the door threw this end into complete
darkness, While my enemies would be
outlined against the light without. 1t
was narrow, and as l love the point
better than the edge, I was the better
suited.
Comet" thought ], "'tis a case Of
drawing a badger. The hole is snug
n convenient to asdegree, and if 1 do
MOI give them as good as they bring,
twill be a foul shame to me-"
mao, as weapons, my trusty sword,
q blade which had served my father
before me, n is of unequaled temper,
and a pair of pocket pistols with which
Enid had furnished me. The pistols
a each two barrels. and, Of course,
the balls We're small. But, at a few
PAGES, a little bullet can give a great
wound, and I took one in my left hand,
my sword in my right, and stood firmly
IN the angle of the passage. l had
barely presented my pistol when a
cluster of faces swarnled into the open
ing.
It was all dark to their eyes: they
knew not where I was, and they hung
for an instant ct the mouth of the pas
sage. 1t was to my advantage quickly
to deepen this unwillingness to adj
vance, n I steadily discharged both
barrels of the pistol. The shots struck
home among the crowd and it melted
away with mingled cries of pain and
fury. Then w swift figures sprang
into the narrow gap, one from either
side, laid pixies before them, and ran
in, thinking to bear me down with
mere ~foolishness and delivered in the
Of rage-a passion to hich
the Celtic temper is prone, and which
leacs them very often to vain attempts,
as in his case.
For the two men, being of the Mervyn
faction. and ignorant of the house, knew
not of the bend in the passage, and
dashed their pike-heads against the
wall. Meeting so unyielding a sub
stance, the pixies flew from their lands
ana they, themselves, rolled downEh head
long. As they rose, 1 cut each Of them
shrewdly over the head, for, had they
made another step forward, they would
have been within graphing distance,
and to be seized by one of them would
have been fatal, since the whole crowd
would have followed up at a cry. The
sting OF the blade quickly let out their
fury, and, without attempting to pick
up their weapons, they scrambled down
the passage and out Of my sight, one of
them groaning heartily.
l stepped back in shelter of the wall
and so, when a couple of muskets were
presented and discharged, the bullets
flew by me harmlessly. I could see
nothing of those who fired save the
hands, and several volleys were poured
in this fashion into my retreat. Some
OF the bullets glanced round the outer
angle Of the bend, which was a smooth
curve, and, traversing the whole length
OF the passage, struck into the door.
Time and again they whizzed by me,
but by keeping myself almost flat
against the inner angle I escaped UNI
touched. The firing ceased, and I
peered out again. Thick, eddying clouds
OF smoke obscured my view, then a
bright, red glare struck into, them and
with steady, cautious steps, a fresh
party Of my enemies came upon me.
The move was well planned. Two men
We're in front, ready with their weap-s
ons; behind them a tall fellow held a
blazing torch on high, to light them to
the attack. Thus I must fight with
the light in my eyes, M they in COM
plete shadow. 1 knew my assailants at
a glance. They were the duellist and
his cousin. The duellist was a little the
foremost, and he4held a pistol in his
left hand. his I dreaded much more
than the sword in his right, and Idrew
my remaining pistol also. Yet 1 was
unwilling to spend my last shots till
utterly compelled, n I dropped upon
one knee, and uttered a low, melancholy
50 - SSSPPSo .oul=DIlSk-
~ upon hearing this, and I was on him
before he know nov close he was to my
lair.
I had marked his left arm from the
beginning OF my spring, and my sword
was through his wrist, held out stiffly,
pistol in hand. before he could crook
his finger on the trigger.
The pistol ratified on the boards at
my feet. and his companion fred as |
leaped back. The noise in the confined
space was ~deafening, but the bullet did
no more than rip a shred from theI
shoulder of my coat.
With q Shrek of pain III duellist
lunged iercely at me.
tnrned his sword aside and whipped
up my blade in time to guard a cut
from his companion. The fellow with
the torch understood his business, for
he now lowered the leaping red flame
until it was just above his leaders
shoulders and directly level with my
eyes.
The two swords springing out at me
We're lined with bright streaks as their
polished surfaces caught the light, and
them 1 could see plainly. enough. But
the eyes Of ny ad~versaries I could not
see, and it is the eye which tells every
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