The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1907-12-18

it is a dreadful thing to KIN. once
more the wild firing ceased. Mary re-
sponded once or twice just to keep the
/ deadly chill from returning-if that
We're possible.
/ fire. at obtuse angles with the first
| attempt, q second blot began it's tor
tuous twisting. 1t accomplished a
space, stopped; pulled itself its length,
stopped waited, watchful eyes on the
| window whence came Mary's scatter
| ed firing still into the clump of trees.
They had drawn her close regard at
| again, crawling flat on the ground,
ever advancing, slowly, very slowly,
but also very surely, creeping, creep
ing. creeping. now stopping, now
creeping, stopping, creeping.
All at once the gun play began
again, sharp. quick, from the spring.
from the sheds The blot lay perfect
ly still for a Misunderstanding, watch
ing The plucky little rifle was silent.
| But so it had been before. Quarter
length, half. whole length. cautiously
with frequent stops. eyes so steely, so
| intent-could it be possible that this
/ gun was really silenced-out of the
race 1t would not do to trust too
much The blot waited, scarcely
breathed, crept forward again.
A sudden bright light flashed up
| through the darkness under the unpro-
tected wall to Mary's left. Almost
simultaneously kindred light sprang
into being from the region of the cat
tle-sheds. The men down there had
been waiting for this signal. 1t
meant that for some reason the second
effort to creep up unobserved to fire
the house had been successful. The
flare grew and spread. 1t became
glare.
When the whole cabin seemed to be
in flames save the door-the dry, rude
boarding had caught and burned like
paper-when the heat had become UNI
bearable Williston held out his hand
to his daughter. silently AS silently
she put her hand. her left hand, in
his; nor did Williston notice that it
was her left, nor how Imply her right
arm hung to her side. In the glare
her face shone colorless,' but her dark
eyes were stars. Her head was held
high With firm step, Williston adj
vanced to the door. Deliberately he
unbarred it, as deliberately threw it
open and stepped over the threshold.
They were covered on the instant by
four rifles.
Drop your guns" called the chief.
roughly Then the desperadoes moved
up.
Il take it that I am the one
wanted said Williston.
His voice was calm and scholarly
once more. In the uselessness of
! further struggle it had lost the sharp
incisiveness that had been the call to
action. If one must die it is good to
die after brave fight. One is never
a coward then. Williston's face wore
an almost exalted look.
My daughter is free to go?" he
asked, his first words having met
with no response Better, much bet
ter, for the make of man like Willis
ton to die in the dignity of silence
but for Mary's sake he parleyed.
81 guess not!' responded the leader
curtly. If pulin idiot hadn't missed
mark this side heaven as man could
want-then we might talk about the
girl. She's showed up too damned
much like man now to let her loose.
His big, shuftling form lounged in
his saddle. He raised his rifle with
every appearance of lazy Indifference
They were to be shot down where
they stood, now, right on the TIRES
hold of their burning homestead. Will
liston bowed his head to the newt
able for moment; then raised it
proudly to meet the inevitable
A rifle shot rang out startlingly
clear. AT the very moment the lead
er's hawk eye had swept the sight his
rifle arm had twitched uncertainty
then fallen nerveless to his side, while
his bullet, playing a faltering and
discordant second to the first true
shot, tore up the ground in front Of
him and swerved harmlessly to one
side Instantly the widest confusion
reigned-shouts, curses, the plungins
of horses mingled with the SHARP
scrack of firearms. The shooting wa!
Wild The surprise was too com
plete for the outlaws to recover a
once. They had heard no sound of ap
preaching hoofbeats. The roarin:
flames licking up the dry timber AM
rendering the surrounding darkness
the blacker for the contrast had beer
of saving grace to the besiegers afte
all
In moment the desperadoes raj
lied. They closed in and imposed
cursing, malignant wall between tn
rescuers and the blazing door of tn
shanty and what stood and lay befor
it. Mary had sunk down at her father
feet and had no cognizance of tn
: fierce though brief conflict that er
sued.
, Presently she was dragged roughl
to her feet A big, muscular arm ha