The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-02-10

5 "IIush!" uttered the foremost in
It truder. "Speak but one word abov
Y a whisper, and you die in a moment !!
Il Polly recovered from her quick ter
y ror, and looked up. She saw tw,
stout, wicked, ugly-look:ug men, on
of whom held cooked pistol toward
her. With quickness OF perception
= natural to her, she knew the pisto
would not be fired if she held he
peace, as that would make more nois,
than she could make; and further
she recognized in the foremost no
terious villain who bore the name O.
Dick Gallus.
She had never seen him before, but
the minute description her husband
had given of the man led her to know
him-and positively. too, for one big
scar on the left cheek was mark
enough.
"What do you want ?" asked Polly,
without betraying the least fear
owe have come to see the mail
carricr," one replied, in hoarse whis-
per; "where is he? Don't speak too
loud"
"Iic is long since asleep. Would
it not do as well to see him in the
morning? We can find you q room
and lodging
The fair hostess had said this for
the purpose of gaining time. She
knew very well that these men bad
come to rob the carrier, and was
equally sure that they would murder
him if they could, and would in all
probability put her out of the way as
we'll They had evidently learned of
the valuable load he carried, and
meant to carry il i'll his stead.
Never mind his being asleep.
Show us where he is at once"
roughly replied Gallus, in answer TO
Pol!y's last remark.
"But | can call him, good sirs," rea-
soned the woman, calmly, though
there was alarm in her soul.
"tall him! CALI" growled the vii
lain, with fierce oath. "You call
him. and you will be called to an
other world. Quick! show us the
way"
The mild eye that could aim an um-
erring bullet at the forest beast did
not even betray the thoughts of the
woman's soul, nor did look tell her
meaning. She was very pale, but did
not tremble.
"Ths way, sirs," she whispered.
spoke sho tarned to.
wards side door. She did not open
ii till both the men were close be-
hind her.
"Don't you hear him breathe'"
eyes," returned both villains.
And they did hear breathing, bu,
it was of child close at hand.
AS they thus answered her, she
threw the door open-it opened in
ward. The men saw dark void, but
they pressed forward. In an instant
Polly Burnap leaped back. Gallus
was in front. With all her power,
the noble woman threw herself
against the rear man, and the next
moment both the robbers lay sprawl
ing on the cellar bottom.
This had been the door opening to
the deep excavation, and the only
means of egress was by perpendic-
ular ladder. Could this have been
moved, Polly would have pulled it
up imm diately; but it was spiked to
its place, and she must let it remain.
To close the door would be useless,
for she had not ready means to fasten
it. So she did what she had resolved
upon from the tirst-she sprang to the
Fireplace, and caught the trusty rifle,
and, cooking it, she moved towards
the open door. She heard the curses
of the villains as they reached the
ladder, and she soon knew that one
of them had found it.
Back" she cried, as she saw a
head above the threshold.
The candle upon the table threw
but dim light upon the spot, but it
was sufficient.
She saw the robber raise pistol.
she had husband-a child-and had
set herself to save the carrier. With |
these thoughts dashing through her
mind, she pulled the trigger. A
sharp report went ringing through
the house, and its echo was a deep
groan from the cellar bottom.
Ere the second robber could show
himself, Morton came rushing into
the room with pistol in each hand.
"What is it?" he cried.
There! there!" gasped Polly,
pointing to the doorway, where a
savage-looking face had just present
ed itself.
Liant Morton had been too much
used to danger to waste time in con-
lecture, and Immediately shot the vii
lain dead, who fell with a heavy
sound upon the cellar floor.
In the morning, just as the Garner
was dressed, there was a rap at the
door, accompanied by a voice he
knew full well. He fastened to open
the door, and gave entrance to Jacob
Burnap. The hunter had met par
ty of traders at Lewisburg, and dis
posed of his skins to them, thus fin
ishing his journey six days earlier
than he had anticipated.
Polly was soon upon her husbands
bosom, and when he had told them
b;c O,uu ctorv Morton oro vo h;,, Tho