The Arkansaw traveler., 1882-09-10
.rhere is a bol, besides Aun, Mar

had some little protection against Ih' enemy.
 ~Naa. child" Aunt Margaret said, ~ear you use a pistol
 ~l neper touched one in my life. said the h,tle coward. But If had one now ! would ".
 Yer, well. Take my safe key-it IS under my pillow and unlock the safe There are tso pistols there. loaded. They are Ius. to fay husband iett them a veal ago. bu. Robert looked ai them q fe~ day, ago and s.ld they were al right. hat Is it. Pat one of them on the ipo: of the bed and fl those wrciches come. ,ry. my dear, to use Ii. .<ow put the ether here. b my left hand Thand tod can use that d little. \uw. what are you doing: Oh, yes. pile up all you .tn against the door. There. you can't move anything else Now. come here little girl kneel down by me and le, us sty ,fsf prayers together.
 Nth the old lad.-s thin. palhd hand clasped Ugh; ln her two cold. trembling. ..itic ones. Iina kncit down there. and buryias her face Ill the pillow. tired |" pray.
 Her pettion w,,, net very coherent ar.c | Vi, only a @ild passionate q. for p.ty and ne. ,.=lni inean;Ifnc she MS hst- cnins with c.ery nerke ,tr4,ned. for sound, from the oe.sisie \ lamp burned iu tAe room. On he mantel-plcsc soiill l., S.Hg clock marked the slow inmates. No other sound br k the stiffness.
 Presently q sob shook the giri's h.gure. She was thinking at sir kobcr, and hi, tender care over her.
 oh. fl sac had ouly not been sa way ward and proud thi> e.enlnI. ail would hare been we'll He @ould have come for her and they would have been safe.
 But. surely. surcl1 hc would come yet
 He could nol idi b ind the uoic. and she knew hc would come to save her. But vet horrible doubt, eamc to her as in whether the note weaid reach him. l. might be lasi. ar Leo miShi wander about and not sri home untIi | wa, too lac.
 Too kitc Lima shuddcrcd and sobbcd again as she though; what that m h; mean. oh II ..,, htfd t9 ,hlak af d4l4: so helplessly, so hofrb.y, with help so near.
 The long minutes crcpt on, and no sound came until IL e'elock had passed. The lit,le clock softly ehimcd the hali hour. Then. Tn Il few moments. eane d sound oi stealing footsteps Tn the passage, Ind the knob nfihc door was softly turncd-
 Brclthlc>s silence m the room. Then :. gentle tap ii thc daor. lana olasped Aunt -Nt;1rg.r-et hand -eonvutsfvciy and t.1rotci lady spoke
 What is tha, - she asked. steadily.
 II, k me parkias. ma am. Would you ask Miss Icigh If she will kindly open the door: have the toothache, and want some laudanum.
 "Wha, devil i, Is :" whispered Aunt Margaret. Then aloud: "Go down stairs and get something. larklns. can not trouble Miss Leigh.
 Lima hoped that parkins would urge the point a ittic Anything to prolong the parlc> and gain tune.
 But whisper in the passage followed, and then man > Volce--
 Ladies. there's no use making ! row. Jus, open the door peacefully and you shan't be hurt Well break il down fl you don't.
 "Wha, do you want :" Lima asked. hoping to gam litllc time.
 \ ncw and gruif voice answered inso- lcnly
 You knows we'll enough what we wants. miss. We wants the thousand pounds and the di'monds, and We mean io have them. So don't be n fool. hu, just open the door peacefully, or you'll be sorry.
 l.lnt sprang tn her feet and seized the pistol. X flood ot color rushed to her brow. She had been insulted and threat ened and indignation ovcrpowcred terror. She went toward the door and called out quickly and clearly:
 You're not coming in have sen, for help. and Sir Roher, and his men will be here directly. am armed and if you break the door down will shoot you like ateg.
 \ moments silence followed. then a coarse laugh. and
 "All gammen. She had no one to send. Break the door down. Tn Harkin $ voicc. and heavy blows began to fall upon the door. l. iremblcd and cracked be- heath the battery. \ panel broke and a mans hand was thrust m the whole door began to weld. when bang bang came two reports from llpas pistol. and d couple ot bullet, crushed threu gh the panels. 4ud the bcsciscrs paused ab- ,up,lY.
 t.e away instantly" called the girl clear voice. 'or wlll ire asaln
 One marc rush. mate. and We are m. . yelled the grutt voice outside.
 What followed mas wild tumul, and confusion the crash oi breaking panels and bol,s, the t,ll ot he door and ot thc furniture Eina had pilcd aea,ns, Il. sho, after shot from lina pistol. vel pam and r.,sc from both oi ;h,T The doti was down. pae Il ;he ghlca ~t> in the room Lima had med Her Last shot and r,.nnins ,o the bed >A4,e he'd Ann, Mar kue,> pistol and turned to tlec the cncinN. suddenly l W,li shrek from HtIN.us. Then | voice c..llng " ira, iIna. am com.ns. and Sir Robcr; dt Ro>Set hurled himself bodily upon ,ht rutii.n outside the door. pro,.fa;ed hm And >prars lD,o the ioom stc, his body Tn, k what he saN Madeleine Leigh the hg;le coward. with hla.lss cves and >,ariei eheck> and p9s,oi ,u her hand = l,ffp.4 tf-. q. ri. ,s.,. h, ts-,8.s,., A,,,.