The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-11-25

! WluuoW as lHe Upat stcTH stTuck tue
house. With Que wrench snapped the
double cross piece Of the two shattered
window sssbes, tn which the other boat
WIS tied, and leaped within, followed BY
his brother. I remained ns was bid;
| for, in the little room, l should have ad.
| ded only confusion and the brethren need.
cd not my strength
There was o confused sound OF blows
ar6 curses from the inside, and shrieks
Of women but the room was 40 dimly
lighted I only saw struggling forms, and
the boat swung away to one side and hid
the fight. Seth Cases skiff, loosed from
its attachment, foated off and passed
down the stream With such strength
ns only mortal fear could give, Emily
Barnard, all disarrayed and pale, brought
her crippled mother 10 the window and
grasped the boats gunwale.
Hold fast for moment, Miss Bar
nard p
And, swiftly coming from the stern, I
hastily tied the boat TO relic of the
window fastening AsT east my eye
within, l saw the Barssrds 10 desperate
contest with the robbers. But felou
hardihood was no match for the athletic
wrath Of John Barnard. Even az look.
ed with one tremendous effort be threw
the elder Case headlong TO one side Of
the room. as quick as though, seized
chair, and dclt him a stunning blow on
the temple, and turned and instantaue-
ously prostra,ed Seth with another--,hus
freeing Elipbalet who had been hard
preased by bis opponent.
There = said John. grimly, but. like
a uo,Coneoticut farmer, without an
oath. Then be added
EN-, are you hurt
NO, John but make haste aud help
mother The two strong men easily
lifted the wasted and withered form Of
the gray old invalid into the boat, where
she WAS laid on mattrass and warmly
covered and then, leaving the house and
the robbers 90 their fate, we made for
the shore.
Here, John, said Emily, you'd better
take this And she handed him large
old fashioned wallet.
4 declare said he i bad quite forgot
the money !
The two women had fallen asleep fa.
tigued with illness and watching. aud
bad not dscoveed their danger until they
awokc 70 find themselves fairly aHoat. and
swinging and snreipg along upon the
food Emily had tried by showing lights
and screaming. to summon assistance
but the river. in the meadowa, ia miles
aud miles across at such flood. and in
tho wild. tempestuous night few indeed
were abroad aud Of those who were.
perhaps the very worst were the only
ones who had discovered them. The two
Cesos delayed, perhaps. in their pursuit,
or possibly oLly discovering tho lost
house some distance dnwu tho stream,
ha,' entered, as it appeared. only few
minutes before our own arrival and be.
ing much astopished at finding the two
women had promised to rescue them
but had nevertheless explored all the
upper rooms--the lower fnl of water
for things worth stealing aud had then
returned aud demanded the money, OF
whose existence, Us it appeared, they had
somehow become aware. Emily, who
had wisely concealed it upon her person
did not equivocate very we'll, aud not
being quito ready at lying, had aroused
their suspicious They we're procee ling
to search herr and, as l gathered from
John Barnard said, used such language
and action as Indicated even fprthrr vii.
lainy in pursuance of .hs grati6cation at
oncs Of sudden passion aLd of set revenge
when the brethren sprnng upon them
jus, as Emilys feminine strength wIs
! fast failing her.
As soon as possible the females wers
/ carefully bestowed within the nearest
house, and placed in circumstances as
comfortable as the case would permit.
1t was then that l suggested to John
Barnard that perhaps it would be tho
part Of q man 10 look after even such
scoundrels as those whom he had left
helpless in the floating house, lest he
should have blood on bis hands.
lie hesitated--' don't know as I
could keep my hands off them if should
meet them now, Sir. Go you. You can
come up with the house as soon as I.
Besides We must stay with mother at
present, She's worse, and wouldn't leave
her now for all the villains that were
ever knocked in the head, or ever deserv
ed TO be
He wept into the house. | cast of
the boat and pulled down tho stream
agaip.-I did unt, however, get sight oi
the house until II bad safely passed
through the lofty railroad bridge above
the city, and nearly reached old Hart
ford bridge. From long soaking, prob
sbly from some contact with bridge oil
shore, or from other reasons the oil
frame seemed to be loossd, and 10 my
surprise, had gradually settled in thu
water until it was submerged nearly tc
the caves The msmed vagsbonds With
in. then must have drowned. unless the,
could have reached the shore by swim
ming.
No for as looked, tho scut'le on
the roof opened, and one Of them orept
out upon The roof dragged helpless zig
ure after him, looked about, saw me, snt
shouted for help
Although il was now daylight; no maj
was to be seen except We three, bearing