St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-07-15

eOh, come, comrade," one said swag-
geringly, "we won't spoil this chance,
even for youi We know what we're
about, and there's something worth
while picking up in this farm house (;
there's some money somewhere, and
that's what we want first then if we
see anything else worth picking up,
why, we'll pick it up; and we won't
be stopped by anybody. What's the
matter with you? You used to lead
as all i'm this sort of work"
"And | will again. But not to-
night. You will do nothing here you
understand me 7"
"Guess | don't comrade, as Pm in
for work here and now" was the insO-
lent answer, and it was punished in
stantly, for Jim's right hand sprang
out from his side quick as flash and
felled the speaker to the floor with a
noise quite enough to waken the seven
sleepers. The ruffian, who had been
silent all along rather shrank to cor
ner and Jim followed him.
''Is there anything more to be set
tied ~ he asked grimly. And the girl
outside uttered sharp, shrill cry, for
she saw the fallen burglar rise on his
elbow, revolver in hand, and aim at
the back of the farm hand who had
been willing to protect her, but her
cry awaited nothing, for the report
rang out with it, and Jim staggered
toward the wall, both hands flung out
as he fell ). and Matte, unmindful of
all save the fact that murder had been
done before her eyes, darted in from
the hall and knelt, still with the re-
L., fho tt.af a
man; by this time the one he had
struck down had regained his feet.
"Stand where you are, both of you ~
the girl cried, fearlessly. 'Whichever
moves a step will die! !"
And at that moment Farmer Lee
strobe in through the way which had
been opened by the ruffians, followed
by two men, evidently officers. In the
excitement their appearance had not
been noticed. Now the girl allowed
the weapon to fall from her fingers,
and held out her hands to her father.
"Oh, save me, papa, save me J" she
cried, and her father lifted her in his
arms, while the strangers covered the
burglars with their weapons.
awe are fOrtunate," one of them
said; "we traced one of them here
and took three. Hold out your hands,
my friends"
There was no demur from the sur
prised ruffians as they were deity
handcuffed. Then the officers turned
to the wounded jim; they found him
dying, the blood flowing from wound
near his heart.
"You're done for, my fine fellow"
one of them said rather carelessly !;
"you have escaped long sentence, my
friend.n
Matte, who was weeping in her ia
theirs arms, heard the words and came
forward.
"Will he die-will he die ?" she ask
ed, shudderingly.
"He is dying now"
She knelt down and her tears fell on
the SCARED face.
"Oh, am so sorry! Can [ do any
thing for yOu9 You are dying be-
cause you would protect us | will
pray for yOu," she said brOkenly. The
glazing ewes took for an instant that
glorious light.
81 loved you; forgive me-" he whis-
pered and a moment later he was
dead.
"The worst and most desperate of
the gang; the head of it, in fact" one
of the officers said "there are more
crimes against him than [ could
count"
"But his death was NOBLE" Matte
whispered softly.
Later her father told her how it
CHANGED that he arrived so oppOrtune-
ly; how the detectives had come to
him in that storm to warn him that
they suspected his farm hand of being
one whom they had long sought, and
asked him to accompany them back to
his farm that he might not escape
how they had lost no time and had az
rived in moment when they were
sadly needed; when only a frail girl
faced two murderous men far from as
assistance.
"But he tried to save me-" the girl
sobbed, with kindness in her heart
that would never leave it Tor the farm
hand JIM Mary c. Frestow in Phil
adelphia Call.