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

occasional haltings, 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 halfway 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 des-
peration, 1.-the ould craythur himself
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 into the wash
room half an hour ago. From behind
this door sounded u rumble 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 thunders Of the Judg-
ment-Day. The door burst open, and
never doubling that robbers and muir
derers were behind it, Bridget dropped
the potatoes with shrek that rang
through the house, and rushing back
to the cellar, pushed the door together.
and held it with the strength of desper-
alton.
Mollie, 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 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 direc-
ton. The kitchen door was open, the
Mushroom door was open, and the
beam lay on the floor. From behind
the cellar door came half smothered
moan. Mollie had scarce time to re-
alize these facts before Miss Abigail
arrived on the scene, breathless with
excitement.
"Oh, aunt!'' gasped Mollie, Mortified
at the sound of another groan behind
the cellar door, "some ones down
cellar, and Bridget's there! I do be-
lieve she's half murdered. 'Sh! must
have frightened 'em tumbling down.
stairs.''
elbow many of 'em are there?''
queried Miss Abigail, in a hoarse whis-
per, glancing around for some weapon
of defense.
81 don't know. l 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
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 itwould
require her utmost efforts to open it.
"Come and take this!'' she said to
Mollie, holding out the kettle.
There was trial of strength. Miss
Abigairs muscular energy was not des-
picable, 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, baffled and exasperated. A
bright idea, however, presently darted
through her mind; and signing to
Mollie to follow her, she ran into the
woodshed. Mollie, leaving the kettle
in the first handy place, which hap
pened 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 i,a," she explained,
in a 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's only one window, and that 8
barred and too small for a man to crawl
through.
Miss Abigail proceeded hastily to tie
a slip-knot around the Old-fashioned
"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
making it "taut'' with considerable
exertion, wound it around again and
again, and finally tied it in an unskill-
full but viciously twitched knot. Mollie,
who in spite of her concern for Bridget,
had been in terror lest the outlaws
should suddenly burst out upon them,
drew q long breath of relief when this
was done; but her satisfaction was dis
turbed by sharp exclamation behind
her. Grandma RichtOn, alarmed at
the noise, had crept feebly down the
back stairs to find Abigail" and had,
of course, fallen over the kettle of boil
~ryatn,e ovrnsAoA 1<,kn 81 .
was feebly struggling.
There! now she's killed herselfr'
calculated Miss Abigail, diving under
the rope to the rescue, while Mollie
looked on in horror.
Grandma Richton was lifted and laid
on couch in the corner, and while
Miss Abigail, oblivious of everything
else. for the moment, was ascertaining
the extent of her injuries, Mollie COM
menced q nervous promenade about the
room. 1t was in the midst of this
promenade that she happened to glance
out of the west window, and saw, to
her utter horror, the figures of two
strange men coming "across lots'' to.
ward the house. There are no words
in the English language strong enough
to express M0llie's feelings at this juno.
ture. She just clutched feebly at Miss
Abigairs dress, as the latter hurried
past her In search Ofremedies for scalds
Aunt! aunt! there are two more o1
them! Seer
Miss Abigail looked out the window,
then back at her mother, and stool
stock-still in genuine despair; then, in.
spired with momentary strength by the
sight of the open wash-room door
which they had not thought of shutting
she fastened to close it, and hoisted tht
beam again.
That's no good" she said hurried
". Mere, Mollie, come and help ms
move this secretary against the door
Mercy on us. child, don't stop to bs
frightened now!'' she added, rs Molli.
approached, shaking in every limb with
terror. "Now close those inner blinds
80 they can't look in, aud shut the sit
ting-room door, e