Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-03-15

a great mist.
They will begin here" observed
Sheppard, when they find there is no
entrance below"
II don't envy them the twelve feet Of
water to start with" said l.
II don't envy them if they get here
remarked Montgomery quietly.
Williams said nothing. He looked
from one to another %curiously and then
craned his neck over the castle wall
and scrutinized the foreground. Now
and then he grasped his shotgun almost
mechanically, as if to feel certain that
1t was there. I agreed with Sheppard
that If any attack was to be delivered
IT would be upon the breach made by
time in the d%efenses. There was no
way into the castle by the gratings
above the moat, and it would take ar
mlery at least to shake the huge port
culIs. Yet it seemed incredible that
any sane man should attempt to swim
the fosse and scale the battlements.
III l had been seen by that appalling
race, rs l conceived, the enemy would
be aware that we were on the watch
and ready for them. If so, l consid-
cred it more than likely that they
would retire and make the best of the
reconnaissance they had achieved.
II don't like this" Sheppard said.
What the mischief are they up to?
Let me go and see."
l considered. To say the truth, I did
not like it myself, but would it be wise
to divide our forces?
After a momentary reflection l de-
cided to do so, and, enjoining upon
Montgomery a strict vigilance, l crawl
ed after Sheppard toward the upper
b~attlements.
once we had reached the ramparts
we proceeded more quickly, but still
with great caution, stopping at inter
walls to reconnoiter the ground below.
But there was nothing to be seen or
heard, and until we had passed the
keep and had got upon the western
wall we encountered no sign of the en-
envy. Here, however, Sheppard stop
ped short and pressed his hand on nv
shoulder.
Down. he said. .
simultaneously with his words q
whiz of cold air passed my nose, and
a small crack Of some firearm ensued
upon it.
THAT'S by way of Introduction said
Sheppard, and now the fight begins"
Keeping our heads below the para
pet, we stumbled as fast as possible
along the roof, and presently after
rounded the corner to the northern
wall. Here a sight met our eyes, even
in that o%bscurity, which struck amaze
ment and ever terror to my heart. l
have already spoken Of the sycamore
which stood outside my bedroom Win
dow and beyond the moat. 1t was a
lofty tree, spreading very amply, and
mounted to within q dozen feet of the
parapet. This the ingenious wits Of
some one-and l had no hesitation in
naming the author Of the plan-had
utilized to scale the walls. AS I found
afterward. Il tough and serviceable
rope had been employed to connect the
peaks Of the battlement with the tree,
and oyer this. as we came into sight,
the black figures OF men were scram-
bling. l had little doubt on thinking
over it subsequently that my presence
in the basement revealed to the man in
the moat had given the signal for the
adventure, seeing that l was not likely
to be in my chamber and able to detect
them ere the enterprise had gone for
ward sufficiently.
Both Of us sprang forward on the
instant, but ere we could reach the
spot the foremost Of the men, landing,
stood up and made at US with a cut
lass. Taken aback by the shock, Shep-
pard, who was in front, gave way, and
the weapon, swinging heavily, cut the
air with a formidable whistle and
struck the leads near my foot. leap
ed at the fellows throat, drawing my
revolver, and, borne back by the i'm
petus of my charge, he stumbled
against the second man. But by this
time some half dozen Of the storming
party had gained the ramparts and
without a pause bore down upon us.
No shots were fired, and the struggle
that ensued was decided in a silence
almost complete, save for the noise of
our hurrying feet, the sound Of blows
and the hard breathing Of the COM
batants. I cannot but admit that If
the dawn had been a little further ad-
vanced and it had been possible to dis
tinguish between the various bodies
raging in the medley things would
have gone very badly with us. But
as 1t was the darkness fought for us
once more, as it had fought the pre-
v1ous evening. l brought the butt of
my revolver full upon the head of one
man, and lie fell like a log. Shep-
pard's arms We're twisted round all
other, and the two, swaying together,
stood out for an instant against the
sky and were then snapped up into
the confusion Of tie melee. Blows
rained upon Is, INC til" warm gush OF
blood started from lay arm. With Il
rush we We're carried backward. and
the struggle seemed al! over AT that
instant l Dethought nc OF Montgomery
and Williams. and. getting nay finger
on the trigger OF my wca 'iDu. Grpd