The Irish standard., 1907-06-08

NAo1S6A, So4A0As ANlOAAS up LILY
hands for q truce. 1--WE wish you no
harm, but If you enter these grounds
you do SO at your peril"
They had paused at word from
Morgan and listened sullenly.
Were all sworn deputy sheriffs, -
called the caretaker smoothly. We've
got the law behind u.s."
THAT must be why you're coming
in the back way" replied.
The thickset man who.n Larry had
identified as the English detective now
came closer and addressed me in a
high key.
you're harboring bad man, Mr..
Glenarm. You'd better give him up
I've got my papers and the American
law supports me. You'll get yourself
into trouble If you protect that man
You may not understand, sir. that he's
a very dangerous character"
Thanks, Davidson" called Larry.
YOU'D better keep out of this. You
now I'm bad man with the shillalah!"
THAT you are, you blackguard.'
yelled the officer, so spltefully that we
all laughed.
I drew back to the boat-house.
"They are not going to kill anybody
n they can help IT," remarked Stod-
dard "any more than we are. Even
deputy sheriffs are not turned loose to
do murder and the Wabana county
court wouldn't, IL it hadn't been i'm
posed on by Pickering, lend itself to a
game like this. And this business here
is only a private affair between Picker
ing and the sheriff
"Now we're in for It," yelled Larry;
and the IL men, In close order, came
running across the ice toward the
shore.
"Open order. and fall back slowly
toward the house." commanded. And
We deployed from the boat-house, while
the attacking party still chung to-
gether.-a strategic error on their side.
as Larry assured us.
"Stay together lads. Don't sepa
rate; you'll get lost if you do" he
yelled derisively to the enemy.
Stoddard hade him keep still. and
we soon had our hands full with a
preliminary skirmish. Davidson, the
detective. seemed Disguised at Nor
gan's tactics. openly abused the care
taker, and ran ahead of his column,
revolver in hand. bearing down upon
Larry, who held our center
The Englishman's haste was his
undoing. A light fall Of snow few
days before had gathered in the lit
tie hollows Of the wood deceptively.
The detective plunged into one of
these and fell sprawling on all fours-
a calamity that caused his comrades
TO pause uneasily. Larry was upon
his enemy in fash. wrenched his
pistol away and pulled the man to his
feet.
"Ah, Davidson. There's many a
slip! Move, if you dare. and I'll plug
you with your own gun" And he
stood behind the man. using him as a
shield while Morgan and the rest Of
the army hing near the boat house
uncertainty,
cts the strategic intellect we've
captured, general" observed Larry to
me. you see the American invaders
weSe depending on British brains"
Morgan now acted on the hint we
had furnished him and sent his men
out as skirmishers. The loss of the
detective had undoubtedly staggered
the caretaker, and we were slowly re-
treating toward the house, Larry with
enc hand on the collar of his pris.
oner and the other grasping the re-
volver. with which he poked the man
frequently In the ribs. We slowly
continued our retreat fearing a rush,
which would have disposed OF us cas-
Ny enough if Morgan's company had
shown any fighting spirit. Stoddard' s
presence rather amazed and intimi.
dated them, think, and ] saw that
4iae invaders kept away from his end
Of the line. We were now far apart,
stumbling over the snow-covemd
earth and calling to one another now
and then that we might not become
too widely separated. Davidson did
not relish his capture by the man he
had followed across the ocean, and
he attempted once to roar a command
to Morgan.
'"Try 1t again." heard Larry ad.
monish him, "try that once more. and
The Sod, God bless it! will never feel
the delicate imprint of your web-feet
again"
He turned the man about and
rushed him toward the house, the re.
volver still serving as a prod. His
fight gave heart to the wary invaders
Immediately behind him and two fel.
lows. urged and led by Morgan,
! charged our line at smart pace.
"Bolt for the front door," called
to Larry. and Stoddard and I closed
In after him to guard his retreat.
They're not shooting" called Stod.
dard. "You may be sure they've had
their orders to capture the house with
as little row as possible"
We were now nearing the edge OF
the wood, with the open meadow and
water tower at our backs, while Larry
was making good time toward the