Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-07-04
o serve ss a barricade.

now that we were within, Stoddards
big shoulders held the door half closed
against the combined strength Of the
men in the hall This pause was for
tunate, for 1t gave US an opportunity
to deal singly with the fellows who
were climbing In from the terrace.
Bates had laid one Of them low with
club and Larry disposed Of another
who had made q murderous effort TO
stick a knife into him. was with
Stoddard against the door. where the
sherif's men were slowly gaining
upon me.
let 20 on the jump when I say
three" said Stoddard, and at his word
we sprang away from the door and
into the room. Larry yelled with joy
as the sheriff and his men pitched for
ward and sprawled upon the floor;
then we were at IT again in hand-to-
hand conflict to clear the room.
Hold that position, sir yelled
Bates.
Morgan had directed the attack
against me and was driven upon the
hearth before the great fireplace. Tho
sheriff. Morgan and Ferguson hemmed
me in. 1t was evident that 7 was the
chief culprit, and they wished to elm
mate me from the contest Across the
room, Larry, Stoddard and Bates wers
engaged In lively rough and tumble
with the rest of the besiegers, and
Stoddard seeing my plight, leaped the
overturned table. broke past the trio
and stood by my side, swinging
chair.
At that moment my eyes. sweeping
the broken outer doors, saw the face
of PICKERING. He had come to see
that his orders we're obeyed, and re-
member yet my satisfaction, as, hem
med In by the men he had hired to
kill me or drive me ont, ] felt,
rather than saw the cowardy horror
depicted upon his face.
Then the trio pressed upon me. AS
| | threw down my club and drew my
revolver. some one across the room
fired several shots, whose roar
through the room seemed TO arrest the
fght for an instant, and then, while
Stoddard stood at my side swinging
his chair defensively, the great chan
del/er loosened or broken by the
shots, fell with mighty crash Of its
crystal pendants The sheriff. leaping
away from Stoddard's chair, was
struck on the head and borne down by
the heavy glass.
Smoke from the firing hoated in
clouds across the room, and there was
a moments silence save for the sherif,
who was groaning and cursing under
the debris Of the chandelier. At the
door Pickerings face appeared again
anxious and frightened. | think the
scene in the room and the slow prog
ress his men were making against Us
had half-paralyzed him.
We were all getting our second wind
for renewal Of the fight, with Nor
gan In command OF the enemy. One
or two of his men. who had gone down
early in the struggle. were now crawl
Ing back for revenge. think l must
have raised my hand and pointed at
Pickering, for Bates wheeled like a
flash and before | realized what hap
pened he had dragged the executor into
the room.
You scoundrel-you migrate ="
howled the servant
The blood on his face and bare chest
and the hatred in his eyes made him a
hideous object, but in that lull of the
storm while we waited, watching for
an advantage. | heard, somewhere in
the wall, that same sound of footsteps
that | had remarked before. Larry
and Stoddard heard it; Bates heard it,
and his eyes fixed upon Pickering with
glare OF malicious delight.
There comes our old friend, the
ghost" yelled Larry.
. Il think you are quite right, sir"
said Bates He threw down the re-
volver he held in his hand and leaned
upon the edge Of the long table that
lay on Its side his gaze still bent on
Pickering, who stood with his over
b coat buttoned close. his derby hat on
the floor beside him. where 1t had
fallen as Bates hauled him into the
room.
4 The sound Of a measured step, OF
4 some one walking, OF a careful foot
on a stairway. was quite distinct.
t even remarked the slight stumble that
= had noticed before.
4 We were all SO intent on those steps
/ in the wall that We We're off guard.
: heard Bates yell warningly, and Larry
n and Stoddard rushed for Pickering.
8 He had drawn a revolver from his
$ overcoat pocket and was about to fire
d at me when Stoddard sent the weapon
e flying through the air.
only a moment now, gentlemen,
said Bates. an odd smile on his face
J. He was looking past me- toward the
| right end Of the fireplace, There
J. seemed to be in the air a feeling OF
u something Impending. Even Morgan
q and his men, halt-crouChing. ready fot
rush at me. hcsitated; and Pickering
q glanced nervously from one to the
n other OF Us. 1t was the calm before
the storm; in moment we should be
l. at each others throats for the fna
8 struggle, and yet we waited. In the
& wall | heard still the sound OF steps
d They were clear 10 all of us now, We
stood there for what seemed an eter
l. nity--I suppose the time was reall!
q not more than 80 seconds inert, wait
n ing while felt that something mus
n happen; the silence, the waiting, wer'
u mtolerable. | grasped my pistol anc
70 bent low for a spring at Morgan; ant