Weekly Trinity journal., 1874-05-02
THREE BRAVE MEN.

she asked. You have plenty of lovers"
" But they don't suit me-" said Barba
ra, coolly tying her curls before the mir
ror.
Why not ?"
want, when | marry, man who is
brave-equal to any emergency. If
give up my liberty l want to be taken
care Of"
"Silly child what is the matter with
big Barney, the blacksmith ?"
=" He is big, but ! never learned that he
was brave"
And you never heard that he was
not. What is the matter with Ernest,
the gunsmith ?"
" lie is as placid as goats milk"
THAT is no sign that he is a coward.
There is lttlo Fritz, the tanner, no is
quarrelsome enough for you surely"
=" He is no bigger than bantam cock.
1t is little he could do it the house was set
upon by robbers"
" 1t is not always strength that wins Il
! fight girl. 1t takes brains as we'll as
Drawn. Come, now, Barbara, give these
fellows n trial"
Barbara turned her face toward the
mirror, letting down one raven tress and
looping up another. Il will, mother" ("
said she at last.
That evening Ernest, tho gunsmith,
knocked early at the door. you sent
for me, Barbara" he said, going to the
girl, who stood on the hearth, coquct-
tshly warming first one foot and thon the
other.
Yes, Ernest" she replied, "Ivo been
thinking Of what you said the other night
when you were here"
Well, Barbara"
Ernest spoke quietly, but his dark blue
eyes flashed and he looked intently.
" / want to test YOU"
:" How ?"
i want to see if you dare do n very
disagreeable thing"
What is it j"
There is nn old coffin up stairs. 1t
smells of mould. They say Remond the
murderer was buried in il, but the devil
came for his body and left the coffin
empty at the end OF tho week, and it was
finally taken from the tomb. 1t is up
stairs in the room my grandfather died
in, and they say that grandsire does not
rest easy in his grave for some reason,
though that know nothing about. Dare
you make that your bed tonight ?"
Ernest laughed. " Is that all? will
do that and sleep soundly. Why, pretty
one, did you think | had weak nerves ?''
Your nerves will have good proof il
you undertake it. Remember, no one
sleeps in that part Of the house"
" shall sleep the sounder."
Good night, then. | will send lad
TO show you to your chamber. If you
stay there all night" said the mperous
Miss Barbara, Il will marry YOU"
You vow it,"
81 vow it,"
Ernest turned straightwav and followed
the lad in waiting through dim rooms and
passages, up cchoing stairs, along narrow
damp ways, where rats scuttled before
| them, to low chamber. The boy look
| cd pale and scared, and evidently wanted
to hurry away, but Ernest made him
wait while he took Il survey Of the room
by the aid Of his lamp. II was very large
and full Of recesses. with high windows
in them which were barred across. He
remembered that old Grandsiro Ferros
| had been insane for several years before
! his death, 50 that precaution had been
necessary for safety Of himself and 9TH
ers. In the center Of the room stood n
coffin (; beside it stood II chair. Tho room
was otherwise quite empty.
Ernest stretched himselfin the coffin.
4" Be kind enough to tell Miss Barbara
thai it's good tit," suid he. The boy
went out and shut the door, leaving the
gunsmith in the dark. Meanwhile Bar
bara was talking with the blacksmith in
the keeping room.
4" Barney" said she, pulling her hands
away from his grasp, when he would have
kissed her, I've a test to put you to be-
fore give you an answer. There's 4
corpse in the room whore my grandfather
died in the untenanted part OF the house
II you dare to sit there with it all night
and let nothing drive you away from your
post, you will not ask me to marry you
in vain"
" You give me light and a bottle oI
wine, and book to read ?"
Nothing"
" Are these all the conditions you car
offer me, Barbara ?"
IAN. And you get frightened yor
need never look me in the face again"
" IN take them then"
SO Barney was conducted to his pos
by the lad who had been instructed il
the secret. and whose voluntary stare a
Ernest's placid face as it lay in the coffin
was interpreted by Barney to be the nat
ural awe OF a corpse. He took his sea
and the boy left him alone with the dark
ness, the rats aud the coffin.
Soon after, young Fritz, the tanner, ar
rived, flattercd and hopeful from the fac
} that Barbara had sent for him.
Have you changed your mind, Bar
bara ?" he asked.
"No; and shall not until know yot
can do a really brave thing"
What shall it be ? | swear to satisfy
you, Barbara"
" have proposal to make you. NJ,
plan requires skill as well as courage"
"Tell me.n