Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1885-05-01

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
as she viewed her pale face and
swollen eyes. ''I 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
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 a 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
covery7 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
q new stun wall round it--I tell yer you
can't miss it.n
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 house2" 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 a minutew
81 don't believe in no such way of
goin' to work as that" growled the Sec
ond man.
"What would you do1 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.
"It's soon over" was the indifferent
reply, "and where's the odds2 Amt it
all the same hundred years from now2
Pooh, jim, didn't 'spose you was such
a soft-stomached Miss Nancy of a fell
lerp'
II amt no wuss than anybody else! !"
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 Jayncsfords heard her tale with
breathless horror and dismay.
81 knowed ~ cried Mrs. Jaynesford,
with prophetic JUNCTION. 81 told you
how it would be all along, lothian, but
ye wouldn't listen to me! I'm a woman,
and women amt worth payin' no ten
tion ton
"But I don't see what it is they're
arterl' honest lothian cried, scratL hing
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 fashioned
welcome, let the-h come how and when
they may. You say there are only two
of 'em, Miss Olive!"
81 only heard two of them talking" :"
said Olive, "but there may have been a
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 q good deal o. solid truth in them
old proverbs my gran'ther used to
quote!"
Evidently there was no sleep for the
Jaynesford family that night. All
hands silently made their arrangements
for vigil.
"We must kindle up the fire and put
out the lights, as usual, at 8 o'clock, "
said lothian.
Father" pleaded little Bessie, "can
l bring my two pet lambs in out of the
shed2"
"Nonsense, child, nonsense" said 10.
than. But he did not further object,
and Bessie made bed for the two pets
in the shaving basket in the corner of the
roomy old kitchen, greatly to their mu-
tual content.
Mrs. Jaynesford sat knitting gloomily
if she had been told that the world was
to come to an end within the next TWEEN
ty-four hours, she would still have taken
up her knitting-and Olive and Bessie
nestled close to her side, while lothian
paced thoughtfully up and down the
floor, waiting for the arrival of the aux
iliaries for whom he had already dis
patched messenger. The clock had
just struck s. when brisk knock came
to the door-every one started as if the
simple sound had been trumpet OF
doom.
"Don't open the door, lothian !''
gasped Mrs. Jaynesford, but lothian
drew back the bolt nevertheless.
"It's some neighbor," said he. "Wy,
Jim Ellison and Jake Bleeker! I'm
right down glad to see ye Bessie, run
right down stairs, an draw pitcher of
cider, and bring up some O. mothers
fresh doughnuts"
AS the visitor returned their hosts
cordial greeting, Olive uttered loud
cry
"The men-the men 1 heard talking
by the springW she gasped feebly. ooh,
Mr.. Jaynesford, turn them from your
door-they are robbers and murderers !''
"Eh !" cried lothian. "Jim and Jake
robbers and murderers I guess not, Miss
Olive"
"Let them answer for themselves, u
cried Olive, Historically. "What bloody