The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1912-02-08
dodes under into The next room I"

dodge under into the next room"
never waited to ascertain n %
heard me. With one fierce spring
struck their stunned line, and my
iron bar swept clear space as II
crashed remorselessly into thBIu The
next instant Lowrie and I were seem.
ingly alone and fronting each other.
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
savageiy at my head with the stock.
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 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 tho
maze. and the maddened brute stag
gered back. his arms upsuted. his rec
beard cloven In twain
Now for 1t. Wayne!~ shouted R@en
nan Back with you!"
With dive I went under the pias'o.
heard the EHdiag dosrs Shut behind
US. and almost with Ne @sSSd was
again upon my feet.
ITO the stairs!" panteH. "Bren,
nan. take the women to thS stairs;
those fellows are not iE the hallway
yet, and we can hold them there .
while"
In our terrible need for haste, and
amid the thick. swirling smoke NIL
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 Tifle-butts were splinteTN~G
the light wood behind us into staTeSp
and I hastily dragged my dazed com
panion forward The others were IN
advance. and we gropec 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
rie' steps toward the foot OF the
stairs sound my arm ~as encirclinA
Celia Minor. The depth of despair
within her dark eyes ana the speech
less anguish of her white face, swept
for an instant the fierca rage of hattie
from my brain.
A. thok v,oouoorE kha ronh diocnvmr
ing our direction Of escape. jammed
both doorways and surged forth howl
ing into the hall
"Up!" cried, forcing her forward
up with you: quick!"
paused a scart second to pluck 9
saber from beside a dead soldier or
the floor. and then with spring VI
the intervening steps. faced about al
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. sc
long as they refuse to fire."
1t was 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 nj
the fair face l loved-my sweet lay
of the North-thinking, indeed, Il
might prove the last on earth, and
knew her eyes we're upon me- Then
stronger of heart than ever for the
coming struggle. fronted that scene
below.
Through the rising haze of smoke
I looked down into angry faces. un
kempt boards. and branished weapons
The baffied 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 boldes
among them paused at the foot Of the
stairs. They had already felt oul
arms, had tested our steel, and knew
we'll that grim death awaited theil
advance.
But they could not pause there Ions
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. seek
ing to crush us at whatever sacrifice
by sheer force of numbers. We me
them with the point, in the good OLE
Roman way, thrusting home remorse
lessly, fighting with silent contemp
for them which must have been mad
dening. l even heard Brennan laugh
as he pierced a huge rafian through
the shoulder and hurled him back
ward: but at that moment saw Craii
knock aside leVelled gun and pres
his way to the front of the seethini
mass to assume control. His face wa
inflamed, his eyes bloodshot: drink hat
changed him into very demon.
CTo BE CONTINUEDJ