Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1876-12-14

VIII w coming nome. W. IL ID
caught here. BE quick.''
"Who cares for him! He's onl,
one. A bludgeon will give him
handy little headache as he come.
ill.,"
sAnd his wife =
I They spoke low, bideous words
that made my flesh creep | almost
was ready to call aloud, to open the
panel, to give them the gold, and bic
them go. They got up, and the steps
and voices went down. 1t was horrible
there in the dark. l was sitting.
moved the panel slightly. No lieh,
uttered. [ slid it softly back. My
"esolntion was taken. I would get
out of the house, run down the road
and meet my father. I would save
him. l left the gold in the closet,
shutting it in close. I stole down
two steps into the chamber below.
knew there was window open there
crept across the room. listening
keenly. lifted myself cautiously on
the window ledge, and caught a
branch OF the cherry tree which
grew close TO the house. Swinging
myself lightly out, l hastily descended
the trunk of the tree, and found
myself on the ground safe.
No. The Lightning flash betrayed
ne. The Ravens voice shrieked
! hoarsely:
"There she goes! Catch her |!
Quick! This way!''.
Out at the front door came the
pursuers, 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 slowly by the
sound and flashing ght.
"Shoot her by the tcxt flash !"
cried one.
Ny flying feet struck loose boards
I was passing directly over an old,
unused well, very deep, and 1t gave
back hollow, resonant souhd.
Almost the next moment | heard q
crash, the report of pistol, a heavy
fall, oaths and deep groan. Shud-
dering, l sped on through the garden,
up toward the cider press, over tie
stone wall, down the hollow, mp the
hillside, over the fields. No steps
followed no voices shouted after ME.
ran down to the second bars, and
let the down. 1t began to rain
great drops, then fast, then it poured.
was w.t. to the skin. rna on, for
heard advancing wheels coming
rapidly. I stood in the road and
cited: "Father father!' 7 The chsse
stopped. Another chaise behind
stopped also. 1t was our next
neighbor's, who livrd a quarter of a
mile further on.
,"Ann. my child. Good heavens !
What is the matter? What has
happened ~
1t told the whole in a few words,
amid eager exc'amations of JOY at my
.afety, Of surprise, even of anger,
because Thomas had left me alone.
"Don't blame him, father; insist :
ed on his going"
A hurried consultation took place.
NV father was very brave. Our
neichbor was very timld. He proposed
going on to his house and returning
with weapons In the meantime |
had cot into the chaise and crouched
| down at my mothers feet, who was
half crying. and wholly thankful TO
feel me there.
We rode on, and came 10 our gates
under the willows There we're lights
in the house, but all was still. Nothing
moved. My father put the reins in
nv mothers hands, and opened the
other gate that led up the lane.
"Will you go home with Nathan 2
said he,
"And leave you here? No
Take your wife home, Nathan, il
yor will, and come back
awe will stay by you
"Let us reconnoiter, then, little
They got ont. leaving lis sitting
still. The rain fell less heavily. They
got something that would do fol
weapons from the Toulouse. They
went in We sat still, speaking few
words, my hand clssped in m,
mother 5.
"rhomas is coming?" exclaimed
eagerly. | hear the wheels.
We called to him as he came to Thu
gate, for he could not ace us. III
drove through and called out:
"What Is the matter 7?
We told him sufficiently. and HI
left Betsey and Hannah and went il
at once, with only this heavy whip
We did not sit long. Nathan cam
out directly.
"What have you found? Who j
, there ?"
''Nothing Nobody"
.sAre they all GOMEZ