Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-08-08

Bridget to slet her know if she saw
any one coming. Mollie, somewhat
treasured by the existing quiet, went
up to her room and tried to forget
the present in the latest of Mrs. South
worth's novels.
! Meanwhile it would be impossible
to describe the condition of Bridget's
mind, thus left alone in the kitchen.
Being firmly impressed with the con.
vlction that unknown perils beset her
at first she dared not move from her
char. 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 chances behind
her. If Miss Abigail had known that
1t was quarter past eleven before
the cabbage was put over the fire,
she would certainly have scolded !;
but unfortunately she had enough to
do up stairs. Bridget at last took
heart of grace, and seizing the wash
basin, started for the cellar, and the
potatoes which were in its farthest
corner. Bridget never entered this
cellar, which was excessively dark
and irregular, without crossing her.
self. Now the prospect was espec-
tally terrible, and with muttered
prayer, she went down the stairs with
occasional hal.ings. and having filled
the basin with almost miraculous
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 met by a
violent gust of wind and an ominous
sound above.
'Begorra now, muttered Bridget
to the potatoes, stopping in desper-
alton, 'ihe ould craythur himself's in
the house II
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
Mushroom half an hour ago. From
behind this door sounded rumble
which seemed caused by the sliding
OF some heavy body, followed by
violent clatter; then came a heavy
shock against it, which seemed to
Bridget's excited senses like the thun-
ders of the Judgment. day. The
door burst open, and never doubling
| that robbers and murderers were be-
hind it, Bridget dropped the potatoes
with shrek that rang through the
house. and rushing back to the cellar,
pushed the door together, ard held it
with the strength of desperation.
Molie,in the chamber above, reused
from her book by this startling inter.
ruption, sprang into the center of the
room, and listened a moment, with a
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 bursting open
the door at the foot, rolled into the
lower room, where she picked herself
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-smothere
moan. Mollie had scarcely time to
realize these facts before Miss Abb.
gail arrived on the scene, breathless
with excitement.
ooh aunt! gasped Mollie, Mortified
at the sound of another groan behind
the cellar door, some ones down cell
lar, and Bridget's there! l do be-
lieve she's half murdered. 'Sh! l
must have frightened 'em tumbling
down stairs
How many of them are there p
queried Miss Abigail, in hoarse
whisper, glancing around for some
weapon of defense.
Il don't know. l guess there are
two
Miss Abigail waited for no more,
but, nerved on by the thought of
Bridget in the hands of murderers,
seized the kettle OF boiling water from
the stove, and rushing 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 to open it.
1 81 inr1p opd fnI-a 4l:c, Il.
Mollie, holding out the kettle.
There was trial of strength. Miss
Ablgails muscular energy was not
despicable, but Bridget was desper-
ate, and would have died before the
door had been opened The spinster
was forced to give up the contest, and
stood back, baf1ed and exasperated.
A bright idea, however, presently
darted through her mind; and sig
mailing to Mollie to follow her, she
ran into the wood.shed. Mollie .leay.
ing the kettle in the first handy place,
which happened to be the lowest step
of 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 is,,' she explained.
in nervous whisper, they sha'n't get
out at any rate / don't see as we
can help Bridget any, but we can
keep 'em down there till Jonathan
gets back. There is only one window,
and that's barred and too small for a
man to crawl through
Miss Abigail proceeded to tie
slip-knot around the old-fashioned
handle of the latch on the cellar
door, which she drew tight, then,
crossing the kitchen, she passed the
other end around the pump, and max
ing it 'taut' with considerable exer-
ton, wound it around again and
again, and finally tied 1t in an unskill-
ful but viciously twitched knot. Mol
lie, who in spite of her concern for
Bridget, had been in terror lest the
outlaws should suddenly burst out
upon them, drew long breath of re-
lief when this was done; but her sat.
isfaetion was disturbed by sharp
exclamation behind her. Grandma