Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-11-05
"Geoffrey Heathcote, Esq"
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
BY JOHN FNNlh0RE copyright by Mcclure co.,


them l could see plainly enough. But
the eyes of my adversaries / could not
see and 1t Is the eye which tells every
thing to one who knows how to read
his enemy's intention.
1 fell back slowly a couple of yards,
for the passage narrowed as 1t APP
preached the inner door. My foes
pressed on me together and eagerly
striking and shouting in triumph as l
retreated. Then the lessening room,
warned them that they could not come
on abreast. and both. eager to deal, as
they expected, the finishing blow, the
two of them bounded out at the same
moment to take the lead.
AS / had calculated. they clashed
with and jostled each other roughly.
For the instant neither would give way
and the advantage was mine IL swiftly
followed up J promise you / made no
laggard business of 1t. l had not for
gotten the duellist's advice to his
brother when / lay under Whitesock,
and, knowing he was the more danger
Gus enemy, 1 gave him the point with
my full weight behind 1t, running him
clean through, and slashing the other
severely across the shoulder of his
sword arm.
Down went the first, all in heap,
and the second staggered back. The
me like wolf, striking madly at me
with the blazing brand. So sudden was
his attack that the leaping flame was
at my eyes before / could pull myself
together to meet this new mode of war
fare.
raised my arm and he struck it fur
iously with the great splinter of burn
ing bog-wood. The light, fiaky wood
shattered into a thousand fragments,
on
finder, while l repaid him with thrust
which drove him bowling back. With
a few hasty sweeps of the hand,
freed myself from the shreds of the
torch, and stood to my guard again
1T was some moments before i could
see clearly, for the glare OF the flame
had dazzled my eyes Where my enem-
les We're L knew not, and swung my
sword from wall to wall, high and low
before me, to be sure that all was clear
IN my front. AS my eyes began to do
their wonted service heard drag
ging noise, and saw the torch bearer
drawing away the body of the duellist,
who began to utter choking groans as
he was moved. The other man had all
ready retreated and, though it would
have been easy for ME to cut off the
two at hand yet l could not find it
IN my heart to attack the faithful fell
low. who, wounded himself, was succor-
ing his master.
L trampled out the glowing fragments
which Uttered the floor, drew deep
breath, and thought gratefully of the
stout-hearted Siani guarding the Win
dow within. But for her my case would
be hopeless. A single assailant in the
rear would make swift end of the bus
mess. The day was now wearing on,
and the light grew fainter in the gall
lefy and in consequence my narrow
fortress became duskier than ever.
Five. ten minutes passed, and no
fresh attempt was set on foot posted
myself at the angle and kept keen
lools-out, but saw no one. A continued
mutter of voices warned me that plenty
OF foes were lurking near the narrow
entrance to my den, but they gave no
other sign OF their presence.
Suddenly / jumped in sheer fright
My nerves were strained to expect but
one thing and that was rush from the
gallery, when a loud hollow stroke rang
at my elbow on the other side of the
wall upon which / leaned, shook with
surprise. Several dull sounding blows
We're given, and then clang! clang! an
iron bar rang upon stone. was at no
loss TO explain their movements, and
bit my under lip till the blood ran, as
cudgelled my perplexed brain for some
way OF meeting this clever plan. My
enemies were within a couple of feet
of me, knocking a hole in the wall.
They had skilfully chosen a point
which would rake the lower end of the
passage. once a gap was made they
had but to thrust the muzze of a mus
ket through. and my flank was turned,
my fortress untenable.
Luckily, the partition walls of that
stout old house We're soundly build of
quarried stone, and the clinking bar
had a good twenty minutes work be-
fore it ere the plaster on my side would
be reached
To retreat to the room behind me
was useless. 1t was big enough to add
NIT score to hack at me, and | dis
missed the idea instantly. l sent my
thoughts out and ran in mind over the
whole house, With which | had become
quite familiar The gallery, the wide
stairs, the hall, the ponderous door, the
hillside without these strung them
selves before my inner eye, and l Won
dered If dash We're possible. But I
could not help shaking my head as l
counted the risks. OF sudden my
thoughts, us it seemed of their own
will, turned and ram upstairs. | saw
the flights of broad shallow steps, the
long corridor on the next floor, with
its rows of doors opening to the gar
IelS MitIe Slepl servants ana retain
ers. clumsy ladder leading to trap
door which gave entrance to u cham
Der in the roof, and caught my breath
at the idea which flashed into my mind
An impregnable fortress" thought
l; could | but reach 1t, an impregna-
BILE fortress. They dare do nothing but
starve me out of it. and much might
happen before them
/ felt Il burning eagerness to try my
fate at once. l slipped out of my boots
tied my sword to my wrist by ker-
chief, for fear it should be struck from
my hand, took n tight grip of my loaded
pistol and made Il cautious step or two
down the outer end of the passage
Inch by inch drew on until L was but
a yard from the mouth, and i felt sure
that none of the guard was very close
to the opening. Then, like a hare from
her form. l darted out at full speed.
A great roar of surprise went up, and
a dozen men sprang at me at once
Two or three pistols We're fired at ram
dom, but the balls went wide of me
and l passed clean through the crowd
to the further side of the gallery lIv-
cry one of the band stationed here was
at once filled With the same idea.
They never dreamed but that I was
rushing for the stairs and hall, and
they swung in yelling sRave to the
stair-head to cut me off. This played
my game to nicely, and left fully
omen the flight on the opposite side