, 1908-05-28
CHAPTER XIV.
The Fight In the librarv-

@fs'h hiNt'i VI " ' t.
treating without the loot. He w.nts
his $500, 900 autograph collection" oh.
served Larry.
Why doesn't he come for It him
self like a MANI" | demanded.
Like a man. do you say!" ejacu.
lated Larry. Faith and you fatter
that f~iatheadi"
1t was nearly II o'clock when the at
lacking party returned after a parley
on the ice behind the 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. /
expected them to slacken their ace
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 sunpowder?" asked
Larry.
Wen let them fire the first vol.
ley" I said.
They've already tried to murder
o and Stoddard-I'm in for letting
loose with the elephant guns" Larry
protested.
Stand to your clubs" admonished
Stoddard, whose W weapon was
comparable to the Scrip;ural weaver's
beam. Possession is nine points of
the fight, and we've got the house."
"Also a prisoner of war" said Larry.
grinning.
The English detective had smashed
the glass in the barred window of the
potato cellar, where Larry had lodged
him, and we could hear him bowling
and cursing below.
Looks like business this timel" ex.
claimed Larry. Spread out now and
the first head that looms over the bal
ustrade gets a dose of hickory"
The attacking party % 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 ~battering ram they have. o
man of peace, have | 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 a third man to help. they
ran 1t up the steps and against the
door with a 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 age on his
face. Leaving Stoddard and Larry to
watch the library windows, | ran after
him, and we clattered owe the loose
boards in the upper hall and into a
great unfinished chamber Immediately
over the entrance. Bates had the win
dow up when I reached him and was
well II upon the coping. yelling a
warning to the men below.
He drew his revolver up to shoot.
and when l caught his arm he turned
to me with a look of anger and indig-
nation / had never expected to see on
his co~lorless, 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 it 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 smartly thrice, as he bent far
out over the door.
His shots were a 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 all right, sir-all 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
a tremendous crash to echo through
the house, and I heard firing on the
opposite side, where the enemy's re-
serve was waiting.
Bates, with a handkerchief to his
face, protested that he was unhurt.
Come below; there's nothing to be
gained here"-and | ran down to the
hall, where Stoddard 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 one,
which he held open. He stepped u
upon the terrace and emptied a revol
YER at the men who we're now creep
ing along the edge of the ravine be
meath us. One of them stopped n
discharged a rife at US with deliber-
ate aim. The ball snapped snow from
the balustrade and screamed away
harmlessly.