Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-19

next moment half a dozen men came
hurrying up the narrow path. carrying a
heavy log Of timber with which to batter
down the door.
Beltanos plan was plain. He mant the
shots to prevent my having a chance to
fire on the men while they broke their
way in.
Telling Masita to keep well behind the
wall I ran to the other window and
seized the Winchester repeater. which
had carefully loaded.
The improvised battering ram was close
to the door before I opened fire. but it
did not reach it. I did not shoot to kill.
All I wished to do was to disable as
many as possible and weaken Beltano's
force. A wounded man would be as help
less against me as q dead one. so l aimed
at the legs Of the three men on my side
Of the log and fired in rapid succession.
Every shot told. The men fell. down
went the log. and the remaining three
bolted back along the path at top speed.
I sent two shots after them. and fourth
man fell close to the first bend in the
path. The other shot missed.
The first attempt was over and the hon
Ors distinctly with me. Four men out OF
his dozen or so would be heavy loss to
Beltano, who. by the way. had been care
full to keep himself well out of sight. and
the only success he had to set against
such loss was the placing OF the log
for use II he could induce the others to
run the risk Of further attempt to break
down the door.
The fusillade was kept up for time
against both Of the windows. but that
amounted to no more than waste OF
ammunition. and after a while this
ceased.
Masita and I had both kept carefully
out Of range, and except that splinter
OF the stone had grazed my sheek, we
bot, n1,c OF vrfn ahad
When the firing stopped l looked out
and saw that the wounded men were
crawling away. dragging themselves pain
fully and slowly along. In each case my
bullet had broken a leg. stop right
there" shouted. and enforced the order
with a shot aimed just ahead of the fore
most. LET Beltano take away that log
or you stay where you are. won't fire
on any one who fetches 1t.
The men lay as still as the log itself.
Of the path "You won't fire at me.
Beppo?" he called.
mo. What is it,"
ITO help these fellows. You don't want
them to bleed to death?"
"They brought that log with them.
Luigi. and it must go when they go. Tell
Beltano that" I replied.
He went away and soon returned with
four others to fetch the log. But knew
Beltano. and a flash Of suspicion warned
me that there might be some devilment
behind this ready compliance with my de-
mand I called Masita to change posi-
tions with me and crossed to her window
with my now reloaded weapon, telling
her to let the muzzle Of her gun be seen
again as before.
It proved to be a valuable precaution.
Luigi remained at the end Of the path to
help the wounded men get away, and
four others came up and lifted the log.
They carried 1t a few PAGES OF and then
halted. as II having some difficulty in
handling 1t.
At that moment the firing broke out
again. directed this time against the win
dow where I had been before. and. as If
they had been waiting for the signal. the
four men gathered themselves for an eff
fort and came dashing back to drive the
log against the door.
I had had one Of them covered. how
ever, and let fly at him just as they
started He went down in a heap, falling
across his end Of the log. His weight
tilted it up so that although it struck
but the bullet went wide this time. and
the rest. seeing that the ruse had failed.
turned tail and fled for their lives.
hit one Of them as he ran and broke
his right arm. but the shot was nearly
the end Of matters for me. A bullet came
my left arm. 1t did no more harm than
draw q little blood, and 1t was cheap
price to pay for the disablement of two
more OF my antagonists.
the blood. You are wounded" she
cried.
1.-THE merest scratch" said, but she
would not be convinced until / took OIL
my coat and showed her the small wound.
And then nothing would satisfy her until
she had fetched water and bathed 1t and
bound 1t up.
She did it so gently. bathing it with the
touch Of shrinking tenderness and asking
every second II she was hurting me. and
showed such solicitude that I was almost
glad the bullet had not missed me.
All this time Beltano had shown no sign
of renewing operations The wounded
men had gone and the log still lay by the
door, but I did not much fear that any
further attempt would be made to use 1t.
asked Masita..
II guess he's asking himself pretty
much that question just now. He finds
he has bitten of more than he can
chew. Volunteers for the log work will
be difficult to find."
"He may try it in the dark" she sug-
gested.
There will be scarcely any dark to-
night. The moon is at the full. No. he
won't try and knock at the front door
again. What we have to worry with is
that cliff path. see what to do" I ex-
claimed, as an idea occurred to me. why
on earth didn't think Of it before?"
Tell me-" she said, anxiously.
1.-THE side of the fort looks out on the
only spot where he could make a path,
and from an opening something like these
windows in the room you use could
make it as dangerous for any one to at
tempt to make path as 1t Is to monkey
with that log down there. Will you stay
here and watch while I go to see what I
can do there? If you see hair of a
mans head, call me instantly. Have
Pepita with you If you'd rather not be
alone"
II will keep watch. She may be Of use
to you"
l climbed out on the narrow plateau to
select the best spot for the opening which
proposed to make. and. having settled
this and found an iron crowbar among
the stores on the lower floor. I set to
work with will.
ready growing dusk, and being fairly GER
tain that Beltano would make the at
tempt I feared as soon as the light
waned. I was desperately anxious to be
ready for him.
1t was hard work and I was a novice
at the business. but after I had dis
lodged the first stone I got on quicker.
came hurrying down from the lookout.
There Is another boat in sight. Beppo.
1t must be Breva." she cried.
I dropped the croWbar and turned to
run UP to the lookout. But some shots
were fired at the front of the building
and Masita called.
I sent Pepita back to watch the boat
and ran to Masita.
II saw two or three men at the turn in
the path there. and pushed the muzzle
of the gun through the window, and then