The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1912-08-12

| Wu0tueI l IOugQI alone l knew not
cared not. Then some one pressed
next to me. facing az l did. welding {
sword like mailman. We had oul
backs against the piano. our shout
ders touched; before US that mot
swayed checked for the moment, hello
fast by sudden overpowering dread
l glanced aside. My companion was
Brennan, hatless. his deep-set eyes
aflame. his coat torn OF, his shirt
ripped open to the waist. his bare
breast red with blood.
| mo shootin', damn ye!" shouted q
voice. hoarsely. mo shootin'; l want
that Reb alive!"
Through the swirling smoke I rec
ognized the malicious face OF Red
Lowrie as he pushed his way - the
front To me it was ike personal
challenge to combat. I
Rush them!" muttered into Bren-
mans ear. "Hurl them back a bit, and
dodge under into the next ROOM"
never waited to ascertain IL he
heard me. With one fierce spring |
struck their stunned line. and my
iron bar swept clear space as 1t
crashed remorselessly into them. The
next instant Lowrie and l 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 rifle 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 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 1t, 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!" l painted "Bren-
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 I'LL
ing that inner room almost to suffo-
cation. I grasped the woman CHANGING
to be nearest me, without knowing
at that moment who she was. AL
ready the rifle-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 B. oped our way like
blind persons out into the hall BY
rare good fortune 1t 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!"
| paused a scant second to pluck a
saber from beside a dead soldier on
the floor, and then with 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 scene to abide long with a
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 Notwithstanding. indeed. 1t
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.
Through the rising haze of smoke
looked down into angry faces, I'm.
kempt boards. and branished weapons.
The bafied rascals poured out upon
US from both doors. crowding into the
narrow space. cursing. threatening.
'hirsting 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
veil that grim death awaited their
ADVANCE
But they could not pause there long
tho ever increasing rush Of those
behind pressed the earlier arrivals
to-