The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1912-12-13

ASi AhA' CdLuS anu NAulSnGQ N the swift
OF smoke. brown gun-barr6ls whirled
before me, flashes of fire burned my
eyes, strange features, bearded, malig-
nant, glared at me. | leaped straight
at them, striking flercely. Once | saw
Grant, and aimed a blow at him. Then
he was gone, swallowed In the ruck.
Our mad onrush swept them back,
helpless. demoralized. | stumbled over
bodies, slipped In pools of blood, yet
Kept my feet. Every muscle ached: |
was cut and pounded, yet drove into
the mass, shouting to those behind:
Come on, lads! Come on! We're
driving them!"
A yard, two yards, three-beyond
the door where the men had escaped
we won our way. Then they could go
no further. Blocked, unable to retreat.
wedged helplessly against the far end
of the hall they turned like cornered
rats. / could see nothing of Jones,
but | heard him, raging like a tiend.
Now, you ours, now!" he stormed.
you cowardly scum-perhaps you'll
fight when you can't run! What are
you afraid of? There's only a handful,
you can chew 'em up, If you will! Push
EN- back, there! Push EN- back"
With a yell of rage, those crushed
against the wall hurtled forward, driv-
Ing the others; men were lifted and
hurled at us; others gripped at our
feet; by sheer force of numbers they
swept us backward, 1t was hand to
hand, neither side having time to re.
load their weapons. The smoke rose,
permitting a view Of the shambles.
There was a tangle of arms, a tumble
of faces. They were maddened beasts.
desperate, revengeful. Hands clutched
at us, gun butts we're thrust into our
faces, the crush too dense to permit
Of their being swung overhead. Ny
Dragons had their sabres out, ard
stood to it like men, the steel blades
dripping as they tasted blood. But
killing n only brought a new man to
the front. One does not see so much
as feel in such a tumble. Yet | knew
we were worsted. outnumbered. They
came at us like q b%attering ram.
saw the sergeant shot through the
forehead: | saw Eric go down beneath
a crushing stroke, and roll under my
feet. | stepped On bodies, fighting for
my own life as | never fought before.
Somewhere had gripped a gun out of
dead fingers and swung 1t s~avagely,
smashing the stock at the first blow,
but retaining the twisted iron. The
intensity of excitement seemed to
| clear my brain. Iibegan to distinguish
voices, to notice faces. ] heard Grant
yell safely in the rear; | heard Jones'
roar, ITO hell with EN-! To hell with
'em!" Out of the murk Of struggling
figures | made out his black beard,
the CLEAN Of yellow fangs, and leaped
toward him, striking men down unit!
l was able to swing at his head. He
went over like a stricken OK under a
butchers ak, knocking aside two men
as he fell. 1t gave me chance to
spring out Of the melee.
ITO the stairs, men! The s~tairs!"
l cried. I'VE can hold them there!"
I cannot describe now how we made
It. but we did. / only know Tom and
] held the rear, sweeping circles Of
death with our whirling g%un-barrels,
falling back step by step as we fought.
At last / felt the bottom stairs with
my foot, and heard a voice shout:
Come up, sir! Well hold EN- nowl"
Then I was above the heads of the
mob, gripping the rail, and sobbing for
breath. There followed a moments
wait, an instant Of h%csitancy. | began
to see and feel once more. Below us
the hall was jammed with men, SO
closely pressed together as to be al
most helpless. Blood streamed from a
cut In my forehead, nearly binding
me, but | 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 pr0pped against the
wall. Tom and | stood alone, his face
blackened by powder, his shirt ripped
into rags; the other three were above,
pistols in hand.
Are they loaded?" | gasped.
Yes, sir"
stand ready then. but look out for
above; there was a guard up there
Tom"
| II f,,r,,rl htr fnna eli ptfIu
Move back a step or two more;
we've got to hold them"
"All right, sir"
I felt weak from loss of blood, my
head reeIing, and had to hold to the
rail. Below US, growing like wild
beasts, but seemingly leaderless, the
mob crushed forward to the foot of
the stairs. Suddenly l saw Grant, and
the sight of him gave me e life.
you black-faced hound" / called
down apgrily You've kept yourself
safe so far. Now come on"
He snarled some answer, what. |
know not. There was an empty pistol
In my belt, and | flung 1t at him with
all the force OF my arm. He lodged,
the weapon striking the man behind.
With a howl Of rage the fellows loaped
toward lis, bearing Grant on the crest
of the wave. The pistols of the ORA
goons cracked; three fell, blocking the
stairs with their bodies. We had room
now in which to swing u iron bars,
and we battered them like demons. J
lost sight OF Grant, the red drip Of
blood over my eyes making all before
me a mist. ! only knew enough to
strike. Yet fight as we would there
was no holding them. VIZ were forced
to give way. Guns began to spit fire.
saw the wounded Dragon dragged
down under the feet Of the mob;
hands Prjnped my legs, and | kicked