National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1870-07-29

ing down the slant and almost before |
had done speaking the lofty bridge rose
before us.
"In oars p and safe, thank God, We
foated past it.
Now, then, boys, pull We must
catch them above Hartford. We have
no business to expect that it will escape .
two bridges there, even if it has come
through this.
! would have exchanged places with
one of the brothers but they refused,
saying that | knew the river best, and
must steer and for some time the long
steady oar-strokes drove us swiftly on in
silence and darkness.
Now, dim and hardly perceptible
lifting of the close black curtains of the
stormy night indicated the coming of the
morning ; slowly, slowly, the sphere of
vision grew wider around us, through
gray, cold mists streaming thinly upon
the surface of the flood We had passed
the lower end of the canal and the village
at Windsor Lock, and the mouth of Far
River and now l could see indistinctly,
as we shot along, quite from point to
point of the main stream
There It's, boys y
For at last saw the old roof wet into
blackness, and all the upper story of the
old white house majestically sailing along
far before us. The brothers turned and
gazed eagerly upon it and, with no
words, but with glad faces, bent once
more unwearied, to their oars.
"There's boat fast to the north bed
room window | said ian old blue
affair with yellow streak. It's Seth
Cases boat for thousand y
And at mothers window y added
John, in troubled voice.
The darkness or some other impedl-
ment must have delayed them more than
it had ourselves, or they would have de
parted before that. What the precise
delay was, however, we never knew ; II
was the second link in the fatal chain
which had begun with our accident and
stoppage at Enfield Bridge and it was
none too long.
| For as we rapidly neared the floating
. house, a wild scream rang within. join
, Barnard's grave features grew white anC
? gathered and set into fearful expression
= of vindictive anger, and, biting his III
= until the blood sprang, yet with no sounC
t except Il sort of deep growl, he SO LITE,
f at the stout oars that | could almos
e swear that the two tremendous stroke
n which drove our bow hard against tn
i clapboards lifted the skitf fairly from tn
= water.
As the last stroke was given, Joh
t, Barnard dropped the oars, turned, an
l. saying to me what was doubtless Il Wis
l. direction, Stay i'll the boat, Mr., TruaA
Y and be ready for u.s." he cried out
Il Come on, Lihet y and springing pas
.e his brother to the bow, he caught tn
t, side of the window as the boats ster
g struck the house with one wrenc
lie snapped the double crosspiece of the tw
shattered window-sashes, to which til
Id other boat was tied, and leaped within
followed by his brother.
Ii remained us | was bid ; for, in Il
he little room | should have added only
the confusion, and the brethren needt
tn not my strength.
There was confused sound of bloN
~ and curses from the inside, and shrie
re of women but the room was SO dim
lit that | only saw struggling forms, Al
'ir the boat swung away to one side and h
OF the fight Seth Cases skitf, loosed fro
its attachment, hoated off and pass
down the stream.
~ T., With such strength as only mortal fe
,h could give, Emily Barnard, all disarray
u and pale, brought up her crippled moth
oj to the window, and grasped the boa
ter gunwale
nd Hold fast for Il moment, Miss 81
cd nard !!
Ill And swiftly coming from the stern
hastily tied the boat to a relic of the W
nd dow fastening As | cast my eye with
be. | saw the Barnards III desperate cont
with the robbers But felon harhhc
to was no match for the athletic wrath
ust John Barnard. Even as | looked, W
me one tremendous effort he threw the el,
Case headlong to one side of the roc
ev. as quick as 'hought seized chair, d,
c1 him stunning blow ON the temple, d
ing turned and lnStahtahtousiy ProS'r,
. of Seth with another-thus freeing
phalet. who had been hard pressed by
way opponent.
DOR "Therc !" said John, grimly, but,
n true Connecticut farmer, without
aid. oath Then he added
)wn I'm. are you hurt
"No, John ; but make haste and
sur mother.
,ard The two strong men easily lifted
inc wais Ted form of the gray and witht
hts old invalid into the boat, whero she
i laid on mattress and warmly cover
nrr and then, leaving the house and the
own hcrs to their fate, we made for the sh
,vn, "Herc, John, said Emily, "y'
kon. better take this. And she handed
have a large old-fashioned wallet.
and IL declare" said he, IL had q
lrck forgot the money
and The two women had fallen asl
tim. fntigued with illness and Watching
ono had not discovered their danger
I've they nwoke To- hnd themselves u
adv. afoat, and swinging and surging a
upon the flood. Emily had tried
showing lights and SCREENINGS, To
But mon assistance but the river. IN
cn | meadows, is miles and miles aero
this such a food, and in the wild, tempest
night, few indeed were abroad ~
those who were, perhaps the very
Mr. were the only ones who had disco,
nm in them. The two cases, delayed, perl
or il in their pursuit. or possibly only
idgc. covering the lost house some diS
down the stream. had entered W /
cd to pcared, only few minutes bcfor
uick. own arrival and being much aston
ously ut finding the two women, had pro-
X in, to rescue them, bIt hnd' h'Ver'l
rding first explored all the upper rooms
+ and lower being full oi wntcr-iof '
rows, worth stealing, ana hhd thch ret
pas ana demanded the money vi Who'
istencc, as il appeared, they had son