The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1874-04-29
,E, S. G., WEDNESDAY, APRIL 90, 1874.

there any way for her out of this
And her reason told her there
was none.
"Come," said the voice in hel
own room, "I'm a good-tempered
chap enough, but my mates in 8
hurry: don't provoke him. Look
alive, and tell us where to find the
swag-money!"
She groaned and shook, and all
her limbs turned cold as the voice
drew nearer and nearer; and al
the last words a heavy hand was
laid upon the bed. Then, furthe,
to torment her, came the thought
that once this money were gone
there would be none to meet the
people with-the people who had
saved it week by week, day by day,
all the past year! Heavy drops
ran. down her shaking form; hel
hands turned numb and her lips
clammy and cold, while the beat.
ing Of her heart was like thezquick
tolling Of bell-louder, louder
till it deafened her. 81
'I'll find a way to make her
speak," growled the second voice;
''here's another kid in this ROOM
Then in one instant thin streak
of light shot across the landing
and the next s
"Mother, mother, MoTHER!" shrisk.
ed Rosie's voice; and at thatsorlnd
Ruth redoubled her cries, and The
unhappy mother sprang up, clasp.
ing one child, mad to protect The
other.
"Silence, you fool r. aaid the man
by her, speaking harshly for the
first time. "You'll drive that fel.
low yonder to do theschild a. mis-,
chief, if you won't do as I tell you.
Keep down, won't you ?''sa For she
was struggling wildly to pass him,
to get across the room to Rose
Rosie, whose cries were sounding
strangely stifed. "Look here; 81
you don't give up this game, by
the Lord, he'll knock you on the
head, if I don't" And clasping
one wrist like a vice, the man held
her fast, while with the other hand
he turned on the light from a small
lantern slung at his side. She
lifted her eyes slowly, as fearing
whom she might see; but there
was little enough visible Of the
burglars face-a wide hat, a thick
reddish beard, and a loose, rough
gray coat, were all she saw.
"Hush, hush," she murmurcd to
Ruth. "Mother will send them
don't look at him. And
she turned the baby's face towards
herself; then raising her trembling
voice, "Rosie, my darling, your
mother is coming" But Rosie
did not answer her. 20 my God p
she painted, and looked up wildly.
"Mate,'' said her captor, loud
enough for the other man to hear.
''take your hand off that child's
mouth if you aren't in a hurry to
be strung up" The strange NUT
fed sounds upon this broke out
again into the old cry, ooh, moth
CT, mother p
"Now," said the man, zone good
turn deserves another. You're
plucky enough for a woman, but /
can't waste all the night talking to
you; - and then he gave her look
that made her shiver from head to
foot anew. ."Bundle those two
brats of yours into one bed, and
come and get us what we want"
She seemed powerless now, and
her very soul tainted within her
rs she crept after the tall dark
figure over the landing into Rosie's
room.
"Oh, my child!" cried the poor
woman, and essayed to run to the
little bed where lay the small fig
1re, pinioned down by the heavy
grasp Of taller, darker man than
her own captor.
GLANDS of, n1issus," growled the
ailer.
Glands off now! Just put that
other one in here along of this one,
and I'll take and turn the key on
EN- both, while you take us yonder
to what we are looking after
No choice again but to Obey;
:wo passionate kisses and a low
'God keep you;" and between the
;wo men she was marched from the
room, followed by the childens
oitiful cries, their wild frightened
;obs. -. e..
She led them down the first short
tight of stairs to the door which,
is we have already said, was partly
overhung with q curtain. This
door opened into a room which
had been used by Mr.. Fergusson's
predecessor as an oratory. The
rectory had been built in the time
Of the late rector, and built conse-
luently very much to suit his taste
and fancies.
One more popularity of the room
to note: the doors-for there were
two-fastened with a spring on