Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-02-23

proceeded the light-a small oil lamp
on table in room otherwise devoid
of furniture, and unoccupled by any
living thing.
Still she heard the same regular ham,
mering; and now a strange dread came
over her. Uniformed and mysterious
imaginings disturbed her mind, and
she was on the point of fleeing from
the place, when a door in the room
opened, and a man entered from an
other part of the house His back was
toward her, but she felt thrill, for the
figure seemed familiar; he carried
something heav with the assistance of
another who followed him. 1t was q
small chest, which they placed upon the
floor; then they opened trap-door,
and then-Lillie screamed, shrieked at
the highest pitch of her voice, for the
one who had first entered the room
had turned his face toward her, and she
! saw that it was George Hartley.
The scream was hardly uttered when
coarse, heavy hand was placed over
her mouth, and she felt herself rudely
grasped by strong arms, while harsh
voice muttered, "if you speak or move
again, I'll cut your heart out. T" Then
the speaker sounded whistle which he
held in his hand, and which was evil
IDENTIFY signal, for the two men inside
the house pushed the box hastily down
the trap, which they closed.
But now loud shout was heard near
by; several lights appeared, and in a
moment more Lilies captor was dashed
to the ground by strong arm, and she
found herself tight in--well, yes-the
embrace of-John Rutledge.
Men rushed rapidly-half dozen at
least-into the house there was crash
ing of glass, oaths, screams, and gen
eral melee; and of all of it Lille could
make nothing, except that she had been
saved from some dire disaster-and by
John Rutledge, the man who had so
grossly insulted her by his impertinent
illusions to her lover, who-could it be
possible ?-she now saw dragged from
the house, struggling and cursing, hand
cufed, clothes torn, and in a generally
dilapldated condition.
Five minutes after she was seated IN
a wagon, with Johu's arm supporting
her, as they jolted over the rough road,
and then she could stand it no longer.
"Oh, John what does it all meant"
She had never called him John be-
fore but suppressing an exclamation
of delight, and the wild impulse to turn
a somersanlt over the horses head, he
said, quietly;
at means, Lille, that Mr.. George
Hartley is the leader of gang of coun-
terfeiters that you happened some
how-God knows how-to struggle up
on his den that the man on watch out
side saw and seized you that you
screamed that 1, who was looking for
you, and the officers, who were looking
for him, came up in the nick of time to
save you from-what | dare not think
of
And here poor John broke down;
and it is on record that this outrageous
little tlirt of Lille Gordon said, there
upon, Don't cry, John, and that she
even put up her handkerchief to see
that he obeyed her orders then and
there.
Great Joy was there in the house of
Gordon that night, when, at about mid
night, Mr. Rutledge made his appear
ance with the lost one.
Great surprise was there in society
next day when Mr.. George Hartley was
duly arraigned in the proper court for
counterfeiting-not greenbacks, good
people, but the sterling old gold and
silver of this republic, IN use in those
happy days when we were children.
Great huttering was there, not many
weeks after, when Mr.. and Mrs. John
Rutledge (the latter nee Lille Gordon)
made their first appearance in society !;
what time Mr.. George Hartley was dill
gently pursuing the mysteries of stone
breaking at his new villa on the Hud-
son.
And those three persons will never
forget, so long as they live, the event
full night they spent on 'the marshes y
French lies.
An English journal says: A file of