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THE WAR LIBRARY.
pursuing her. The mob had been tempor-
arily checked by the fall of their leader, the
man with the knife, who had been instantly
killed by a chance bullet; but they were
ounce more rushing forward when Robert
Dare’s assailant, catching the girl to his
arms, faced them as Robert had lately done.
“Unhand me, Roger Kingslake!”’ she
cried, struggling.
** Fool!” he hissed, ‘do you not see those
men are mad for your blood? Let me de-
fend you, or your fate will bedreadful. Back,
there, men! I hold this post—and I am a
Southerner !”
His words were potent, and the men
paused ; but they were far from being sub-
ued,
‘*She swung a Yankee flag and cheered for
Abe Lincoln!” declared one of the men.
“I did nothing of the kind,’ shuddered
Eunice. ‘‘I wason my way to the rehearsal
when these men set upon me. Davis, the
scene-shifter, led them—you can see his body
there—and it was done because of our old
theater troubles. He said I swung a flag,
but you saw the scene yourself; it was the
other night, when you were there.”
Kingslake heard and believed, and_his
voice soon persuaded the rioters, who rushed
away in pursuit of the soldiers, who were
fighting their way beyond the bridge.
‘“‘There, Eunice Varion,” continued the
actor, ‘‘I have saved your life, and I hope
you are not without some gratitude.”
**] do thank you, but——”’
“Then let our future be settled here and
now. Once beforeIasked you to become
my wife. I renew the suit here, where I
have proved my devotion to you. Will you
be my wife?”
His dark face was full of a strange variety
of passions, and the light in his eyes terrified
her; it was like that of an insane person.
At that moment she forgot diplomacy,
and, only remembering the dislike she had
always felt for him, she cried out in fear:
*““No—no; oh, no! Do not ask it; I can-
not—dare not!” .
An oath broke from his lips, and he lifted
herin his arms and ran toward 1 door not
far away, her struggles availing nothing
against his superior strength.
It was at this point that Robert Dare
aroused from his brief_ unconsciousness and
staggered to his feet. He was not seriously
injured, but the blow had been enough to
confuse him, and send the blood out plenti-
fully over his head ind shoulders,
He arose with a furious feeling, a desire
for vengeance, and the first thing he saw
was the girl he had tried to serve being
borne away a struggling captive.
As we have before said, he was confused
from the blow, and he did not once think of
his fellow soldiers.
Instead, he remembered only the blow he
had received and the peril of the girl, and
started after her, resolved to effect a rescue.
His revolver was gone, and so was his
drum. That cherished article lay near the
curbstone, a shapeless wreck, but he thought
nothing about it.
As he started forward he saw the abductor
open a doorand rush through, after which
the door was speedily reclosed. Robert,
however, cared nothing for this fact; his
fighting blood was up—and running over, as
might well be added, in view of his wound—
and with his shoulder well iu front he flung
himself against the solid wood.
Luckily, Kingslake, unconscious that he
was followed, did not lock the door, and
when Robert flung himself forward every-
thing gave way before him, and he staggered
into a hall.
One sweeping glance showed two persons
visible, and only two.
tthe head of the stairs, Kingslake was
visible, with Eunice clasped in his arms, and,
as Robert looked up, the Southerner, having
heard the thunder of the assailed door, look-
ed down, and their gazes met.
Miss Varion, too, saw and recognized her
late protector. . .
“ Help—help!”’ she again cried, putting out
her hand.
Robert bounded up the stairs, but Kings-
jake, with a curse, dashed forward and out
of sight, and, when the young soldier reach-
ed the top of the stairs, he could see nothing
to indicate where they had gone. °
At this moment, however, he heard anoth-
er cry in what he knewto be the girl’s voice,
and, locating the room among thehalf dozen
which opened from the hall, he dashed his
shoulder against the door.
Vain attempt!
The door resisted, and he could not see that
it was locked.
For one moment he hesitated.
During his life he had been noted as an
athlete; but he had never been in a real
fight, and, certainly, breaking down doors
was not in his line of business.
The custom doesn’t prevail to any great
extent in New England.
Just then, as though to settle his doubts,
another ery sounded inside the room, and
Robert’s blood arose to feyer-heat.
Drawing back a few paces, he rushed for-
ward with all possible momentum, and, be-
neath his onslaught, the lock gave way, the
door swung inward, and he was himself pro-
jected, missile fashion, into the room.
Hesaw the persons he sought; but, that
he was seen in turn, was speedily shown,
though not in a pleasing way.
‘Halt, young man; or out
brains !”’-
It was Kingslake’s cool, cutting voice, and,
as Robert fairly recovered his balance, he
saw the man, with Eunice held behind him,
and into his own face stared the muzzle of a
revolver, held by that unshaking hana
which had, perhaps, learned coolness on the
mimic stage of life.
Naturally, Dare obeyed the last order, for
he was not fool enough to rush upon the re-
volver.
Kingslake laughed mockingly.
“T thought you would weaken, young-
ster,’ he said.
“Drop your revolver, and meet me on
equal terms, and I will show you!’ Robert
retorted.
“Thank you; when I hold the advantage,
Iseldom give up. In about three minutes
the officers will be in here to arrest you, and
I reckon the combined charges of assault
and battery,and breaking and entering, will
give yousteady work for three years or such
a matter.”
“Coward! Ionly entered here to protect
the lady you would kidnap!’’ Robert boldly
said.
go your
“Ha—ha!” laughed Kingslake; “she is
my wife!”
“Itis false!’ cried Eunice; “it is an in-
famous falsehood !””
“Go on—go on, my dear,’’ sneerec. the vil-
lain. ‘‘ I suppose you are trying to fascinate
this beardless youth. If so; go on, Isay!’’
