The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1920-11-13

here-in this ROOM We shall be In
bright light as soon rs the door is
battered down and then, if they crush
in the window also we shall surely be
attacked from two sides"
What will be betterY she asked
THE back room Ii is dark, with no
windows, and there are strips nailed
between the logs We can force that
heavy wooden bed across the door and
hide behind IT, We ought to hold them
there as long as our cartridges last,
unless they set the cabin afire Good
God! They have begun already.
| Three more blows like that and the
door goes down. Come; It's our only
chance"
! 1t was the work of q moment; 1t had
TO be. The inner room was so dark
they had TO feel their way about
blindly, yet those splintering crashes
on the outer door, interspersed by the
| shouts of the men, Spurred both to
/ hurried effort Nor was there much to
/ be done The heavy bed was thrown
upon its side ana hauled and pushed
/ forward until it rested against the door
| iambS the mattress and blankets so
caught and held as to form protection
\ against bullets. Breathless the two
sank 10 their knees in the darkness be-
hind. their eyes on the Frightening
| daylight of the loom beyond. Already
q hole had been stove through the up
per panel Of the door, the surround
ing wood splntered. Some one fired
once through the jagged opening and
an eXultant yell followed from with
out.
mo firing" the voice was Mendez',
rising sharply above the other sounds.
81 don't want the girl shot, you fools.
Take that other log around to the
window. They'll surrender fast
enough once we're inside. Now, an
other one Here, five Of you swing
her -
With crash the remaining wood
gave way, the end of the log, used as
a battering ram, projecting into the
room. Over the shattered door, now
held only by one bent hinge, half
dozen forms swarmed inward, the
quick rush blocking their passage.
Cavendish pulled trigger, the deep
boom of his shotgun echoed instantly
by the sharper report of the girls re-
volver. She fired twice before the
swrling smoke obstructed the view,
conscious only that one man had
cfra iuh Mt n
other had sprawled forward on hands
and knees. Cavendish pushed home
fresh cartridge and the smoke cloud
lifted just enough to permit them to
perceive the farther doorway. A Mex
lean lay curled up in the center Of the
floor, his gun dozen feet away; an
other hung dangling across an over
turned stool, but the opening was va
cant. Just outside fellow, wounded,
was dragging himself out Of range.
Great Scott !" exclaimed Cavendish,
excitedly Every shot counted. Here,
load up quick. They'll try the window
next. Get down."
The warning was not an instant too
soon, the hasty volley largely thud-
ding harmlessly into the thick mat
tress, although a bullet or two sang
past and found billets in the logs be-
hind. Cavendish returned the fire,
shooting blindly into the smoke, but
the girl only lifted her head, staring
ntentIy into the smother, until the
cloud fioated away through the door.
The attackers had again vanished, all
semblance of them, except those two
motionless bodies.
Looks as though they had enough
of It," he said grimly, land have de-
cided to starve us out"
"Oh, do you think SO? | heard
noise then"
He heard 1t also, his glance return
ing instantly to the front, his form
stiffening into preparation. For mo-
ment neither could determine the
meaning of the sounds. Then he cooked
his gun, the sharp click echoing almost
loudly in the stiffness.
Trying the window this time" he
murmured do you hear that? Be
ready"
The two knelt mOtionless. peering
over the edge of the bed into the dim
twilight, seeing nothing, each with fin
ger on trigger-tense, expectant Then,
without warning, the flying figure of a
man leaped across the doorway into
the security of the opposite wall. 1t
was done so quickly neither fired, but
Cavendish licked his parched lips with
dry tongue.
IN get the next one who tries that
trick" he muttered. at will be easier
than partridge shooting"
A minute-two passed. every nerve
on edge; then second flying form,
almost a blur in the gathering gloom,
shot across the narrow opening. The
shotgun spoke, and the wildly leaping
figure seemed to crumble to the floor
its lower half had reached shelter, but
head and shoulders lay exposed, re-
vealing gray hair and a white mus
tache. Cavendish sprang erect, all
caution forgotten.
Its Mendez," he cried. Il got the
arch-fiend of them"
A rifle cracked and he went plunging
back, his body striking the girl, and
crushing her to the floor beside him.
There was no cry, no groan of agony |
vet he lay there motionless. She crept |
across and bent over him. almost dumb |