The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1885-06-03

silver, and Jotham keeps all his money
In the county bank. Towser's all very
well, but I've heard o. better dogs than
he is, ben' settled by dose of poison,
and I'd like to know what good 10Th
ANS loaded rifles goin' to do us, arter
he's had his throat cut from ear to ear
in his sleepm
''Oh, Mrs. Jaynesford' shuddered
Olive, the brush falling from her nervous
fngers al can't stay alone to-night-will
you send Bessie in to sleep with me9"
But in spite of little Bessie Jaynes-
ford's peaceful breathing at her side,
Olive could not 60 to sleep until mid
night, and when at last few snatches
of capricious slumber visited her eyelids
it was embittered by frightful dreams of
black Grape. masked burglars standing at
her bedside, and pistols presented close
to her eyebrows.
"Pshaw" said Olive to herself next
morning, as she viewed her pale face and
swollen eyes. 81 am goose-and I'll
be one no longer. What could any one
gain by hurting poor lame girl like me-"
don't believe there are any burglars
around-and if there should be, don't
believe they will come to Farmer Jaynes-
ford's."
But the walk was long and lonely, and
when Olive reached the fallen tree, just
beyond the rocky spring, where the
school children always stopped to drink,
she sat down on the trunk of fallen
tree, to rest little, ere pursuing the re-
mainder of her weary way.
As she did so, the sound of human
voices reached her ear--the gruff, low
voices of two men talking by the spring
beyond. Olives heart stood still, as
she suspended her breath, in order to
listen Who could they be2 What
were they doing there at that hour2
Should she scream and fly, or should she
trust to her dark dress and the obscurity
of the twilight to screen her from dis
covery2 She chose the latter alternative,
and shrank further into the deep shadow
of the withered beech copse.
"a brown house." said one man,
"with big chimbley in the middle and
a new stun wall round It'll tell yer you
can't miss it."
A new chill of terror crept through
Olives veins as she recognized the de-
scription of the Jaynesfords' farmhouse.
''And how the plague are we to get in
without rousin' the house9" retorted the
second man, rather harsher and more
grating than the first.
''He told me. Thar amt no fastenin
but hasp on the shed door-.it's easy
! lifted with bit of crooked wire. We
can slip in when they're asleep, an
whew, the things done in minutel"
81 don't believe in no such way of
goin' to work as that" growled the Sec
ond man.
"What would you dor Go round to
the front door and rouse 'em all up!
Pshaw, Jim, you're a deal too soft
hearted, and that's what I've always
said |"
81 don't like the job, anyhow" sui
lenly retorted the other man.
ats soon over" was the indifferent
reply, land where's the odds2 Amt it
all the same hundred years from nowG
Pooh, Jim, didn't 'spose you was such
a soft-stomached Miss Nancy of fell
lerl"
81 amt no wuss than anybody else r'
growled Jim, "but I'm human, and I've
a little gal of my own to home, no big
ger than Jaynesford's little Bessie,
and"
The Jaynesfords heard her tale with
breathless horror and dismay.
'I knowed tip cried Mrs. Jaynesford,
with prophetic JUNCTION. 81 told you
how it would be all along, lothian, but
We wouldn't listen TO me I'm woman,
and women amt worth payin' no ten
tion to-"
"But don't see what it is they're
arterln honest lothian cried, scratching
the bristly black curls of his round pate.
"Anvhow, I'll send over for Deacon
Donley's two sons and Joseph Packer,
and we'll give them good old-fashioned
welcome, let them come how and when
theydmay. You say there are only two
of 'ein, Miss Oliver"
81 only heard two of them talking, y
said Olive, ''but there may have been q
dozen for what know"
II guess we can manage 'em," said
hopeful lothian, taking down the gun
from its two hooks over the stone chin.
ney piece and beginning leisurely to in
spect it. ''Forewarned is forearmed
they say, and I've alays found there
was good deal o. solid truth in then
old proverbs my gran ther useu u
quotel"
Evidently there was no sleep for the
Jaynesford family that night. AL
hands silently made their arrangement
for a vigil.
"We must kindle mp the fire and pu
out the lights, as usual, at o'clock,
said lothian.
Father" pleaded little Bessie, ''cal
bring my two pet lambs in out of thu
shed2"
Nonsense, child, nonsense" said Jo
than. But he did not further object
and Bessie made bed for the two pet
in the shaving basket in the corner of tn,
roomy old kitchen, greatly to their mu
} tual content.
Mrs. Jaynesford sat knitting gloomily
if she had been told that the world wa
to come to an end within the next twen
: ty-four hours. she would still have takeI