Daily globe., 1878-06-23
satisfaction was disturbed bv 4 sharn ex

satisfaction was disturbed by sharp ex
clamation behind her. Grandma Rich
/ ton, alarmed at the noise, had crep
feebly down the back stairs to g fine
Abigail" !" had, of course. fallen over til,
I kettle of boiling water, amidst rivulets O
Whlcbshe was feebly struggling.
There! now she's killed herself!
| CALCULATED Miss Abigail. diving under th
rope to the rescue, while Mollie looked
on in horror.
Grandma Richton was lifted and laic
on couch in the corner, and while Mis-
Abigail, oblivious Of everything, for The
moment, was ascertainlng the extent o
her injuries, Mollie commenced ner
vous promenade about the room. It wa.
in the midst of this promenade that sht
happened to glance out Of the west win
dow, and saw, to her utter horror, the
figures of two strange men coming
across lots'' toward the house. There
are no words in the English language
strong enough to express Mollie's feel
1ngs at this Juncture- She just clutched
feebly at Miss Abigail's dress, as the lat
ter hurried past her IN search Of rene.
dies for scalds.
"Aunt! aunt! there are two more Of
them! See'
Miss Abigail looked out at the window,
then back at her mother, and stood stock
still in genuine despair; then, inspired
with momentary strength by the sight Of
the open wash-room door, which they
had not thought Of shutting, she hasten
ed to close it, and hoist the beam again.
"That's no good" she said hurriedly.
Here, Mollie, come and help me move
this secretary against the door. Mercy
on us, child, don't stop to be frightened
now y she added, as Mollie appoachei 4,
shaking in every limb with terror. "Now
close these inner blinds, so they can't
look in, and shut the sitting-room door. .
A fresh g1oan from the cellar, elected
| by Grandma Richton's moans, which
caused Bridget to suppose that the whole
household was being murdered, did not
add to Mollie's comfort. Miss Abigail,
having poured liniment hastily over
Grandma Richton's scalds, hurried up
stairs to watch the movements Of the ap-
preaching enemies. She and Mollie,
crouched behind the yellow curtain at
Uncle Prices chamber window pecred
forth. The men had reached the back
garden wall, over which they were leis-
urely climbing. They were ,rough:look-
ing, and evidently bent on depreciation,
for they occasionally paused to help them
selves to 'Wlndfalls," and once shook a
pear tree and filled their pockets with the
fruit with the cuolness that caused Mss
Abigail silently to take down the gun
and hold it at arms length as she brought
it to the widow.
''Oh, Aunt Abigail, take care! TIN 90
Off" exclaimed Mollie.
Il mean it shall, ii they do much
more," rejoined the spinster, turning the
gun around with gingerly care. "You'd
better get out of the way, Mollie. l
might hit you, just as like, or the thing
might explode. It hasn't been used for
years."
You ought to keep hold of something
when you fire it, suggested Molhe, from
the other side of the bed. ut will kick
and throw you down. Guns always do.''
'They're trying the back-door," an
nounced Miss Abigail, in an excited whis
per. "They only knocked once. I won
der if those robbers in the cellar belong
to the same set They're shaken the door,
the villains!
Two or three loud knocks sounded
through the house, and then the men tried
the nearest window; finding that fast, an
other and yet another, while Miss Abigail
watched them from above with fast-proy-
ing anger; they then took leisnrely sur
vey OF the house, evidently undecided
what to do next.
81 wish could hear what they're. say
ing, said the spins er, vexedly. II heard
all gone to church. That one in the red
shirt said it. expect they'll get batter
ingram next. III keep still as long as l
can.'
Instead OF proceeding to any extreme
howeyer,t the men calmly lighted
q couple of pipes, during which operation
they more than once laughed uproarious-
". They afterward made circuit of the
house, tried every window, including
those in the sheds, and shook the doors |
meanwhile Miss Abigail and
Mollie followed their course through the
chambers the former carrying the gun. |
Having come back to their original start
ng point, they held another consultation,
after which, to the amazement of the
watchers, they went off to the barn.
It'd like to know what that's for ~
calculated Miss Abigail, at her wits end.
They'll steal that other horse, or else
they'll get something and break window
up here; aud there's no knowing what
those men down cellar are about.''
All was quiet for time, the stiffness
being only broken by the groans Of
Grandma Richton. The intruders were
Nowhere to be seen. Finally, Mollie, re-
;onnoitering from ap attic window, dis
covered that they had entered the corn
barn by means of rear window, had
opened the door, and were sitting upon
swo barrels smoking.
j "Mercy on us" exclaimed Miss Abb
gail, glancing at the clock, ana then sink
ing into chair. "Here it's ten minutes
If twelve o'clock and Jonathan and
Marthy coming home, without thought
# what's happened. Jonathan III drive
light round that corn barn as sure as
fate, and into the barn. Thev'll be there
aging in wait for him. They're setting
Just where they can see the whole length
IF the road, and they mean to do the sly.
CheV,ll murder him and SO nff With tho