Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1876-07-15
the question now is: What shall we

do?'
"Dor walled Rosa; why, get oat
of these dreadful woods as fast as we
can, to be sure. Robbers and murder
ers! never heard anything so awful
Why did we come? Oh, how horrid
it is not to have any man to take care
of your"
Her alarm infected the boldest of us,
and regret to say our progress home
ward partook of the nature of stam-
pede. Mrs. Pendexter, who was roll
ing out tea biscuit in the buttery, was
taken all abacli by our sudden appear
ance. "Sakes alive! Iwant to know
This does beat all!'' were her remarks
during our recital. "Such a thing
wasn't never heard of in this country
before. Elkins! that's the squire. And
the young man with the seventeen hun
dred dollars must be young Mr.. Den
nett on Brush Hill road. He's sort
of stranger, you know. Mr.. Pendexter
was a-saying that he'd sold out all his
hay at good price to pay off his mort
gage"
"Where is Mr.. Pendexter?" said
Esther, promptly. ." He must go over
and give this Mr.. Deunett warning at
once"
cts, is, ts," chuckled Mrs. Pendex
ter. "He's off in the medder lot two
miles away, and SOS all the rest
There amt man about the place, Es-
ther."
"There never is, . put in Rosa, des-
pairingly. 81 never saw anything like
it! Oh, how horrid, horrid it must be
in the land of the Amazons? 1 can't
think why Joaquin Miller should write
a poem about them.'
How far is to Mr. Dennett's?" said
Esther.
"Its good three miles. but a
straight road all the way. Right through
the woods. You can't miss il"
Through the woods! we all shivered
but Esther went on bravely.
Very well. Amanda can harness
the old grey, can't she? Please tell
her to, and I'll drive over to Mr. Den
nett's. Girls, which of you will go
with me?'
Nobody answered.
Dolly 2"
Yes" said, with sinking heart,
"I'll CO."
The girls wept and walled, but in
vain.
"Don't be silly" said Esther. "Of
course somebody must CO."
Well, / do admire your courage"
said Mrs. Pendexter, and there's
this about it; there amt no real danger.
They're always scared at daylight"
speaking of the genus burglar as of a
wolf. You won't see your men again,
Miss Dolly, I promise you. If I wasn't
sure of that, I wouldn't let you go no.
how"
Fortified with this, we set off, con-
cealing our inward tremors as best we
might. The road seemed long, but at
last we came to pretty brown cottage,
with little lawn, flower beds, and an
air of taste, refinement, new to US in
that region. A handsome, sunburned
young man, who was cutting the grass
with hand-mowing machine, came fol-
ward to meet us, and raised his straw
hat with the unmistakable air of gen.
tleman. Esther explained our arrand,
Mr.. bennett listening intently, never
taking his eyes off her face as she
spoke.
"I am probably the person meant, u
he said. cat least have the sum al
luded to in my house to pay off debt
which falle due, next week"
He paused, and thought for mo-
ment silently.
wonder you were not afraid to
drive over to this lonely place. he
said smiling.
eve were, a little bit, perhaps" fall
tered I.
Yet you came. How very good Of
you! You must let me drive you back. "
"Oh, pray don't leave your house
1unguarded! These men may come,
you know"
"Oh, there is no danger now. Fore
warned is forearmed.
He called man, gave some orders,
went into the house a moment, and We
were off. Dear me, how safe we fell
all at once! The dark hooks had LOST
their terrors, and the return drive was
delightful. Next day, Mr.. bennett
came to tell us that the thieves had
been caught red-handed, and were
safely lodged in the county Jail. He
had recovered Mrs. Pendexter's silver
also; and altogether there was SO much
to hear and discuss that nobody Won
dered at his coming yet another and
another day, and finally every day. II
was surprising how much more inter.
esting life seemed to several of US.
was more than once reminded of Es
theirs simile of the ham the bread and
butter. Before long, however, it be.
came evident to whom belonged the
CHIEF share of the sandwich, and just
bef re we all broke up in early Octo.
ber, Esther, rosy and flushed, stole in
to my room and held before my eyes q
finger on which glittered a new ring
set with small diamond.
$780," I said. "you really have
And do you like him very much?"
"Like him! I should think So"
"And you won't dislike the idea oi
living in the backwoods all your life p
"No, not very much. Besides, we
shan't stay in the woods always.
Now and then we mean to run away"