The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-19
"She's 'ard of fearing, mate"

ct do believe she's done bolt,' he
gasped, "and got clean away!"
Curses overhead confirmed the sup
position. Clanking feet hunted the
premises at a run. In minute the
curses were renewed and multiplied,
yet muffled, as tho the prisoners need
not know. Hannah had not been found.
Yet some disturbing discovery had un-
doubtedly been made. Doors were
banged and bolted. A gunshot came
faint but staccato from the outer world.
A real report echoed thru the bank.
IA siege!' cried Fergus, striking =
match to dance by. "iThe old heroine
has fetched the police, and these beau
ties are in trap.'
"And what about us7'' demanded
the cashier.
"Shut up and listen!' retorted
Fergus, without ceremony. Macbean
was leaning forward, with bald head
upper ear. Even the stunned man had
recovered sufficiently to raise himself
on one elbow and gaze overhead az
Fergus struck match after match. Tho
villains were having an alteration on
the very trap door. 81
"Now's the time to cut and run-
now or never.'
thru the safe.' -.
"You should ha' done that first.''
"Better late than not at all. - .=.s-
HYou can't stop and do it without
me.' --
"Oh, yes, can. IN call for q vol
unteer from below. You show them
your spurs and save your skin.'
"Oh, III stay, curse you, I III stayl"
"And I'll have my volunteer,
whether you stay or not.'
The pair had scarcely parted when
the trap door opened slowly and stayed
open for the first time. The banking
chamber was but dimly lit, and the
light in the pit less than it had been
during the brief burning Of single
matches. No peering face was revealed
to those below, but the voice of Stin-
garee came rich and crisp from behind
the counter.
"Your old woman has got away to
the police barracks and the place is
surrounded. One Of you has got to
come up and help, and help fair, or go
to hell with bullet in his heart. I
give you one minute to choose your
man,
But in one second the man had
chosen himself. Without a word, or a
glance at any Of his companions, but
with face burning with extraordinary
fires, Fergus Carrick sprang for the
clean edge Of the trap door, caught it
first with one hand and then with both,
drew himself up like the gymnast he
had been at his Scottish school, and
found himself prone upon floor and
trap door as the latter closed under him
on the release of the lever which Stin-
garee understood so well: A yell of
execration followed him into the upper
air. And Stingaree was across the
counter before his new ally had picked
himself up.
"That's because this was expected
of me,'' said Fergus, grimly, to explain
the cashiers reiterated anathemas. 81
was the writer Of the registered letter
that's led to all this. So now I'm
going the whole hog.'
And the blue eyes boiled in his brick
red face.
"You mean that' No nonsensef"
"You shall see.''
''I should shoot you like = native
cat.'
"You couldn It do me a better trun.'
"Right! Swear on your knees that
you won't use it against me or my.
mate, and I'll trust you with this re-
volver. You may fire as high as you
please, but they must think were
,, three instead of two.'
Fergus took the oath in fierce earnest
upon his knees, was handed the weapon
belonging to the bank, and posted In
his own bedroom window at tho rear
of the building. The front was secure
enough with the shutters and bolts Of
the official fortress. It was to the
l back premises that the attack con-
fined itself, making all use Of the ad-
9 mirable cover afforded by the stables.
1 Carrick saw heads and shoulders
hunched to aim over stable doors as he
g obeyed his orders and kept his oath.
His high fire drew deadlier upon HIM
self; a stream Of lead from Winches-
ter whistled into the room past his
ear and over his ducked head. He tried
: firing from the floor without showing
his face. The Winchester let him alone;
d in a. sudden sickness he sprapg up to
see if anything hung sprawllng over
the stable door, and was in time to see
men in retreat to right and left, the
white pugarees of the police futtering
o ingloriously among them. Only one
d was left upon the ground, and he could
I sit up to nurse knee.
q Fergus sighed relief as he sought
o Stingaree, and found him with com
ical face before the open safe.
"House full of paltry paper!' said
: he. "I suppose it 8 the old sportsman q
d custom to get rid of most of his heavy
e metal before closing on Saturdayss"
Fergus said it was; he had himself
o slowed many strongbox aboard un'
7. suspected barges for Ecnuca.
t. "Well, now's our time to leave you,
vt continued Stingaree. eff I IN not mis-
$ taken, their fiji ght is simply for the mo,
q ment, and in two or three more they u
be back to batter in the bank shutters
70 I wonder what they think we've done
y with our, horses7 III bet they We
n looked everywhere but in the lardel
"a next the kitchen door-not that we
1t ever let them get SO close. But my
j., mate IS in there now, mounted and wait
d, ing. and shall have to leave you.
"a 7sBut I was coming with you," CRIED
,e Fergus, aghast. >.
y stingaree s eyeglass dangled ON it'
cord.
q. ssI'm afraid I must trouble you t.
step into that safe instead, said he
= smiling. ;.
1T "Man, mean it! You think don It
re I've fought on your side of my owl