The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1912-03-30

crashed renCrselessly into hem. The
I next instant Iowrie and | wera seem
| iugly alone and fronting each other
| A Wild cat enraged by pain looks as
he did when ne lraped 10 meet me.
Hate. deadly. relentless, glared In his
eyes. and with yell Of eXuitat.on ha
swung up his long rife and struck
sayagely at my head with the stock.
caught It partially on my barrel.
breaking It's full force. and even as It
descended upon my shoulder. tabbed
the muzzie hard into his leering face.
With q snari Of pain he dropped his
gun and grappled with me. but as
his fingers closed about my throat.
something swirled down through tho
maze. and the maddened brute stag
gered back, his arms uplifted. his red
beard cloven In twain.
Now for 1t, Wayne'" shouted Bren-
| nan Back with you!"
With a dive went under the piano
I heard the sliding doors shut behind
us. and almost with the sound was
again upon my feet.
"To 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
while"
In our terrible need for haste. and
amid the thick. swirling smoke fiH-
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 rifie-butts were splinterinG
the light wood behind us into slaves.
and / hastily dragged my dazed COM
paniou forward. The others were In
advance, and we o. 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 hure
ried steps toward the foot OF tho
stairs found my arm was encircline
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.
ing our direction of escape, damned
both doorways and surged forth howl
Ing into the hall.
up" cried, forcing her forward
up with you; quick."
paused a scant second to pluck
the floor. and then with a spring up
the intervening steps, faced about at
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 in the
rear" l 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 4
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. l caught one quick glance at
the fair face loved-my sweet lady
OF the Notwithstanding. indeed. Il
might prove the last ON earth, and
knew her eyes were upon me. Then.
stronger Of heart than ever for the
coming struggle. l fronted that scene
below.
Through the rising haze Of smoks
l looked down into angry faces, IN
kempt boards, and branished weapons.
The bafiled 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 tina. grim death awaited their
advance.
But they could not pause there iong
the ever increasing rush OF those
behind pressed the earlier arrivals
steadily forward. Grim necessity fur
nished courage naturally lacking.
and suddenly, giving vent to a fierce
shout. they were hurled upward. seek
ing to crush US at whatever sacrifice.
by sheer force OF numbers. We met
them with the point. in the good old
Roman way. thrusting home remorse-
lessly. fighting with silent contempt
for them which must have been mad
dening. l even heard Brennan laugh.
as he pierced huge rufBan through
the shoulder and hurled him back
ward; but at that moment saw Craig
knock aside levelled gun and press
his way to the front OF the seething