The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-11-16
.1Wewon't givehima chance to speak,

ly pale. In that terrible. moment she
realized how dear to her Arthur Morris
had become, and she resolved to save his
life even if she should have to sacrifice
her own.
"This way, gentlemen" she said softly;
and she turned toward a door situated
midway between the bedroom of the in
valid and the pantry. She opened it a little
way. "Do you hear him breathe9" she
asked.
eyes, yes" answered the rufians; but
it was the heavy breathing of Mrs. Stacy
in the loft above that they heard.
Laura threw the door wide open; it
opened inward. The men saw a dark
void and pressed eagerly forward, not
v stopping to throw the light of their
lantern on the place.
At this instant Laura sprang back and
threw herself with all her force upon the
rear man; and the next instant there was
a heavy fall, a crash of the broken Ian
tern and a volley of oaths, for both men
lay ut the bottom of the cellar.
But the danger was not over by any
means. Laura knew that the men would
mount the ladder at once, and there was
no way of fastening the door; and, if
there had been what lock would have
withstood the power Of two desperate
border rlffians2
To rouse her aunt would be useless:
she could give no assistance; and 80
Laura sprang to the fireplace and caught
Louis's revolver from the rude mantel,
while she offered a prayer for courage
and strength.
She heard the deep curses of the viii
lains as they searched for the ladder, and
the next instant a head appeared above
the threshold. The candle threw a faint
light on the scene, but it was enough to
enable Laura to see.
'Back !" she cried; but the order was
not obeycd.
The robber raised his pistol, and Laura
knew that unless she fired Mt once she
was lost-Arthur too.
With these thoughts flashing through
her mind she levcllcd her deadly weapon
at the man, and as a sharp report went
ringing through the cabin, q d ,cp groan
and the sound of q heavy fall came from
the cellar.
But the crcaking of the ladder showed
that the other robbcr was about to dare
his fate, and he appeared above the
threshold, pistol in hand. But Laura
was too quick for him. A second report
rang through the cabin, and again came
a groan and tho sound of heavy foil.
The brave girl. overcome at last, sank
to the floor just as her aunt came rushing
into the room, frightened almost out of
her senses, and the door of Arthur's
room opened and he appeared, wan
and ghost-like to inquire the cause of
the shots which had reused him from his
sleep.
"Grcat h%eavens" he cried, as he saw
Laura crouching en- the floor. "Are you
hurt2 Lsura, my darling, speak to me!
Are you injuredW
Perhaps in that moment of terror Ar
thur Morris heart was revealed to him,
and he knew he loved the niece OF this
Arkansas hunter.
mo, no." faltered the girl, rousing
herself. II am not hurt. But l shot
two men in the cellar-and-and"-
But she could so no further, for her
eyes closed and she lost consciousness.
Perhaps Arthur's kisses were more eff
cacious in restoring her than her aunt's
clippers of cold water. But the faint
was not a very long one, and she was
soon able to tell the whole story of the
assault.
Arthur's thanks were expressed rs we'll
as his emotion would permit; but the
moisture of his dark blue eyes and the
changing of bis countenance told more
than any language could have done
what he felt.
It was decided to leave the bodies in
the cellar until morning; but at the first
gray sign of day Laura mounted tho
rough little pony and started for the
nearest town to ask help. Before the
day was over the whole settlement knew
of the attack, and officers reached the
cabin by noon. They were shown the
bodies, and at nee pronounced them to
be those of two men who had filled the
country with alarm for years past, and
had committed several hanging offences.
1t was long before Laura entirely re-
coxered from the eHocts Of har m;d,i.L,4