Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1912-05-17
unoer into the next room.

dodge under into the next fuon.
never waited to ascertain If ne
heard me. With one fierce spring
struck their stunned line, and my
iron bar swept a clear space as IL
crashed r~emorselessly into them. The
next instant Lowrie and ] were seem
ingly alone and fronting each other.
A wild cat enraged by pain looks az
he did when he leaped to meet me.
Hate, deadly, relentless. glared In MS
eyes, and with a yell of exultat1on ne
swung up his long rife and struck
savagely at my head with the STOCK.
l caught it partially on my barrel.
breaking its full force, and even as 1t
descended upon my shoulder, Jabbeo
the muzzle hard into his leering race.
| With a snarl OF pain he dropped his
gun and grappled with me. but as
his fingers closed about my throat
something swirled down through the
maze, and the maddened brute stag
gered back, his arms uplifted. his REQ
beard cloven In twain.
Nov for it, Wayne!" shouted Bren'
nan. Back with you'll"
With a dive I went under the piano,
l heard the sliding doors shut behind
us, and almost with the sound was
again upon my feet.
ITO the stairs!" painted. "Bren-
man,, take the women to the stairs;
those fellows are not in the hallway
yet, and we can hold them there q
while"
In u terrible need for haste. and
amid the thick. swirling smoke fill
ing that inner room almost to suffo-
cation, l grasped the woman CHANGING
to be nearest me, without knowing
at that moment who she was. Al
ready the rife-butts were spltntering
the light wood behind us into slaves,
and l hastily dragged my dazed COM
panion forward. The others were In
advance, and We CROPPED our way Ike
blind persons out into the hall. By
rare good fortune it was yet unoc-
cupied, and as we took the few hur-
ried steps toward the foot Of the
stairs I found my arm was encircling
Celia Minor. The depth of despair
within her dark eyes and the speech
less anguish of her white face, swept
for an instant the fierce rage Of battle
from my brain.
At that moment the mob, discover
ing our direction of escape. damned
both doorways and surged forth howl
ing into the hall.
"Up!" I cried. forcing her forward.
up with you; quick!"
1 paused a scant second to pluck a
saber from beside u dead soldier on
the floor, and then with a spring up
the intervening steps, faced about at
Brennan's side on the first landing.
I'VE ought to leave our mark on
those incarnate devils here" he said
grimly, wiping his red blade on the
carpet.
Unless they reach the second story
from without, and take US in the
rear" I answered. I'VE ought to hold
back the whole cowardly crew. SO
long as they refuse to fire."
1t was a scene to abide long with a
mana horrible nightmare. never to
be forgotten. Above us. protected
somewhat by the abrupt curve Of the
wide staircase, crouched the women.
Two were sobbing. their heads buried
in their hands, but Maria and Mrs.
Brennan sat white of face and dry
eyed. / caught one quick glance al
the fair face / loved-my sweet lady
of the North-thinking, indeed. it
might prove the last on earth, and
knew her eyes were upon me. Then,
stronger of heart than ever for the
coming struggle, 1 fronted that scene
below.
Through the rising haze of smoke
l looked down into angry faces. un-
kenpt boards, and branished weapons.
The bafled rascals poured out upon
us from both doors, crowdfng into the
narrow space, cursing, threatening,
thirsting for revenge. Yet they were
seemingly leaderless. and the boldest
among them paused at the foot Of the
stairs. They had already felt our
arms, had tested our steel, and knew
well that grim death awaited their
advance.
But they could not pause there long
the ever increasing rush Of those
behind pressed the earlier arrivals
steadily forward. Grim necessity fur.
nished a courage naturally lacking,
and suddenly, giving vent to a fierce
shout, they were hurled upward, e
ing to crush us at whatever sacrifice,
by sheer force of numbers. We met
them with the point, In the good old
Roman way, thrugIng home
lessly. fighting with silent contempt
for them which must have been mad
dening. I even heard Brennan laugh,
as he pierced q huge rufian through
the shoulder and hurled him back
ward; but al that moment ! saw Craig
knock aside a levelled gun and press
his way to the front of the seething
mass to assume control. His face was
innamed, his yes bloodshot; drink had
changed him into a very demon.
TO BE coNTINUED.)
.1lC-1 D-ev