The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1873-08-05
She could scarcely reckon upon Il

dog, for she dared not let him out, as
she could not be certain whether the
man in the room below was dead orI
alive. sI
And if they should attack the house
from before and behind at the sanlel
time, she knew that she was lost, for mol
help could come to her; for who, inl
such severe weather, would be likely tdl
be passing on even the high road, which,
went through the wood not far FROM
the house?
Once more she prayed earnestly for
help from above. She then looked
round the house to see if any fresh dam
ger was threatening, and perceivins
nothing, she went back to the room
where her weapons lay, to see wlts1 ssss
.gaisast lshefare the door, aG the dog
kept barking in the room below.
Just as she got to the window, she
saw an armed, bad-leoking fellow ap,
proach the house. At first he tried to
be polite, and inquired: Il 7
"Have you seen an old man pass by
here ?"
EYES," replied the girl. S
"Where is he? Have you let him
in ?"
These words were spoken in fierce
and insoient tone.
81 shall only answer civil questions"
replied the girl. =
'sWhere is he ?" cried the robber, with
an oath. "Have you murdered him p
Then, commend your soul to God!'
81 have Helper below; my fathers
wolf-dog, who has fought with him, and,
as you hear, the dog is the victor
More than this know nothing of him "
"Open the door, then, that I may see
after him-he is my brother!' cried the
robber.
THAT may be-" replied the girl; "the
dog then will serve you as he did your
brother"
"Bah!" cried the robber; ".ny double
barreled gun has two bulets-one for
you, the other for the dog. Open
quicklyw
The girl leant back, seized her weap-
on, and took aim, at the moment when
blow from the robber made the door
tremble.
"Back" cried she, ''or I will shoot
you DOWN. M
He jumped back few steps, and
quickly pointed his gun up toward the
window; but at the same moment there
was flash and a report from above,and
the robber first sprang up, and then fel
backward in the snow,a stream of bloot
pouring from wound in his breast.
Kate's courage now gave place to an.
guish and sorrow of heart. Her eyes
were fixed on that terrible sight of tht
dead body. Her ball had killed himi
What maiden's heart could bear sucf
thought as that9
In her despair, she fred the othei
barrel of the gun out of the windpW
and then both barrels of the second gun
Quickly she loaded them all again, ant
fred them off one after the other. Thi
she did five times.
Then she perceived with dismay tina
her supply Of powder was getting low
and she was not sure that the robbie
she had wounded would not collect hi
comrades
But her distress lasted only a shor
time. Two mounted policemen wer
riding up the road from Weilheim, hav
ing heard the day before, from a peas
ant, that he haG seen three suspicion
men lurking about there.
i If the policemen had not met tn
well known forester and his family 8
the gate at Neilheim, they might ha,
heard hundred shots fired in success
ion. and taken no notice of them, fo
they would have thought that the fol
!, ester was chasing wolves through th
), deep snow but now it struck them ths
there might be an attack and danger
the forester's house. So they at ono
t turned from the road, and hastene
J, thither.
When Kate saw the two policemen,
new terror seized her, as she took thel
at first for robbers in disguise but whe
they came nearer, she recognized th
two men, whom she had often seen b,
fore
'Kate!" cried one to her, ''yours We
a mastershot, and a good deed, too, fc
| this is one of the worst rascals anon
: the mountains-a robber whom we hay
long been pursuing, but never been abl
to catch. 1t is all over with him nov
for you have shot him through th
heartr'
| A shiver passed through the bray
girl at these words.
ooh! God be thanked and praise
that you have come, otherwise l shoul
have died Of terror; for in the roor
below l have another, with whom ou
Sultan has been fighting"
Come, then, and open the doc
| quicklyp exclaimed both.
/, Kate moved her barricade of WOO
from the door, and opened it. -
] The dog barked for joy when h
heard the girls voice
Scarcely was the room door opene
1 when he jumped out to caress Kate, b
: she pushed him back, filed with .horro
], when she saw that his mouth and thro
a were stained with blood. There W.
not a sound in the room.
/ One of the police went in and opel
f ed the shutter. Then they beheld
b dreadful sight. On the ground lay
: man, with his clothes hanging in tatte
5 upon him. while his face and thro
e bore terrible marks of the dogs teet
The floor was covered with blood, ,ar
/, everything showed that there must ha,
d been a fierce struggle between the ma
e and the dog.
: The latter was unhurt, for the robb,
had not been able, in the darkness,
e find the knife which lay upon the tabl,
4 and was dead. gafa
S Kate had now to tell all the circuu
e stances to the police.
}. Before noon they arrested the woul
It ded robber at an inn, where rogues an
thieves frequently found refuge.
q Kate's fame was spread ahroa
r throughout the whole country; but
e was some time before she recovered Il
# shock of this dreadful event.
Kate afterward married a brave fo
I ester, who became her fathers success
l. Or; and | saw her in her maturer year
Il the mother of a blooming family