The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-06-19
TRI-W EEKLY EDITION.

of whom she had unconsciously grown so
fond, was unworthy of tender thought.
| That was one side of the little, every
| day life story at the cottage: and now let
us take Il peep at the other Her master
and mistress had been gone an hour, and
Dora was chopping away at the meat, sing
| ing some r0rndclay as she worked, when
cracking OH the floor, and turning her
head, she started to behold two very tall,
and gruff looking men in the room.
"Who arc you2" demanded Dorah, with
frightened valor, "and what do you want 2"
"Dont worry yourself, my lass, )" said
the taller OF the twain, grutliy, "and don't
make any noise, if you don't want your
neck twisted around like chickens"
While the other, busying himself in re-
connotcring the cupbonrtls and the shelves,
turned suddenly around with Il valley of
Oaths
"Nothng but tin and pewter he
snurlcd "rrIl us, where is the silver.
girl2"
"Wc have no silver" said Dora, faltcr-
ing. "Wlat should poor people like us do
with silver2"
"Thc money, thcn9 know there is mo-
ney, for | saw him come out of the bank
yesterday with Il wallet full.-Quick, we
haven't any time to lose"
"l's-it's up stairs, scwed in the bottom
OF the feather bed, in the spare room,' he
STATED DOnh-but you won't hurt mc?"
"What should we hurt you for?" scorn-
fully demanded the rufllan. "Go up stairs
Jack, and see, while stay here to keep this
girl from raising the neighborhood.
81 shall not scream, said Dora, clcvat-
ing her head contcmptuonsly. Who is
there to hear me, if did2 We urc far
from any house."
"rhat true enough" said the man called
Jack. Give us your knife, Casey, and
we'll stir mp the life goose feathers to some
purpose The gal won't trouble u.s."
But the heavy footsteps of the men had
hardly sounded at the head of the stairs
when Dorah's languid assumption of indif-
ference vanished. Like Il winged spirit she
ilew across the room, and noisecssly prying
up the loose boards with knife, caught
up the Japanncd box and the stocking, and
hiding them in her apron, jumped from the
low window to avoid the noise of the rusty
door hings, and struck into the woods at
the back of the house.
No hare ever darted more swiftly through
the tangled forest than did Doral Klein,
until at last safe in the deepest rcccsscs,
where no one who was not nimblc as deer
"iiH oiCittcl us lCiSctl, COulu loiO", ana
then, crouching down among the under
growth, she watched and waited AS night
approached, and friendly dusk crept over
hill and dale, she vcntured by degrees to
approach the side of the woods, where the
north star bcamcd overhead, rcassuring her
of her whereabouts. And when at last the
hoarse voices of the two men, hurrying
down secluded by road struck momcntary
terror to her heart, the aftcrthought follow
ed with blessed relief-thc certainty that
they were'gone and she was safe. =.
Mr.. Myers and Jane were seated by the
fire that they had just rekindled, neither Of
them with any heart about the preparations
of the frugal evening meal, when the door
cracked on its hinges, and something glidcd
in pale and silent
The next moment the japanncd box and
stocking lay i'll Mrs. Myers lap, and Dora
Klein was sobbing on her shoulder
"Why Dora,' exclaimed the farmer,
wnat does this mean?"
And Dora told her story, incohercntly
and full Of sobhng pauses, and when it was
concluded Mrs. Myers threw her arms
around the girls neck and kissing her again
and again.
"Jamcs, James," she cried, almost hys-
tcrically, ''you will never mistrust Dora
Klcinagain.
And James Myers, wiping, stray dew
drop or SO from his eyes, confessed that lit
tic Dora Klein had been as true heroine as
Joan of Arc herself.