The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-10-19

IL mlse Leigh VIII ledN6 uue uOOT
ajar can fear call from this room
and will come instantly"
"Thanks, Parkins, but L hope shall |
not have to call you," said Lima, speak
ing as sweet as Parkins herself.
Then as she glided to the door as
soon as it was closed, she turned with
face of dismay, and whispered:
"The key is gonel She took it when
she was fdgeting in and out with the
sheets and pillows"
"There is a bolt BESIDES" Aunt Mar
garet answered.
Lima gave sigh of relief as she
slipped the bolt into the groove, and
felt that she had at least some little
protection against the enemy.
"Now, child" Aunt Margaret said,
"can you use pistol?"
az never touched one in my life,"
said the ''little coward" but if had
one now 1 would try"
every we'll. Take my safe key-it
is under my pillow-and unlock the
safe. They are just as my husband
left them year ago, but Robert looked
at them few days ago, and said they
were all right. That is it. Put one
of them on the foot of the bed, and if
those wretches come, try, my dear, to
use it. Now put the other here, by my
left hand. Thank Godi I can use
that a little. Now, what are you doing?
Oh, yes; pile up all you can against
the door. There, you can't move any
thing else. Now, come here. little
girl, kneel down by me, and let's say
our prayers together"
With the old lady's thin, pallid hand
clasped tightly in her two cold, trem-
bling little ones, Lima knelt down
there, and, burying her face in the pill
low, tried to pray.
Her petition was not very coherent
one; it was only wild, passionate cry
for pity and help, and meanwhile she
was listening with every nerve
strained for sounds from the outside.
A lamp burned in the room. On the
mantelpiece a softly-ticking clock
marked the slow minutes. No other
sound broke the stiffness.
Presently a asob shook the girls figure.
She was thinking of Sir Robert and his
tender care over her.
Oh, if she had only not been so way
ward and proud this evening all would
have been WELL He would have come
for her and they would have been safe.
But surely, surely, he would come yet
He could not fail to find the note
and she knew he would come to save
her. But yet horrible doubts came
to her as to whether the note would
reach him. 1t might be lost, or Leo
might wonder about and not get home
until it was too late.
Too late ! Lima shuddered and
sobbed again as she thought what that
might mean. Oh, it was hard to think
of dying so helplessly, so horribly, with
help so near.
The long minutes crept on and no
sound came until II o'clock had
passed. The little clock softly chimed
the half hour. Then, in a few mo-
ments, came a sound of stealing foot
steps in the passage and the knob of
the door was softly turned.
Breathless silence in the room. Then
a gentle tap at the door. Lima clasped
Aunt Margaret's hand convulsively,
and the old lady spoke
"Who is that 2" she asked, steadily.
cit is me, Parkins, ma'am. Win
you ask Miss Leigh if she will kindly
open the door? | have the toothache,
and want some laudanum."
"What tiend it is p whispered
Aunt Margaret. Then aloud: "Go
downstairs and get something, Parkins.
l cannot trouble Miss Leigh"
Lima hoped that Parkins would
urge the point little. Anything to
prolong the parley and gain time.
But a whisper in the passage fol
lowed, and then a mans voice:
Ladies, there's no use making
row. Just open the door peacefully
and you shan't be hurt. Well break
it down if you don't"
"What do you want 2" Lima asked.
hoping to gain little time. A new
and gruff voice answered, insolently:
You know well enough what we
want, miss. We wants the thousand
pounds and the diamonds and we
mean to have them. So don't be
fool, but just open the door peacefully
or you'll be sorry"
Lima sprang to her feet and seized
the pistol. A flood of color rushed to
her cheek and brow. She had been in
suited and threatened, and Indignation
overpowered terror. She went toward
the door and called out, quickly and
clearly:
"YOu're not coming in. 1 have
sent for help, and Sir Robert and his
men will be here directly. 1 am
armed; and if you break the door
down will shoot you like dog"
A moments silence followed, then a
coarse laugh, and
"Al CANNON. She hadn't no one
to send. Break the door down." in
Parkins' voice; and heavy blows began
to fall upon the door. 1t trembled
and cracked beneath the battery. A
panel broke, mans hand was thrust
in; the whole door seemed about to
fall when-bang! bang! came two re-
ports from Lena's pistol, and a couple
of bullets crashed through the panels
and the besiegers paused abruptly.
$50 away instantly" called the girls
clear voice, "or 1 will fire again."
"One more rush, mate, and we are
in," yelled the gruff voice outside.
What followed the wild tumult and
confusion; the crash of breaking pam
els and bolts, the fall of the door and
the furniture Lima had piled against
it, shot after shot from Lina's pistol, a