Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1912-07-20
"Let loose of my feet. o'Brien; I am

He was too surprised for protest. but
released his grip and i swung free.
dangling from the gutter. I heard him
Chamber up on the still and saw his
head poked out through the opening.
Stay where you are" ordered soft
". land if make it I'll LET you out
through the door Re careful: some
fellow may take shot this way
The distance did not exceed ten feet.
and I moved along hand over hand
noiselessly. the supporting gutter not
yielding in the slightest to my weight
and icy mind becoming more confident
as | advanced l could see little. but
my dangling feet told me when | hung
opposite the first window Here a seri-
Gus difficulty presented itself-the win
dow was closed. probably locked. Yet
l had anticipated this, reasoning that
the clasp would be the same as that
of the room in which we had been i'm
priSoned. half circle catch between
the two SaSheS. To reach it with my
foot ! would have to break a pane of
glass. and it must be the right pane.
felt for it carefully. located the prop
err spot and sent my shoe crashing
through the glass. a musket boomed
from the black shadow of the. grape
into the wood just above my head.
Two carbines barked from a window
of the lower floor. their flame showing
like Il red cash in the night | stuck
my leg through the shattered pane. felt
the clasp with my shoe and pressed il
back. An instant later, with foot and
hand. i had forced down the sash and
swung my body ill through the open
ing.
1T was a ticklish job to let go my
grip on the gutter. but my left hand
found purchase on the frame of the
window. and | squirmed in inch by
inch. expecting every instant second
shot from the fellow in the arbor. AS
| finally dropped to the floor his mus
ket exploded. the bullet singing through
the open window. burying itself in the
ceiling and showering me with plas-
ter.
The noise of crashing glass ana my
fall to the floor would hardly alarm
the girl even if she remained on guard
in the hall. as there had been so much
of similar disturbance during the past
half-hour. If the door of this room
was unlocked. and | could surprise
her. the rest would be easily accom-
plished. I crossed the room softly.
and tried the knob. which yielded.
Looking first toward the fireplace i
saw nothing. and it was a moment or
two before | perceived her. sitting on
a low stool. the cooked carbine across
her knees, at the head of the stairs.
She was sufficiently in earnest, no
doubt: indeed. the intenseness of her
attitude, the grip of her fingers on
the weapon. her very posture. exhib-
n6 f1eafa rrr1fr ion nd or ho
women in her was equally apparent
the quick trembling of her shoulders.
the occasional uplifting of one hand
as if she swept aside gathering tears.
| could perceive one white cheek. and
the fluffy brown of her hair, although
the light was so dim that she seemed
little more than a shadow In that mo-
ment of indecision | would have
given the world to go to her. to clasp
her in my arms and stand beside her
through right or wrong. She could
respect and admire worthy enemy.
but she would despise weakling.
even if his lack of manhood came
through love of her. Besides. she
was doing this for Donald She had
said this was war. and | would bear
my part in it.
Even as she leaped to her feet. Civ
ing vent to faint cry of startled
fear. ! had grasped the barrel of her
gun and held it safely.
You said. Miss Denslow. this was
war;" ! began sternly. land now it
is my turn Give me the carbine."
She released her grasp of it. her eyes
on my face. They were not angry.
but soft from unshed tears.
II am sorry ! stammered lame
". that | must hold you prisoner,
but you have proved too dangerous
to be permitted to go free"
How did you get here? Where
did you come from?", she questioned
Il came out through the window of
one room and in through the window
of another. Some of your friends shot
at me, but their craftsmanship was
poor. You must have a pretty low
opinion OF Yankees to suppose one
would lie idle very long under lock and
key"
She sank back upon the chair. her
face buried in her hands A wave of
pity swept over ne.
Don't be angry l urged
Il am not angry at you" and she |
looked up at me. the tears visible. II
respect you more because you have not |
yielded But-but | have failed-failed |
utterly 1 am angry with myself. hu- |
inflated. nisera bic"
There was a noise behind. and I |
wheeled about quickly. throwing up
the carbine- O'Brien stood in the door |