The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-05-17

III,
from whence came loud shouts of laughter.
Kits coffin was placed near the fire, and
square box which he carried under his head
was open before him. He was distributing,
and at once, his jokes and curcs-for burns,
toothache, ,corns, more serious diseascs-pat-
terms OF chlldrcn's clothes, recipes for pud-
dings, every kind of useful scrap of infor-
nation, In O word, which could be carried
in his head or his box.
II stood listening to him, aud, boy as |
was, noticed the remarkable tact and home
ly Kindness which he showed under all his
fun. lie turned his bright, sh:ewd eyes on
me presently.
You sec, young gentleman, l can't fol-
low profession or trade, 80 have to take
up the odds and ends which nobody else
attends TO, to make myself useful
My uncle told me that Kit had acquired
much skill III the cure Of simple ailments.
and that with his odds and ends he was in
fact one of the most useful men in the coun-
try.
The storm increased, and Kit renamed
all night. lie was carried in front Of the
kitchen fire, the straw of his bed renewed,
and warm covcrlids spread over the cof-
fin.
My own chamber was 0; er the kitchen.
There were cracks in the log flooring through
which I could look down. and through
which too, ruddy flashes of freight came
up cheerfully.
After the house was all quiet. Patsy, the
innocent came into the kitchen, and
throwing down blanket on the warm
hearth; near to Kit, curlcd up on it like a
dog.
The neighborhood of the queerpair made
me restless, suppose for could not sleep.
heard the clock in the hall strike mid
night, and then one o'clock. Then a muf-
fled sound struck my ear, very different
from the noise of the storm 1t was the
drawing back of the heavy bar from the
outer door. .' 2. ~.
Probably Dennis, the shepherd, is going
out to look after his lambs thought, and
turned over to sleep. But the next mom-
ent rose uneasily, and crept to the win
dow. Through the gray storm without l
could see that the road and yard were filled
with dark figures, stealthily surrounding
the house. understood 1t all at a glance.
The year had been one of great suffering
almost of famine-and bands of desper
ate men had attacked several of the farm
houses in that part Of the country, which
they had plundered and then set on fire.
These desperate men were still at large. 1t
was asserted that they were peasants, here.
, tofore decent and honest men. . Whoever
they might be, it was certain that, as soon
as caught, they would swing for it..
Il shook with terror. ! knew that nv
uncle had large sum of money in his
chamber, just received for cattle. and doubt
less these men knew it too. 1 saw that
there was enough of them to overpower the
men in the house, even If they were awake
and armed.
My room was separated by long corri-
dor from my uncle's. Igroped for the door
my teeth chattering with cold, when the
freight flashing up below showed ME
sight which held me notionlcss.
They were already in the house. The
kitchen was full of sturdy fellows, all armed
their frieze coats covered with snow and
their. faces swathed with black cloth.
The Kitchen was separated from the
house by "a long passage. They made no
effort to keep quiet, therefore, but began
to drag out tho provisions, talking loudly,
and in their natural voices. AS yet they
mad not seen Kit Or Patsy. The idiot lay
sound asleep.o on the warm hearth, but Kit
had raised his head, and his keen, pale face
turned quickly from one to another as they
spoke. ....i I.
They'll murder himl' thought, but nv
lips were glued together with terror Kit.
helpless rs dead man, was cool and calm.
BE jabera, said one, we'll hev some.
thin to ate before we 60 for tho ould mans
money! l didn't know how near starved
l was aforc, but the sight of this mate makes
me SICK
You're a..fool, Pat Grady. There's
enough silver in his chest to kape us for a
yearl Howly Mother, what's here2 as
| another flash of freight showed the cof-
| fin. e
I'm here. Michael Crawford, said Kit
quietly. It's you, ls it, that kerries on
this Work2' '..' =. y
'How dare you call me names' clustered
the rutfian, changing his voice, I'm no
Crawford, he added, with q terrible oath.
4 kndw You. And you, Pat Grady. And
you, Robert Flynn. Tn, res not one Of you
couldn't name, and bring to the gallows
TO morrow
/ d'O'Grady sprang at him with smothercd
yell. brandishlng a knife.
'Kit's face turned ghastly pale. Life, ]
suppose, was as dear to the poor fragment
of man rs 1t Is to you OF mo- But his
| eyes never blcnched., ,t..,....,.. ~
T. Yc'd'murdher mo, Patrick Gradya Mef
'rhe knife shook in the murdcrcr's hand
I'D murdlier any informer;, SAID the man,
sullenly. os.
.l'm no informer. I'll never open my
lps, boys, on this nights work, 9fats the
laSt. But. If you touch hair OF the
squire's head, or 60 into this house an inch,
| fll hang every man of ycesl'
'He raised his corpse like head and shook
his skinny hand at them. I've been In
Emany battle, but | never saw such cour-
age as !. was shown by the cripple
in his coffin. The, idiot, Patsy, reused
by thenoise, scrambled to his knees, and
stated terrified about him. e,e .a.
The men stood paralyzed. The super.
] atitinn which tallnht them to nrofant fhnen