Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1915-02-25

by one silently left tile house.
At = O'Clock on the appointed morn.
ing four parties approached &. from
opposite points and stopped a short
distance outside the w That head
ed by Alexander was the largest and
carried. among other articles, a heavy
piece of oak timber. Alexander made a
circuit around the town to see that the
different detachments were in position
and returned to his own party. He or
dered all to wait fifteen minutes by
the watch. then close in about the rob-
bers' stronghold.
1t was Il perfectly clear night. No
moon. but myriads Of stars glittered
above, brighter for being cen through
the clear atmosphere OF that mountain
GUS region. The quiet heavens were
in contrast with the struggle about the
open. The time the men wasted SEEM
ed interminable, and all were relieved
when it was over. Then each body
advanced as quietly as possible, cover
ing that part of the house to be attack
ed as appointed. Last came Alexander
and his six men. four of them bearing
the heavy timber. Placing one end at
the door of the house. they first swung
it back. then drove it forward. and the
stiffness was broken by a loud thud
against the door. .
Again the timber was swung back
and thrust forward, the contact re-
sounding in the still night. No light
appeared in the village. If a face was
at any window it could not be seen.
Doubtless citizens in their beds soon
realized that something was in store
for the men who had been terrorizing
them and offered a silent prayer that
the end of their sufferings was about
to come. The women Rugged their
children to their breasts and shud-
dered.
The door was we'll barred. and it re-
CURED a dozen blows OF the battering
ram to force it open. When the de-
sired result was obtained and there
was nothing to obstruct q passage sew
eral of the attacking party entered, but
they were received by a fire from with
in and retired
H1lu LIZ oSoiSS1bS poALy oSSo
to discover that, though they were
very near the house, the robbers found
ways Of bringing their fire to bear
upon them. Several were picked off.
when Alexander ordered his men to
withdraw behind any article OF de-
Tense they could find. Then for a time
there was a desultory firing between
ton two fOronS with M Gpfnifn rA.
suits. At last Alexander directed one
Of his men who had remained in the
rear to bring forward combustibles.
Several men took kindling saturated
with kerosene, ran swiftly to a part Of
the house where it vas most difficult
for the robbers to shoot them and,
%crouching on the ground, placed the
kindling against the house and ignit-
ed it.
The besieged now saw that their
doom was sealed. If they remained
where they were they would be burned
or ~suffocated; if they surrendered they
would receive no quarter. They could
only sell their lives as dearly as pos
sible. But there was nothing to shoot
at. for the attacking party were all
screened. Presently a fame began to
crawl up from the kindling. growing
brighter and brighter, crawling higher
and higher, till it cast a light on the
surrounding houses. Then the Turks
could better discern the positions of
their enemies and recommended their
firing.
And now faces began to appear at
the neighboring windows. But the NAL
ice of the Turks, who, since they must
die, We're ready to kill even wolnen
and children. drove away these inof-
fensive persons. Not Il shot was fired
by the attackers, though the Turks eX-
posed themselves, hoping to die rather
by the bullet than by fire. They had
shown no mercy to the Christians
whom they had robbed, murdered and
tortured. and now their ]destroyers
would not grant them the boon OF lead
instead of fire.
By this time the house was enveI-
oped in flames. A Turk ran out, hop
ing to be shot He was filed with bull
let's, but those who shot him took care
that he should not be struck in a vital
part. He fell, and one OF his enemies
the man whose wife and daughter
had been carried away-picked him up
and threw him into the flames.
The cries of these miscreants who
had long terrorized this region grew
less and fainter till at last they ceased
altogether. Then and not till then the
people Of the hamlet came out Of their
houses, many Of them in their night
clothes, and, wild with joy, danced
around the building, from which still
issued itful flames. 1t may seem bar
barous to US, living in a land of law
and order. but when the oppressed
turns against a barbarous oppressor
the Christian virtues are not to be ex-
pected.
When it was all over the several
detachments withdrew each to it's own
locality. while the older persons Of the
town went back to bed, leaving the
children to dance about the smoking