Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1912-02-15

had hunted out the stores OF food ana
liquor. These dispatched. they swarm
ed over the house like rats. seeking
what they might pilfer or destroy
They searched with almost whining
eagerness in every nook and Granny
large enough TO conceal human life.
They did not find Zelphan. but they
did find Jens. and he faced them and
fought and died standing. as he had
preferred.
Had he remained concealed for but
a few brief moments he might still
have lived. for there came suddenly
upon the big gray house new and a
terrible sound. borne by swift. shad-
owy engines that swept upward along
the wide curving driveway almost
noiseless. except for rush and
whir. Out Of the purring silence
they burst upon the rabble outside
with sharp rafting hailstorm Of lead
en- death.
Kelvin and his squad Of flying Cat
lings had arrived, and close behind him
trotted the detachment that had been
bivouacked nearest the gates. He
moved down men as If they had been
weeds. Stalwart men in khaki car
ried a Calling and planted it in the
very doorway. pouring its deadly
blight back into the hall. They set it
up next at the library door and swept
that room as bare and clear Of living
humanity as If food had washed it
out. while the men In khaki swarmed
through the house. pursuing the follow
ers Of Blagg into bloody corners and
discriminating them as IL they had
been vermin. A detachment. with
Rensselaer, and Kelvin in the lead.
stepped over the CHASTITY. huddled heaps
In the library. hurried back through
the little room and poured down the
narrow secret stairway. AS they had
swept through the library Rensselaer,
had caught brief glimpse of a gray
haired woman In a black silk gown.
with her head upon her folded arms.
sitting at the table. but the picture was
confused with others of its riddled and
useless kind, and he hurried on ahead.
Kelvin had promised himself to be
In the lead as they went down the
stairway. but as he turned into the
closet entrance huge black form
thrust itself In before him. and Sam
led the way. unarmed except for the
formidable weapons with which nature
had provided him.
The greedy garnerers Of Breeds
golden harvest We're taken by COM
plete surprise. They turned from their
tasks as the men In khaki streamed
In upon them. but their weapons had
been laid aside. and they had only
bags or money with which to fight.
and these were too heavy.
Sam was shouting aloud. An ire
sistible demon. he clutched first one
thin throat in his mighty hands and
cracked 1t and threw the limp. resist
less body aside and sprung for anoth-
er. and the second man to fall before
his savage onslaught was Ben White.
Blagg. with a mighty oath. sprang
for Kelvin. who had entered Just be-
hind Sam. bur one Of Rensseaer's
lieutenants was quick enough to inter-
cept him. Blagg gradually bent his
assailant backward and In the act
managed to draw the iieutenant's pis.
toi from its holster In place of turn.
ing 1t upon his own anita gonisf he lev |
eled 1t over the mans shoulder
straight at Kelvin.
1t was Sam who. shouting in a fe-
yer OF savage joy. saw that motion |
and sprang to wrest the pistol from
Blagg. receiving In his own breast the
three bullets that the flrearm yet con-
tained. Then. his work done. he fell
heavily to the floor. and upon his face
was fixed forever that same sardonic
grin that displayed all his snarling
yellow teeth.
Kelvin. spent with his own efforts.
stood erect to breathe for q moment,
and In that moment needle sharp
dagger was thrust into bis side. He
tottered and fell. and above him knelt
Lillian Breed, while before his eyes
she held the dagger.
"Seew she cried. This was your
emblem of triumph! This was the sign
In which You were to conquer! This
was the instrument that twice threat
ened you and twice failed, but the
third time It wins, Philljp. you made