Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1880-09-08

from that dangerous position, or her
own death if 1t were inevitable
"Neyer said she to herself, "never
shall ! leave my masters house prey
to such villains, or permit his property
to be carried Of prey to such vii
lains, or permit bis property TO DO
carried of before my eyes by them,
while ] have life and strength to de-
fcnd It,"
She had barely time TO secure her
self within, when the ruflian without,
holding the hapless child In one hand,
and long sharp knife In the other,
assailed the door with kicks and ours
es, aud imprecations Of the most
dreadful character.
"Confound thee" he cried, applying
the foulest cpithcts Of which the free
speaking Tcutonlc language are 50
copious; "open tho door, or Ill break
it on ye.'
"If you can, you may" was all the
noble girl replied. "God is greater
than you, and in him | put my trust. "
"Cut the brat's tbroat!" roared the
prisoned raflian above that will bring
her to reason."
Slout.heared as poor Haunchen
was, she quailed at ,hir cruel sugges-
ton. For moment her resolution
wavercd but it was only for mo
ment. She saw that her own death
was certain # she admitted the assail-
ant, and she knew that her master
would be robbed. She had no reason
TO hope that even the life OF the in.
FAINT would be spared by her compli-
auce. 1t was to risk all against Moth.
ing. Like q discreet girl she conse-
quently held fast in her resolve to
abide as she was while life remained,
or until assistance should reach her.
can ye open not the door, shouted
the villain from without, accompany
ing his words with the vilest abuse,
and the fercest impreca,ions. III
hack this whelp's limbs to pieces with
my knife, and then burn the mill over
your head. Twill be merry blaze ]
trow."
81 put my trust in God" replied
the dauntless girl; "never shall ye set
foot within these walls whilst | have
life to prevent ye."
The ruffian laid the infant for a mo-
mpnt on the sward as be sought about
for combustibles wherewith to execute
his latter threat. In this search he
espied, perhaps, the only possible
clandestlne entrance to the building.
1t was a large aperature in the wall,
communicating with the great wheel
and the other machinery Of the mill,
and was a point entirely unprotected,
for the reason that the simple occu-
pants had never supposed it feasible
for any one to seek admission through
such dangerous inlet. Elated with
this discovery, the ruffian returned to
the infant, and, tying tie hands and
feet OF the little innocent, threw it on
the ground even as butcher will
fling lamb destined for the slaughter,
to await his time for staying. He
then stole back to the aperature, by
which he hoped to effect an entrance.
All this was unseen by the dauntless
girl within.
In the meanwhile her mind was
busted with q thousand cogitations.
She clearly perceived that no means
would be left untried to effect an en-
trance, and she knew that on the ex-.
clusion of her foe depended her. own
existence. A thought struck her.
'It is Sunday said she to herself;
"the mill never works on the Sabbath,
suppose set it agoing nowf 1t can
be seen far off, and haply my mas
ter, or some of his neighbors
wondering at the sight, may haste
hither to know the cause. A lucky
thought" she exclaimed, "lis God
that has sent it to me!'
No sooner said than done. Being
all her life accustomed to mill.g it
was but the work of a moment for her
to set the machinery in motion. A
brisk breeze which sprang up, as it
were, by the special interposltion of
Providence, at once set the sails flying.
The arms of the huge engine whlrled
around with fearful rapidity; the
great wheel slowly revolved on its
axle; the smaller gear turned and
croaked and groaned, according as
they came into action, and the mill
was in full operation.
II was that very instant that the
ruffiau Diether had succeeded in squecz-