The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-10-16

She Fired tho Last Pistol at tho Near.
est Man.
| "Speak not to me, you numbering vii
lain!' l answered.
Now, this is Madness" he went on.
"You are trapped like rats. We have
only to wall up the entrance or build
fire in front Of it and you will die"
1T is better to die even So" l re-
piled, than to live with men like you"
"You are fool!' he exclaimed.
He dropped down on his knees as he
spoke, and l could see his face in the
opening, but too far away for me to
swing my ak If it were my last ef-
fort was determined that I would get
him, and SO waited.
| Don't lose the sword" I cried to
my lady across the chamber. where
her white face stared at me out Of the
dimness
II shall not" she answered undaunt-
eddy.
Then lifted the ak and waited for
Master Pimball and his men to come
on. But he had a better plan. Bullets
and powder they had in plenty, and he
knew from the fact that had thrown
my pistols at them that | had none
left With a deafening roar storm
of bullets from dozen weapons swept
into the cave. ! leaped back. l had
to or should have been shot where
stood. OF the way thus opened they
took advantage. and under cover OF a
second volley they entered Well. II
was all up. All could do was to lear
upon them as they rose and
But at that moment the solid rocl
beneath my feet began to sway. L
was as if had been instantly trans
lated to the deck Of a tossing ship.
stood rooted to the spot trying to main
tain a balance. Pimball had lifted
himself upon one knee and was almost
clear of the entrance. but he, too. stop
ped appalled, A sickening feeling OF
apprehension that all the savages or
earth could not inspire ca me over me
My mistress screamed family. The ma
tives outside broke into terror stricken
shouts and cries: on oath burst from
the lips Of the leader of the mutineers
The next moment. with crash like
a thousand thunder peals. the earth
was rent in twain.
The earthquake shook that rocky
island like a baby's cradle. A great
mass OF rock over the entrance fell.
With another roar like the first the cliff
was riven in every direction. The
noise outside eased. The men with
Pimball were ground to death. Upon
his legs lay fifty feet of broken rock.
Darkness, total and absolute, sue
ceeded the dim light. l remember real
izing that the attack had failed and
then something struck me. Down upon
the wet, still quivering sand l fell and
knew no more.
Water, icy cold trickling upon me
from some spring, opened in the wall
by the earthquake presently brought
me to myself. l lay for moment lis
tening. could hear nothing at first,
but in a little while a deep groan and
then faint whispered prayer came to
me.
| strove desperately to collect my
senses, and finally realized where !
was-the cave. the battle, the earth
quake, Pimball and the woman!
mistress Lucy l cried.
"Oh, thank Cod" her voice came
through the darkness Historically, y
thought you were killed.
NO." l answered, slowly rising to
my knee and stretching my members
to see if l had control Of them, which,
fortunately, soon discovered l had.
II was stunned but otherwise l be-
lieve l am not much hurt. How Is 1t
with you?"
| 81 am we'll and unharmed."
| ''Thank God"'
| For heavens sake, WATER" inter
rupted a trembling hoarse, anguished
voice.
"Who speaks?" I asked
II, Pimba!l / am pinned to the
ground, my legs are crushed, my back
is broken. am dying"
There should be lantern here"
said. IT placed it-let me think
where did l place it?'
ut was just to the left Of the open
ing" answered my little mistress.
| was turned around and giddy, but
managed to fix the direction of the
entrance by Pimball's groans and by
good fortune presently found the Ian
tern. It would burn but few hours
but we never needed q light as w
did then. My flint and steel carried
ever in my pocket, and to kindle
pickering fame was but the work q