Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1877-09-27

ed, and the voices grew very angry
and full OF frightful eaths and
threateninRs. They sat down ON
the garret stairs TO hold u parley.
A spider ran across my face. TIC
was with great effort that / kept
from screaming.
Come" !" croaked the Raven, ''let
ms 40 and get the silver; that win be
sOmething-that viii he something.
Curse the silver. It's the gold
I've come for, and I'LL burn the
house if | don't find the girl ! So
let her look out1T'
A. cold persplration. Would they
perform Cheir threat Y
ASGood then the rats will sHaeak.
Down drop the money bags, and
We'll choke the girl to make her
dumb.7
"Hold your noise. The old man
will be coming home, Wen be
caught here. BE quick"
"Who cares for him y He's only
one; N bludgeon will give him q
handy little headache as he comes
In"
"And his wife ?"
They spoke low, hideous words
that made my flesh creep. I was al
most rerdY TO call aloud, to open the
panel, 10 give them the gold, and
bid them 60. They got mp, and the
steps and voices went down. It
was horrible there I'm the dark. |
was sitting. / moved the panel
slightly. No light entered. =. / slid
it softly back. My resolution was
taken. / would get out Of the
house, run down the road and meet
my father would save him, / left
the gold I'm the closet, shutting lt in
close. stole down two steps into
the chamber below. / knew there
was U window open there. crept
a1roSs the room, listening keenly. /
lifted myself cautiously on the win.
dow ledge, and caught u branch OF
the cherry.tree which grew close TO
the house. Swinging myself light
ly out, / hastily descended the trunk
of the tree, and found myself on the
ground, safe.
No. The Iightning fash betray-
ed me. The Ravens voice shrieked
hoarsely:
There she goes I Catch her |!
Quick This way l''
ORt 0t the front door came the
pars0ers, hardly ten steps from me.
/ dashed toward the thick sbrubbery,
TO throw them off the track. For
tRnGteRy, knew the way, everv step
OF 1t. They were guided slowly by
the sound and Rashi6g light.
''Shoot her by the next fash 7"
cried ore.
My flying feet struck loose boards.
was passing over an old, unused
well, very deep, and it gave back q
hollow, resonant sound. Almost
the next moment II heard % crash,
the report OF O pistol, ID heavy fall,
oaths and a deep groan. Shudder-
ing, i sped ON through the garden,
up toward the eider-press, over the
stone wall, down tie hollow, up the
hillside, over the fields. No steps
followed; no voices shouted after
me. / ran down to the second bars
and let them down. It began to
rain q few drops, then fast, then it
poured. was wet to the skin. /
ran on, for I heard advancing wheels
coming rapidly; | stood i'm the road
and cried:-''Father! father :" The
Chaise stopped. Another chaise
stopped also. It was our next neigh
boris who lived quarter OF o mile
further on.
"Ann, my child Good heavens!
What In the matter What has
happened P''
told the whole in n few words,
amid eager exclamations of joy mt
my safety, of surprise, even OF an
ger. because Thomas had left me
alone.
Don't blame him, father. l in.
sisted on his going"
A. hurried consultation took place.
NV father was very brave. Our
neighbor was very timid. lie pro-
posed going on to his house and re-
turning with weapons. I'm the
meantime I had got into the chaise
and croached down nc my mothers
feet, who was half crying, and who'll
ly thankful TO feel me there.
We rode on and came to our gates
under the willows. There were
lights i'm the house, but all was still.
Nothing moved. MY father put the
reins i'm my mothers hands, and
opened the other gate that led up
the lane.
"Will you 60 home with Ma
than ?" said he.
"And leave You here No."
Take your wife home, Nathan,
If you will, and come hack
"Let ms sreconnoiter, then, q little.o -
They got out, leaving us sitting
still. The rain fell less heavily.
They got something that would do
for weapons from the Toulouse.
They went oil around the house-all
was quiet, They went i'm. We sat
still, speaking few words, my hand
claSped i'm my mothers. and INV
frame trembling with fright.
Thomas is coming ~ I exclaim.
ed. eagerly. ST hear the wheels"
We called TO him as he came TO
the gate, for he could not see MS.
He drove through and called out:
"Wh8t's the matter PSI
We told him sufficiently, and he
left Betsey and Hannah, and went
In nc once with only the heavy
whip. We did not wait long. Ma
than came out directly.
What have you found E? Who is
there p''
Nothing. Nobody"
Are they all gone 2f'