Page 154 (1/2)

In the hall he was certainly a lucky man who held to

his weapon a moment after the door tumbled in I

blazed at the sheriff with my revolver as he stumbled

and half-fell at the threshold, so that the ball passed

over his and had me

prone and half-dazed by the rap of my head on the floor

I suppose I o or three

the

sheriff, who sat upon ot the full benefit of their coan and Larry were trying for a

chance at each other with revolvers, while Morgan

backed the Irishman slowly toward the library Stoddard

had seized one of the unknown deputies with both

hands by the collar and gave his captive a tre hiainst another invader with a blow that knocked both

fellows spinning into a corner

"Coot ed me down the hall

toward the open library-door

Bates presented at this moment an extraordinary appearance,

with the blood fro down his cheek and upon his shoulder His

coat and shirt had been torn away and the blood was

snation in

his face was soain in a human