Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1878-03-22

~~"~~~ ~ ~~~t
while the boys sleep, and make sure
work Of the Others"
The oihersi O. Heaven, who were
theys Our beloved father. our dear.
beautiful mother. and the sweet sister,
without whom we could Dotlive-were
they all TO be sacrificed to these horrid
Wreichess
We saw them approach their door
steaItbily. II was barred from within.
Grace had told us she would do il herr
self, as father was 50 careless; and we
had told Der, too, where 10 hide the
money which we knew he would place
in an unlocked drawer. as was his cus-
tom. We kpew her eyes would be a.
sleepless as our own.n
Tbs mes attsssd AAhispssss slssss
when they tired the door. Their n
hes were in their hands, and one pro-
posed, loud enough for Us to hear, 10
60 out and ERE into the window Of the
bedroom. 81. ,ee at
"You are fool" said the other.
Gwen If you could bit him. which there
is not light enough for You to do. you
run the risk Of rousing the boys, and
you saw they had guns as well as we."
ave can kill them first with our
knives was the reply. "They can be
disposed of without noise. You hear
how soundly they Sleep" y
Our rides were already in our hands.
We opened the door wider and fred.
One dropped instantly, and moved no
more. The other staggered and fell,
wounded in the right shoulder. Mark
sprsng to the drawer in which mother
kept her clothes line, and bound the
latter to heavy oak table, while went
outside to Grsce's bedroom window. l
tapped on the glass, but she was.
knew, too much terrified to open it..
She would, of course, think the men
were breaking in.
q" Grace. Gracel unbar the door.
There is no danger now.'
| was imprudent, know, for there
might have been accomplices near who
could hear me. I did not think of it
then. She dld my bidding, and came
out INTO the room. She had not been
undressed. She looked at the men with
loathing, but with no surprise.
Brave boys ~ she said. "No, I
will not call you boys, but men," She
was going on, when she received g
glance from the wounded man that
again froze her into terror. "Mark, Ro-
bert, look He has united the rope
with hls teethl'
At her words. I raised my rife to
shoot him. Mark put bis hand ON my
arm.
"No, no. Robert. His death is not
needed. He must be given up to pun
ishment. Stay; win ride over to Con-
way and bring the constable" be con-
tinued, tying the rope again firmly.
"Grsce, you must wake father, and tell
him to come here and guard this man.
Until he comes, you and Robert can
watch him. And the brave boy. seiz-
ing his gun, was soon galloping of after
the officer.
II is impossible to describe the emo
tions of my father and mother on COM
ing into the room and hearing my rela-
ton of the events Of the night. My
father embraced US tenderly, promising
never to call our courage in question
again-not even Grace 's-for | told him
her share Of the adventure. My moth
er shuddered when she knew how near
we had oil been to death while she was
sleeping quietly in her bed.
Before We could have reasonably ex-
pected him, Mark was back again with
the officers Of iustice-a magistrate and
constable. Before they came, my faith
er had bound up the mans wound, al
though he resisted stoutly; preierring.
perhaps, 20 die than 10 be brought to
Justice. He confessed that they had
watched my father from the moment he
received the money, and bad dogged
him home, keeping short distance be-
hind him. The other man, he said, was
in favor of al attempt to knock him from
his horse, but the speed of the animal,
and the sight Of stout rife carried by
his rider-for he never rode unarmed-
prevented him. He confessed that their
object was to murder the whole family;
they bad seen Grace's look of aversion
and terror, and had determined to put
her lout of the way as be expressed
il. II seemed that they belonged to .
gang who had committed a great many
crimes. although he declared that this
was the first time that he had joined
them for this purpose.
| II was great relief to Us all when he
was carried of, and the dead body dis
posed Of; and assure you that my faith
er made no difficulty Of acceding to the
united persuasions Of my mother and
Grace to remove TO some less lonely
abode. Mark and ! grew up strong,
hardy men, and Grace q lovely and dis
tinguished woman; but to this day she
} watches and guards her house. perfect
female Argus. hearing every iootsieE
. ! fekrw.ss~~k a ska nswt& - k..-