The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1904-04-28
A VINEYARD VENDETTA


c Wedrell and Barry struck out left and
6 right In the darkness. but i've against
two proved irresistible odds.
= During that wild scnmmage Wedrell
had been trying 10 figure out the az
I fair; this attack had been 30 sudden
and 30 unexpected that for the mo-
ment he was nonplussed. The methods
employed by these assailans were not
. these generally popular with tramps.
! and yet Wedrell could think OF no one
else who might attempt this miserable
piece Of cowardlce.
One thing struck him as particularly
} s~uspicious-no word had been spoken
81 far. The party preserved a perfect
silence. eve when both be D his
companion We're led. bound and
~wriggling. down past The n Of the
vineyard 10 the deserted house.
Barry was indulging IN a choice Sc
lection OF expletiFes and Wedrel could
hear him roundly scoring bis csptors.
but an cutlery in this spot could not
avail 10 any visible extent
Evidently the gang had some we'll
defined object In view. for II headed
IN the direction Of the broken doorway.
During all this time Wecrell had at
tempted 10 see enough Of those about
him 70 distinguish their clothing or
features. but the darkness thwarted
him Even when they were led down
10 the last room-the Etchen-at the
back Of the old house. and a candle
lighted. the captors were clever enough
10 IL heavy cloths over the eyes OF the
two boys. thus cutting OF any ioophole
OF escape or discovery.
wedreil saw the dull glow OF the
candle somewhere In the room; he
heard shnfiing feet within reach OF
his twitchlng legs as some a tried
mnliciously 10 pinch him
ouch bawled an sgoniEed voice.
Wedrell had kicked out with one
weiishod foot and caught the sneak
squareiy IN the stomach. doubling him
Ut ike a t~ack-knife. At the same mo
meat Wedneii exerted every whit OF
strength In his back ana shoulders; the
poorly tied cords snapped and IN an
other minute he was free. the bsndage
whipped from his burning J
Fletcher, Nokesi Dsuiton. yIoss,
Nodcy.- be shouted. the lasi-named
his spectacles awry on bis nose. lay
~wrggiing and moaning on the noor
from the hck x lately administered
Barry. stu bound and blirdfolded
stood against the wall directly oppo-
site.
II did o take wedreli the Cash Of
- az. - A.s.-awf-. Id. MAJ.
the other boys were smar;ing under
their surprise. We6reli's knife. saving
upon the cord ohat held Barry a pris-
oDer. freed him before they recovered
"Now. then. q little Of their own
medicine. Barryt- be roared. darting
out into the middle Of the floor. HIS
sweeping glance Of the kitchen took in
every detail. the tallow dip burning on
a window ledge. the one broken chair.
the long door that led down to a cellar,
wide open a; The other end Of the
apartment
Barry was not a sieepyhead; cadets
who knew anything about him at all
knew that he could throw the hammer
farther than any boy in the college.
except perhaps. Wedrell himself, and
Il was no chlid's play to face those
hatterng-rsm arms
Poor Noddy had not managed to
the floor. there were four against
two.
Fletcher" muttered wedreii In that
Intensely exciting moment before the
FLASHED: I'm about to give you
a good thrashing II it's IN me. / think
you deserve it,
That worthy maj or may not have
deserved 81. but the thrashing did come
and the big bully went in q heap TO the
noor. with one bruised eye that would
certainly be decorated with black on
the following day. wedrelrs FIRST hard
blow from the shoulder had caught
him in the right place.
Barry in the meanwhile had done
lust what wedrell could have wished
one OF the other boys. but
mad melee. which took all three to tho
md OF the room before they knew IL
Barry pushed both forward and down !
His a~dversaries lost their bal :
lnce and were tumbied feet 1rst down
he open cellar doorway. :
'HGoodr' shouted wedrell. Now for !
his one. Bsrryr' ,
During his breathing spell Barry wit l
iessed a laughabie sight.
wedreil's iron hand, gripped In the )
OF the sole remaining fighting !
representative OF that midnight ven :
Ietta. fairly lifted him from his feet :
nd sent him spinning like a rag doll :
own after his unfortunate brothers In /.
he cellar. Fletcher had staggered to =
is feet but wedreil made short work
Z him, and he. too. was most impolite-
precipitated down the slippery n
tair4 $
"No time to waste with you. Noddy." 4
be boy chuckled. gasping for breath; n
we must set back to the academy to- n
ightl' With that he slid luckiess. u
Noddy down with his COM /,
ades 1,
The door. ouickr~ he called to L
AIRY.
There was an iron chain and catch
pom Il and the door wal unusually .
.rong. being . portion Of the oak p
cor. Snapi went the catch In tn place 8
,st ~ = thunderous pounding Of irsts =
sts threatened n push Il upward o.
TOO later called wedrsll. "A pleas
at night fellows. Now, Barry" he Q
emit on hurriedly. we must get back V
the barracks ~ quickly a. va can al
rrro''~ wtn rrtrh Ne n't. Ar,~~cr s.