Middletown transcript., 1877-05-26

"What shall we do ?" she aske
shortly.
II hardly know" Lucy answered
"Mark told US to admit no one
"Yes, but what if this mans stor
concerning his companion should b
true, and we turn him away to perish |?
ut would be dreadful! We mus
let them come in Even if they shoul'
prove wicked men, they can bat mur
der u.s."
"Yes, aud the guilt would then be oil
their beads-not on ours We will biz
them welcome to our humble home"
She had tried to speak these word
brayely, but, nevertheless, it was Will
trembling hands that she undid th,
fastenings and opened wide the door
She could plainly distinguish the forms
of two men through the deep dusl
without.
"WHl you walk in?" she asked
quietly.
The two men crossed the Threshold
together, and Ruth closed the door be.
hind them. 1t almost seemed to heI
then as if she was thus shutting out all
earthly hope and succor.
"And so you concluded to let US
lodge with yOu?" asked one of the
men.
YES" she answered. But" she
continued, with a quick start. Il
thought one of you bad been injured
and was nearly helpless"
Here one of the men appeared to
lean heavily on his companion, who
said:
"It appears that my friend was not
so much hurt as | at first supposed
He was somewhat stunned by the fall,
but now he has nearly recovered. with
the exception Of still being very weak ?"
Lucy had placed chairs before the
hearth, and threw on more wood. and
the two strangers seated themselves in
silence They appeared to be rough
strong men, with rather stern counte-
nances, in which many hard lines were
drawn, wearing thick, jetty boards,
which covered the whole of the lower
part Of their faces.
Neither Ruth nor Lucy we're quite
satisfied with the looks of the men, aud
they had even begun to dislike the
story which they had told to gain ad-
mittance. They almost doubted it, al
though they had no positive proof it
was not true. The man, who pretended
that be had been hurt. would occasion
ally-when be seemed to forget him
self-appear as well and strong as his
com npaninn. md fhey began to fee! very
anxious, and sometimes cast fearful
glauces toward each other. Never;he
less, they were too wise to betray the
doubts. which they could not help en-
tertaiuing. to their guests to any great
degree.
Ruth busted herself as well as she
could 10 attending to the wants of her
guests. while Lucy, at the other end Of
the room, took up the sewing which she
had dropped upon the entrance of the
strangers Suddenly one of the men
asked, With some apparent object in
view:
DO you live here alone. young wo-
men?'
Ruth was much startled by this
question. and came very near betrayiDg
her fears, at FIRST But she managed
to answer, very quietly:
"0h. no! My husband has been
called away on business "
"Wnl he return tonight? ?" asked
the man again.
Il don't know He said be should
return as soon as possible, and | sup
pose we may expect him at any mo-
ment."
Ruth said more than she really
thought, but, then. she did not wish
the men to see how utterly defenseless
they were A few moments afterward,
as she passed near them. with noiseless
tread, in attending to some household
duty. she heard one of the men ask of
the other, in low, guarded tone. cvi-.
IDENTIFY not intended for her ears:
"What shall We do with these wo-
men, if they happen to prove trouble
some 2"
"0h!' returned the other, with a
brutal smile, drawing his hand slowly
access bis throat, "this will be the best
way 10 silence them"
Ruth shuddered, and grew deathly
sick, but at last managed to creep back,
away from them. unseen She knew,
then, that all the fears she had enter-
tained were not groundless, and, with
the knowledge of her own and Lucy's
peril. came the resolution to meet it
bravely She possessed a great deal Of
nerve and courage, under her quiet de-
meauor, and in few moments, when
she had mastered her first terror, she
became dreadfully calm
She had been preparing light repast
for the strangers, and, for while long
er, she went quietly on with her work
Then she thought, as the peril threat
ened Lucy as well as herself. it was on
ly right that they should both be ready
to meet it. For this reason, she tried
to warn her without exciting the sus-
picion of the two men.
Lucy" she began. quietly, "will
you come and help me slice this bread?'
Lucy was somewhat surprised, but
she threw down her sewing, and went
to the assistance Of her friend As
soon as she could, without attracting
attention, she said 10 a low, earnest
tone:
BE on your guard, and beware of
these men +! They mean to murder us "
Lucy uttered quick cry, which must
have reached other ears besides those
for which it was intended, for one of
the men looked at them very sharply"
Hadn't you better cut those slices
a little thicker ?" asked Ruth, loud e.
uough for them all to hear, for she
wished to reassure the men, if possible.