Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1882-09-11

anu SUOOQ 1Or moment With her
hand upon her bosom, waiting for
breath, and to consider what she
should do next.
Her situation now was a strange
one. Though the captor of the man
upstairs, she was the prisoner of the
one without. Both were now bent
upon her destruction. Oh, that her
father would return, or some one
would pass by, to whom she might
cry for helpl The man at the door
seemed to be alive to the latter dan
ger, for he called to Billings to throw
out the money, but Billings resolute-
ly refused Ito do. Finding himself
unable to force the door, Cashel pas
sed around the mill, seeking some
means of entrance, and filling the air
with curses.
Dolly followed him from one graf
ed window to another, determined to
keep him in sight if possible.
eff | had gun ye wouldn't be
very safe where ye ar" he said,
glarnlg in upon her through the bars.
Dolly looked at him, but made no
reply. What would be her fate
should he succeed in getting into the
mill, she dared not think. All her
courage, all her caution, all her wit
must be at her command now.
'PH burn the MILL" he cried.
"Perhaps that'll bring ye to reason"
But this proposition was greeted by
Billings with such yell of conster-
nation that Dolly had little fear of
its being put into execution. But
even if, maddened by defeat, and
enraged by Billings refusal to trust
him with the money, the scoundrel
had actually carried out his cruel
suggestion. The stout hearted girl
would have met her fate bravely, de-
Tending her fathers property with
her life, rather than permit it to fall
into the hands of these villains. She
saw that her own death was certain
if the assailant gained admission,
and she knew that her father would
be robbed. It was to risk all against
nothing, and she consequently held
fast to her resolve to stay as she
was while life remained, OF until as
sistance should reach her.
The building offered no opening to
the baffied ruffian except the single
oak door, which was beyond his pow
er to force. Yes, there was one,
and that was suggested by his con-
federate at the attic window. "The
water-gate the water-gate! cried
Billings. "You can get in through
the wheel"
heart sank. 1t was true. By climb
ing down into the sluice and under
the shaft of the great wheel, the man
could enter the mill through the ma
chine. With yell of delight, the
villain proceeded to adopt the sug-
gestion, and with fast-beating heart
the girl watched him until he disap-
peared in the sluice.
1t was then a horrible thought oc-
Cured to her, but in it seemed to lie
her only chance of life. She ran
into the grist-room, and seized the
lever which controlled the water-gate.
At ordinary times her strength would
have been insufficient to raise it, but
now her imminent peril gave her the
sinews of giant. Slowly the heavy
| bar was raised. She heard the rush
of the water as the gate swung open.
The great water-wheel began to turn
slowly; the cogs and gearing to
groan; the huge burrs to revolve.
In moment the mill was in full op-
Grafton.
The poor wretch outside had sue
ceeded in gaining the wheel before it
started and now clung to one of the
arms, thoroughly and desperately
frightened. Thrown head down
ward at every revolution, and nearly
drowned by the water which poured
over him, he screamed and begged to
be released from his rotary prison.
The wheel went round and round,
and with it went the unfortunate
Cashel, but Dolly did not wait to list
en- to the oaths and imprecations
with which he filled the air. With
all speed she opened the door, and
ran toward the village. AS she
passed around a curve in the road
her eyes fell upon two men, walking
toward her. With bounding heart she
recognized them as Wareham and
her father. To tell the exciting sto-
ry was the work of a moment, aud
then the strength which had sustain
ed her through all, suddenly left her,
and she fell fainting, almost before
they could catch her in their arms.
The half-drowned Cashel was re-
leased from his uncomfortable posi-
ton, and the two robbers were de-
livered into the hands of the authori-
ties. Wareham had found nothing
the matter with his horse, the errand
on which he had been sent being a
cunning device of Billings to get
him away from the vicinity. Sus-
pecting something wrong, he had re-
turned to the mill as soon as posi-
BILE, bringing the miller back with
, him. AS for Dolly, she became the
heroine of the region for miles
Mrey