Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1911-04-27
left Of the Mormons. Halt way, and

left Of the Mormone. Halt way, and
he stopped as laundering cheer
swept up from the shore. The main.
landers had started toward the hill!
Without raAk, without order-shout
ing their triumph as they came they
were rushing blindlxinto the arms Of
the ambush A shrek Of warning left
Nathaniels lips. 1t was drowned in
crash OF rifle ire. voiiey after vol
ley burst from that shadowy stretch
of plain. Before the furious fire the
van of the mainlanders crumpled into
ruin. Like chaff before wind those
behind were swept back. Apparently
they were flying without waiting to
fire shot, Nathaniel dashed down
into the plain. Ahead of him the Nor
mons We're charging in solid line,
and in another moment the shore had
become mass of fighting men. Far
to the left he saw group of the
mainlanders running along the beach
toward the conflict If he could only
the rear. Like the wind he sped to
cut them off, shouting and firing his
pistol He won by a hundred yards
and stood painting as they came to-
ward him. Dawn had dispelled the
mist-gloom and as the mainlanders
drew nearer he discerned in their lead
a figure that brought cry Of Joy
from his lips.
"Neil!" he shouted Neil"
He turned as Marion's brother
darted to his side.
This way-from behind"
The two led the way, side by side,
followed by a dozen men. A glance
told Nathaniel that nothing much less
than miracle could turn the tide of
battle. Half of the mainlanders were
fighting in the water. Others were
struggling desperately to get away in
the boats. Foot by foot the Mormons
were crushing them back, their battle
cries now turned into demoniac yells
of victory. into the rear of the strug-
Cling mass, firing as they ran, charged
the handful of men behind Captain
Plum and Neil. For little space the
kings men gave way before them and
with wild cheers the powerful fisher.
toward their comrades. Many of them
were armed with long knives; some
had pistols; others used their empty
rifles as clubs. A dozen more men
and they would have split like
wedge through the Mormon mass.
Above the din of battle Nathaniel's
voice rose in laundering shouts to the
men in the sea, and close beside him
he heard Neil shrieking out name
between his blows. Like demons
they fought straight ahead, slashing
with their knives. The Mormon line
was thinning. The mainlanders had
turned and were fighting their way
back, gaining foot by foot what they
had lost. Suddenly there came ter
rife cheer from the plain and the hope
that had famed in Nathaniel's breast
died out as he heard it. He knew what
it meant-that the Mormons at st.
James had come to reinforce their
-es-!lI 11S AOQsouS iloW W lSehSA
the boats, calling to Neil, whom he
could no longer see. Even in that mo-
ment he thought of Marion. His only
chance was to escape with the others,
his only hope of wrestling her from the
kingdom lay in his own freedom. He
had waited too long. A crushing blow
fell upon him from behind and with 8
last cry to Neil he sank under the
trampling feet. Indistinctly there
came to him the surging shock of the
fresh body of Mormons. The din
about him became fainter and fainter
as though he was being carried rapid
ly away from it; shouting voices came
to him in whispers, and deadened
sounds, like the quick tapping of a
finger on his forehead, were all that
! he heard of the steady rifle fire that
pursued the defeated mainlanders in
their flight.
After little he began struggling back
| into consciousness. There was a split
ting pain somewhere in his head and
he tried to reach his hand to it.
You won't have to carry him." he
heard voice say. Give him little
water and he'll walk"
(To BE CoNTINUED.)
l