Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-04-13


1t was neatly II O'Clock when the at.
lacking party returned after a parfey
/ on the ice behind She boat house. The
four OF us were On the terrace ready
for them. They came smartly through
! the wood, the sheriff and Morgan
/ slightly in advance Of the others. I
/ expected them to slacken their pace
when they came to the open meadow,
| but they broke into a quick trot at the
water tower and came toward the
house as steady as veteran campaign
ers.
Shall we try gunpowderT~ asked
Larry.
Wen LETT them fire the first vol
ley" said.
They've already tried to murder
you and Stoddard-Tm in for letting
loose with the elephant guns" Larry
protested.
Stand to your clubs" admonished
Stoddard. whose own weapon was
comparable to the Scrlptural weaver's
beam. Possession is nine points Of
the fight, and we've got the house."
ALSO prisoner of war" said Larry,
grinning.
The English detective had smashed
the glass in the barred window of the
rotate cellar, where Larry had lodged
him, and we could hear him bowling
End cursing below.
Looks Ike business this timei" ex
claimed Larry. Spread out now and
the first head that looms over the bal
ustrade gets a dose of hickory"
The attacking party now divided,
half hating between us and the bridge
and the remainder swinging around
the house toward the front entrance.
"Ah, look at that" yelled Larry.
It's a batterlng ram they have. O
man Of peace! have l your Majesty's
consent to try the elephant guns
now?"
Morgan and the sheriff carried be.
tween them a stick of timber from
which the branches had been cut,
and, with third man to help, they
ran it up the steps and against the
door with crash that came booming
and echoing back through the great
halls of the house.
Bates was already bounding up the
front stairway, a revolver in his hand
and a look OF supreme rage on his
face. Leaving Stoddard and Larry to
watch the library windows, l ran after
him, and we ciattered over the loose
boards in the upper han and into a
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,
aud when I caught his arm he turned
to me with look Of anger and indig
nation had never expected to see on
his colorless, mask-like face.
MY God, sir! That door was his
pride, sir--it came from a famous
house in England, and they're wreck.
ing 1t 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 snartly thrice, as he bent far
out over the door.
His shots were signal for a sharp
reply from one of the men below and
| felt Bates start, and pulled him in,
the blood streaming from his face.
TITS al right, sir-alI right-only a
cut across my cheek, sir''-and an
other bullet smashed through the
glass, squirting plaster dust from the
wall A fierce onslaught below caused
tremendous crash 10 echo through
the. house, and I heard firing ON the
opposite, side, where the enemy's re-
serve WIS waiting.
Bates, with a handkerchief to his
face, protested taat he was unhurt.
Come below; there's nothing to be
gained here"-and l ran down to the
hall, where Stnddard stood, leaning
upon his club like a Hercules, and
coolly watching the door as it leaped
and shook under the repeated blows OF
the besiegers.
A gun roared again at the side OF
the house. and ran to the library.
where Larry had pushed furniture
against all the long windows save cae,
which he held open. He stepped out
upon the terrace and emptted a 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 rife ct US With delibsr,
ate aim. The ball snapped snow from
the balustr2de and screamed away
harmlassly.
Bah" such monkeys!" he nut.
tered. II believe I've hit that chapl"
One man had fallen and lay bowling
in the rayi1e, his hand to his thigh,
while his comrades paused, demon
allied
Serves you right, you blackguard!"
Larry muttered.
I pulled him In and we iammed a
cabinet against the door and geturned
| to tina hall.
Meanwhile the blows at the front
door continued with increasing vio-