Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1906-05-19
CHAPTER TX


their breath to listen.
Its all planned" says Gabbett In
low gTswl wen the door hopens we
rush. and we're In among the guard
afore they know where they are Drag
'em back int the prison, grab the harm
rack, and It's all over"
Stand from the door, Miles," says
Pines voice outside, In it's usual calm
accents.
The Grew was relieved. The tone was
an ordinary one. and Miles was the sol
der whom Sarah Purfoy had bribed
not to fire. All had gone well.
The keys clashed and turned and the
bravest Of the prudent party. who had
been turning in his mind the notion of
risking his life for a pardon to be won
by rushing forward at the right moment
and alarming the guard, checked the
cry that was In his throat as he saw the
men round the door draw back a little
for their rush, and caught a glimpse of
the giants bristling scalp and barred
gums.
Now" cries Jenny Vetch, as the
iron-plated oak swung back, and with
the cultural snarl of a charging wild
boar Gabbett hurled himself out of the
prison.
The red line of light which glowed for
an instant through the doorway was
blotted cut by mass of figures. All
the prison surged forward. and before
the eye could wink, five, ten, twenty of
the NEST desperate were outside. 1t
was as though a sea. breaking against
stone wall. had found some breach
through through which to pour it's
waters. The contagion of battle spread.
Caution was forgotten, and those at the
back, seeing Jenny Vetch raised up on
the crest of that human billow which
reared its black outline against an in
distinct prospective of struggling figures,
responded to his grin of encoura cement
by rushing furiously forward.
Suddenly a horrible roar Hike that of
trapped wild beast was heard. The
rushing torrent choked In the doorway,
and from out the lantern glowed into
which the giant had rushed a fash broke.
followed by groan, as the perfdious
sentry fell back. shot through the breast.
The mass In the doorway hung rreso-
Iute' and then. by sheer weight of pres
sure from behind. burst forward. and
as 1t so burst, the heavy door crashed
into Its jambs. and the bolts were shot
into their places.
All this took place by one of those |
simultaneous movements which are so |
rapid In execution. so tedious to describe |
In detail. At one instant the prison door |
had opened. at the next II had closed. |
The picture which had presented itself |
to the eyes of the eonvicts was momen-
taEa The period of time that had elaps-
cd between the opening and the shutting
of the door could have been marked by
the musket shot.
The report of another shot. and then
noise of confused cries, mingled with
the ciashing of arms, informed the i'm
prisoned men that the ship had been
alarmed. How would it go with their
friends on deckf Would they succeed
In overcoming the guards, or would they
be beaten back? They would soon know;
and In the hot dust, straining their ewes
to see each other, they waited for the
Issue. Suddenly the noises ceased. and
a strange rumbling sound fell upon the
ears of the listeners
What had taken place? This, the men
pouring out of the darkness into the
sudden glare of the lanterns rushed, be-
wildered, across the deck Miles. true
to his promise did not fire. but the next
instant Vickers had snatched the fire
lock from him, and. leaping into the
stream, turned about and fred down TO-
ward the prison. The attack was more
sudden than he had expected. but he
did not lose his presence of mind The
shot would serve a double purpose, II
would warn the men in the barrack. and
perhaps check the rush by stopping up
the doorway with a corpse. Beaten back.
struggling aud indignant, amidst the
storm Of hideous faces. his humanity
vanished, and he aimed deliberately nt
the head of Mr.. James Vetch; the shot
however, missed Its mark, and killed
the unhappy Miles.
Gabbett and his companions had nv
this time reached the foot of the com.
panion ladder. there 10 encounter the
cutlasses of the doubled guard cleaning
redly In the glow of the lanterns. A
glance up the hatchway showed rho
giant that the arms he had planned 70
seize were defended by ten firelocks
and that, behind the open doors Of rho
partition which ran abaft the mizzen.
mast the remainder of the detachment
stood to their arms Even his dun in.
desperate
project had failed and that he had
been betrayed. With the roar Of do.
spair which had penetrated into the
prison, he turned TO fight his way back
just in time TO see the crowd in the
gangway recoil from the flash of the
musket fred by Vickers. The next in
slant Pine and two soldiers, taking ad-
vantage of the momentary cessation Of
the press. shot the bolts and secured the
prison.
The mutineers were caught In a tran.
The narrow space between the barracks
and the barricads was choked with
struggling figures. Some twenty con-
yicts, and half as many soldiers. struck
and stabbed at each other In the crowd.
There was barely elbow room. and at
tackled and attackers fought almost with
out knowing whom they struck Cab
bett tore a cutlass from a soldier, shook
his huge head. and calling on the Mooch
er to follow, bounded up the ladder, des-
perately determined to brave the fire of
the watch. The Moocher, close at the
giants heels, flung himself upon the
naa raaf gaidfar and 0raanIn1 bia