Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1878-06-27

time to realize these facts before Miss
Abigail arrived on the scene, breathless
with excitement: - ."'' :: 81 - Il tS's'@'
''"oh, arnt!" gasped Mollie, horrifed
at the sound Of another groan behind the
cellar; door, "sonle ones down cellar, and
Bridget's therel LIDO believe she's half
murdered. 'Sh! must have; frightened
'em ,tumbling down stairs, =,
"How many Of 'em ire there?" querled
Miss Abigail. in a hoarse whisper, g1anc-
ing around for some weapon If defense.
Z. ~ don't know. Il guess there are two. "
Miss Abigail waited for no more, but,
nerved by the thought of'Bridget: in the
hands .cf murdelers, seized the kettle of
boiling water from the stove, and 1ushing
to the cellar door. which opened from tile
kitchen, threw herself against. it. She
soon found that the door was held on the
other side, and that it would require her
utmost 'effortssto open it. =. ...
: 5"Comes and take ti1isl'' she eaid to
Mollie, holding out the kettle. q, ,t >..,.
There was]a trial, of. strength. Miss
Abig all 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 Is give UP tie contest, and stood
back, baf1ed 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 P.aee
which happeCed to bc the lowest step OF
the back stairs, 6beyed Il but Miss Abigail
was already on the way back with the
clothes-line in her hand. .s:.. :. II
=:";1f we can't get mr. she explained, in
a aneavons whisper, :. "they sba'n Mt get out
at any rate! Il don't see as we. can help
Bridget any, but we can keep 'em down
there till Jonathan gets back. There $
Only one window, and that's barred and
too small for a man to crawl Through.
~ Miss Abigail proceeaea: hastilya to tie
a 's1ip:knoto around the :oldtfashioned
~hsndle" os theilatch, OF ythe cellar door,
whichsh drew tight; then, crossing the
kitchen, she4passed the other end OF, the
line around: the pump, and making il
"tau(" with considerable exertion, wound
it around again and again, and. finally
tied it in an unskillful but viciolsly
twitched knot: Mollie;;who in spite Of
her :copcern for Bridget; ;shad been in ter
ror lest the outlaws should suddenly
burst out upon them, drew, q long breath
of relief when this was done; but bel
satisfaction was disturbed BIZ & Sharp ex.
clamationI = Behind her. i'Grandma, Rich.
ton, alarmed at the noise, Il had crept
feebly down the back stairs to Z" find
Abigail u had, of course. fallen over, tbe
kettle, Of boiling water, amidst riyNlets OF
lYhiebsAe was feebly struggling. =, .,u
Il" There! >, now she's killed herselfr
calculated Miss; Abigail. diving under the
rope to the rescue, while: Mollie looked
on in horror. ''>' ''1' - -
l. sGtran1dnfa Richton was lifted MID laid
on couch III the corner, ard while Miss
Abigail, oblivious Of everything, for the
moment, was ascertainlng the: extent o1
her injuries, Mollie, commenced 2 ;ner'
-vous promenade about the. room. .1t:was
in the midst Of this, promenade, that she
happened to glance out of: the west win.
dow, and saw to her litter horror, the
'fShfes' 6f two strange men coming
p" across lots' toward the house: There
are" n6' words in the English aapguage
strong enough to- express Nollie'ss feel.
langsaat.thls juncture. She just clutehed
feebly at Miss Abigail,s dress, as the lat
ter 1r hurried Pest her IN search Of RENE
'"AuHt r aunt! there atB two mere o1
them! Beep'y'" a"os&s, hoos ss.;,, =
y'Miss Abigail looked d'out at the window
then Datkdat her mother, and stood hstoek.
stillsin' genuine despair; them inspired
with !momeutary strength by the sight ot
the open wash-room door, which, they
had not thought Of shutting, she hasten.
| ed to close it, and Hoist tie beam again
.a'a rhats ,hh9o' good, % she said hurriedfy
aHergs Mdnie; come and7heipa me move
this Secretary against the door MERCY
'oniuS child don't stop toabe ifsiRhtenod
|snbsR!a ddsd. .sas, aMolliei ,apposclel,
,shalaingaiuoeVeEy limb N5ith teuqE, 81 10y
close these inner blinds, 80 they. can't
look in, and shut the sitting.foom door. y
ssEA fresh g1tan from thescdllarp elected
BY ea1&ndnlassi Rishteas sa.nADsnsW which
oaanedf fBlidgetAo supnose, that theoWha|e
household was haing murdered, did bnQt
add taM M9VRA aeQpfpAEt. ii Miss Abigail,
eeyipA, lYssl pQBEs A9lPsAh Rasti|X oyS1 ;I
stairs Is Watch the movements no 0f the III
preaching enemies. She aid M0lli6,
tfvachedi behind ~ 5ellow,A cnFtnin at
Vneh R3ceisy chamhan Window. peerAd
forth. The men had reached the. back
gASlep nal, oyer which they we're lois
nlIa1 elIRb SEC. Il 8 Is 81 ;asgk. AZ