The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1912-04-11
Whether 1 fought alone . knew not

backs against the piano. our shout
ders touched: before ue that mob
swayed. checked FOR the moment, held
fast by sudden oyerpowering dread.
| glanced aside. My companion was
Brennan, hatless, his deep.set eyes
afame, his coat torn of. his shirt
ripped open to the waist his bare
breast red with blood
no shootin' damn vel" shouted a
voice, hoarsely. mo shootin'; want
that Reb alive!"
Through the swirlInG smoke ! rec
ognlzed the malicious face of Red
Lowrie as he pushed his way to the
front To me It was Ike a personal
challenge TO combat.
Rush them" muttered into Bren
mans ear. "Hurl them back a bit, and
dodge under into the next room.
never waited to ascertain II he
heard me. With one fierce spring /
struck their stunned line, and my
iron bar swept clear space rs Il
crashed remorselessly into them The
next instant Lowrie and | were seem.
ingly alone and fronting each other.
Wild cat enraged by pain looks as
he did when he lcaped to meet me.
Hate. deadly, relentless, glared in his
eyes, and with a yell of eXultation no
swung up his long rife and struck
savagely at my head with the STOCK.
! caught It partially on my barrel,
breaking its full force. and even MS II
descended upon my shoulder. jabbed
the muzzle hard into his leering face,
With n snarl Of pain he dropped his
gun and grsppled with me. but as
something Bwirled down through the
maze. and the maddened brute stag
gered back. his arms uplifted his red
beard cloven In twain.
Now for It, Wayne" shouted Bren.
nan. Back with you!"
With n dive | went under the piano
heard the sliding doors shut behind
us. and almost with the sound was
again upon my feet.
ITO the stairs," | painted. "Bren.
nan, take the women to the stairs;
those fellows are not in the hallway
yet. and We can hold them there a
while"
In our terrible need for haste, and
amid the thick. swirling smoke fill
Ing that inner room almost to suffo-
cation. graspcd the woman CHANGING
20 be nearest me, without knowing
At that moment who she was Al
ready the rile.butts we're splntering
the light wood behind us into slaves,
and ! hastily dragged my dazed com.
panion forward. The others we're in
advance, and We q. )ped our way like
blind persons out into the hail BY
rare good fortune II was yet unoc.
cupled. and as we took the few hur-
ried steps toward the foot OF the
stairs | 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, jammed
both doorways and surged forth howl
ing into the hall.
up" 7 cried forcing her forward
Up with you; quick"
| paused scant second 10 pluck a
saber from beside n dead soldier on
the floor, and then with n spring up
the intervening steps, faced about at
Hrennan's side on the first landing.
We ought to leave our mark on
those incarnate devils here" he said
grimly, wlping his red blade on the
carpet.
Unless they reach the second story
from without. and take us in the
rear" | answered. I'VE ought to hold
back the whole cowardly crew, so
long as they refuse to FIRE"
II was scene to abide long with n
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
'''"'' 'NN NAltt VI race ana dry /.
eyed, ! caught one quick glance at .
The fair face ! loved-my sweet lady .
II the North-thinking indeed, II
might prove the last on earth. and .
knew her eyes were upon me. Then, /
stronger Of heart than ever for the
'omirg struggle frouted that scene
below
Through the rising haze OF smoke
looked down into angry faces. I'm.
Tempt boards. and branished weapons.
The ballled rascals poured out upon
Is from both doors, crowding into the
narrow space, cursing, threatening.
for revenge. Yet they were
eemingly leaderlcss. and the boldcst
monS them paused AT the foot of the
tairs, They Ind already felt our
rms, had tested our steel. and knew
yell that grim death awaited their
dvance.
But they could not pause there long
the ever increasing rush OF those
ehind pressed the earlier arrivals
teadily forward. Grim necessity fur.
ished n courage naturally lacking.
nd suddenly, giving vent to a fierce
bout, they were hurled upward. seek.