The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-08-04


nant, glared at me. leaped straight
at them. striking fercely. Once saw
Grant. and aimed blow at him Then
he was gone. swallowed in the ruck
Our mad onrush swept them back
helpless. demoralized. l stumbled oveI
bodies. slipped in pools Of blood. yet
kept my feet Every muscle achedi ]
was cut and pounded. pet drove into
the mass, shouting to those behind:
Come on. ladsI Come onl We're
driving themi"
A yard, two yards, three-beyond
the door where the men had escaped
we won our way. Then they could &c
no further. Blocked, unable TO retreat
wedged helpfessly against the FAR end
Of the hall they turned like cornsred
rats. could see nothing Of Jones
hut heard him, raging Ike q fiend.
Now, you ours, nowt" be stormed
You covardly scum-perhaps youn
light when you cant Funl What are
you afraid OF There's only handful
you can chew EN- up, If you wtui Push
EN- back, thersi Push 'em backi"
With yen Of rage. those crushed
against the wall hurled forward, dTiv
Ing the Others: men were lifted and
hurled at usj others gripped at our
feet1 By sheer force Of numbers they
swept as backward. It was hand to
hand, neither side having tine to re
load their weapons. The smoke rose
permitting a view OF the shambles
T'haTa was a AapOFs ~ arT-s a fy4y7 hi
Of faces. They were n1acdened beasts
desperate, revebgefuI Hands clutche6
at us, gun butts were thrust into ouI
faces, the crush too dense to permit
OF their being swung overhead. My
Dragons had their sabres out, and
stood to It Ike men, the steel blades
dripping as they tasted blood. But
killing azs only brought a new nan te
the front. One does not see 50 -s.;lcb
as feel in such a tumble. Yet ! knew
we were worsted, outnumbered. They
came at US Hike a battering ram. J
saw the sergeant shot through the
forehead; l saw Eric go down beneath
crushing stroke, and roll under my
reet. l step q on bodies, fighting foI
my own life as never fought before
Somewhere lad gripped gun out OF
dead fingers and swung It savagely
smashing the stock at the first blow
but retaining the twisted iron Tbs
| intensity Of excitement seemed to
clear my brain I began to distinguish
voices, to notice faces. heard Grant
| yell safely in the rear; I heard Jones
roar, ITO he'll with emil To he'll with
'emi" Out Of the murk Of struggling
figures made out his black beard
the CLEAN Of yellow fangs, and leaped
toward him. striking men down until
I was able to swing at his head. He
| went over like a stricken OK under 9
butchers ak. knocking aside two men
as he fell. It gave me chance ID
spring out Of the melee.
ITO the stairs, men! The stairs y
1 cried. I'VE can hold them there!'
cannot describe now how we made
! It, but we did. only know Tom and
l held the rear. sweeping circles OF
death with our whirl1ng gun-barrels
falling back step by step as we fought
At last felt the bottom stairs with
my foot, and heard voice shout:
Come up. siri Wen hold EN- nowi'
Then was above the heads of the
mob, gripping the rail-. and sobbing fol
breath. There followed a moments
wait. an instant of hesttancy. began
to see and feel once more. Below US
the hall was damned with men, sc
closely pressed together as to be al
most helpless. Blood streamed from q
cut In my forehead, nearly binding
me, but 1 wiped it away, and took one
glance at their angry upturned faces
and gained a glimpse of my own men
There were but six Of us, and one Of
these lay helpless propped against tbs
wall. Tom and stood alone, his fac,
blackened by powder, his shirt ripped
into rags; the other three were above
pistols in hand.
Are they loadedP' gagped
'~Ies, sir"
stand ready then. but look out fo1
above; there was 9 guard up there
Tom"
He turned his face slightly.
Move back step or two more;
| gu W AOlu IAG@AS
IAN right, SIR"
felt weak from loss OF blood, my
bead Keeling, and had to hold to tho
rail. Below as, growing like wild
beasts. but seemingly BeadeTless, the
mob crushed forward to the foot or
the stairs. Suddenly saw Grant, and
the sight Of him gave me new lie.
you black-faced hound" called
down angriIy. you've kept yourself
safe SO far. Now come on
He snarled some answer, what, ]
know not. There was an em"ty pistol
In my belt, and I flung It at N with
all the force of my arm He lodged
the weapon striking the man behind.
With howl Of rage the fellows lesped
toward US, bearing Grant on the crest
Of the wave. The pistols Of the ORA
goons cracked; three fen, blocking the
stairs with their bodies. We had room
now in which 10 swing our iron bars,
and we battered them ike demons.
, lost sight Of Grant, the red drip OF
blood over my eyes making al oeTore