The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-06-27

A fresh groan from the cellar, elected
by Grandma Richton's means, which
caused Bridget to suppose that the
whole household was being murdered.
did not add to Mollie's comfort. Miss
Abigail, having poured liniment hastily
over Grandma Richton's scalds, hurried
up stairs to watch tho movements of
the approaching enemies. She and
Mollie, crouched behind the yellow cur
tain at Uncle Prices chamber window,
pecrcd forth. The men had reached
the back garden wall, over which they
were leisurely climbing. They were
rough. looking, and evidently bent ON
depreciation, for they occasionally
paused to help themselves to "wind-
FALLS" and once shook pear-tree and
filled their pockets with the fruit with
q GOODNESS that caused Miss Abigail
silently to take down the gun and hold
it at arms-length as she brought it to
the window.
"Oh, Aunt Abigail, take care! It'll
go OFF, exclaimed Mollie.
II mean it shall, if they do much
MORE" rejoincd the spinster, turning
the gun around with gingerly care.
''You'd better get out of the way, Mol
lie. I might hit you, just as like, or the
thing might explode. 1t hasn't been
used for years"
''You ought to keep hold of some
thing when you fire it, suggested Mol
lie, from the other side of the bed. .It
will kick and throw you down. Guns
always do"
They're trying the back-door," an
nounced Miss Abigail, in an excited
whisper. .'They only knocked once. l
wonder if those robbers in the cellar
belong to the same set. They're shak-
ing the door, the villains!''
Two or three loud knocks sounded
through the house, and then the men
tried the nearest window; finding that
fast, another and yet another, while
Miss Abigail watched them from above
with fast-growing anger; they then
took leisurely survey of the house,
evidently undecided what to do next.
Il wish 1 could hear what they're
saying" said the spinster, vexedly. II
heard 'all gone to church. That one
in the red shirt said it. l expect they'll
get battering-ram next. I'll keep still
as long as 1 CAM
Instead of proceeding to any extreme
measures, however, the men calmly
lighted couple of pipes, during which
operation they more than once laughed
uproariously. They afterward made q
circuit of the house, tried every win
dow. including those in the sheds, and
shook the doors vigorously; meanwhile
Miss Abigail and Mollie followed their
course through the chambers, the for
mer still carrying the gun. Having
come back to their original starting
point, they held another consultation,
after which, to the amazement of the
watchers, they went off to the barn.
'Id like to know what that's fOr!'
calculated Miss Abigail, at her wits
end. They'll steal that other horse,
or else they'll get something and break
a window up here; and there's no
knowing what those men down cellar
are about
All was quiet for time, the stiffness
being only broken by the groans of
Grandma Richton. The intruders were
nowhere to be seen. Finally, Mollie,
accommodating from an attic window,
discovered that they had entered the
corn barn by means of a rear window,
had opened the door, and were sitting
upon two barrels smoking.
"Mercy ON usr' exclaimed Miss Alb
igail, glancing at the clock, and then
sinking into chair. "Here it's ten
minutes of twelve o'clock and Jonathan
and Marthy coming home, without a
thought of what's happened. Jonathan
I'll drive right round that corn barn as
sure as fate, and into the barn. They'll
be there layingin wait for him. They re
setting just where they can see the
whole length of the road, and they
mean to do the sly. They'll murder
him and 60 off with the plumber in our
wagon-that's all!''
Mollie's cheeks grew paler yet.
"But, aunt, you know we can rush
out and warn him when he's at the foot
of the hill; and he'll have Uncle Nath-
ans pistols.''
"Not he! l never knew Jonathan
Price to doa thing the day he said he
was going to; and he's an old man no
match for those two wretches. They
just mean to kill him and then have
their own way. There, they've shut
the corn barn door. told you so.'
1t did seem mysterious that the two
men should have shut themselves in the
corn barn. Miss Abigail needed no
further evidence of their evil intentions.
''Mollie," she said, solemnly. '.there's
only just one thing to do. You must
run across lots and meet Jonathan, and
tell him to bring two or three of the
Clark boys home with him. We've got
these people in the cellar to dispose of.
Tell them to hurry, for if Bridget isn't
dead already, she's pretty near that.
I'd 60 myself, but l can't leave you
here alone. I'll let you out the front.
door, and you can kind of creep along
behind the walls.''
"But what if they should chase mer'
gasped Mollie.
"They won't see you. They've shut
the door, and you needn't run across
the open fields.''
"But, aunt, shall have to 90 out
front, and those men in the cellar will
be sure to see me. They must be watch
ing. If they should, they might fire a,
me-"
Miss Abigail was only posed for 8
moment.
SWELL, I'll tell you. Put on pal,
of JOnathan's pantaloons and his gra,
coat. Tuck your hair up under his big
straw hat, and, if they see you, they'll
think it's one of their accompllces
Hurry, now, it is almost twelve"
1t was of no use to demonstrate. Mol
lie was hurried upstairs, not knowing
whether to laugh or cry, and too mucF
frightened to do either, and was put in
to the aforementioned garments
then, without a moments delay, sh,
was pushed down to the front door.
"Hurry, nowr' said Miss Abigail
"Pll have that gun up al the from
window, and if one of 'em chases YOU
Ill fire at him."
"Don'tr' cried MOllie. horror-strick
en- at the prospect. "You'd hit me in
stead. l won't 60 unless you"
"Well, well. run along!' and tn
front door was cautiously opened ant
as cautiously closed, and Mollie ran un