16
THE BATTALION.
ried a long spit by way of weapon. “Kill him! Kill him!’ r
she kept crying in shrill tones of rage.
McAlpine had but one moment to plan in. His mind was
made up before that instant was over. The negro must be
stopped first although he was farthest ofl’. Pulling a pistol
from his holsters, he threw them and the saddle bags aside as
useless encumbrances in the fight that was before him, took
good aim and tired. There was no moonlight in the piazza,
for the shadow ot the house fell that way. The only light
McAlpine had to aim by came from the kitchen and streamed
irregularly through the windows and the open doorway. But
Ahab had come by this time just where the light from one of
the windows streamed full upon him. McAlpine was a good
shot, and the negro tell stone dead.
But Basmorne was closing with his would-be victim now,,
and it behooved the latter to be wonderous quick in his move
ments if he would not be run through.
McAlpine droped the smoking pistol, drew his sword, and
fell upon the advancing Basmorne. He had no time for fence,,
as the Basmorne hag was close by with her long spit. So,
with one headlong rush, he beat down his opponents rapier,
closed with him, and hurled him to the floor. Not stopping
to see how the fellow fared, he continued his mad charge,
having now run under Mrs. Basmorne’s threatening spit, and
tumbled her down in turn.
The moment she was down, he jerked off her apron and
with it tied her arms behind her back. Then, turning about
he was ready once more for her husband, who by this time
had risen and was looking around for something more service
able than his rapier. He espied McAlpins holsters and had
just drawn his other pistol from them, when the owner came
down upon him. He fired as McAlpine ran him through,and
the ball would have put an end to the traveler but for the
jerk given to Basmorne’s arm by the thrust of the sword en
tering his body. As it was McAlpine’s face was badly
burned by the powder.
He had overthrown his immediate assailants. But how