Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-05-07

4
! jars down cellar. When she came up q
man had entered the open kitchen-door
| and was seated before the stove.
He was o rough-looking customer and
Dollie was frightened; but she did not
show it.
sWbom do you wish to see'' she
asked
"rd like something to eat, if you
| please" answered the man in what was
evidently feigned voice.
But in spite Of that and the mnffier
about his face, Dollie knew him. 1t
( was jim Green, the cattle-dealer, and
he had very bad reputation. She had
never seen him but once before in her
life. but she remembered his leer and
hooked nose. She had had him pointed
out to her in the village, but she did
not think he had ever seen her. What
did he want here when her father was
away
With no idea that this was the object
Of his errand, Dollie, however, cut one
of the pumpkin-pies and gave him a
generous quarter, which he proceeded
to eat as well as he could, without too
freely revealing his face. Dollie hoped
when lie had finished it he would go
away, but he did not. Instead of that
he got up, walked into the sitting-room
and looked round. After moment, he
walked up to the desk and shook the
lid.
Say! is this locked ?" he asked.
The frightened blood came hot aud
indignant into Dollie's young cheeks.
The man was robber after her fathers
money. She took her hands out of the
dishwater where she had begun washing
up the cooking-dishes, and walked into
the sitting-room.
"See herew she said, boldly. ~
know you; you are jim Green. What
do you want here !"
Money! laconically. !'Pve seen
your father at the village; | know he
hasn't got the money Kent paid him
with him, so think it must be here"
He shook the lid violently and peered
about it's edges
Elbow dare you try to rob q house in
open day ~ asked Dollie. 'Don't you
know you will be arrested and sent &c
jail /"
"No, won't" Pm going out Of
of the country tonight. Come, want
I the keys"
Dollie turned scornfully away, but
gave longing glance out at the win
dow.
81 expect my father every moment,
she said. ale has the keys with him."
"You needn't expect him at present."
answered Green, still at work upon the
desk, ellis horse cast shoe, and he's
at the blacksmith's and likely to stay
for awhile"
"Well he has the keys with him" re-
piled Dollie, still coolly. you had
better take yourself off. My brothers
are liable to come home at any mo
ment."
go, know all about that ~ respon-
ded Green, taking huge pocket-knife
from his pocket and proceeding to force
the lock-
What could Dollie do The house was
half mile off the main road, and that
distance from any living soul, There
was not weapon Of any kind under its
roof. If there had been Dollie knew
she would be more afraid of pistol than
Sne was OF jim CTcen.
But the swapping Of the lock and the
villains long.drawn "Ahw of satisfac-
ton, almost frenzied her. Her honest,
hard-working old fathers money-she
must save it if she few at the rascal
and scratched out his eyes,
A sudden thought came to Dollie.
She went into the bnttery and took
down o small, wide-mouthed bottle,
closely corked and marked Cayenne
Pepper" She took out the cork, con
cealed the bottle in the palm of her
hand and went into the other room.
Green had not found the money, but
he had seized upon fine gold repeater
which belonged to Mr.. Durand, and
which he used only upon rare occasions.
His never-failing companion was big
silver time keeper, which he carried in
his fob.
"Ahp repeated Green again, and hur-
ried to the still open door of the kitchen
to examine the watch more closely.
He had time to see, by the fading
sunset light, that it was even more val
liable than it had at first seemed to be,
but Jim Green's ewes did him little 9TH