Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1908-06-27

Il
| the room. There I was sheltered from
4 missiles by the turn in the staircase
, and was further protected by the dark
| ness. Now could hold the way with
little risk. for only one could come up
at time, and he would be a brave
| man who should storm the stairs in
my teeth.
All this, remember, was done In a
kind or desperate frenzy in haste and
| confusion, with no plan or final pur-
pose, but simply out of the instinct
| of self preservation, which led me to
do, from moment to moment, what
could TO save our lives. / did not know
whether there was another staircase
to the tower, nor whether there were
enemies above us, whether indeed enc
mics might not swarm in on US from
a dozen entrances. 1 had no time TO
think OF more than just this-that my
staircase, OF which did not know,
must be held.
/ think / had stood there about a
minute, breathing hard and listening
to the din outside, which came TO my
ears a little softened by the thick
walls round me-so much softened, at
least, that could hear my heart beat
ing in the midst of it-when the duch-
ess came back to the door above.
could see her, there being q certain
amount Of light in the room behind
her, but she cou' not see me. What
can / do?" she asked softly.
i answered by question. rs he
| alive" l muttered.
Yes, but hurt" she answered, strug-
gling with a sob, with a fluttering OF
the woman's heart she had repressed
so bravely. Much hurt, 1 fear. Oh,
why, why, did We come here?"
she did not mean II as a reproach,
but took 1t as one and braced my
self more firmly to meet this crisis
to save her at least If It should be any
way possible. When she asked again,
can | do anything?" l bade her take
my pike and stand where I was for a
moment. Since no enemy had yet made
his appearance above the strength of
our position seemed to hold out some
hope, and It was the more essential
that l should understand It and know
exactly what our chances were.
sprang up the stairs into the room
ana looked round, my eyes seeming to
take In everything at once. II was a
big, bare room, with signs Of habi-
tauon only in one corner. On the side
toward the town was a long, low win
dow, through which-a score of the
diamond panes were broken already
the flare of the besiegers torches fell
lurldly on the walls and Vaulted roof
BY the dull embers of a wood fire, over
which hung a huge black pot Mas
ter Bertie was lying on the boards
",
head pillowed on the duchess kerchief
Beside him sat Mistress Anne, her face
hidden, the child wailing in her lap.
A glance around assured me that
there was no other staircase, and that
on the side toward the country the
wall was pierced with no window big
ger than a loophole or an arrow slit,
with no opening which even a bow
| could enter. For the present, therefore.
unless the top of the tower should be
escalded from the adjacent houses
and l could do nothing to provide
against that-we had nothing to fear
except from the staircase and the win
dow have mentioned. Every moment,
however, missile or a shot crashed
| through the latter, adding the shiver Of
falling glass to the general din. No
wonder the child walled and the girl
sank over II in abject terror. Those
| savage yells might we'll make a wom-
an blanch. They carried more fear
and dread to my heart than did the
| real danger Of our position, desperate
as II was.
AS yet it was so desperate that for
moment / leaned against the wall
dazed and hopeless, listening to the in
fernal tumult without and within. Had
! Bertie been by my side to share the
responsibility and Join 'n the risk, l
could have borne II better. l might
have felt then some of the Joy of bat
| tie and the stern pleasure of the one
matched against the many But l was
alone. How was to save these wom-
| en- and that poor child from the yelI-
ing crew outside? How indeed? 1 did
not know the enemy's language; l
could not communicate with him, could
not communicate with him, could not
not explain. could not even cry for
/ quarter for the women.
A stone which glanced from one of
! the mullionS and gTazed my shoul-
der reused me from this fit of
cowardice, which, trust and
believe, had lasted for a few sec
onds only. At the same moment all un-
usual volley of missiles tore through the
window as if discharged at a given sig
nal We We're under cover. and they
did us no harm, rolling for the most
part noisily about the floor. But when
| the storm ceased and a calm as sudden
| followed | heard dull, regular sound
| close to the window-a thud, thud,
thud!-and on the instant devined the
plan and the danger. My courage came
back, and with it my wits. l remem-
| bered an old tale l had heard and,
| dropping my sword where l stood. |
| flew to the hearth and unlocked the
great pot. 1t was heavy, half full of
something broth most likely. but l
rocked nothing Of that / bore 1t swift
/
most man on the ladder had driven in
the lead work before him with his AK
! flung the whole of the Contents-they
were not sCalding, but they were very
| hot--in his face. The fellow shrieked
loudly and, blinded and taken by sur
prise, lost his hold and fell against his
supporter, and both tumbled down
again more quickly than they had
| come up.
Sternly triumphant, poised the great
pot itself in my hands, thinking to fling
! II down upon the sea of savage up
| turned faces, of which l had a brief
| view, as the torches flared now on one,
| now on another. But prudence pre-
vailed. If no more blood We're shed. II
might still be possible to get some
terms. l laid the pot down by the side
of the window as a weapon to be used
only in the last resort.
| Meanwhile the duchess. posted in the
dark, had heard the noise of the win
dow being driven in and cried out pitt
fully to know what 1t was. stand
firm!" shouted loudly. stand firm.
| We are safe as YETI
Even the uproar without seemed to
abate a little as the first fury of the
mob died down. Probably their leaders
were concerting fresh action. I went
| and knelt beside Master BERTHE and
made thorough examination of his
wound. He had received a nasty blow
on the back of the head, from which
the blood was still oozing, and he was
insensible. His face looked very long
and thin and deathlike; but, so far as
| could ascertain, the bones were unin-
| jured, and he was now breathing more
quietly. II think he will recover"
said easing his clothes.
Anne was crouching on the other side
Of him. AS she did not answer, i looked
up at her. Her lips were moving. but
the only word l caught was "Clarence!''
I did not wonder she was distraught.
had work enough to keep my own
wits. But wanted her help. and re-
peated loudly, Anne, Anne!" trying to
rouse her.
She looked past me, shuddering
Heaven forgive you!" she muttered