News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-09-27
HOW ROBBERS WERE FOILED.
An Instance of Great Courage Dis
played by a Young Woman.

Something allied Nettie Wilder. Hel
mother, who gave to this only child al
ler strong maternal love, knew some
hing of the change, and her thinking
S hours were often as perplexed and
8 troubled as Nettie's.
For there was Frank Mitchell, on the
one hand, the son of the richest man in
Coverdale; college educated, handsome
: y attired, smooth of tongue and cour-
l | teous of manner. And there was Harry
Lane, on the other hand, a stalwart
young farmer of 25, who owned we'll
conducted farm, was as honest and true
man rs the wide world could produce,
, and fully his own master. And both
were courting pretty Nettie Wilder.
And poor little Nettie was growing
grave and womanly, thinking of the
choice she must make. For, if Harry
had been her boy lover all her life, Frank
possessed the charm of novelty; and he
would take her from the drudgery of
farm life.
Yet there was something about Frank
Mitchell that Nettie distrusted. She
could not define it, and none of the
whispers that "Mitchell's son was a
little wild" had ever reached her; yet,
she was conscious of certain shrinking
from his most tender speeches.
She was pondering over all this one
pleasant October afternoon; and, as the
shadow crossed the window, she looked
up to see Harry Lane carrying large
covered basket.
"We are gathering the pippins, "he said,
coming to the window sill, "and I
brought over basket for your mother"
Mrs. Wilder from the inner part of the
room, advanced to speak some words of
thanks, adding:
''Don't you want to take some to your
grandfather, Nettie7 Harry can go to
the crossroads with you."
Half reluctantly Nettie put on her hat
and sacque, and selected some of the
| finest pippins for q smaller basket.
With nod and smile Nettie left
Harry at the crossroads (where he
promised to meet her at 5 o'clock, to
cross the lot that saved nearly half a
mile OF the distance to her grandfather's.
On entering the kitchen she frightened
Katie, the old servant, by the ashy pal
lor of her face and the strange tremor of
her voice, rs she said sharply:
"Where is grandfather"
''He's not come in from town YETI
was the reply. "Whatever come to |
you, Miss Nettie? Are you going to
faint2"
"No. I am tired. I must watch for
grandfather, or he may drive past"
: Then she ran across the garden to the .
gate, for there was q sound of wheels |
on the road. Her grandfather checked |
his horse as she opened the gate, to say
to her:
Jump in. I'm going over to
MitchelPs'' -
"You must come in first" she said.
81 must speak to you, grandfather. 1t is
important"
Her pale, agitated face and her earn
estness half heightened the old man,
and he tied the horse and followed her
into the house.
What is it, dear?" he asked. 'sBe
home before dark and it's n good strotch
'Grandfather, have you money for
him?"
eyes. all the quarterly rents. Folks
all paid up to-day"
''You must not take it over, grand
father. There are three men over IN
Higginss old barn waiting to rob you.
"Nonsense"
sTt is not nonsense, grandfather. l
came across lots with Harry, but When
| passed Higgins's place l saw some OF
those great yellow pears hanging over
the barn and went to get them: Nhen
I was up in the tree l saw and heard the
men. they are i'll the barn, and they
Lnow Won have been collecting the
rents. They mean to stop you and take
the money. And, oh, grand1atnef, II
Won don't 60 on they will come over
here and rob you! so you must leI ne
do what have planned. Let me take
the money on and you stay here. II
tbev stop me I will tell them that you
baTa sent the money to Mr.. Mitchell.
.sYou can say met Mitchell's man,
wilson in town, if you choose. l often
send it out by him, but met him to-day
before it was paid. But, Nettie, L can't
LET YOU run into danger"
.tThere will be no danger to me. They
will never think have the money"
osBut they may look to see.
For answer Nettie took down q coil of
eunerb brown hair, that had been neatly
twisted up under her hat. Shaking 1t
out she said:
"Give me the notes, grandfather.
He took q big roll from his wallet, and
looked on in mute admiration while
Nettie twisted it into her hair, pinning
and patting the enlarged coil until it
was in order, and finally perching the
dainty hat over all.
'Don't worry about me-" she said,
kissing the oil man tenderly. Then,
after moments hesitation, she said,
very, very grave!y:
'FGrandfather, you will keep secret
if tell you one"
eyes, dear.
"Then, while you are grateful that
YOU are not exposed to robbery and, per-
haps, murder, thank Heaven, too, for
my escape. One of these men is Frank
Mitchell"
She kissed him and was gone before
he had sufficiently recovered from his
amazement to answer her.
She drove away rapidly hoping to
pass Higgins's barn too quickly to be
stopped, as dusk was gathering. But
| three men stood across the road, and the
horse stopped. The men were all
masked, but Nettie knew well that II
was her lover who grasped the horse ny
the bride and ordered her grandfather
| to alight. .....,., NJ
It was hard task to laugh, but Net,
| tie was brave in the face of the actual
peril. With light laugh she SAID.
81 nm not Mr.. Snow. Don't you
know a girl from an old manf =,
"This is Mr.. Shows buggy" )" growled
| one of the men. -. -
' "WeIi, hnsn he right to lend it TO
his granddaughter to go home lh' IT,
| torted Nettle. ,r...,,o1,,s2,,
asked the growing voice 49,,
"No. OH" as if the idea had snGdeh,
" occurred to her-"Oh, you WlcAtu
noeni You thought grandfather was was
taking money to Mr.. Mitchelts' On'
Pm SO glad! He met Wilson Ill to"n'
and he las sent Mr.. Mitchell the rents:
The tierceness of the oaths that he'
This statement made Netties heart SINK;
| Rut she sat erect and watched the haliu
that held her horse. In the hrst SUI
nrise the man turned to his coinpan-
ions. and Nettie, gathering, the Ielis
firmly in her left hand, suadehly
brought the whiplash with all the loice
| of bS7. voung arm across the hand sue
Voc watching. Involuntarily 1t loosen
"a its Grasp. while the horse, startled by
tbe same blow, dashed ahead with
sneed that threatened new danger, 1or
the dusk was gathering. -,
Nettie saw Harry Lane at the cross
roads. patiently waiting, but was COM
nelled to pass Mt full speed, with only
! nod of recognition. -.
N Refore she reached her destination
she had full control of the horse again,
Int it was a very pale face that CON
fronted the fatherly old man who re
ceived her.
faIt