The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1911-12-16
ILLUSTRATIONS BY
ARTHUR b WILLIAMSON
Copyright by 4. G. MeClurg 4 Co.
Raaesed q 0ne3ooesss Hall Loadoo

SoPyH31s W .. ~ neSN.uk ~"
Raaesed x se,fiooes's Hall Ioadoa
Have the enemy kept you busy?"
Der vos some shooting, und Hadley
he got hurt bad, but der fellers is all
gone" ...-.
Bring your men At for duty out
here in the hall, and have them join
my party. How many have you?"
Der Is four, captain"
He drew back, and as he disap-
peared some one came hastily toward
VI along the hallway from the rear.
What 10 It, Caton?" I asked anx-
tously. as I recognized him.
They are forming to rush me,
think" he answered. Il need a few
moro men If can get them"
They are preparing to assault front
and rear at the same time," I an
swered. "They are massing now, and
In my Judgment Brennan will have to
face the brunt OF 1t. The front of this
house is greatly exposed, and will
prove extremely difficult to defend II
they come against it with any force.
How many men do you absolutely re-
quire to hold your position? Remem.
Der, the women are all in the. front
part Of the house, and we must pro,
tect them at all hazards; come with
me. There are times when a. higher
law than that Of military despotism
should control our actions. I am go.
ing there, orders or no orders. Ebers
can command your detachment and &C.
complish all the service you possibly
could. Your rightful place Is between
these ruflans and the woman you
love. How many additional men will
be required to make the back of the
house secure?"
II feel like new man, Wayne" he
said thankfully, "and know you are
right. Four more would be sufH 'ent,
besides the one in command"
"Good! Ebers," said, as my portly
sergeant again emerged from out the
darkness, take your four. men back
to the kitchen and assume command.
The guerillas are preparing to make
a rush there, and you must drive them
back by rapid fire. Hurry along
now" -
Tho little group had barely van.
ished beyond the glow Of the light
when from without our ears were sud-
denly assailed by wild, exulting yell
that bespoke the charge.
There they are!" I cried. "Now.
lads. come with mel"
The dull, gray, chilling dawn re.
vealed a room in utmost disorder, the
windows shattered, the blinds cut and
splintered, the walls SCARED with bull
let's and disflgured with stains OF
blood, the furniture overturned and
broken. A dead soldier in gray uni.
form lay In the center of the floor, his
life-blood dark stain upon the rich
carpet; a man with coat of, and blue
shirt ripped wide open, was leaning
against the further wall vainly endeav-
oring to staunch a wound in his chest.
Brennan was upon one knee near the
central window, smoking gun in his
hand, q red welt showing CHASTITY
across his cheek. All this saw In
single glance, and then, with the leap
of q panther I was beside him, gazing
Ou1 AAtO IA0 uOA ling 1uA5C, duU AIAA6
as fast as could handle my gun.
Through the shifting smoke clouds
we could see them advancing on a
run-an ugly. motley line, part blue,
part gray, part notwithstanding
as they swept forward like a pack of
Infatuated wolves, their fierce faces
scowling savagely behind the rifles.
It was half war, half riot-the reckless
onslaught of outcasts bent on plumber,
inspired by lust, yet guided by rude
discipline.
knew little of detail; faces were
blurred, unrecognizable: all seemed
to note clearly was that solid, brutal,
heartless, blasphemous line of desper.
ate men sweeping toward us with a re-
lentless fury our puny bullets could
not check. Reckless ferocity was in
that mad rush; they pressed on more
like demons than human beings. I
saw men fall; saw the living stumble
over the dead. heard cries of agony,
shouts, curses, but there was NO pause.
I could mark their faces now, cruel
laA8Ays S0toA80AuAs IAS Aduub IHdS
grasped the veranda railings; the leap
ing bodies; the rifle butts uplifted to
batter down our frail defenses.
Az trapped tigers we fought, hurting
them back from tho windows, slashing
clubbing, striking with fist and steel
Two lay dead across the sill before
me, cloven to the very chin, but theil
bleeding bodies were hurled remorse
lessly aside, while others clambered
forward, mad from lust of blood
crazed with liquor. With dubbed
guns we cleared it again and again
battsring mercilessly at every head
that fronted us. Then a great giant
Of . fellow-dead or alive, know
not-was hurled head-long through the
opening, an inert, limp weight, that
bore the two soldiers beside me to the
floor beneath his body. With wide
sweep of my gun struck him, shat
tering the stock into fragments, and
9Wunn hook to mAAt the Ofhora the