Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-01-10

Sue shiu " ueIbeli. ANU luo DldCk ClOuu
in the west mean wind. don't want then
handkerchers blowed away. "rll 90 ou
and fetch 'em in"
Carefully unbolting three bolts ant
unlocking one ponderous lock, Salin
sailed forth, shading the candle with he
hand; but the first puff of freezing PIN
perfumed air blew the little flame out.
Undaunted by this mishap, however
Salina went valiantly ont, feeling her wa,
through the cloudy starlight. until she wa
opposite the woodshed.
II guess I'll 90 in. and cross over tha
way" she thought.
But as she was turning in tho intended
direction a light suddenly tiashed-tht
reddish glow of a lantern, that was almos
instantly obscured by the slide.
"Graciousp thought llina, invountar
lily stepping back, in her terror ant
amazement.
"Confound you'll" muttered II gruf voice
the identical voice of Mifton's hiret
man. "What did you want to show +
light for?"
The slide was rusty" apologized {
second voice. at don't matter-there il
no one but the cats and the grasshoppert
to see us. The last window was darkenet
long ago. Come on; IN fit to perish
with cold and cramp in that outlandisl
hole. Let's get the matter over with"
And while Salina was striving to over
come the terrible weight on her chest
sufficiently to cry out or make some sign
two dark figures skunk past her like the
procession in hidcous dream, and van
ished through collar door, which she
could have sworn she had safely secured
early in the evening.
Recovering her senses as fast as she
could, she hurried through the long wet
grass to the rescue of the two helpless
girls in the old house.
81 always knowed it would be so," she
thought. 'Oh, dear-oh, dear; it seems
as if my feet was weighed with lead.'
Finally she stumbled in the tangled
flower beds once she caught her ankle in
the down.hangpg loop of an old grape.
vine and nearly wrenched it out of joint.
front of the door, just rs it flew open and
the two midnight marauders came stum-
bling out, dropping their lantern in their
frantic haste.
"You foolu' muttered the man who had
carried the light, "why didn't you tell me
there was man about the place, great,
burly sailor, with a cutlass half as long us
HIMSELF You told me the coast was clear"
Gas live and breathe" whined Milton S
hired man, 81 never knew of the fellow
l don't know how he came therc cant
understand it at all; II
Don't stand there fooling!' savagely
uttered the other. The whole neiohbor-
hood will be in an uproar directly. Clear
ont! Through the shed is the best place!'
But Salina was too prompt for them.
Before they could escape she had securely
locked and bolted both the shed doors on
the outside and fastened the solid timber
shutters of its solitary window. And then
up the stairway to Abby and Fanny, with
streaming hair and shawls wrapped
around there shiveriLg forms, stood on
the landing.
"Saina what is itp' cried Fanny.
"What is it, Salina?" reiterated Abby.
"We're all robbed and murdered" |"
screamed Salina. That is, we would have
been, if it hadn't been for that sailor with
the cutlass. And how he made his way
into the house it beats me- to tell"
Abby and Fanny burst into hysterical
laughter.
ats the model" said Fanny.
1.-The lay figure dressed up as sailor in
old Deodatus Mifton's Sunday clothes,
that belonged to the suit OF armor,"
breathcd Abby, down in the library. We
arranged him tonight SO that we could
begin TO sketch him for our naval battle
sopna carly tO-mOrvOw ~
"Well, l never!" aaid Salina. | do
b'lieve he's saved our lives; they thought
he was alive and was half scared to death
Now I'm agoin' to ring the big bell for
help"
And rustcd bell, which hung out of
the window for half hundred years,
ready to be rung in some such emergency
as this, presently flung forth its deep toned
warning in the stiffness of the November
night. pulled by Salinas energetic arms.
Aid arrived in marvelously short
period of time. The two burglars were
arrested and put in safe keeping until
they could be committed to prison. Old
Squire Milton, who was more amazed
than any one else at the novel accom-
plishment developed by his hired man,
remained at the lonely house all night to
protect the two young artists, and laughed
very heartily when he saw the novel
dummy which had served so good a turn
in frightening off the cowardly thieves.
George Clifford resolved not to leave
his sisters alone again until the removal
TO the New York flat was IN accomplished
fact. AS for Salina, she had now valid
excuse to traverse the whole house with
lantern two or three times night when
ever she pleased, and to set up watch
dog and burglar alarm.
at was very narrow escape,' said
Salina, land there's no tellin' when it
may happen again"
HELEN FORREST GRAVES.