The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1878-03-01
IR, MD. FRIDAY MORNING, MARCH l, 1878.

was the reply. "They can be disposed o
without noise. You hear how soundly
they sleep"
Our rifles We're already in our hands,
we opened the door wider and fired. On,
dropped instantly, and moved no more
me other staggered and fell, wounded il
The right shoulder. Mark sprang to thu
drawer in which mother kept her clothe.
iine, and bound the latter to heavy oak
table, while | went outside to Grace's bed
room window. | tapped on the glass, but
she was, knew, too much terrified to open
1t. She would, of course, think the men
were breaking in.
| "Grace, Grace unbar the door. There
is no danger now."
| was imprudcnt, know. for there might
| nave been accomplices near who could
| near me. | did not think of it then. She
al my bidding, and came out into the
room. She had not been undressed. She
looked at the men with lnathing, but with
no surprise.
Brave boys!" che said mo, | will
not call You boys but men," She was go
ing on, when she received a glance from
the wounded man that again froze her in
to terror. "Mark, Robert, look He has
united the rope with his teeth !"
AT her words, | raised my rifle to shoot
nm. Mark but his hand on my arm.
mo. no, Robert. His death is not need
ed. lie must be given up to punishment.
Stay will ride over to Conway and bring
the constable" he continued, tying the
rope again firmly. "Grace, you must wake
father, and tell him to come here and guard
this man. Until he comes, you and Rob
ert can watch him." And the brave boy,
selzing his gun, was soon galloping off af
ter the officer.
1t is impossible to describe the emotions
OF my father and mother on coming into
that room and hearing my relation 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 adj
venture. My mother shuddered when she
knew how near we had all been to death
while she was sleeping quietly in her bed
Before we could have reasonably expect
ed him, Mark was back again with the
officers of justice-a magistrate and con-
stable. Before they came, my father had
bound up the mans wound, although he
resisted stoutly; preferring, perhaps, to
die than to be brought to Justice. He con-
tessed that they had watched my father |
from the moment he received the money, |
and had logged him home, keeping q short |
distance behind him. The other man, he |
said, was in favor of an attempt to knock |
him from his horse, but the speed of the |
animal, and the sight of stout rifle carri-
ed by his rider-for he never rode unarm-
ed-prevented him. He confessed that |
their object was to murder the whole fam
lily; that they had seen Grace's look of
aversion and terror, and had determined
to put her out of the way as he expressed
it. 1t seemed that they belonged to a
gang who had committed q great many
crimes, although he declared that this was
The first time that he had joined them for
ibis purpose.
1t was great relefto us all when he was
carried off, and the dead body disposed of;
md | assure you that my father made no
difficulty of acceding to the united persua-
lions of my mother and Grace to remove
o some less lonely abode. Mark and 7
grew up strong, hardy men, and Grace a
ovely and distinguished woman; but to
his day she watches and guards her house,
perfect female Argus, hearing every foot
tep through the night, and keeping her
husbands rifle close to her bedside.