The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-10-16

4
/ don't exactly like that arrangement, either"
she added, eyeiDg the uneven base of the
beam with unfriendly eyes, while Mollie
stood sympathizingIy in the door of the
| kitchen.
"Well," continued Miss Abigail, after
| final crowding in of the beam, II suppose
| that must answer. Now, Bridget, we want
| dinner at 1915. Get you fire made and let
| the cabbage 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 a door for your life. Mollie,
will you just see that the lower windows are
| fastened?"
/ After a thorough examination of the afore-
/ said easements Miss Abigail came back and
| took her invalid mother in charge, with
| final caution to Bridget to 'let her know If
| there was any one coming" Mollie, some
| what reassnred by the existing quiet, went
| up to her own room and tried to forget the
/ present in one 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 I'M
pressed 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
1 autumn wind caused her new terror. Finally,
after long waiting, she gained courage to cross
the room and hight the fire, moving about on
tiptoe, with terrified glance behind her. Ii
| Miss Abigail had known that it was a Quarter
past IL o'clock before the cabbage was put
over the fire she certainly would have scold-
| ed but fortunately 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 the
| further corner. Bridget never entered this
cellar, which was exceedingly dark and IT.
| regular without crossing herself. Now the
| prospect was especially terrible, and, with
muttered prayer to the Virgin, she went
| down the stairs with continual haltings, and
having filled the basin 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 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 desperation, "the
old craythur hlmself's in the house!
| Another wild blast of wind that shook
| windows and doors. Bridget had reached
the top of the stairs. She had closed the
door leading TO the wash room half an hour
ago. From behind this door sounded a rum
BILE which seemed caused by the sliding OF
some heavy body, followed by violent clat-
ter; then came a heavy shock against it,
which seemed to Bridget's excited senses
like the thunder OF the judgment day. The
door burst open, and never doubling that
there were robbers and murderers behind it,
| Bridget dropped the potatoes with a shrek
that rang through the house, and, rushing
back TO the cellar, pushed the door together
and held it with the strength Of despera
| ton.
Mollie, in the chamber above, reused from
her book by this startling interruption, ,sprang
into the center of the room and listened a
| moment, with q face ss white as her dress.
There was final crash below, and, without
the least idea of 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 10 think OF her
bruises. Potatoes were scattered over the
floor in every direction. The kitchen door
was open, and the beam on the floor.
From behind the cellar door came half
smothered moan. Mollie had hardly time
to realize these facts before Miss Abigail
arrived on the scene, with breathless excite
ment.
80 auntr' gasped Mollie, horrifed at the
sound OF another groan behind the door,
''some ones down cellar and Bridget's therei
| / do believe she's half murdered. 'Sh! L
must have frightened 'em when tumbled
down stairs"
"How many of them are there?" queried
Miss Abigail in a coarse whisper, glancing
around for some weapon of defense.
''I 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 kettle of boil
| ing water from the stove and rushed to the
cellar door, which opened from the kitchen,
throwing herself against it. She found that
| the door was held on the other side, and
that it would require her utmost efforts to
open 1t.
Come and take this" she said to Mollle,
holding out the kettle.
There was trial of strength. Miss Abb
gals muscular energy is not despicable, but
Bridget was desperate and would have died
before the door should have been opened.
The spinster was forced to give up the con.
test and stood back baffled and exasperated.
A bright idea, however, presently darted
through her mind, and, signing to MoIlie to
follow, she ran into the woodshed. Mollie,
leaving the kettle in the first handy place,
which happened to be the lowest step of the
! back stairs, obeyed; but Miss Abigail was al
ready on the way back with the clothes line
in her hand.
'If we can't get in" she explained in a
nervous whisper, "they shan't get out, at
any rate. l don't see ss we can help Bridget
any, but we can keep 'em Ldown there till
Jonathan gets back. There's only one win
dow and that is 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 of the cellar door, which she drew
|, | tlSut. Iueu, CIOocluS Tic hltCucu, sue pdostu
the other end OF the line around the pump,
: and making 1t "taun with considerable ex-
ertion, wound it arou nd again and again. and
, finally tied it in an un>killful but viciously
twisted knot. Mollie, who, in spite of her
concern for Bridget, had been in terror lest
the outlaws should certainly burst in upon
: them, drew long breath of relief when this
was done; but her satisfaction was disturbed
: by sharp exclamation behind her. Grand
MA Richten, alarmed at the noise, had crepi
feebly down the back stairs to find Abigail, y
and had of course, fallen over the kettle OF
. boiling water, amidst riyulets OF which she
: was feebly struggling.
There, now, she's killed herseifl'' ejscu.
t lated Miss Abigail, diving under the rope
to the rescue, while Mollle looked on in hor-
ror.
} Grandma Richton was lifted and laid on a
> couch in a corner, and while Miss Abigail,
4 obliyious of everything else for the moment