nd glancing up
now and then I saw that Graeme was being hard pressed. Men would leap,
two and three at a time, upon the barricade, and Graeme's arms would
shoot out, and over they would topple upon the heads of those nearest.
It was a great sight to see him standing alone with a smile on his face
and the light of battle in his eye, coolly meeting his assailants with
those terrific, lightning-like blows. In fifteen minutes my work was
done.

'What next?' I asked. 'How do we get out?'

'How is the door?' he replied.

I looked through the port-hole and said, 'A crowd of men waiting.'

'We'll have to make a dash for it, I fancy,' he replied cheerfully,
though his face was covered with blood and his breath was coming in
short gasps.

'Get down the bars and be ready.' But even as he spoke a chair hurled
from below caught him on the arm, and before he could recover, a man had
cleared the barricade and was upon him like a tiger. It was Idaho Jack.

'Hold the barricade,' Graeme called out, as they both went down.

I sprang to his place, but I had not much hope of holding it long. I had
the heavy oak bar of the door in my hands, and swinging it round my head
I made the crowd give back for a few moments.

Meantime Graeme had shaken off his enemy, who was circling about him
upon his tip-toes, with a long knife in his hand, waiting for a chance
to spring.

'I have been waiting for this for some time, Mr. Graeme,' he said
smiling.

'Yes,' replied Graeme, 'ever since I spoiled your cut-throat game in
'Frisco. How is the little one?' he added sarcastically.

Idaho's face lost its smile and became distorted with fury as he
replied, spitting out his words, 'She--is--where you will be before I am
done with you.'

'Ah! you murdered her too! You'll hang some beautiful day, Idaho,' said
Graeme, as Idaho sprang upon him.

Graeme dodged his blow and caught his forearm with his left hand and
held up high the murderous knife. Back and forward they swayed over the
floor, slippery with whisky, the knife held high in the air. I wondered
why Graeme did not strike, and then I saw his right hand hung limp from
the wrist. The men were crowding upon the barricade. I was in despair.
Graeme's strength was going fast. With a yell of exultant fury Idaho
threw himself with all his weight upon Graeme, who could only cling to
him. They swayed together towards me, but as they fell I brought down
my bar upon the upraised hand and sent the knife