The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1912-05-04

nOTln Il lOuBnhs tAaLtu wiz bAOO1t III
conscious OF injury. animated solely
by desire TO strike and Stay! Back |
had 10 go; back-I trod on dead
bodies, on wounded shrieking In pain,
vet no man who came within sweep OF
that iron bar lived / loved 10 hear
the thud OF 1t, and / fronted those
glaring eyes. my blood afire, my arms
like steel Through the red mist be
held Cation for an instant as twenty
brutal hands upilfted, and then hurled
him into the ruck beneath their feet.
Whether l fought alone | knew not.
cared not. Then some one pressed
next 10 me. facing as did. welding
sword like a mailman. We had our
backs against the piano our shout
ders touched; before us that mob
swayed, checked for the moment. held
fast by sudden overpowRring dread
| glanced aside. My companion was
Brennan, hatless, his deep-set eyes
afiame, his coat torn on. his shirt
ripped open TO the waist, his bare
breast red with blood.
NO shootin. damn vel" shouted a
voice, hoarsely. NO shootin'; ! want
that Reb aliye!"
Through the swirling smoke l rec
ognized the malicious face OF Red
Lowrie as he pushed his way TO the
front. To me II was ike a personal
challenge 10 combat.
Rush them!" 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
struck their stunned line, and my
iron bar swept a clear space as II
crashed remorselessly into them. The
next instant Lowrie and 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 a yell OF exultation he
swung up his long rife and struck
savagely al my head with the stock.
caught IL partially on my barrel,
breaking its full force. and even. as It
descended upon my. shoulder, tabhed
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
Now for II, Wayne!" shouted Bren-
nan Back with you!"
With 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 10 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. | grasped the woman CHANGING
10 be nearest me, without knowing
AZ that moment who she was. Al
ready the rife-butts were spllntering
the light wood behind us into slaves,
and hastily dragged my dazed com.
panion forward The others were In
advance and we 6.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. jammed
both doorways and surged forth howl.
ing into the hall.
"Upl" ! cried. forcing her forward.
Up with you: quick"
| paused scant second TO pluck a
saber from beside a dead soldier on
the floor, and then with a spring up
the intervening steps, faced about nj
Brennan's side on the first landing.
we 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 I'm the
rear" ! answered, I'VE ought to hold
back the whole cowardly crew, so
long as they refuse 10 fire."
II was a 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.
Brennan sat white OF face and dry.
eyed. | caught one quick glance AT
the fair face | loved-my sweet lady
OF 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
coming struggle, ! fronted that scene
below