Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-07-04


now?'
Morgan and tho sheriff carried be.
tween them a stick Of timber from
which the branches had been cut,
and. with a third man to help. they
ran It up the steps and against the
door with a crash that came booming
and echolng back through the great
halls OF the house.
Bates was already bounding up the
front stairway, revolver in his hand
and look of supreme rage on his
face. Leaving Stoddard and Larry to
watch the library windows, ran after
him. and we clattered over the loose
boards in the upper hall and into
great unfinished chamber Immediately
over the entrance. Bates had the win
dow up when / reached him and was
we'll out upon the coping, yelling a
warning to the men below.
He drew his revolver up to shoot,
and when caught his arm ho turned
, to me with look OF anger and tndig-
nation | had never expected to see on
his colorlcss, mask.lihe face.
"My God. sir, That door was his
pride. sr--it came from famous
house in England, and they're wreck
ing it as though 1t were common
| pine.
He tore himself free from my grasp
as the besiegers again launched their
battering ram against the door with
a frightful crash. and his revolver
cracked smartlv thrice, as he bent far
out over the door.
His shots we're q signal for sharp
reply from one OF the men below, and
I felt Dates start. and pulled him In,
the blood streaming from his face.
ITS all right, sir-all right-only a
cut across my cheek. sir"-and an
other bullet smashed through the
glass, squirting plaster dust from the
wall. 4 fierce onslaught below caused
tremendous crash to echo through
the house. and heard firing on the
opposite side, where the enemy's re-
serve was waiting.
Bates. with handkerchief to his
face, protested that he was unhurt.
Come below; there's nothing to be
gained here"-and ran down to the
hail, where Stoddard stood, leaning
upon his club like a Hercules, and
coCllv watching the door as II leaped
and shock under the repeated blows OF
the besiegers.
A gun roared again at the side OF
the house, and | ran to the library
whore Larry had pushed furniture
against all tho long windows save one
which he held omen. He stepped out
upon the terrace and emptied revol
yer at the men who were now creep
ing along the edge OF the ravine be
meath us One Of them stopped and
discharged a rife at us with deliber
ate aim. The ball snapped snow from
the balustrade and screamed ava,
harmlessly.
Bah" such monkeys" he NUT
tered. Il believe I've hit that chap.
} One man had fallen aud lay howlinl
in the ravine, his hand to his thigh
while his comrades paused. demon
, allied.
Serves you right, you blackguard!
Larry mut:ered.
pulled him in and We damned
, cabinet against the door and returned
to the hall.
} Meanwhile The blows at the from
: door continued with increasing VIC
, lence. Stoddard still stood where
= had left him. Bates was not in sight
but the barking OF a revolver abov,
, showed that he had returned to tn
2 window to wrcak vengeance on his en-
=, emies.
. Stoddard shook his head in deprecf
ton.
= They fired frst-wc can't do les
than get back at them" l said, b
= tween the blows OF the battering ran
= a panel Of the great oaken doc
now spl!ntered, but in their fear tina
= we might use the broken panel as
>, loophole, they scampered out int
. range of Bates revolver. In return W
heard a rain of small shot on the VI
, per windows, and few seconds late
u Larry shouted that the thanking part
: was again at the terrace,
II This movement evidently heartene
IS the sheriff, for, under fire frol
s Bates. his men charged again and III
III log crashed into the door, shaking
re free from the upper hinges. The lov
err fagtenings We're wrenched loose a
instant later, and the men came tun
bling into the hall-the sheriff, Mo
gan and four others J had never see
=, before, simultaneously the fankin
re party began smashing the small pane
e. Of the library windows. We coul
N hear the glass crack and tinkle abo,
o the confusion at the door
Is In the hall he was certainly luck
b man who held to his weapon a N
mcut after the door tumbled in.
H. blazed at the sheriff with my revC
yer, but he stumbled and half fell
IL the THRESHOLD so that the ball passe
er over him. and he promptly grippe
me by the legs and had me prone ar
IT. half dazed by the rap of my head {
ny the floor.
ne suppose I was two or three mi
1y utes at least getting my wits. I WI
sh first conscious OF Bates grapplir
IN with the sheriff, who sat upon me, al
| as they struggled with each other
ce got the full benefit OF their combine
W, swerving. tossing weight Morgan al
he Larry We're trying for a chance at ea'
he other with revolvers, while Norge
n backed the Irshman slowly iowa
the library. Stoddard had seized OF
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