Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-06-03
"Then all the worse for him."

and held his breath. The door was
shut. and then he heard no more.
In the main building all was dark
and still. He watched it keenly, with
his ears. as it were. upon the hut be-
hind. At last the door reOpened, and |
he heard the striking of lucifers, ac-
companied by another sound, as of
something being dragged from the hut.
He looked round, and it was Ginger's |
bed The overseer lay upon it, bound |
and gagged.
Tom drew a deep breath. He had |
expected worse.
Brummy and Roberts We're now dis |
patched to the convicts' huts TO tell the
rest at the right moment what was
happening and how they would all be
free men within an hour if they alb
stained from interference, but dead
men if they did not Then the black
crept up close to the palisade, while
Hockey rode TO one side and the other
two hid behind trees. Meanwhile the
overseer's hut was beginning to crackle,
and all at once Tom saw the shadow
of his tree leap out toward the palisade
upon n ground of glaring red.
Ring! Ring"' cried Hockey from
his horse.
Almost with his words a terrific
clanG, clang, clang, burst out from
amid the red gums leaves, and almost
with the alarm Il couple of white fig
ures leaped out into the red glare be-
| hind the palisade.
| Tom stood and watched like an actor
who has forgotten he is on the stage
| himself
He saw the white figures dash
through the gate and black one glide
| in front of it next moment. He saw
| Nat Sullivan stop running, seize his
| fathers arm and point eXcitedly to-
| ward the burning hut. He saw them
| both about to turn when the son was
! lifted off his legs as though he had
| been an infant. and there were coal
| black arms entwined about his night
shirt and snow white teeth grinnng
over his shoulder. Hockey Simpson
| gallOped up. Slipper and Wall-eye dart
ed from behind their trees. All had
| pistols in their hands and masks upon
their faces. ana the masks reminded
|
one himself and had no business to be
| q locker on at all.
He had vaguely wondered why the
bell was still ringing. Now he let go
| the rope and ran Il step or two for
ward, but they were four to two with
out him. and the four were armed, and
watch he must.
The Sullivans were being dragged or
driven backward upon the palisade.
Tom could make little of the swaying.
struggling group. for Hockey Simpson
brought up the rear on his horse. but
through the animals legs he had
gliInpses of tluttering calico and spar
Killing spurs as the glare grew more
and more intense. 1t was now as light
as day. Every board of the main
building stood out in abnormal detail
against the blackened sky. while the
shadows Of the paliSade made a glow
ing gridiron of the yard within.
The scuffie was over. Something was
happening that Tom could not see
when flake of redhot bark lit upon
his ear. He was face about in time to
see the roof of the burning hut tumble
in and a column of clean fame spout
high into the night. And there was
the wretched Ginger wrfthing in his
bonds within reach of the burning
walls and with the fame of a fallen
brand licking the very camp bed on
which he lay.
This time Tom did not forget his
part. He ignored it and had the over
Of In, foH
Onds. In two more his mask was
among the rest and his pistol pointed
with the others at the two white fig
ures that now stood side by side
against the palsade, with torn night
shirts and clinched fists, defenseless
but still defiant.
Now, look you here, my fine gentle
men, exclaimed Hockey from his sad
die. "If you've got any sense between
you, let's see you show it, You'll
only cut things shorter if you don't
What chance do you think you've got
All, it's too late to look that way now
you old foolp'
The doctors eyes were on his convic
huts; the men were pouring out o.
them pellmell. Hockey Simpson wheel
ed his horse and rode up to them Will
/. a magnificent air, dropping his rein
to wave his battered chimney pot a.
if it We're generals cooked hat.
My lads" cried he. your kint
master would call upon you to stanC
E by him in his hour of need. Now's TIL
time to show him your gratitude. Stop
Stop, Not all of you at once!" Ant
: with his horse he stemmed a rush o
Jealous spirits who explained them
selves in chorus as they unwillingl
u fell back.
stand by himF' cried one. Get a
= him, you mean! Only give us the wor
: and We'll take him off your hands
and cut his throat
AN slit his juggler''-
And Mats after
II 1.-THE blu!dy tyrantsv'
t Hockey waved them back.
rs there a single man who'll tax
Z the coveS side In the time of need