The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1921-01-27

surveying lie rpam II ge oniY ed
two more 10 this outfit we might give
those devils q run fer their money.
The trouble Il wc can defend oaly
tive SIDES an thcy know lt-anyhow.
Laud dets I'm roin' 20 haul this
bench over % that slJies then You can
sand 90 there. sud shoot through that
hole Ia the window While pepper
thcm from here II front Wen make
4 bot While Il lasts
she watched him shift the bench.
and Then stood upon Il 10 look out
The san had gone down and the val
icy swan IN = purple haze n she
would utilize whui little light stll -
mained she must search az once
"Nuihlng ont thereT
y can see nothing moving II r.
growing dark let me take the knife
He gave IL 20 her and she got down
upon her knees on the door. anxioussy
testing the openings between the
blocks with the broken blade shelby
turned his head occasionally, barely
able 20 distinguish her movements yet
fell little confidence In the success OF
the effort Any attempt NJ escape
through the door would be suicidal In
all probability. In spite Of the silence.
and seeming loneliness OF the scene
without. . dozen rifles were even then
trained on the entrance. cady to
shoot them down the instant either
appeared And there was no other
way out. unless u might be through
some secret passage existing under
ground. Macklin had certainly disap-
peared somewhere the vanishing OF
his body WAS no miracle, and this
theory Of how II might have been acs
complished alone appeared reasonable
In spite OF his doubts. the man held
10 a measure OF hope: nothing else
than this remained which he could
cling TO; their only chance lay In
some such discovery Yet the woman.
cropping on her knees IN the deepen
ing darkness gave no sign OF encour-
agement Shelby could bear the strain
no longer In silence.
There is nothing to be found1 he
asked anxiously mo appearance OF
trap?"
She lifted her head. with face
turned toward him.
Nothing that ! seem able 10 move
she answered Il have found a block
which does not appear 70 ~ as tightly
as the others: ! can get the knife
blade between, and Il doesn't seem
10 touch any earth below yet the
slab Is immovable."
LEI me try my strength"
lie started back 10 join her. but at
that instant there came sudden
burst OF rifle fire without, bullets
thuddng into. the cabin walls the
sound punetuated by savage Wells
shelby vhirled about instantly. and
dropped to his knees with eyes peer
ing out through The opening between
the logs Olga also deserted her
search. and climbed 20 her post Of de
Tense on the bench The bullets did
no damage, generally finding billet in
the solid logs. although a few crashed
through the plnnking Of the door To
shelby the meaning was sufficiently
Main. the real danger lay as he ex-
pected. al the rear all this noise was
being carried on merely TO attract
their attention He called across, I'M
able 10 see his companion. but wen
aware where she was
Don't waste any shot until you see
something within range. Those fei
lows our there are just plugging away
blindy. They'll never rush this side.
Keep your eyes wide open, though
I'm going back. and try 70 knock of
board from that rear window. II !
can get a few shots out there wen
block their little game. You heari'
yes; think one or two are crawl
ing closer through those weeds"
Likely enough Young bucks who
can't hold bnck Keep ,onr eye on
them an LEI them have II rs soon ~
you are sure call out u YOU need
me"
ii' SiuptN hlN WY ~ tAi ~ iii' -
ner door, helped by the almost contin-
uous fash Of the rifles outside; be had
even crossed the threshold, bis heart
choking him IS he perceived glare of
red flame already visible here and
there through narrow chinks between
the logs Perhaps he was already too
late-those devils had fred the cabin.
the licking flames even then beginning
20 eat into the dry bark III had no
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