The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-01-07

whlcn lay IN "a cornero OF the room,
"this will wrench it open at once; and
while you are tying it up, shall just
step upstairs to my own apartment,
and geta few things ready for our
flight as well as my own little savings
for the last five years.
4 d The ruffian was thrown off his guard
by her openness and apparent anxiety
to accompany him. Like all egotists,
he deceived himself, when self-deceit
was most certain TO be his destruction.
. go lass" was all he said; "but be
not long. This job will be done in a
twinkling" =
She disappeared at the words. He
Immediately broke open the chest, and
was soon engaged in rummaging its
contents. ta - -.
AS he was thus employed, however,
absorbed in the contemplation of his
prey, and eagerly occupied in securing
1t on his person, the brave-hearted girl
stole down the stairs on tip-toe. Creep
ing softly alop3 the passages, she
speedily gained the door of the cham
heard. 1t was but the work OF mo-
ment for her to turn tho kcy in the
wards and lock him in. This done,
she rushed forth to the outer door Of
the mill and gave tile alarm, .....
"Fly! hy!" she shrieked to the child,
her masters little boy, an infant five
years old, tho only one within sight or
sound of her. ely! fly to father! fly
on your life! Tell him we shall all be
murdered an he haste not back! Fly!
Ayr
The child, who was at play before
the door, at once obeyed the energetic
command of the brave girl, and sped
as fast as his tiny legs could carry him
on tho road by which he know his par
ents would return from church. Ham,
chen cheered him onward, and inspir-
ed his little heart as he ran.
"Btess thee. boy! bless theer' she
exclaimed, in the gladness of her
heart; "an master arrives in time, 1
will offer up taper on tho altar of
our blessed Lady Of the Kroutzberg,
by Bonn"
She sat down on the stone bench by
the mill door to case her ovcr-eXcited
spirits and she wopt, as she sat, at
the thoughts OF her happy deliver
| &ncc.
"Thank Godu' she calculated,
"thank God for this escape. On! tho
deadly villain! and l 50 fond of him
too!'
A shrill whistle from tho grated win
dow OF the chamber in which she had
shut the ruiiian Heinrich, caught hor
ear, and made her start ut once to her
feet
"Diether! Dictherr' she heard him
shout, ''catch the child, aud come
hlther! l AIN fast. Come hithor!
Bring the boy here, and kill the grip
Sho glanced hastily up ut the case
ment from which the imprisoned vii
lain's head beckoned to somo one in
the distance, and then looked anxious.
u after her infant cmissary The little
messenger held on his way unharmod,
however; and she thought to herself
that the alarm was false one, raised
to excite her fears, and overcome her
resolution. Just, however, as the
child reached hollow spot in the noxl
held-tho channel of n natural drain,
then dry with the heats of summer
she saw another ruflian start up from
the bed of the drain, and catching him
In his arms, hasten toward the mill, in
accordance with the directions of his
accomplice. In moment she per.
ceived her danger, and in q moment
moro she formed her future plan OF
proceeding. Retreating into the mill,
she doubly locked and bolted the door
the only apparent entrance to the
edidce. every other means OF obvious
access to the interior being barred by
means of strong iron gratngs fixed
against all the windows; and then
took her post at an upper easement,
determined to await patiently either
her masters return, and her conse.
quent delivery from that dangerous
position, or her own death, if it were
inevitable.
Never" said she to herself, "nevor
shall leave my masters house prey
to such villains, or permit his property
to be carried off before my eyes by
them, while have life and strength
to defend it,"
She had barely time to secure her.
self within, when the rutfian from with.
out, holding the hapless child in one
hand, and long sharp knife liz the
other. assailed the door with kicks,
and curses, and imprecations of the
most dreadful character.
"Confound theew he cried, apply
ing the foulest epithets OF which the
free-speaking Teutonic languages are
so copious; "open the door, or .Pll
break it in on YEP
IF you can, you may" was all the
noble girl replied. ''God is greater
than you, and in him 1 put my trust. "
'Cut the brat's throatp' roared the
imprisoned ruf1ian above; "that will
bring her to reason"
Stout-hearted rs poor Hannchcn
was, she quailod at this cruel sugges-
ton. For a moment hor resolution
wavered; but it was only for q mo-
ment. She saw that her own death
was certain if she admitted tho assail-
ant and she knew that her mastor
would be robbed. She had no reason
to hope that even the life of the in
FAINT would be spared by her compli.
ancc. 1t was to risk all against moth.
ing. Like discreet girl, she conso-
quently hold fast in her resolve to
abide as she WAS while life remained,