The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-12-08
A BRAvEGIRL.


-
In the winter Of 1872, gentleman and
his daughter, young lady, while travel.
ing through Cannada, arrived about
night.Gall at an old fashioned tavern.
The gentleman concluded to stop there
instead OF going to the village OF S.,
which was ten miles distant. Che daugh.
ter Carrie expressed her Willingness, as
the tavern presented n comfortable ap.
pearance, and they alighted, when it was
plainly TO be seen that the gentleman was
quite lame, SO much that he was obliged
TO use cane.
The landlord came out, and calling a
boy TO take the hOrie and sleigh to the
barn, he ushered Mr.. Spencer and his
daughter into q pleasant sitting.rooul,
where bright lite was burning on the
hearth, which proved very acceptable to
our travellers, who had been in the sleigh
since morning.
"Eour room will be ready by supper
time, cir" said the landlord, as he left
the room and went into the bar.room.
Supper was shortly announced, and
after refreshing themselves, Mr.. Spencer
and Carrie returned TO the coy sitting
room, where they talked and chatIed un :
til $50. They were then shown to their
room, which was on the second story, in n
wing somewhat distant from the main
portion.
The room was very long with high
ceiling. On one side was window, and
the other door. Just above the door
was u bust OF King George III. The
room was plainly furnished containing
two beds, washolsnd and few chairs.
Carrie took in the wide room at Il
glance, anti 1t must be confessed, had
there not been cheerful fire burning, abe
would have lelt nervous about sleeping
there. As it was, the YARN glow lit up
the room into comparative Cheeriulne q
While she andhe father sat By the fire
her eyes wandered to the bust above the
door, when She noticed that the cyeballs
had evidently been knocked out, leaving
two empty spaces.
"WelI, Carrie" said Mr. Spencer, pres.
emily. 81 think you had better lock the
door, ] am going to count my money!
After Carrie had done 90, he drew out
a money belt, heavy with bills, and pro-
ceeded to count them, While doing so
Carries eyes Involuntary wandered
again to the bust, when, to her horror and
astonishment, in place OF the empty spa.
ces, she saw two glitering eyes, greedily
watching every movement OF her father
The young girl could scarcely re2ress
scream but, controlling herself, looked
toward the fire, while her father went on
counting large roll Of bills.
81 must have been mistaken" thought
the poor girl. "What should make me
have such a strange fancy, though ?" she
continued, glancing at the bust.
The eyes were still there-two burning,
savage eyes, that frightened as Mr.. Spen.
Ger went on counting.
"Good heavens" thought Carrie "what
shall We do! We ATE evidently in n der
of thieves, and will be murdered for my
poor fathers money"
How to communicate the danger to heI
father without those terrible eyes motto
ing it, Carrie conld not think. Suddenly
bright idea came to her.
"Fdther," she said aloud, "let me take
a card and pencil. | wish to make Il
memorandum OF some items | want tc
purchase in the village"
Her father handed them 10 her, after
slowing away his belt. Carrie, wrote
trembling, in fine hand:
"FAther, do not be frightened; we are
in trap. Go in the opposite corner O
the room, where your face will be In the
dark and look at the bust above the door
In It you will gee two glittering eyes tina
have watched you count your money"
"Read it," she said aloud handing the
card to her father, 81 want to see i
you think am too extravagant."
Her father betrayed no emotion while
he read, but said
"iOu are pretty eXtravagNnt, Carrie
lsuppose you think your father ia made
Of money" And he rose and went to the
wash stand, which was in dark corner
Once there he glanced back toward the
bust and thatglance confirmed hia daugh'
ters extraordinary statement. When he
came back to hiaseHt CGrriesaW that the
eyes were gone, Then leaning toward
her father, she said in a low tone.
"Ton nee 1t is as | said. haSeAhough
Of a plan, however, by which we can bail
escape. You would be perfectly helpless
in an ARRAY Of any kind on account o
yonr lame leg, 50 must try to save u
both"
Then followed n whispered consulta
ton during which Carrie kent her cyu
fixed on the bust; but the glittering orb
had not come buck, AZ hIie concluded
Carrie went 10 the window, threw it VI
and looked out Reckoning to her faith
er, who cane, she sald, or rather wills
pered:
" You sec thi, shed, father? Well the,
will probably come up on ii and &c
in Though the window. do not lhinl
they will make the attack before l2, 40
will get out Of this window, jump from
the shed, go to the bsrn and take GU
horse and 60 to S - for help
FlinglnR wrapoyer her slight Ggur
she embraced her father tenderly, ant
bidding him not to worry over her. All
jumped lightly out on the shed and di.
appeared.
Mr.. Spencer watched her for n liltl
while, then closing the window, took on
witch raw that ii WA s o'clock All
proceeded to work. lie first covered II
the FIRE, blew out tho light and rolled u
a blanket, with which he made n dummy
This he placed In tho bed which hi
daughter was to occupy. Then he "a
down and wnited--oh, how anxiouIly'
Ten, fifteen, twenty minutes went BY