The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1922-03-09
Continued from second page)

break our nerVe-veur us out After
the first fusillade the shots came at
intervals OF maybe five minutes; Just
often enough to keep us on the strain ;
/ and 1 don't mind admitting that the
u "OJect was handsomely gained. can't
speak for Daddy Hiram or the dog,
but at the end of the first hour l was
little better than bunch Of raw
nerves.
As all days must, this wearisome
arst day came TO an end at last, and
With the coming OF dusk the lombard
hent StOpped-with our roof looking
IKE q sieve.
But after darkness had settled down
we were made to feel In another way
! now acuteiy helpless we were We
could see nothing, hear nothing.
Though we knew We were surrounded,
the silence and solitude were unbroken,
@nn the strain was greater than that
OF pitched battle. If we were to get
any sleep at all, night watch could
: be maintained by only one OF us at a
time; ard with our utmost vigilance
q surprise attack would be the easiest
thing In the world for Bullerton to pull
OF.
There are no night noises in the high
attitudes, unless the wind happens to
be blowing; no frogs or tree -toads, no
Insects; and the silence was fairly
dpafening-and maddening
Not wishing to strike a match to de-
termine the exact end Of my watch
period. I stuck 1t out meaning to give
Daddy good measure. SO | think Ii
mhst have beea sOmswhaa around ten
o'clock when tho collie woke with a
start. jumped sP, took the kinks out Of
Lis back with = little whining yawn,
and trotted to the door-the one open
ing toward the cabin across tho dump
head. SnreuinE an eye to one of Dad
dSs auser-bored loOphOles, | tried to
fath0m the outer darkness, which was
only degree or So less Egyptian than
that Of the shaft-hOuss interior.
Though I could see nolhing suspi-
dous 1t was very evident that the dog
could hear something. He had his nose
to the crack under the door and was
grOwlinS. quieted him and listened
Something was going on, either inside
OF the cabin or back Of 1t la the dead
silence could distinguish a low mur-
muir of voices and. a moment later, q
sound like that which would be made
by the cautious opening Of one Of tho
sliding windows. While ! still had my
eye To tie peep-hole Jet of flame
spurted from the dark sulk of the eah.
In ar1I Itn
through the shaft house roof. The
raiders had captured our outworks.
The report and the bullet clatter
aroused Daddy Hiram, and when
turned he was at my elbow.
Done crope up on US, have they
sonr' he said in his usual uDrufYled
manner. Then: Maybe this Is just a
sort O. false notion over here. S'pose
you try and get squint at things over
on the shop side, Stannie"
1 stumbled across to the other door,
taking the collie with me. could see
nothing In that direction; less than
nothing, since the lean-to shop build
ing cut of what little light the stars
gave. But the black darkness didn't
hamper Barney's ears or his nose, and
his eagerness to get back to the real
Dattle front was a good proof that
there was as yet nothing stirring on
onr side of things.
Cropping my way back TO Daddy
FOUND THAI he had one Of the Winches-
ters ead ssmed to be trying to At a
famre6 to the barrel. When finally
isadeS Gut what he was doing found
that He had thrust a piece Of heavy
wire 4nto the gun-barrel and was i'm
paiine .ons of the dynamite cartridges
On itf brojecting end.
'Lt5Sskyrocket," he ehuckled; then,
With Wpaiht humor "You stand .by |
with m4tch. Sfapnie. and ietts sas |
'Fhet no z PIN to happen, whIsn Il |!