Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1886-10-28

them that only one of them is loaded, and
only two barrels of that one, and not a
grain OF powder in the house.
He is brave man; bat for n moment.
terror, wild, mad, unreasoning terror fills
his soul. He shudders as he thinks of the
four villains outside the door, fastened 4
only with wooden button, and the tender.
weak women within, with only wounded
man armed with half-loaded pistol as a
defender.
Big drops of sweat Ga her on his fore
head; his hands shake MS if suddenly
stricken with the pal y-tha. is, for m y
ment. The next he is back hgain in the
sitting room, and not word o. look be-
trays o his companions the anguish VIII ch
wings his soul. On entering the kitchen
Fred reefs h s mother and the girl, to
keep back in the farthest and darkest cor
ner of the room, out of range of the firing.
He then says: IF am shot down, | want
you all to leave this room at once, and take
refuge in one of the chambers. Scip must
be home in an hour or two, and hope to
fN-y,5t See me faIf, don't stop 70 help me.
you can't be of any use, but leave thi I,
room as fast as you can!" Aud sinking his
voice. he slys, IF no escue comes, and l
am dead-mother, Nelly, Constance; but
+" He breaks off suddenly.
Constance goes up to him. Fred, if you
are killed, we will obey implicitly. We
will lock ourselves in, as you wish us to do,
and If no help comes-if the ruffians break
down the do r-why, we can die, too"
You have taken a load off my heart,
says Fred, smilingly, "and now we'll give
these blackguards something to do, directly.
Tuey won't find 1t as easy to get into the
house as they ina. inc"
Then follows silence-no sounds are
to be heard but the dropping of an ash on
the hearth, or the loud ticking of the
kitchen clock. Fred has unlatched the
window, under which the men are crouch
ing. The watching women can hear the
thick, heavy beating of their hearts against
their sides.
At last loud, coarse voice calls out.
Come on, fellows, the Doc won't an
hour ago. The light is out, the coast clear.
Well have the old gals diamonds sure ter
night"
SHalt!" cries Fred from the window.
"One step forward and one of you at least
is a dead man."
The moon, which until then had been
hidden by driving clouds, shines out sud-
denly. Four guns go off simultaneously.
Tie bullets fly about Freds head, oae
scores his cheek. He feels the warm blood
trickle down upon his neck.
Then in reply to the volley pistol shot
rings out.
There is a stifed shrek, and Fred, who
has thrown open the easement, sees the
foremost man leap wildly in the air, his
arms held high up above his head. mo-
ment later he falls face foremost to the
ground. His companions run up to him
and turn him over on his face.
"Dead-dead as a rat" said one with an
oath, that makes the trembling women stop
their ears.
''One shot gone" mutters Fred. MAY
the next one prove as etfectual."
The man who has spoken last makes a
sudden rush for the door. He dashes it
in, but the table wheeled against il by Con-
s29ne s2ne voleS lhS iPfadts Il feard
everybody had forgotten her, but she has
descended from the upper regions, won
derful figure in her night gear.
She holds gun in her hand which she,
it is evident, intends using as a club, and
shouts: Hi, yer look yere. Yaller Joe, yer
done come one step niyah and I'll knock
yer head off yer-sure as you're bornl"
The man, startled at this unexpected op-
ponent, hesitates, and Fred calls out, "Go
back or I'll tirel"
1.-Two can play at that game, young fell
There is shrill yelp of anguish. The
bullet has gone wide of its aim and hit
Nap, nesting in Constance's arms. "0hl
my pet, my poor little Nap!" Fred hears
her cry. Dinah's gun, used rs club, de-
scends at this moment on the ruffian's
head whose shot las proved so fatal TO Nap.
He staggers back, blinded and giddy,
against his companions. Just then the
tramp of heavy f. ct is heard coming along
the lonely road.
1t is Scip with dozen of his friends re-
turning from the prayer meet ng. They
are singing as they march along. AS they
come nearer the words of a popular negro
chant
"Raiu, fell, and wet Sally Lort)n,
Rain, fall and wet Sally Lorton"
are plainly to be heard. Never did the
richest strains of PATHS delicious voice
awaken such rapture in Fred's heart as the
strains of this rough, uncouth negro hymn.
IL tells linn Of escape from death for his
it whispers hope to his heart,
but moment before given over 10 darkest
despair, for inst now he had fired his last
charge and missed his aim.
The three men have fed, leaving their
dead comrade beh nd.
Dinah has run down the road, and is
now seen returning, holdirg tight to the
arm of her lord and master and chatter:ng
10 him fast and furiously, in a dialect alb
solutely unintelligible TO the Northerners.
But Constance has retreated to a corner,
and sitting on rickety wooden chair is
weeping unrestrainedly over the little dead
dog in her arms.
Fred looks at her in amazement. She,
he quiet, reticent, self restrained young
woman has bent her stately head, and big |
N cn1aobtnu frop,
down upon the curly coat and small, stiff
fening paws of Nap.
Fred is fascinated by the sight. If it |
had been Nell now it would have been not |
1t all surprising; but Constancc-the nm
Constance.
The sight of her niece's utter despair over
he death of her dog excites her aunt's in |
lignation.
"Constance!" she exclaims, reprovingly,
how can you sit and cry that way about !
iour dog, when it might have been me or
Fred2 You ought TO be very thankful it
vas only Nap"
Here Nelly interrupts her, her blue eyes
iashing fire.
"Really, aunt, as Nap was shot in Con-
stances arms, / think the only one who !
vas in danger of being shot by that bullet !
vas Constance herself"
Then, going up TO her cousin, she says: |
poor, little, faithful doggy, we would |
probably all have been murdered in our
'eds If it hadn't been for you. But don't |
ry any more. for my sake, Conny; you'll |
make yourself i'll. And give me Nap; I'll |
'ut him on his cushion in the sitting room,
md to-morrow-not to-day, for. see, il is
'fter two we'll bury him under the apple
ee, near the door. We shall always know
where he lies, as there is only one apple
rec in the garden"