Quasqueton guardian. (Quasqueton, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1856-1858, 1857-09-10

within bounds. Doubtless she had heart
either my voice or the whining of Bravo
and had taken the only method in he
power to manifest her presence. Ever
then her heart might be aching with it
burden of uncertainty, terrof and de
spair. What could / do to save her
A thousand plans darted through my
head in an instant. My first impulse wa.
to accuse them to their faces, and bic
them release her on the spot but des
perate as they would become on the dis
covery of their guilt, what might they
not be tempted to do? If they should
murder me and bury me in the woods
what chance would either of us have o
being found, so long as our whole famll,
and perhaps half the neighborhood, were
running hither and thither in their search
for Lucy? knew by the evil expires
sion of their faces, that they would mo-
hesitate to kill me, if / stood in the way
of their plans, and it would be the heigh,
OF foolhardiness for me to attempt to re.
slst or detain them, if they chose to de.
part, for either of them could have mas.
tered three like me, nerved though was,
to meet the worst emergency that offered
itself.
Bravo, my good doggy, do you think
you can do an errand for me q | said
playfully, checking any expression of my
emotion by strong effort of will. Bravo
wagged his tail and barked joyfully.
took small piece of paper from smy
pocket, but found l had no pencil. had
noticed as came in, place where fires
had been built outside, and going out,
found bit of charred wood, with which
! returned to my task. My companions
were eyeing me suspiciously.
Please, please, bring, bring,
said, spelling aloud as wrote, that they
might hear me, me, me, an u-m -b-r-e-l-
la, umbrella
spelled the note one way and wrote
it another. 1t was to my mother, and
ran thus:
'Send father and the boys to me with
out delay. think l have found Lucy
alive and well, but | need help. 1 cam
not stop to say more. For Heavens sake
tell them to hasten. Bravo will show them
where to find me-
| put 1T in Bravo's moutn, telling him to
carry it home. AS if he understood the
errand on which he was going, and the
result depending upon his faithful fulfil
ment of it, he started on brisk trot
homeward. That was long, long time
| sat there waiting for his return. The
evening gathered slowly, till the darkness
in that little cabin became almost impen-
etrable. The rain had leaked down
through the loose board roof, till l was
wet and chilly. The sobbing of the
wind and rain among the trees, and the
low, mumbling conversation carried on
between my companions, were the only
sounds that Interrupted my dreary flow
of thoughts. What if none of the men,
folks had returned home? What if Bravo
should lose his note, and l was forced
either to remain there all night, in thai
desolate and uncomfortable position, oil
grope my way home alone, and leave
Lucy where she was That, / was de-
cided l would not do.
At last the storm broke away. The
cabin lightened a trihe, and shivering be-
tween cold and fright, i saw, with q
great feeling of dismay at my heart, thai
the man and woman were making prep.
arations to resume their journey.
feigned sleep, determined to delay the
crisis as long as possible. Presently the
woman came and took me by the arm
giving me rough shake, and mutterins
something to the purpose that they mus
be moving, and | might as well let then
have the rest of their duds.
4 / stared at them studidly, rubbed m.
eyes, and relapsed again into feignet
semi-unconsciousnes Another shake
did not stir. Still another, and
time it lifted me squarely upon my feet
!, / could hesitate no longer. The wors
had come, and | must face it courage
ously.
81 GO about your business!" | said
resolutely, standing up firm and unilinch
} ing before them; !" but leave this box
!. If you carry it one inch from here, yo
will have to kill me first
She stepped back few PAGES, an
t glared at me with the malignity of
{ fend but though | trembled from hea
, to foot with fear, | did not quail or falte
} at her gaze They looked at each othe
: undarstandin0ly and then. "a if som