During this conversation, Kingslake had
kept his attention fixed closely upon Robert
Dare; but the sequel proved that he had
better have divided it.
Eunice Varion was not without courage,
herself, and, suddenly, she reached out and
seized the actor’s revolver hand, directing
the muzzle away from the young soldier.
It was just the chance the latter desired,
and, witha single bound, he flung himself
upon the Southerner, whose revolver went
clattering to the floor as they grappled.
Another moment,and Miss Varion saw
what appeared to be two furious giants
wrapped in a close, though far from friendly
embrace, a combat which surpassed all the
mimic ones she had seen upon the stage.
Back and forth they struggled, whirling
about so rapidly that Eunice, who raised the
fallen revolver, and was trying to give it to
Robert, could do no more than to stand idly
by and watch, with a throbbing heart, for
the result.
CHAPTER V.
THE DANGER INCREASES.
Robert had no fears for the result, for he
had received instruction from one of the
best wrestlers in New England, and knew
that,Kingslake must be a remarkably good
man to get him off his feet.
He found the Southerner no mean adver-
sary; but, watching his chance, he finall
tripped him, and both went to the floor with
a clatter.
Eunice ran forward with the revolver,
but Robert, holding his man fast, made no
motion toward taking it. :
‘Bring me something with which I can
bind him,” the young soldier said,
eurse you! let me up!” hissed Kings-
s
e.
“Not yet, my dear sir.”
“Tl kill you if you do not.”
“No doubt you have the will, sir.”
The Southerner writhed in agony of mind.
“Do you suppose I will bear defeat from a
beardless boy ?’’ he shouted.
“ Appearances begin to loom up that
way,’ Dare coolly said, as Eunice brought
the required cords.
Then, despite Kingslake’s fury, they tied
both his hands and feet.
“We must lose no more time,” said Miss
Varion, hastily. ‘“* Whoever lives in this
house must have been alarmed, and they
will—
She paused as Robert, hearing the sound
of voices, strode to the door. e saw two
or three meu coming up the stairs, and as
his blue uniform caught their attention, a |
revolver shot whizzed past his head. |
Another moment and he had closed the)
door with a clash, but the Jock he had him-
self broken was now a misfortune. How
were the men to be kept out?
One glance he flashed about the room, +
and then he seized a portable wash-sink, a
massive affair, and dragged it in front of the
door. The resul+ was most pleasing. The
door opened in an alcove, and the sink fitted
into fhe space as though made by measure-”
ment.
_ Clearly, nothing short of the total demo-
lition of the door could give the enemy en-
trance.
They speedily tried their luck by pound-
ing on the door, but Dare quietly smiled.
“What do you know of this house?” he
asked, of Eunice.
“ Nothing whatever; I was never here be-
fore.”
“T take it to be a den of thieves, and we
will now proceed to get out.” |
“How are we to do it?” }
“Ay,” interrupted Kingslake, with a
sneer, “‘that’s the question. Show how
you an going out, will you, my beardless
ank,
“Go right on with
Robert, serenely. ‘‘Tal
use is very cheap.”’
he pouncing at the door increased toa
most tremendous racket, mixed with shouts
from the angry men who were, evidently,
shut out of their own premises.
Robert perceived that their only hope was
to speedily escape from the house at once;
otherwise, they would soon be in the hands
of officers, charged with being burglars or
something of that kind, and it would not be
pleasant news to have telegraphed North.
The item would injure himself, his native
town, and the country at large.
Heran to the window, and looked out,
and his face at once brightened. Only afew
feet below was the roof of ashed—an easy
leap for himself, at least—and, a little below,
solid nd,
He called to Eunice.
“ Dare you take that leap?” he asked.
“Oh! itis butatrifle. That is our hope!
let us go.”’
“Quick, here!’ shouted Kingslake, raising
his voice to aloud pitch. ‘The thieves are
escaping; break in the door at once.”’
Then, as though to answer to his order,
one of the panels of the door was splintered
by a tremendous blow, and the earnestness
of the assailants proved.
Eunice waited for no more. She ran to
the window, climbed through, and, nicely
calculating, leaped to the top of the shed. -
Dare, angry at Kingslake’s shout, had
sprung toward him with sudden rage.
“Base dog!” he exclaimed, all his fury
arising, as he remembered the attempt to
kidnap Miss Varion, “if you utter another
cry, Vil forget that you are a prisoner,
and——”
“Go your length,” hissed the actor. ‘‘It
is your turn now, but I’ll have mine before
long—I swear it!”
Robert caught up a scarf which lay close
at hand, stuffed it into his mouth as an
impromptu gag, and then turned to the
window.
Eunice had just regained her balance, and
was looking back for him; and he was not
long in leaping to her side.
As he did so, he heard a great crash be-
hind which indicated that the door had been
broken in, and he was not long in gaining
the rear of the shed.
It looked down on analley, ten feet below,
and the way seemed clear. -
“JT will leap first,and then catch you,
he said. ‘*Are you equal to the emerg-,
ency?”’
“'Yes—yes,’’ she said; ‘*go on!”
He obeyed, and both soon stood on terra
firma again. Uncertain which way to £0, |
Robert hesitated, but Eunice had the points
of the compass well in her mind, and led the
way. .
They ran through the alley until it joined
Gay street. Here a carriage was passing,
and Robert hailed it, though with grea
doubts about it stopping.
Luckily for them, the driver was a
thorough Union man; and, in a minute
more, they were inside and whirling away,
screened from the fury of the rioters.
Dare was feeling weak and dizzy from the
our circus,’ said
of the kind you
tee
effects of his wound, but concealed the fact
and assured his companion, whom he now jf: