The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-06-29


be boiling. 1t won't do any good to sit
there crying. I'll take care of the pud-
ding. I'm going up stairs to put mother
to bed. If you want anything, speak to
me, and don't unlock door for your
life. Mollie, will you just see that the
lower windows are fastened p
After thorough examination of the
aforesaid easements, Miss Abigail came
back and took her invalid mother in
charge, with final caution to Bridget
to let her know if she saw any one
coming" Mollie, somewhat treasured
by the existing quiet, went up to her
own room and tried to forget the present
in the latest of Mrs. Southworth's
novels.
Meanwhile it would be impossible to de-
scribe the condition of Bridget's mind,
thus left alone in the kitchen. Being
firmly impressed with the conviction
that unknown perils beset her, at first
she dared not move from her chair. The
cackling of the sociable fowls outside
the door and each fresh gust of autumn
wind caused her new terror. Finally,
after long waiting, she gained courage
to cross the room and light the fire,
moving about on tiptoe, with terrified
glances behind her. If Miss Abigail
had known that it was quarter past
eleven before the cabbage was put over
the fire, she would certainly have
scolded; but fortunately she had enough
to doup stairs. Bridget at last took heart
of grace, and selling the wash-basin,
started for the cellar, and the potatoes
which were in its farther corner Bridget
never entered this cellar, which was ex-
cessively dark and irregular, without
crossing herself. Now the prospect was
especially terrible, and with muttered
PRAYER to the Virgin, she went down the
stairs with occasional haltings, and hav-
ing filled the basins with almost miracu-
lous speed, scurried back again. But
to-day the kitchen had almost as many
terrors for her as the cellar, and half
way up the stairs she was startled by
violent gust of wind and an ominous
sound above.
"Begorra, now" muttered Bridget to
the potatoes, as she stopped in despera-
ton, {" the ould craythur himselfs in
the housed"
Another wild blast of wind that shook
windows and doors. Bridget had reached
the top of the stairs. She had closed
the door leading into the wash-room half
an hour ago. From behind this door
sounded rumble which seemed caused
by the sliding of some heavy body, fol-
lowed by violent clatter; then came
heavy shock against it, which seemed to
Bridgets excited senses like the thunders
of the Judgment-day. The door burst
open, and never doubling that robbers
and murderers were behind it, Bridget
dropped the potatoes with shrek that
rang through the house, and rushing
back to the cellar, pushed the door to-
gether, and held it with the strength of
desperation.
Mollie, in the chamber above, reused
from her book by this startling Interrupt
ton, sprang into the center of the room,
and listened moment, with face as
white as her dress. There was final crash
below, and without the least idea what
she was doing, Mollie started for the
kitchen in such haste that she fell down
the last five of the back stairs, and burst
ing open the door at the foot, rolled into
the lower room, where she picked her
self up, too much excited to think of
her bruises. Potatoes were scattered over
the floor in every direction. The kitchen
door was open, the wash-room door was
open, and the beam lay on the floor.
From behind the cellar door came half
smothered moan. Moilie had scarcely
time to realize these facts before Miss
Abigail arrived on the scene, breathless
with excitement.
"Oh, auntP' gasped Mollie, Mortified
at the sound of another grean behind
the cellar door, some ones down Gel
lar, and Bridget's there! l do believe
she is half murdered. 'Sh! | must
have frightened 'em, tumbling down
stairs"
How many of 'em are there ?"
queried Miss Abigail, in hoarse whis-
per, glancing around for some weapon of
defense.
81 don't know. guess there are two."
Miss Abigail waited for no more, but,
nerved by the thought of Bridget in the
hands of murderers, seized the kettle of
boiling water from the stove, and rush
ing to the cellar door, which opened
from the kitchen, threw herself against
it. She soon found that the door was
held on the other side, and that it would
require her utmost efforts open it.
Come and take this!" she said to
Mollie, holding out the kettle.
There was a trial of strength. Miss
AbigaiPs muscular energy was not despi-
cable, but Bridget was desperate, and
would have died before the door should
have been opened. The spinster was
forced to give up the contest, and stood
back, baffied and exasperated. A bright
idea, however, presently darted through
her mind; and singing to Mollie to fol-
low her, she ran into the wood shed.
Mollie, leaving the kettle in the first
handy place, which happened to be the
lowest step on the back stairs. obeyed :;
but Miss Abigail was already on the way
back with the clothes-line in her hand.
If we can't get in" she explained,
in nervous whisper, " they sha'n't get
out at any rate! l don't see as we can
help Bridget any, but we can keep 'em
down there till Jonathan gets back.
There's only one window, and that's
barred and too small for a man to crawl
through.
Miss Abigail proceeded hastily to tie
slip-knot around the old-fashiOn
handle of the latch on the cellar
door, which she drew tight; then, cross
ing the kitchen, she passed the other end
of the line around the pump, and max
ing it taut with considerable exer-
ton, wound it around again and again,
and finally tied it in an unskillful but
viciously twitched knot. Mollie, who in
spita of hor oonoarp for P-;lrox III