Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1909-07-02
CHAPTER XVIII.

Duponceau, one of the old broadswords in
his hand, holding the balcony. Mems
heads were to be seen just above the
flooring of the porch, where the invaders
had climbed by means of my trellises, but
the owners of those heads seemed very lit
tie disposed to come farther. They had
no reserves to cover their attack from the
the protection of the dunes, and Dupon-
ceau was proclaiming that he would be-
head the first rascal that raised himself
another inch. At the ring of determina-
ton in his voice, no wonder that no one
came on. 1 had barely reached his side,
however when a man flung a handful of
sand full in Duponceau's face, temporar-
ily binding him, at the same moment
that another leaped up the trellis and
vaulted over the balcony rail. l met him
face to face, and recognized the surly chap
who had spied on me that first day from
the woods. He had not gained his balance
when I fell upon him, hoping to topple
him back against the rail. Instead, his
feet shot out from under him, and, clutch
ing at me, he fell fat on the balcony. He
lay there painting a second, his arms about
my back, while | tried to get my hands
upon his chest to push myself up. Sud
denly his grip frightened, and, with lurch,
he rolled me over, so that now l lay I'M
derneath and pinned by his arms Then
he tried my game, and, hands on my chest,
sought to drive the breath from my body.
He was heavy, and l felt myself going,
going, drawing each breath harder, see
Ing red more DULY, when with jerk the
pressure lightened, and I looked up to see
,fo !, bro q
shoulders, slowly but inexorably throwing
him over on his side. His hands relaxed,
there was a groan and the man lay hat on
his back Charles securely kneeling on
him while l struggled to my feet.
Meantime Duponceau, his sight clear
again, had held the balcony, and more,
had driven the men down the supports by
striking with his sword over the edge.
Throw him over" he commanded us
now, and quickly we had the hapless crea-
ture up on the railing and had dropped
him into the sand below. He fell with
soft thud, and we turned to other mat
ters.
1t was high time. Baf1ed at the bal
cony the enemy were already trying to
batter in the front door. At the first
sounds below-stairs, Rodney had drawn
my dinner-table and the heavy oak settle
across the door, and fortified it with every
heavy weight indoors. Now the batter
ing began, and Duponceau and Charles
Joined him while with an axe 1 found in
my den I hacked away the trellises that
climbed to the balcony. Verify the fight
was hot when I would cut down my own
property.
Crash-crash A heavy log struck the
front door and ripped away panel. The
log was withdrawn, there was shout,
and again came the thudding crash, splin-
tering the upper part of the door and car
rying clear in to the settle. l was mad,
mad through and through, at the thought
of these desperadoes, and a glance at
Charles face told me that he was the same.
We built up the barricade, we tried to
stay it against the next assault, but this
time the upper part of the door burst in
ward, and we were almost face to face
with the foe. Rodney and l crammed the
dining-room table into place, and threw
the chairs behind it. | cared little now
If all the furniture were beaten into
splinters.
Now" cried Duponceau. There was
a boom, a crash, and the battering-rom
shot half way into the house. AS it
cleaved away the door, Duponceau leaped
high on to the wreck of the table and laid
about him with his sword. l saw one
man fall sideways, and the rest, startled
into fear by this man with eyes ablaze,
stand, hesitate, and fall back.
Come on :" he cried. There Is room
for two ABREAST" But no one came on;
the passage through that open doorway
looked dubious.
A hurried conference, quick dispersal,
and then the enemy was back, armed with
clubs cut from the woods. Now they came
on with a rush, and the battle joined.
Pistols were discarded; it was to be a
fight of our old rusty swords, and sticks
found by Charles, and the stats Of the
pines. Two men leaped into the breach
and fell on Duponceau, another slipped in
and fell to Rodney's care, while Charles
and l gripped our weapons and waited.
Duponceau thrust at one of his assail-
ants and with a jerk threw the other
across the broken table almost at my
feet. A blow aimed at my head fell on
Charles staff, and he had the man Keeling
in q corner with q sudden thrust of his
arm, Another man IOllOWeu, duu uS duu
l laid about each other, blow falling on
sword, and sword on pine-wood. We had
the advantage In that we stood on the
chairs, the table, and what was left of
the door, and the enemy had to spring
against our entrenched position. Face to
face with us, topping over the broken
furniture, their ardor passed, and grad
ually we drove them back pressing them
out of the doorway harder than they had
pressed in. The man opposite me aimed
a savage blow, l lodged, and, graphing
with him, threw him with all my strength
across the table. From there Duponceau
rolled him out against his comrades. All
this time Monsieur Pierre had fought like
demon, but now one man fell against
his legs, while another struck him glanc-
ing blow across the shoulders, and before
ne could gain his footing he fell from the
table back into the room, striking against
the settle. He lay there still. Rodney
was in his place, and jumped beside
aim.
Now ~ I cried. and a moment later