Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-02
| The old man sank into his chair with a
| i.,sx Rail loxx.ornd .if

| The old man sank into his chair with a
warming look. Bailey lowered his rife.
| But If I ever get tn chance again.
| His words were cut short by a long,
cracking volley from outside and veri-
/ table rain Of bullets pelted against the
front Of the house.
'Th' gatlin' gum" he gasped,. as we
stole to our loopholes We're done, FIR
su-e!"
And indeed it appeared so. The gray
black mass Of the hut. set upon the low
rise before us. seemed to beich forth
| flame. For an instant l gaped stupidity
at the vivid flashes, my senses stunned by
the storm of shots which ratified against
the walls like hail. Then the old man s
voice rang out above the din, and, lifting
my rife mechanically. / fired.
; 1t was like using a pea-shooter against
a giant. A derisive howl went up from
the men who were serving the gun. The
sound reused Mr.. Hayward to frenzy,
and when Bailey. his forehead bleeding
from a flesh wound. turned sulleniy from
| his window. the old man drove him back
at the point of his revolver.
eff you move again you're a dead man..
! he screamed "A dead mani And his
voice was lost in the shrek of the bullets
outside.
! For some five minutes longer the ridicu-
! lous warfare continued; and. as we
fought the soft hiss Of the flames behind
us broke into sinister roar. "A lurid
glare swept through the smoke-:'dden
atmosphere, and the fire, Selling upon the
dining room, reached out hungrily through
the doorway We began to choke in the
sitting heat.
A wild craving for life possessed me. l
threw a searching glance at Mr.. Hay
ward and again his crazy indifference to
our peril made my blood boil. l raised
my gun but, before / could train it upon
him, Bailey gave sudden cry of surprise.
! Look. They're sendsn' somebody t
| talk to u.s..
And, as l dropped the rifle hastily l
noticed that the cracking volleys Of the
gating gun had ceased.
Who is it," demanded Mr.. Hayward.
| Il dunno. Wait till he gets nearer
| l turned again to my loophole. A dim
| figure, barely discernib!e in the first gray
pallor of the dawn, was advancing slowly
| across the open space in front of the
house. Other figures were vaguely out
| lined OIL the rise behind him. and by their
gestures and his cautious. hating gait,
! | gathered that he needed continual u:g-
ing on. At some twenty PAGES from the
veranda he stopped.
| by heavens. It's Anderson" laughed
Wadsworth carrying flag of truce!''
! 'Anderson?' echoed the old man. run
ming to his window. Then iuck's still
with us!
Bailey's rifle clicked softly in the gloom.
! House ahoy." shouted Anderson, wav-
| ing his white flag
, What do you WANT stormed the old
man.
! Anderson looked apprehensvely over his
shoulde". The cap'n sent me [ learn II
you're ready L come out. He says
I'm tell him myself when we're ready.
| AS for YOU
| A flash of fire burst from the loophOle.
| Anderson threw up his hands with low
moan, then. spinning on his heel, fell face
downward upon the ground.
| There was a slight movement behind
me. and. as ] turned second report.
rninging with the other rang in my ears.
The old mar reeled back from the win
dow his hand pressed tightly against his
breast. ! caught him in my arms.
!, ''Yoa DEVIL he gasped. trying to level
his revolver at Bailey. You devil! You've
killed me! -
! But q flow of blood choked his utter
ance. and his head fell Imply AGAINST my
| shoulder. l lowered him gently to the
| floor.
Bailey. clubbing his rifle, rushed toward
u.s. I wrenched the revolver from Mr..
Haywards st.ffening grasp.
| STAND backr' | shouted. Cant you
see he's DYING"
Good enough f'r him. He killed my
| shipmate," the other sputtered. aiming a
murderous blow at the old mans head.
| fred and he dropped the gun with d
howl of pain
Keep your distance l warned him,
.'or you'll get another
| He retreatei sullenly. | was glancing
! about the room Cor Pierre, when Wads-
worth doomed out of the smoke
| where's the key" he demanded.
II haven't found 1t yet"
| "Ill hunt for it, then. while you
"No, you won't | objected I'm hunt
for Il myself"
] lie glared at me blackly, then, as he