Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-11-23

( AAeNo NOAAS llAO III lloII, do IL
| looked like rain.
away. dull, crashing sound, and then
Stlf1ed, an CRY tones. / knew they had
opened the box, and found nothing but
the papers. l knew they would now
search for me.
[ heard them as they looked into ev-
cry room and closet, and came up the
stairs separate. They all met at the
foot OF the garret-stairs. A thick
board was between us. I thanked
God that the panel was close shut.
L knew it, for no ray of light came
through.
"She must be up here" said the Ra-
ven. g and We'll soon have her."
"Pn warrant she is here, and I'll
wiring her neck if she makes a noise
about it."
But the thorough search was end
ed, and the voices grew very angry,
and full of frightful oaths and threat
enings.
They sat down on the garnet stairs to
hold parley. A spider ran across my
face. A spider puts me in mortal tear.
1t was with a great effort that | kept
from screaming.
Come" croaked the Raven, "let
us go and get the silver; that will be
something will be something"
Course the silver. It's the gold
I've come for, and IN burn the house
if don't find the girl So let her look
outr'
A cold perspiration came on my
forehead. Would they perform their
threat?
Good! Then the rats will squeak,
Down drop the money-bags, and
We'll choke the girl to make her dumb
Hold your noise. The old man
will be coming home. Well be caught
here. Be quick
"Who cares for him He's only one.
A bludge0n will give him handy lit
tie headache as he comes in
"And his wife? ?"
They spoke low, hideous words that
made my flesh creep. / was almost
ready to call aloud, to open the panel,
to give them the gold, and bid them go.
They got up, and the steps and voices
went down. 1t was horrible there
in the dark. [ was sitting.
| moved the panel lightly. No light
entered. | slid it softly back. My
resolution was taken.
| would get out of the house, run
down the road, and meet my father. /
would save him.
l left the gold in the closet, shutting
it in close. [ stole down two steps
into the chamber below. l knew there
was a window open there. l crept
across the room, listening keenly.
[ lifted myself cautiously on the
window-ledge, and caught branch of
the cherry-tree which grew close to
the house.
Swinging myself lightly out, I hasti-
ly descended the trunk of the tree, and
found myself on the ground safe.
No. The ightning flash betrayed
me. The Ravens voice shrieked
hoarsely, "There she goes! Catch her!
Quick! This wayY'
Out at the front door came the pur-
suers, hardly ten steps from me.
/ dashed toward the thick shrubbery
to put them off the track.
Fortunately [ knew the way, every
step of it. They were guided solely
by the sound and flashing light.
"ShOot her by the next tiashp' cried
one.
My flying feet struck loose boards.
l was passing directly over an old,
unused well, very deep, and it gave
hack a hollow, resonant sound.
Almost the next moment | heard a
crash, the report of pistol, heavy
fall, oaths, and deep groan.
Shuddering, [ sped on through the
garden, up toward the cider press, over
the stone wall, down the hollow, up
the hillside, over the fields.
No steps followed; no voices shouted
after me. / ran down to the second
bars and let them down.
1t began to rain few drops, then
fast, then poured. [ was wet to the
skin.
/ ran on, for I heard advancing
wht els coming rapidly, I stood in the
road and cried, Father! father!'
The chaise stopped. Another chaise
behind stopped also.
1t was our next neighbor's who
lived a quarter of a mile further on.
"Ann, my child. Good heavens
What is the matter9 What has hap
pened?'
l told the whole in a few words,
amid eager EXPLANATIONS of joy at my
safety, of surprise, even of anger, be-
cause Thomas had left me alone.
"Don't blame him, father; l insist
ed on his going" 81
A hurried consultation took place.
My father was very brave. Our
neighbor was very timid. He proposed
going on to his house and returning
with weapons.
In the meantime / had got into the
chaise and crouched down at my moth
er's feet, who was half crying, and
wholly thankful to feel me there.
We rode on, and came to our gate
under the willows. There were lights
in the house, but all seemed still.
Nothing moved. My father put the
reins in my mothers hands, and
opened the other gate that led up the
lane.
"Will you go home with Nathan %
said he
"And leave you here? No."
"Take your wife home, Nathan, If
you will, and come back"
eve will stay by you"
"Let us reconnoiter, then little"
They got out, leaving us sitting still.
The rain fell less heavily. They got
something that would do for weapons
from the Toulouse, They went all
rourd the house-all was quiet. They
went in.
We sat still, speaking few words, my
| hand o1aSnad in nv mothers