The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-11-03

| only laughed at ner 1earS, saying ouCH
talk never amounted to anything
| One lovely afternoon In autumn, Harvey
had half-holiday, and he wandered along
| through the woods, drinking in the beauty
around him, the gorgeous tints of the trees,
the purple and gold of wood flowers at his
| feet, and the dreamy blue of the sky that
showed in patches overhead.
/ Suddenly sound Of voices broke the still
ness, and Harvey. peeriug through some
/ bushes, saw the man who had worked for
| Mr. Adams, and another man still more
rough and evil looking lounging upon the
! ground with their guns beside them. They
! had built fire. at which they were cooking
some rabbits and as Harvey looked dog
bounded through the underground and
! crouched down beside him.
! The men were discussing plan which
made Harvey's heart beat so violently as he
/ listened, that he shivered with dread lest
/ they should hear it and discover his re-
| treat
| They had decided to burn Mr. Adams
/ barn, in which was stored all the fruits of
| his long summers work. and the ex-farm
/ hand added
! "Sincs he sets such store by his horses and
( cows, it would be a mercy to send them
\ where they will never be abused any more.
/ There's rBrindle' and Daisy and Rose,
/ besides the horses that ought to keep the
1 family in roasted meat for some time to
| come.''
| The two wretcbes burst into loud laugh
! at this sally and at the same time the branch
upon which Harvey was leaning broke with
/ a sharp crack Even then he might have es-
! eh ,,,ifb Io
| erowl and a moment after he was prison.
| er.
Poor Harvey as he looked up into the
cruel, scowling faces of his captors, be felt
that he could hope for little mercy from men
who could deliberately plan to roast alive
helpless animals. Indeed, the rougher of the
two men advised that Harvey should be put
out of the way at once.
Hes heard what we've bad to say, and
he'll blab. Dead men, and young ones, too
tell no tales he added grimly, seeing
that his companion hesitated.
"But we might swing for it, :" objected the
farm band. 'fSee here, young one, We'll let
! you scot free on one condition. You hold
up your hand and swear like I show you,
not to breathe a word of what you've heard,
or by you'll not live long enough to
say your prayers" He picked sp8lis gun as
he spoke, and held the muzzle against his
breast.
Poor Harvey a sickenlng feeling of fear
and faintness seemed to stif1e his breath and
arrest his very heart beats The cruel de.
termined faces of the men seemed like de-
MONS and he looked around the WOODS then
at the gun, and then he took an awful oath
which the man made him repeat that, he
would not reveal anything they had said.
He was at last allowed to go, and the farm
hand called after him
81 say, young one. you can tell when the
deed is done and don't you forget it. want
the old man to know where his good luck
comes from.
There's no danger OF his giving US away,
he's got no more pluck than chicken, and
he's scared most to death"
When Harry reached home supper was
( laid in the large kitchen. Molie, the help,
was turning flannel cakes. Mrs Adams was
| pouring the tea, and Mr.. Adams turned
| from the sink where he had been washing
his hands, and spoke with genial smile
! "Well, Harvey, lad, did you have good
! tlme7 Had a nice walk, eh ?"
| Yes, sir, no sir. part of the time, STAN
mered poor Harvey, with such a miserable
face that the good farmer stared in astonish-
ment, and Mrs. Adams noting his pale face
and trembling limbs, exclaimed
! BLESS the boy he looks fit to drop What
/ the matter child %
| Nothing" sobbed Harvey, and bursting
/ Into tears he rushed away from them all. up
/ 20 his own room under the caves.
Pretty soon Mrs. Adams hustled up with
bowl Of hot tea and some nicely buttered
toast, and when she found that he could not
eat she bathed his aching head tucked him
into bed, and even left motherly kiss on his
/ cheek
! That kiss made Harvey feel ten times more
miserable than before. How kind thev had
been to him How could he let them he
! wronged out of so much of their hard-earn-
ed propertyS Then the horses ahi that
was the bitterest of all kitty and
Jess whom he had loved and petted. and
who also knew him and would whitney de-
light whenever he entered the barn. Hehad
tanght them to bow their heads whenever he
gave them an apple or anything especially
nice and now he was going to let them suffer
horrible death Great beads of sweat start.
ed on his forehead, and he spranp from his
OON ihhChuluR W IAlSI uOWn stairs and reveal
the whole wicked plot but he stopped before
picture Of Christ blessing little children
which good Mrs Adams had hung in his
room. The moonlight fell broadly upon il
Had not Mrs. Adams said that God hatpd
liars, and he had solemnly sworn to keen
silence
Harvey never forgot the terrible hour that
followed. he heard the family retire and
waited fearfully for any sound outside. At
last he knelt and prayed earnestly that God
would show him some way out of his trouble.
Then he went to the window and looked ont
at the great barn
Suddenly thought flashed upon his mind
BE stole softly down stairs seized the tin horn
with which Mrs Adams used to call her bus.
band to dinner, and letting himself out. ran
swiftly across the moonlft space between the
house and the barn.
He stopped moment to think. and Than
climbed up over the mows and hid himself in
nook under the rafters
One hour passed two Harvey's couraoe
seemed to ooze out at his finger tips. If thew
came they would surely kill him. and then
- All, what was that? A stealthv atred
outside, and the great doors creaked softly
as they were showed apart. then whisper
which seemed to freeze Harvey's blood.
Here, pour on plenty of lie, and"
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