Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-02-13

The individual addressed answered by q
scornful laugh. But any farther reply, if in
deed, farther reply was vouchsafed, was lost
to Mildred's ears, for speedily reaching the
front door of the lonely and forlorn looking
abode, whose aspect, now dimly discernible in
the gradually increasing light, thrilled her
with fear, they entered and found themselves
sheltered from the storm, if from no other
and greater perils. =
my good, kind man" recommended poor
Clarissa, whose teeth were chattering with
cold and fright, "if you'll only have pity and
rescue US, you shall be handsomely ly rewarded.
You shall, indeed. That man out there is q
brute-a fend-a devil. Yes, he is, indeed.
And if you'll get US out Of his power, tell
you you will never repent it. Speak to him,
Mildred, my dear-tell him I'm speaking the
truth" ..-.s,...s --... .......
Mildred, by sudden impulse, resolved to
stake her chances of deliverance on one bold
venture
"Did you ever hear of Mildred Rathbone,
the girl who was stolen away from her guar
dams house in San Francisco, California,
eighteen months ago? ?" she hurriedly asked,
lowering her voice as if dreading that Joshua
might overhear.
mildred Rathbone," he slowly echoed,
looking half incredulously at her. n think
I'm not sure--I recall the name. But she is
dead. I've read about the case you mean,
though I amt so certain of the name"
"I am she! swear that am" said Mil
dred, who was now trembling SO from excite
ment that she could scarcely stand. "save
me, and restore me to my friends, and I can
safely promise you a handsome reward"
Whatever reply the man might have offer
ed, was interrupted, or rather forestalled, by
3 shout from his companion without. "Bob!
Bob! amt you going to come back to help
mel" With some muttered words, the rob-
Der hastily made his exit, banging the house
door after him; and the two women were left
alone.
"suppose we creep out the back way and
hide ?" suggested Clarissa, feebly.
"No-no Where could we hide, that they
would not find us?" rejoined Mildred impa-
tiently, for suggestion so childish angered
her, in that moment of excitement and dam
ger; but almost directly repentipg Of her
hasty tone, she spoke gently to the poor lit
tie trembling woman, and tried to utter some
hopeful words.
"And my box Oh! Mildred, my dear,
my box!" cried Clarissa, wringing her hands.
"They might break it open-might destroy
those papers .... ~.
"The papers ?" echoed Mildred. "Have
you them with you? Then there is a chance
we can prove to them"
ayes, yes; I'll run back and get them.
May I? shall I? hadn't I better, my dear p
"No, no-better keep STILL" said Mildred,
OBTAINING her. "We can do no good by 60.
ing back. I don't think they will hurt your
box" .,,..... ..-...
An interval of silence ensued. Peeping
through broken shutter, Mildred could see
that the carriage was being searched by IL .
two robbers, while Joshua, with pinioned
arms, sat on fallen tree close by, and looked
moodily on.
"By -! I believe we've been duped after
ALL" she heard the rough robber say, in a
loud, angry tone. It's the wrong party,
Bob"
The pair retired 10 little distance and
conversed inaudibly. The moments seemed
like hours to the expectant girl, who would
have given anything to be able to listen to
the colloquy, on the result of which her fate
probably hung. Never, since her imprison-
ment, had she passed moments Of keener anx-
iety and dread. .
Joshua will catch his death out there in the
rain" murmured Clarissa, in more placid
tone than she had yet spoken in. The remark
and the manner of its utterance, reused in
Mildred's mind, in the midst of her distress,
a feeling of amusement, and she broke into a
hysterical laugh, which was very near being
followed by an outbreak Of nervous tears.
"Oh! my dear, how can you" began Cla-
rissa, reproachfully. But she was interrupted
by an unexpected and startling sound. A
signal whistle, distant but clear, rang through
the woods, and was Immediately responded to
by another, loud and sbrill, from the two
robbers close at hand. At the same moment,
these last started up, and rushed of. One,
however, turned back directly, hurried Josh
ua into the carriage, secured the door, and
then disappeared in pursuit Of bis comrade.
"Thank God, they didn't fetch him in
here!" exclaimed Clarissa. "What do you
suppose can be the matter" ...... ...
1T is some Of their confederates coming to
join them, I suppose" said Mildred. eve
have fallen in with band of robbers"
"Mercy! What will become of us |" cried
Clarissa. "Hark was that shot? Oh
listen, listen, Mildred They are firing pis-
tolls again!'
Several successive reports, rapidly following
each other, gave notice that a conflict Of some
kind was going on. Yells and cries were also
family heard in the distance Then these
mingled sounds ceased, and all was still.
With a wildly beating heart, tightly clasped
hands, and lips from which every trace Of
color had fed, Mildred stood in an agony Of
suspense, too overwrought to speak, or notice
the half incoherent questions and exclama.
tions of her companion. How was all this to
end? Perhaps some worse fate even than
that to which habit had partially reconciled
1 -. ~.:uL4 ho -, ,&oro Tor bor