Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-06-19

Start as he saw ner. .ats
"Aladeen, is the gig ready?''
He recovered himself as she spoke, and
went on insolently with his work. u
| ono"
"You will get it readyr'
emo"
| Without moments hesitation she
turned away and walked back firmly in
to the house. She would go up into her
uncle's den--a small smoking room. She
knew it well, and knew that a lady's
revolver was kept over the mantel-pieee.
1t was toy of the colonel's. He bought
it for Mrs. Gray, but that lady had never
touched it, and it had been hung up with
many other weapons IN the smoking
room.
On her way Nellie searched in cup
board in the kitchen and found a candle, u
which she lit, and then quickly and nim-
bly, ran up stairs to the den.
Yes, there the revolver hung; and on it
depended the lives of all of them She
took it down almost tenderly and blessed !
the day-long ago-when her brother
ssported saloon'' and made her practice
with pistol.
The weapon worked perfectly But
where were the cartridges!
Happy inspiration! She remembered
|
and Captain Waring one summer even
at the great lizards on the wall. The
cartridges were in tin box. Was it on
the shelf
l. Her heart sank when she found that
it was not there. What was to be done?
Every second was precious. Suppose the
insurgeant Sepoys grew impatient and
did not wait for the lights to put out?
She ran wildly up into the colonel's room
and searched on the mantel-piece and
dressing table, in the drawers-every-
where; the box was not to be found
At last she thought of her uncle's vel
vet coat-the coat he wore that night.
She remembered it well. She looked
around There were some coats hanging
against the door. She flew to them and
seized them as a drowning man would
seize plank. As she did so something
ratified. Thank Heaven, it was in one of
the pockets of the velveteen coat. Per
haps it was the cartridges that ratified.
Tremblingly she thrust in her hands
and pulled out the missing box.
She could almost have cried when she
raised the lid and saw the long, thin
: packets with their tippings of Lead lying
side by side.
altCI IuC ICFOiFCI sic IdSlSutu
; down stairs, and stole softly toward the
coach house
Aladeen, still sharpening his knife and
chuckling to himself, stopped as he heard
light step on the stones He ran to the
window and peered out, and grinned in
! delight when he saw MISS Gray.
< ''The bird comes to the metz laughed
e he to himself; 'sfool that was to let it
e out once"
n He drew back and waited for the door
7 to open, dropping the knife on chest
that held the carriage rugs.
3 Nellie entered quickly; and then Ala
e deem leaped forward, with his arms open
and an exulting grin on his dark face. 1t
/, was only to meet small, glittering bar
h rel held unf1inchingly to his face. His
Y jaw dropped, and with it his arms.
"Aladeen, the gig is not ready The
words came slowly; great beads of sweat
S stood upon the mans face. "By the
r Heavens above us, | will shoot you dead
e if you do not do what tell you, and at
oncel"
e He dropped his eyes and glanced toward
u the knife. She saw the glance.
b "Now go before me to the stable-no
: closer, not an inch closer, if you value
your life! Keep in front--so! If you
:, the back!''
s They reached the stable door, and she
made him open it and go In. The place
d was dark save for the moon, but there
e was light enough to lead out Bess. Nellie
s stood with the revolver raised, feeling no
WEAKNESS in her excitement. She made
:, the man harness the horse to the gig and
= lead round both to the front door, walk
ing behind him all the way with the little
e barrel of the revolver glistening IN the
e moonlight She made him fasten the
reins to the tree by the front door, then
Y marched him back and compelled him to
. saddle Bluebell and lead her around also.
!, Then she ordered him back once more
e he was cursing under his breath but shak-
;, ing with fear, and made him lock the
e stable door and place the key upon the
ground and then told him to put the
. coach-house key down, too She watched
d him go into the house as she had direct
!; ed, and then cautiously advanced and
g locked it. She peeped in and saw him
stamping on the ground with fury, and
;, ran for dear life up to Mrs. Gray's bed
t room, and hurried her and her compan-
!. ions down to the gig. She saw them
e drive off and told them to go by the cut
: ting; and then she mounted Bluebell and
e rode away slowly, as if to cover their re-
treat.
e Presently two shots rang out upon the
/ nj ght air, one after the other; and her
heart seemed to leap up into her throat.
9 Was Jack in danger-oh Heaven, was
Jack in danger?
Then she heard crash as if from the
. coach house, and she knew that Aladeen
was free. She gave the bride to Blue
bell and cantered down the curve into
+ the road. AS she approached the cut
ting, however, she saw some figures in
. the road, and stopped irresoute Were
+ they friends or foes?
9 The men had seen her, too, as they
: marched down; she prayed that they had
) missed the gig. They had not quite
reached the cutting yet, but had broken
r into run She wheeled the mare round
and turned back. If they would only
, follow her the others might be saved, she
! thought.
. The sharp report of muskets rang out
upon the night air. Bluebell leaped for
o ward madly. Was she struck No, sure
! " not-she was dashing on again, her big
eyes glancing with fire. They were past
the spot where the curve entered the
> road, and had almost reached the second
o place where it left it, when Nellie heard