The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1873-02-28

: ming and useful in his way. He
can't be great way off and the soon.
er we start after him, the sooner We
shall hunt him down"
The other gave his hearty assent
to this proposal, and after talking
over their plans together, both men
left the cabin and passed so near to
where I stood, that by raising my
hand 1 could have touched them.
But fortune favored me, and the
darkness which succeeded the
moons departure, hid me from their
sight.
| Waiting till they were out of hear.
ling stepped to the cabin door and
tapped.
The latch was raised, and voice
demanded, "Who's there?"
ga friend; one at least, who has
not the power to harm you," I re-
piled.
The door opened wider, and the
woman scrutinized me closely.
II am sick, hungry, and sorely
lpressed by my enemies; 1 am the
spy for whom the reward is offered !;
l am in distress. You can save me
or deliver me into the
hands of your husband, or those
who have gone in pursuit of me-"
The mother and daughter ex-
changed glances but neither spoke,
and anxiously I waited the decision.
The woman who opened the door
motioned me to enter. Ibid so, and
a seat was placed for me by the
daughter, whose sympathies we're OBJ
viously enlisted.
owe can give you food, but our
protection will avail you little after
my husbands return, said the wo-
man.
"Can you not conceal me?" 1 ask
ed earnestly. "Heaven will surely
reward you"
The mother looked at the daugh-
ter and they conversed together in a
low tone.
"We will do what we can" said the
former briefly, as she placed food
and drink before me and signed for
me to eat.
"Do not talk" she added quickly,
as I endeayored to express my graf
itude. "There is no time to lose, and
food will do more good than any
thing else?"
I did not wait for a second bidding
and the nutritious beverage soon
had the effect to renew my strength
and inspire fresh courage. My head
felt less giddy, the cheerful fire
warmed my stifened limbs, and I
would certainly have fallen asleep in
my chair had not a feeling of dread
lest the men suddenly return caused
me to look often anxiously toward
the window.
"They will be gone two hours"
said the youngest, as if to reassure
me on that point.
I signifed my thanks and looked
at the fair speaker so attentively
that a crimson glow stole over her
countenance, making her still more
interesting. 1 forgot for moment
my illness, the danger I had incur
red, the risk 1 now ran, everything
in contemplating her symmetrical
figure, regularity of features, and
the benevolent kindness that beam
ed from her eloquent eyes. My
rapture was of short duration, the
barking of a dog, and the cxclama
ton of my deliYerer, ':you are lost"
brought me to my senses.
Father must be near, for that is
his dog"
1 started to my feet and looked
hurriedly around for some means of
escape besides the door which had
entered.
The girl shook her head, and the
color fed from her cheeks by reason
of her terror. remained where l
was, knowing that the result would
be equally fatal if yentured to leave
the cabin.
The voices Of men came nearer
and nearer. The young girl stood |
spell bound for an instant, then
sprang towards door which open
ed into a closet.
"Go in quick" she whispered, Sand |
hide yourself behind the clothes.
I Iobeyed, and the door was quick
ly closed and fastened upon me,
while my deliverer, with uncommon
self-possession( as l afterward learn
ed) placed herself in the chair l had
lust vacated, drew up to the table
on which food had been placed, and |
very deliberately commenced eating.
She had hardly done so when her
father and his companion entered
the cabin both looking illhumored |
and disappointed.
''What are you up and eating for |
at this hour, NellieY asked the /
farmer, regarding the young lady |
with a look of astonishment and |
aWaiting for you SO long made
me hungry" was the unhesitatiDg
reply.
@Well, so are we hungry, girl; so
get us something quick, for we've
got to ride a dozen miles yet; that |
is if the fellow don't disappoint US
again. Confound him, we might |
have been on the right track by this
time if the horses had been round
in time" he muttered as Nellie bus
led herself in placing food before
them.
In the meantime the mother, who
had left the cabin before the men
returned, had entered an out build |
ing and was preparing a comfortable
plar in which 1 could conceal my
Sc before her husbands return.
Before the men finished eating,
ne returned, but started back in
tlarm at perceiving what a change