Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1904-01-14
CHAPTER xxxv.-continucd.


answering grunt came from the dark
ness behind US. Ieuan uttered a short,
quick command In their own tongue,
and the dwarf shut1led off to silence
the landlord and keep him from admit
ting our enemies.
who was that who spoke outside?"
asked Ieuan.
Sir John Postgate." replied
"Who iss he?"
"a magistrate"
"a maglstrate!" repeated 1euan.
and ISIS 1t certain he has come to fetch
you?"
= think 1T very likely" said I.
Well" reioined Ieuan, sit may be.
But it will be best TO keep him outside
Tor the good of everybody"
1t was scarcely possible that Sir
John Postgate could have information
which would Justify him In OBTAINING
| my companions. but 1t was clear that
Iteuan meant to run no risks, and. the
truth is, that magistrates weres no
more TO his fancy than, at present. to
4 nine.
"If we keep a strong door between
as, said Ieuan, there ISIS chance to
think of plan. but if they get in and
i begin to strike and shoot, you cannot
| see your way at all"
/ Twice or thrice the loud command
20 open was repeated. amid rain of
(, blows from musket- butts, and we re-
turned toward the door that was being
assailed Suddenly a stream of light
poured on us from behind. We turned
and saw the back door wide open, aid
tiny, childish figure standing on the
| Threshold One of the children of the
house had cvaded Dafydd and drawn
the bolt. 1euan gave a great cry and
ran. The child started and sprang out
Of the house, and before Ieuan Gwyllt
a1ry,a a 1Nrr, ny-e,
ieaped In and blocked the way. The
passage was wide. and both pushed
upon him at once as his sword flew
out to meet them.
/ had no weapon, nothing but my
bare hands, and I funed and ragged as
| [ peered over Ieuans shoulder and saw
the doorway fill With crowd of fierce,
hostile faces, the whole company run
| ming to the scene of action.
The torches We're eagerly snatched
/ from the hands Of the leading men by
their companions, leaving them free to
handle the Red Men of the Dusk. To
| handle leuan! He fought easily, with
put hurry or characterization. Their
| blades darted at him from either side,
and he PARTED every thrust, checked
every cut, then, when his chance came,
drove three inches of the point into
one, and. with a lashing twist of his
Iron wrist laid open the cheek of an
other Just as he delivered these
strokes, l saw musket barrel thrust
between the swordsmen and pushed
upon Ieuans body.
| l aropped on one knee behind him.
pnd watched the marksman. He was
! erouched close behind his friends and
before the trigger came within easy
reach the round black circle of the
muzzle was within arms length. shot
!! out my hand as l saw the musketeer
4 drop his toward the lock, and wrenched
the wepon aside. AS did so the piece
was discharged. but the bullet flew
I clear under my arm. tugged at the
! weapon with all my might, and, thanks
I to the surprise, plucked it clean out of
! my enemy's grasp gave a shout of
4 abreast OF Ieuan, clubbing the pom
/ derous firelock. The first fellow upon
4 whom I laid it wore luckily for him,
stout steel cap. but he dropped like
/ q stone, and knocked over another
i against whom he was dashed.
j Postsate saw him over the heads of
his followers, for he was bringing up
the rear. He had raised himself above
j them, and. fancy, was standing on a
horse block fust at the door, the upper
+ part of his body leaning In, while he
+ looked over the fight and shouted COM
\ nlands and encouragement. With
! look of malicious triumph he leveled a
\ r.stol at mo and took malicious aim.
bounded fui'iously at the people before
4. me, stirling fierce, butting blows with
the iron muShet heel and thinking how
long a time 1t was before Jack fired.
and perhaps 7. should reach him yet,
/ when his pistol cracked. I drew a long
| breath when I found my brains still
Fafe inside my skull, yet knew the bull
! let had cut me somewhere, for ] felt
! blood triclsling warm into my neck.
1 ! saw Il second pistol In Jacks hand,
/ but ne had no chance to use 1t. His fol-
iowcrs--stout men of their hands as
they were-had had their fill. and they
turned and swept through the door,
driving him from his perch. and drag
| gtDg their wounded with them. Ieuan
/ leaped after them, swung the door to.
| and shot the bolt home. Just In time.
Several pistol balls ratified against
| the p.anlSs. Had 1T not been for Ieuan's
auickness they would have raked the
! passage.
1 WELL said Ieuaa smiling, that
wass a little fight now. Indeed, they
! are good ones to fight
4 Gwen though they ran away
j said I.
Never mind for that" returned
4 Ieuan; every man ISIS running away
when be has had enough. have been
/ doing it plenty of times. Who ISIS
/ this
A link had been dropped In the
I struggle and lay burning freely as its
end projected over a hollow in the UNI
/ even, tagged floor. Ieuan picked 1T up
I and rolled over q heap lying near 1t.
1t was one OF the foe left behind in the
retreat, the fellow of the steelcap who
! had gone down under the muslSet butt.
/ lie had only been stunned. and now his
| eyes opened and he blinlSed feebly at
the light. Ieuap- laid his sword point
| at the mans throat