The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-02-10

I1dn. he mousse WAS nearly VACANT. , lc
crowd of retainers had dropped away, un-
til only two or three of the maids were
left, who were busted with his mother.
But lest some accident might occur to
tempt them from the house, Tom set
himself TO keep watch, patrollng the
long halls, down into the kitchen, then to
the parlOr, and back again, the night long.
When Tom was a man he kept guard
many night on the battle field, and felt
it was chld's play compared to those slow,
creeping hours, in which he tramped to
and fro, his little legs weak with terror,
but his heart brave enough to stand be-
tween his father and mother and their
horde of enemies The moonlight fell in
level beams here and there across the long
stone hall; at one end the fire smouldercd
low in the stove; overhead he heard at
intervals his mothers soft step in the sick
chamber; from outside came at times an
OWLS hOot, or the baying of the watch
dog at the moon. That ceased presently.
Had they poisoned Lion?
AT that Toms face grew hot, and, taking
sudden heart, he hurried boldly to the
front door and flung it open. The moon
was behind cloud. The court yard was
dark; but close beside him he heard the
clang of musket on the stones, and, the
moment after, quick, sharp click. He
drew back and shut the door; but, climb
ing UP, looked through the transom.
When the white, chilly moonlight shOne
out again over the fields, ne saw that the
dark and masked figures which he had
seen once before stood sentries around
the house, while large bodies of armed
men passed noiselessly as ghosts across
the slope between him and the woods.
The Shan Van Voght did their work
of murder ifmurder il was) in silence.
All night long He did not look out
again but he never rested for moment.
Now he fancied he heard stealthy steps
above or below now he was sure it was
the cracking of a fire kindled in one of
the cellars underneath relieved of one
fear, another and a greater followed con-
tinually. The deep of the night had pass
cd The moon had set, and the fire gone
out. Tom crept up and down, to and fro, his
limbs stiff with cold and damp, through the
pitchy darkness A sickly light began to
struggle through the windows far off he
heard the cocks crow. The sound reached
HIM, poor Tom as in a dream. He drag
ged himself to he door of his mothers
room, and heard her voice within, and his
fathers
Morning had come, and they were safe!
He turned to go down and resume his
weary march but, on the way, the poor
little head reeled, the brave heart stopped
beating, and Tom lay stretched on the
cold stone floor, over which he had kept
his long vigils so well.
He was reused by warm cordial at his
lips, and the doctors breezy voice calling
him.
"Good news, Tom, boy! Good news
Look :"
Somebody had him in their arms. 1t
was Captain Duncan ; his mother, half
sObbing and half laughing, was knceling
before him, chafing his icy feet, and hold
ing them To- her breast. But when Tom
tried feebly to rise, there was his father
Sitting up in the bed, his eyes bright, and
his checks full of ruddy color, as they had
not been for months.
You're safe, fatherr' Tom clung to his
hand.
'Safc, my boy ~ cried the doctor "Thc
crisis is past, thanks to God"
But Toms brain went back to the old
thought "Whom did they murder?
Father, father, to call them Gods crea-
tures"
No one spoke. But tho captain led Ton.
to the window, and threw it open. The
red flush of the early day lay soft and
bright on the green slopes, and the dewy
woods, and glancing river; and there, as
far as the eye could see, was the cut grain,
in long, even, golden heaps, shining in
the sun!
Tom tried to speak, but great lump in
his throat chokcd him. Underneath the
window were stacked the arms taken from
Mr.. Kelsoe, Toms pretty fowling- piece laid
on top
"They left this bit of paper" said Mr..
KelsOc, Tom read the words scrawled on it ::
"God sacc ger honner. We're Of TO liner
Ky"
"Therc will bc free pardon issued"
said the Captain "And, upon my word,
I'm almost glad the scOundrels have es-
capped"
But Tom was looking intcntly at a
wretched figure below, with an empty
sleeve pinned to his breast. Its Kit,
father" he said, pleadingly. "He's my
foster brother"
"Yes, go, Tom, and bring him in And
never forget that it was the hated crop
pies who have saved us from ruin and
that the man who seemed vilest to you is
only your brother, with heart and blood
like your own"
They've given you new life, Kelsoe,
that's fact - said the Captain He stop
ped, turning his head away, that they
might not see his wet eyes. "It's Curl
ously pleasant day." he said, after awhile.
al suppose it is something in the air.
But 1 feel as if could find a brother in
in any man, even scOundrelly croppy,
and see something good even in the Shan
Van Voght !"-Ricerside Magazine.