The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1905-03-23

He is dead" l whispered; hush
turn your face aside-killed by those
same dogs that are now below"
l heard a sob in the true fellows
throat. But on the instant it was drown
ed by the sound of door opening and
the tramp of feet on the stairs.
CHAPTER VII.
looked around. Sir Deakin had pick
ed up the lamp and was mixing his bowl.
humming to himself without the least
concern.
Hand me the nutmeg yonder," he
said, and then, ''why, daughter, what's
this Ia trembling hand?
And all the while the footsteps were
coming up. There was a loud knock on
the door.
Come iny' called Sir Deakin.
At this, Jacques, who stood ready Tor
battle by the entrance, wheeled round,
| shot look at his master, and dropping
his point, made a sign to me to do the
same. The door was thrust rudely open,
and Captain Settle. his hat cooked over
one eye, and sham drunkenness in his
gait, lurched into the room, with the
whole villainous crew behind him, hud-
died on the threshold. Jacques and l
|
| girl.
Would you mind waiting momentT
| inquired Sir Deakin, without looking up.
but rubbing the nutmeg calmly up and
down the CRATER; "a fraction too much.
md the whole decoction will be spoiled.
t took the Captain aback, and he
, came to a stand, eying US, who looked
back at him without saying word. And
-, e<;1 fx1-f
There was minute during which the
two parties could hear each others
| breathing. Sir Deakin set down the nut
meg, wiped his thin fingers on a napkin
and addressed the Captain sweetly:
Before asking your business, sir,
would beg you and your company to
taste of this, which, in the court of
France"-the old gentleman took sip
from the mixing ladle-"has had the ex-
IRENE honor to be pronounced divine"
He smacked his lips and, rising to his
feet, let his right hand rest on the silver
foot of the lamp as he bowed to the
Captain.
Captain Settles bravado was plainly
oozing away before this polite audacity,
and he pulled off his cap In a shame
faced manner and sat down by the table
/ with WORD OF lnanKS.
| Come in, sirs-come in" called the
old gentleman. land follow your friends
example. Twill be compliment to make
me mix another bowl when this is fin
ished." He stepped around the table to
welcome them, still resting his hand on
| the lamp as if for steadiness. / saw his
eye twinkle as they shufled in and stood
around the chair where the Captain was
| seated.
Jacques, bring glasses from the cup
board yonder; And. Della, fetch up
some chairs for our guests-no, sirs,
pray do not mover
He had waved his hand lightly TO the
door as he turned to US; and In an in
slant the intention as well as the bright
success Of this comedy flashed upon me.
There was now no one between Us and
the stairs, and as for Sir Deakin him
self, he had already taken the step of
putting the tables width between him
and his guests.
l touched the girls arm, and we made
as if to fetch a couple Of chairs that
stood against the wainscot by the door.
As we did so, Sir Deakin pushed the
punch bowl forward under the Captain s
nose.
Smell, sir" he cried airily, land re-
port to your friends on the foretaste"
Settles nose hung over the steaming
compound. With a swift pass of the
hand the old gentleman caught up the
lamp and had shaken a drop of burning
oil into the bowl. A great blaze leaped
to the ceiling. There was a howl-a
scream of pain, and as l pushed Mis-
tress Della through the doorway and out
to the head Of the stairs, 1 caught a
backward glimpse of Sir Deakin rushing
after US, with one Of the stoutest among
the robbers at his heels.
Downstairs, for your life!' / whis-
per'd to the girl, and turning. as her
father tumbled past me, let his pursuer
run on my sword. as on a spit At the
same instant, another blade pass'd
through the fellow transversely, and
Jacques stood beside me. with his back
to the Intel.
As we pull'd our swords out and the
man dropp'd, had brief view into the
room, where now the blazing liquid ran
off the table in stream. Settle, stamp
ing with agony, had his palms press'd
against his scorch'd eyelids. The fat
. landlord, in trying to beat out the flames
. had increased them by upsetting two bot.
Ties Oh dQud Vitae, dlRQ Wdo QduCluk dDOul
with three fingers in his mouth. The
rest stood for the most part dumbfound.
er'd; but Black Dick had his pistol lift.
ed.
Jacques and spring out for the land
|. ing and round the doorway. Between
the fash and the report l felt a sudden
scrape, as of a redhot wire, across my
left thigh and just above the knee.
Jacques pointed down the staircase
where, by the glare Of the confagration
that beat past US, / saw the figures oil
Sir Deakin and his daughter standing.
But how can you keep the door
against a dozen?"
The Frenchman shrugged his shoulders
with a smile. At this moment came q
rush OF footsteps within the room. saw
a fat paunch thrusting past US, quiet
pass Of steel. and the landlord was wal
lowing on his face across the threshold
Jacques teeth snapp'd together as he
. stood ready for another victim; and al
the fellows within the room tumbled
back, he motion'd me to leave him.
sprang from his side, and catching the
rail Of the staircase, reach'd the foot in
. a couple Of bounds.
Hurry / cried, and caught the old
barcnet by the hand. His daughter tool
the other, and between us we hurried
him across the passage fer the kitchen
door.
Within, the chambermaid was on hel