Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1912-03-20
front 70 mo It was NE : personal
challenge to combat.


challenge to combat.
Rush them!" l muttered into Bren-
mans ear. "Hurl them back bit, and
dodge under into the next room"
never waited to ascertain II he
heard me. With one fierce spring l
struck their stunned line. and my.
iron bar swept . clear space a. 1t
crashed remorselessly into them. The
next instant Lowrie and I were seem
ingly alone and fronting each other.
A wild cat enraged by pain looks as
he did when he leaped to meet me.
Hate. deadly. relentless. glared In his
eyes, and with yell of exultation he
swung up his long rife and struck
savagely at my head with the stock.
l caught 1t partially on my barrel.
breaking its full force, and even as 1t
descended upon my shoulder, jabbed
the muzzle hard into his leering face
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 red
beard cloven in twain.
Nov for it, Wayne!" shouted Bren-
nan. Back with you!"
With dive I went under the piano.
I heard the sliding doors shut behind
US. and almost with the sound was
again upon my feet.
EsFHN ~ ato(~ofO no~t4A OnNAr-
nan, take the women to the stairs;
those fellows are not in the hallway
yet. and we can hold them there q
WHILE"
In our terrible need for haste, and
amid the thick, swirling smoke fill.
Ing that inner room almost to suffo
cation, grasped the woman CHANGING
to be nearest me, without knowing
at that moment who she was. AL.
ready the rif1e-butts were splintering
the light wood behind US into slaves,
and hastily dragged my dazed COM
panion forward. The others were in
advance, and we g.oped our way like
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 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!"
I paused scant second to pluck q
saber from beside a 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" 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 tc
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. I caught one quick glance at
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, I fronted that scene
below.
Through the rising haze Of smoke
l looked down into angry faces, un-
kempt boards, and branished weapons.
The baf1ed rascals poured out upon
us from both doors, crowding 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