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 him, but he gripped me by the legs and had me

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

I suppose I was two or three minutes, at least, getting

my wits. I was first conscious of Bates grappling the

sheriff, who sat upon me, and as they struggled with each

other I got the full benefit of their combined, swerving,

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tossing weight. Morgan 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 tremendous

swing, jerking him high in the air and driving him

against another invader with a blow that knocked both

fellows spinning into a corner.

"Come on to the library!" shouted Larry, and Bates,

who had got me to my feet, dragged me down the hall

toward the open library-door.

Bates presented at this moment an extraordinary appearance,

with the blood from the scratch on his face

coursing down his cheek and upon his shoulder. His

coat and shirt had been torn away and the blood was

smeared over his breast. The fury and indignation in

his face was something I hope not to see again in a human

countenance.

"My God, this room-this beautiful room!" I heard

him cry, as he pushed me before him into the library.

"It was Mr. Glenarm's pride," he muttered, and sprang

upon a burly fellow who had came in through one of

the library doors and was climbing over the long table

we had set up as a barricade.

We were now between two fires. The sheriff's party

had fought valiantly to keep us out of the library, and

now that we were within, Stoddard's big shoulders held

the door half-closed against the combined strength of

the men in the ball. This pause was fortunate, for it

gave us an opportunity to deal singly with the fellows

who were climbing in from the terrace. Bates had laid

one of them low with a club and Larry disposed of another,

who had made a murderous effort to stick a knife

into him. I was with Stoddard against the door, where

the sheriff's men were slowly gaining upon us.

"Let go on the jump when I say three," said

Stoddard, and at his word we sprang away from the

door and into the room. Larry yelled with joy as the

sheriff and his men pitched forward and sprawled upon

the floor, and we were at it again in a hand-to-hand conflict

to clear the room.




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