The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1919-10-03

the floor, and leaping over their pros
trate forms the pursued one dashed up
another flight of stairs to find himself
in a garret filled with boxes and mis-
cellaneous furniture. Quickly tossing
the heaviest of these against the door
he threw his weight upon his barri
cade and grimly waited.
His respite was brief. In the hall
without sounded the patter of bare
feet and the next instant there was a
great heave upon the door. Again he
threw all his strength in opposition to
theirs, and so great was his effort, and
so greatly was he assisted by the
heavy furniture before him, that after
moments futile struggle the ones
outside relaxed their efforts and the
pressure ceased. Taking advantage
of the opportunity, John wrenched a
leg from table and laid it beside him
for instant use.
Finding themselves baffled in this di
rection, the Hindus resorted to STRAIT
agem. Securing ladder, one OF their
number placed 1t against the outside of
the building and mounted to the roof.
Then creeping along until he was over
a window of the garrett he made rope
fast to chimney and began lowering
himself. At the signal of Shere-Khan.
who was watching all from the ground,
those in the hall again attacked the
barricaded room. AS the lone defend
er was forced to pit his strength
against the assault, the Hindu on the
rope swung himself to window of the
room and lifted 1t.
Within the room the door was SLOW
ly giving way before the combined at
tack. Flashing a glance over his shoul-
der, the defender saw the man enter
ing the room behind him and thus
found himself confronted by two evils.
Either he must be attacked from be-
hind and be unable to defend himself,
or else he must leave the barricade
and confront this new foe. Choosing
the chance which he thought most
promising. he abandoned his showing,
leaped to the window and sent the in
conner flying to the ground by ter
ric blow upon the jaw AS he turned
to again face the door, his barricade
came tumbling down with crash and
his assailants swarmed into the room
He braced himself to meet them.
Rainface, still a considerable dis
tance away, saw the Hindu hanging
from the rope outside the window.
then caught a glimpse of John as he
sent the oriental flying to the ground
Knowing that his friend was in dire
distress he redoubled his efforts.
Throwing open the door of the house.
and guided by the uproar above, he
went bounding up the stairs like an en-
ragged catamount.
Within the room John was putting
up the fight of his life against hopeless
odds AS his foremost antagonist
leaped the barrier which had helped
hold the door the lone defender met
him with blow in the face that sent
him flying into a corner as though
thrown from catapult, then made
jump for the table leg which he had
laid aside for close work such as this.
But before he could reach it 1.-THE
body wrapped itself serpentlike about
him, and from all sides blows fell upon
him like wintery rain. Protecting his
head as best he could, and using his
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beat them off But no mortal man
could long have endured such an at
tack single handed. and with a final
heave that sent another of his foes
flying against the side of the building
he went down beneath the mass as a
stag is dragged down by wolves. Be
lieving that his end had come and
that further resistance was futile he
still fought doggedly on.
Rainface. dashing into the room, ar
rived there just as his friend was
went leaping about them, but so swift
ly did the struggling mass roll and
change that he dared not shoot lest
the heavy bullet of his forty-five
should pass through the body of an
enemy and also kill the man whom he
so much desired to save. Then sud
denly seeing his chance he raised his
weapon.
Shere-Khan, bursting into the room
just at this instant, took in the scene
at a glance. At the very instant the
Indian was in the act of pulling the
trigger, "The Tiger" swung a heavy
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Rainface dropped like stunned OK
going down as had his ancestors, fight
ing bravely and in the midst of battle.
John also had been beaten into sense
lessneSs, and battered and torn the
unconscious pair were dragged to a
lower room and pinioned. Shere- Khan
spoke:
well waste no more time IN these
pariah dogs. Get the sacks"
From closet the farmer brought
forth two long gunny bags, and into
these the senseless victims were thrust
Raising them upon their shoulders.
four of the Hindus carried them to
the edge of the sheer bluff which over
looked the sea. For moment they
swung them back and forth as a ham
mock swings in order that sufficient
momentum might ba atfajpa5 tbar no