Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-09-13
CHAPTER XXI.

footsteps. everything, III LaCL, seVhiVN ~
be on our side, and / was full or Duoy-
ant condolences as l put my revolver IN
my pocket and, on the stroke of midnight,
stole from my lodgings. | looked up TO-
ward the bank and dimly deserted three
or four motionless figures, whom L TOOK
to be sentries guarding the treasure. The
street itself was almost deserted, but from
where / stood | could see the Piazza
crowded with a throng Of people, whose
shouts and songs told me that the Colo
nePs hospitality was being fully appre-
ciated There was dancing going on to
the strains Of the military band, and eY-
cry sign showed that our good citizens IN
tended in familiar phrase, to make
night of il.
l walked swiftly and silently down to
the jetty Yes, the boat was all right! l
looked to her fires, and left her moored by
one rope ready to be launched into the
calm black sea in an instant. IAen
strolled along, by the harbor side. Here
| met a couple of sentries. lnnocentIy
| entered into conversation with them'
condoIing on their hard fate in being kept
on duty while pleasure was at the helin
in the Piazza Gently deprecating such
excess of caution, l pointed out to them
the stationary lights OF The Songstress'
four or five miles out to sea, and with a
respectful smile at the ColonePs uneasl-
ness. left the seed | had sown to grow IN
prepared soil. | dared do no more, ana
had to trust for the rest to their natural
inclination to the neglect of duty
When l got back to the bottom OF LIB
erty street, | ensconcpd myself in the
shelter of a little group OF trees winch
stood at one side of the roadway. just
across the road, which ran at right an
giles to the street, the wood began, ana
quarter Of an hours walk through lts
shades would bring US to the Jetty where
the boat lay. My trees made a perfect
screen, and here | stood awaiting events
For some time nothing was audible but
an ever-increasing tumult OF Joviallty
from the Piazza But after about twenty
minutes I awoke to the fact that con-
slant dribble of men, singly or in pairs
had begun TO flow past me from the Pi-
azza, down Liberty street, across the road
behind me, and into the wood. Some were
in uniform, others dressed in common
clothes one or two | recognized as mem
bers of Johnny Carr's missing band. Ihe
strong contrast between the prevailing
reyelry and the stealthy, cautious air OF
these passers-by would alone have sug-
gested that they were bent on business
putting two and two together, | had not
the least doubt that they were the Presl-
dents adherents making their way down
TO the waters edge to receive their chief.
SO he was coming; the letter had done
its work Some fifty or more must have
come and gone before the stream ceased,
and | reflected, with great satisfaction,
that the Colonel was likely to have his
hands very full in the next hour or two.
Half an hour or so passed uneventful-
": the bonfire still blazed; the songs and
dancing were still in full swing. 1t was
close upon the fateful hour of two, when,
looking from my hiding place, | saw a
slight figure in black coming quickly and
fearfully along the road
| recognized the Signorina at once, as
| should recognize her any day among a
thousand, and as she paused nearly oppo-
site where I was, l gently called her
name and showed myself for a moment.
She ran to me at once.
rs it all right?" she asked breath
lessly.
I'VE shall see in a moment" said l.
The attack is coming off; it will begin
directly"
But the attack was not the next thing
we saw We had both retreated again to
the friendly shadow whence we could see
without being seen. Hardly had we set
tied ourselves than the Signorina whis-
pered to me, pointing across the road to
the wood
What's that. JACKIE
| followed the line of her finger and
made out a row of figures standing mo-
tionless and still on the very edge of the
wood. 1t was too dark to distinguish in
dividuals but even as we looked the 81
lent air waited to our eager ears a low
voiced command:
Mind, not sound till l give the
word"
The President" exclaimed the Sig
norma, in a loud whisper.
Hush, or he'll hear" said l, ''and
we're done"
Clearly nothing would happen from that
quarter till it was called forth by events
in the opposite direction. The Sfgnorina
was strongly agitated she chung to me
closely. and | saw with alarm that the
very proximity OIL the man she stood IN
Such awe of was too much for her com
posture When l had soothed, and l fear
half-frightened, her into stiffness, l again
turned my eyes toward The Piazza. The
fire had at last flickered ont and the revels
seemed on the wane Suddenly a body OF
men appeared in close order, marching
down the street toward the bank We
stood perhaps a hundred yards from that
building, which was, in its turn, about two
hundred from the Piazza. Steadily they
came along; no sound reached us from
the wood.
This is getting interesting" l said
"Therell be trouble SOON
As near as l could see the Colonel's
band. for such it was no doubt, did not
number more than five-and-t twenty at the
outside. Now they were at the bank.
could hardly see what happened, but there
seemed to be a moments pause probably
someone had knocked and they were wait
ing. A second later a loud shout rang
through the street and | saw a group OF
figures crowding round the door and push
ing a way into my poor bank. Then
heard a short, sharp order from behind
Nov Charge y
As the word was given another body Of
fifty or more rushed by MS full tilt. ana
At their head we saw the President, Swort
in hand, running like young man anC
reckoning his men on. Up the street they
swept. Involuntarily we waited a moment
to watch them. Just as they came neal
the bank they sent up q shout:
The President! the President, Death
60 traitors -
Then there was a volley, and they clos
sd round the building.
Now for our turn. Christina" said
She grasped my arm tightly, and we
sped across the road and into the wood
1t seemed darker than when / came
through before, or perhaps my eyes were
dazzled by the glare of the street lamps
But still we got along pretty well, help
ing my companion with all my power
Can we do it," she gasped.
"A cln~- quarter of an hour will do it
and they ought to take that to finish of
the Colonel" For l had little doubt Of
the issue to that melee.
On we sped, and already we could SCI
the twinkle of the waves through the thin
ming trees Five hundred va rds more mn