The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-01-03

about the place, and the lifting of the
latch sent chill Of terror to the young
girls heart Through the kitchen, across
the deserted parlor aud up the stairs, she
crept to the room where she had left the
object Of her nocturnal quest. The drawer
OF the old bureau yielded without noise,
and Alice was drawing forth the gar
ment when the voice Of men fell upon
her ears.
She started. dropped her prize, and with
her heart in her throat, crept to the win
dow that overlooked the porch in front
Of the house.
| She could see nothing, for the night was
too dark; but the voices Of men. mingled
with the cnamp;ng OF bits, continued to
salute her ears.
This is old Beauchampe's house"
said one. 1T has been deserted for
several days. The daughter, frightened
by the manner in which We treated the
| father has fed somewhere for protec-
| ton
These words drew every vestige of color
from the listeners face: they told her who
the men below were. though she could
no. see even the outlines Of their persons
One week prior to her visit, her father,
one of the Kings Mountain heroes, was
found dead in palmetto grove. and the
words of Ferguson's Avengers lay on
his breast Then she had deserted her
home, knowing that the hand that had
struck the father would not spare the
daughter
Well might the lone girl trembie when
| she found herself SO near the dreaded
scourges of the country, and she did not
move until she heard the front door open
ell, and heavily booted feet in the room
below.
Then calm thought of her situation
drove fear from her heart. and Alice
Beauchampe prepared to perform one of
| the most daring deeds of the revolution
airy war.
The noise in the house increased. and
oaths and rude jests preceded and fol-
lowed the lighting ola fire on the hearth.
Alice, who had longed for sight of
the dreaded six. crept to spot near the
bureau where. there was a crevicc il the
floor. There applying her eye to the hole
she saw six wiid-looking men directly
beneath her.
They were beyond doubt, the Aven-
gers Of Feryusons death, for several
masks lay on the table, along with three
or four bottles of wine which they had
taken from some patriots cellar. Tall,
rough. devil may care looking fellows
they were armed with pistols, carbines,
and sabers, the kind of men who never
court the smiles OF mercy or listen to
the pleadings OF innocence. Just such
fellows rs they were, Alice had sup
posed them TO be, for she had seen many
of the prisoners taken at Kings Noun
band Of patriots. There were true men in
South Carolina at that time who would
have given their arms for a chance to ex-
terminate the Avengers, and Alice re-
membered where little party Of pat
riots lay, but alas they were not very
near.
We'll rest here and finish that wine ~
said enc of the leaders of the band. whose
face told that already he had imbibed
freely. Bring in the poultry, and on old
Beauchampe's hearth we'll prepare y
feast"
Flows the horses7' asked one of the
Avengers, as the man flung the poultry
on the table.
standing like rocks" was the reply
Such horses rs they don't need watching
and besides there ism a rebel within ten
miles of this accused place"
"Whv there's the Widow Hartzell"
II didn't think of her." was the reply
How bitterly old Hartzell, hated as, but
we caught him ut last
And presented him with breast pin
Ha! ha."
And the laugh went ronnd the room.
Alice Beauchampe did not wait until
the laugh was ended; while yet it filled
the house with its devilish. echoes, she Gid
; ed across the room to q window thai
looked out upon the dark palmetto grove
behind the building.
There was no sash in the window. AZ d
the co winds of the night kissed the pal
lid cheek oil the partisans daughter. Fol-
u moment she tried to pierce the darkness
beneath the window; but failing her en-
deayors, she crept over the sill resolved
to fr1,ss to farlhhe FOR spcces. :. ;.
The nisphcs to the arusioi WAS no.
.verY great, and the daring gid aiightec
l:wiih.ut jniary. :. -. :: 49,.
She. WIS., ..n9y:fise to nt.ks het escs,,.
to the friends she had latcit ieil: I'D; M
mediate flight in that direction wss no
her intention.
Heaven help me- she murmurcd, q
she glided around the old house and ap
preached the horses which the Tories has
left teshered to some trees a few yard.
from the door.
!, A glance into the room revealed th,
forms OF he avengers discussing tn,
merits of the wine with oath and jest. o
watching he resisting of fowls The,
had completely terrorized the country ,ans
under the sway OF their iawlessress il WA
fast becoming desert
, Alice counted them before sic touched
single rein; and then in brief perios
of time she loosened the horses and quiet
{; " led them into smsli copse no, IA
; away The sseeds did not refuse to obey
her guidance. and when she reached tn
copse, she struck them with whiIjwhicl
/ she found beneath the saddle. 1t was
smart blow that she administered. and tn
/ s,eeds started forward and disappeared il
An instant.
. Thus in q few moments Ferguson
| Avengers had been deprived Of shei
horses.
. Flushed with triumph. Alice Beau
Il