Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1885-10-01

the front door.
Dollie, whose terror was almost
overpowering from hearing the firing
above and the noise in the yard below,
dragged herself forward and unbolted
the door, then fell fainting at her
rescuer's feet. tst-
She was lifted by strong arms, and
when light was obtained was placed
upon the sofa.
Franks surprise was great at seeing
O strangers face upon the pillow, and
he rushed to the foot of the steps and
called out, Jessie, where are your"
No response came, and he ran swiftly
up the steps to find the one he sought
lying in marble beauty on the floor,
while red stream trickled to his feet.
"He has killed herl" he cried, mad
with despair, and lifting her tenderly
bore her to the light where he looked
in wild haste for her wound.
The pretty arm was all larcerated
and torn, but no other hurt could be
discovered.
With great sigh of relief he placed
her on the bed, and sent one of the men
for physician.
In the meantime poor, wilted little
Dollie returned to consciousness, cry
ing out, "Where is Jessie?" She was
tenderlv soothed, and was soon able to
give an account OF the terrible seige
they had sustained.
No words would depict the regret
and amazement of Mr.. and Mrs. Barnes,
when they had returned, at what had
occurred, nor express their deep graft
tude to Frank Graves and those he had
brought to the rescue.
Father and came home very late, I"
Frank said, cor we would have relieved
the poor girls at least half hour ear
lier."
"And to think" cried Mrs. Barnes
in horror, "that the villain who at
tackled them, and shot our child, was
the man we have treated as friend
and relative for weeks. We learned a
part of his perfidy in Stanton to-day,
but did not dream the whole"
"If you had been here alone, he
would have made way with you, L have
no doubt" said her husband, with a
shudder.
Brave girls!" cried Frank enthusi-
astically, "their pluck and persever-
ance is worthy of a medal. can never
be thankful enough that gave Jessie
that little pistol, and taught her to
shoot"
Dollie soon recovered from her
fright, and in day or two was as
bright and sunshiny as ever. But
though Jessie's wound was slight and
grew rapidly better, she seemed to
droop as the days went on.
Frank called every morning, but
after brief inquiry as to her health,
devoted himself exclusively to Dollie.
They sang duets together, while
back rides where, from the window,
she could see them start; they brought
her flowers they had plucked together.
"They were very kind, of course"
poor Jessie said to herself, petulantly,
"but why should they do everything
together?"
Frank had never seemed so manly to
her, nor so handsome. His voice had
never been so rich and full, nor his
manner so filled with strength and
| tenderness as when she saw him with
Dollie.
She felt Inundated at what she i'm
agined his opinion of her to be. "He
holds my weakness in contempt, 1
know" she often thought, "and can
never really respect me again., which
thought bore for her far more bitter
ness than the remembrance of her rude
awakening.
One day, however, q sudden change
was wrought in her, both mentally and
physically. 1t was brought about
through short conversation.
"To think" said Dollie, Indignantly,
one morning, shat that rascal should
have pretended to be corresponding
clerk in the bank at Stanton; why,
JESSIE" with blush and drop of the
pretty head, Il am engaged to the cor
responding clerk in the bank at Stan
ton myself, and 1 assure you he is very
nice, indeed"
Engaged" cried Jessie, rising upon
her elbow, while sudden flush spread
upon her cheek; Il thought You were
engaged to Frank Graves"
"Oh! no." with soft little laugh,
"he is in love with-some one else"
Jessie lay down again with quickened
breath.
"You know who it IS, Jessie. Now
don't you think, dear, you made a
great mistake in preferring Whitney
| De Vane to one so noble and manly as
Frank Graves"
preferred him |" cried Jessie. I'm
my heart / never preferred him. was
only foolish and silly, and allowed my
self to be dazzled by fine dress, a good
appearance, and plausible tongue.
Frank is worth ten thousand such, but
he despises me, 1 know he does, where
upon she burst into flood of tears.
Indeed, darling, he does not, cried
Frank, coming forward at this juncture
and taking her in his arms; "look at me
once and see."
"Forgive me for eavesdropping, he
begged, q moment later, when Jessie's
tears had been kissed away. "Miss
Dollie and have been carrying out a
preconcerted plan for days, and l could
not resist being present to hear what
you had to say in answer to her re-
marks this morning"
Jessie was too happy not to forgive
anything to her handsome lover, and
oil through the future years she spent
with him felt keen sense of gratitude
that she had met her awakening" at the
time and in the way she had, terrible
though it had been.
Whitney De Vane, alias Jack Parker,
who had once before been convicted,
was sent again to the penitentiary, and
Jessie never saw him afterward.
The other burglar could not be found,