Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1870-09-29
A Brave Girl.


A Brave Girl. :
Our heroine lived in Bartlett, New
Hamshire, and was a descendant. %
the old crawfords. Her father wa
a Crawford, and followed the;pfo
fession of guide among the moan
tains. Her name was Bessie, ant
she was the only daughter remain.
ing at home-a dark-eyed, brown.
haired girl, of slight but compact
frame, just entering her nineteenth
year. Her mother had been dead
several years, and upon her de-
volved the care of the household
One day, late in summer, Mr..
Crawford went with a party of tray
elers, away to the head--W aters Of
one of the many streams that emp
ty into the Saco, and Bessie was
left alone. Even the dogs had gone
with the pleasure seekers. Near
the middle of the afternoon, while
the girl was sitting near an open
window, in the front room, engag-
ed in sewing, man came up from
the road and ask her if she would
give him drink of water. Bessie
had seen the man before, and did
not like his looks. He was a stout
broad -shouldered, ill-favored fel-
low, and the bits Of moss and
spikes of pine upon his clothes,
indicated that he had slept in the
woods. a
But Bessie did not hesitate. She
laid aside her work, and went to
get the water. When she came
back, tile man had entered the
room. She did not like this, for
she was sure that he had come in
by the window; but she handed the
dipper to him without remark. The
man drank, and then set the dipper
down upon the table. Then he
turned upon the girl, and drew a
broad bladed knife from his pants
pocket.
"Look ye, young lady" he said,
II know that you arealone. Show
me where the money is If you
don't, shall kill you, and then
hunt it up myself. Pm in earnest,
and amt no time to waste. Don't
make fuss, for if you do you'll
feel the knif quick"
Bessie shrank back, and looked
into the mans face, and she could
see that he meant just what he had
said,
''If show you where the money
is, will you promise not to do me
harm ?" @@t u1
"Show me, honest, and l won't
harm you"
"Then come with me, Bot YOU
will take only the money. You
promise not to take my fathers
papers Y'
"Only the money, girl"
Bessie led the way to a small bed
room on the ground floor, where
there was an oldmahogany bureau,
the upper drawer of which she un-
locked. The man, when he saw
this, thinking, doubtless, that Craw-
rord's gold was within his grasp,
shut up his knife, and put it in his
pocket. The girl opened the draw
n, and, .quickas thought, she drew
'orth a large navy revolver-one
with which she had killed a trapped
1earLand cooked it,
"Vilhan = she exclaimed, plant
ng her feet against the wall and
lining her weapon at his bosom,
macy wild beast have l shot
With this good pistol, and now I'll
ihoot yon if Youldo not instantly |
cave the hedsel i. will give you
Tot even a second. Start, or I
ire n ataI .ge~
The ruffan could read human
ooks, as well as the maiden, and
lie could read very plainly in the
irm-set lips and flashing eyes-but
nole clearly in the steady hand
which held the pistol--that she
rould not only fire as she had said,
iut her aim would be asure and fa-
al one.
And he backed out of the bed
oom, backed into the sitting.room
nd then leaped out the window
nd disappeared.
Bessie kept her pistol by her
ide until her father and his guests 1
anne home; and when she had told ,
er story, search was made for the I
uffan, but be was not found. Our J
eorine had so thoroughly frighten- I
d him, that he never came that
Tay again.