Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-02-07
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Stoddard shook his head in depreca- ton.
 They fired first-we can't do less than get back at them." I said. be- tween the blows of the battering ram
 A panel of the great oaken door now splintered, but in their fear that we might use the broken panel as g loophole, they scampered out into range of Bates revolver. In return we heard a rain of small shot on the up- per windows, and few seconds later Larry shouted that the fianking party was again at the terrace.
 This movement evidently heartened the sheriff, for. under a fire from Bates. his men charged again and the log crashed into the door, shaking 1t free from the upper hinges. The low CT fastenings were wrenched loose an instant later, and the men came tum- bling into the hall-the sherlff, Nor gan and four others I had never seen before. Simultaneously the flanking party began smashing the small panes of the library windows. We could hear the glass crack and tinkle above the confusion at the door.
 In the hall he was certainly a lucky man who held to his weapon mo- ment after the door tumbled in. blazed at the sheriff with my revol- ycr, but he stumbled and half fell at the threshold, so that the ball passed over him, and he promptly gripped me by the legs and had me prone and half dazed by the rap of my head on the floor.
 ! suppose l was two or three min utes at least getting my wits. was first conscious of Bates grappling with the sheriff, who sat upon me, and as they struggled with each other I got the full benefit of their combined, swerying, tossing weight. Morgan and Larry were trying for chance at each other with revolvers, while Morgan backed the Irishman slowly toward the library. Stoddard had seized one of the unknown deputies by the col- lar and gave him tremendous swing, jerking him high in the air and driv. ing him against another invader with a blow that knocked both fellows spinning into corner.
 Come on to the library!" shouted Larry, and Bates, who had got me to my feet, pushed me down the hall to- ward the open library door.
 Bates presented at this moment an extraordinary appearance, with the blood from the scratch on his face coursfng down his cheek and upon his shoulder. His coat and shirt had been torn away and the blood smeared over his breast. The fury and indignation In his face was something hope not to see again ip human countenance. My God, this room-this beautiful room." heard him cry as he drove me before him into the library. Tt was Mir Glenarm's pride," he nut tered, and sprang upon a burly fel- low who had come in through one of the library doors and was climbing over the long table we had overturned to serve as barricade.
 We were now between two fires. The sheriff's party had fought valiant. ly to keep us out of the library. and now that we were within, Stoddard's s big shoulders held the door half closed against the combined strength of the men in the hall This pause was for tunate, for it 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 a club and Larry disposed of another who had made a murderous effort to stick a knife into him. I was with Stoddard against the door. where the sheriff's men were slowly gaining upon me.
 Let go 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 tho attack against me and I was driven upon the hearth before the great fireplace. The sheriff, Morgan and Ferguson hemmed me in. It was evident that was the chief culprit, and they wished to elim- mate me from the contest. Across the room, Larry, Stoddard and Bates were engaged in lively rough and tumble with the rest of the oesiegers. and Stoddard. seeing my plight. leaped the overturned table, broke past the trio and stood by my side. swinging a chair.
 At that moment my eyes, sweeping the broken outer doors. saw the face of Pickering. He had come to see that his orders were obeyed. and I re- member yet my satisfaction, as. hem med in by the men be had hired to kill me or drive me out, l felt, rather than saw. the cowardly horror depicted upon his face.
 Then the trio pressed upon nc. As I threw down my club and drew my revolver, some one across the room fired several shots, whose roar through the roon seemed to arrest the fight for an instant, and then. while Stcddard stocd at my side swinging his chair defensively, the grea. chan delier. loosened or broken by the shots. fell with a mighty crash of it's