The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1876-02-18


the basked beneath the table when the
front door opened, and two men enter
ed. They were in their stockings, their
shoes having been left outside.
"Hush!" uttered the foremost in.
truder. "Speak but one word above
a whisper, and you die in moment!"
Polly recovered from her quick terror,
and looked up. She saw two stout,
wicked, ugly-looking mon, one of whom
held a cooked pistol towards her. With
a quickness of perception natural to her,
she knew the pistol would not be fired
if she held her peace, as that would
make more noise than she could make;
and further, she recognized in the fore
most notorious villain who bore the
name of 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.
eve have come to see the mail-car-
rier,' one replied, in a hoarse whis-
per; ''where is he? Don't speak too
loud"
"He is long since asleep. Would it
not do as well to see him in the morn
ing? We can find you room and lodg-
ing"
The fair hostess had said this for the
purpose of gaining time. She knew
very well that these men had 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 well. They had
evidently learned of the valuable load
he carried, and meant to carry it in his
stead.
"Never mind his being asleep. Show
us where he is at once,'' roughly replied
Gallus, in answer to Polly's last re-
mark.
''But I can call him, good sirs,'' rea-
soned the woman, calmly, though there
was alarm in her soul.
"Call him! call!''' growled the vii
lain, with fierce oath. "You call
him. and you will be called to another
world. Quick! show us the way''
The mild eye that could aim an uner-
ring 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.
"This way, sirs." she whispered.
|. And as she spoke she turned towards
side door. She did not open it till
both the men were close behind her.
"Don't you hear him breathe?''
"Yes," returned both villains.
And they did hear breathing, but it
was of a child close at hand.
As they thus answered her she threw
the door open-it opened inward. The
men saw a dark void, but they pressed
forward. In an instant Polly Burnap
leaped back. Gallus was in 'front.'
With all her powder, the noble woman
threw herself against the rear man, and
the next moment both the robbers lay
sprawling on the cellar bottom.
| This had been the door opening to the
deep excavation, and the only means of
egress was by perpendicular ladder.
Could this have been moved, Polly
would have pulled it up Immediately !;
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 first-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 head
| above the threshold.
The candle upon the table threw but
dim light upon the spot, but it was
| sufficient.
She sawthe robber raise pistol. She
had husbands 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 it's echo
was deep groan from the cellar bot
tom.
Ere the second robber could show
himself, Morton came rushing into the
room with a pistol in each hand.
aWhat is itPn he cried.
"There! there!" gasped Polly, point
ing to the doorway, where a savage
looking face had just presented itself.
/ Liant Morton had been too much used
to danger to waste time in conjecture,
and Immediately shot the villain dead,
who fell with heavy sound upon the
cellar floor.
In the morning, just as the carrier
was dressed, there was rap at the door,
accompanied by voice he knew full