St. Landry democrat., 1890-08-23
A HEROINE AFTER ALL.

suppose" sighed Drusilla Myrick re
gretfully to her brother, who sat, with hi
long legs stretched out before him, hi
hands thrust deep in his pockets, and
perplexed look on his face.
He had received summons that morn
ing to come Immediately to Hobbsville
fifteen miles away, to be a witness in ,
case going on there.
81 hate to leave you alone, even for thu
day, Druse."
The brother and sister had left thei
home in Vermont year or so before, and
investing small capital in large West.
ern ranch, were now trying to run it, will
fair success, though not all that they haC
hoped for. Rob Myrick employed three
men to help him, and they were all out
now engaged in rounding up the herds
As his sister Drusilla was strong and capa
BILE, and there were few women in that
part of the country, she attended to all the
indoor work of the household. m king the
small adobe house not uuattractive oasis
in the vast expanse of prairie that stretched
away in fiat dreariness. to North, South,
East and West.
''You have your revolver all in good
order, Druse," he said, as he tried the
cock on his II examined it myself just
now. Not that you have any occasion to
use it-ani | say, look here !" be added,
lowering his voice and leaning down to
her, although presumably there was no
one within several miles of them, 'that
money, you know, that | got to pay the
men with is all in that tomato can on the
shelf in the pantry. II you're afraid, I'll
take it with me, but think it's safer here
than in Hebbsyille"
"WhsE do you take me for2 OF course
I'm not afraid, RIB T. and she gave him a
brave look.
"Well, Druse, I must be off, He flung
his arms about her neck. kissed her, and
In another moment was flying across the
sun parched, glazing prairie.
Drusilla was tall, slender New Eng
land girl, between 25 and 80 years old.
She might have been fairly pretty had not
her face been burned a brick red by the
prairie winds and fierce sun. As it was,
she was an erect young woman, with clear
blue eyes, brown hair, and gentle ex-
preston.
The long hours stretched on and on.
The sun slowly travelled it's blazing course
In the vast, dense like expanse of sky that
seemed fitted completely around the hori
zon to keep in the heat and light. Not q
breath of air cracked the dried grass or
moved the limp curtains. Drusilla spent
the day in going from one task to another,
grooming Methodist hymns by way of CON-
partnership, and finally noted with glad
ness that the shadows of the cow shed had
crept clear across the yard.
The sweet GOODNESS of the evening
seemed to settle down over every thin Z,
with refreshing caress, while the dark
ness slowly gathered.
She sat some time by the window to en-
JOY the slight wind before going to bed,
when, as her window was within reach of
the ground, and she was all alone, she
would have to close it. She glanced al
the clock and was surprised to see that it
was nearly midnight already. AS she
stood again at the window to tabe fare.
well look before closing the shutters, the
scene reminded her of print of French
picture called ''The Crucifxion," that
ornamented her wall Here was the vast
moon-lit plain in the picture, the sky with
a few twinkling stars, but in the picture
to the left were the shadows of the three
crosses, while here-and she leaned slight
ly out of the window to prove the incom-
pleteness of the likeness. In an instant it
seemed as if all the blood in her body had
flown to her heart and was pounding
violently there. She had not strength
to move, for there, where in the picture
were the shadows of the three crosses, and
where she expected to see nothing, was
the motionless shadow of human figure.
With wild, silent prayer for help, she
herself sufficiently to close the
shutters without making q sound and to
~ ho h0p
she went into the living-room. The win
dow opening on the yard was not closed
and square patch of moonlight came in
flooding the room. By this light she ad-
justed the ladder in the hole in the attic.
for her plans were quickly made, and al
though her teeth were chattering and she
was shaking from head to foot, her ideas
remained clear. She cropped her way in
to the black pantry. felt for the tomata can
with the money, and coming back to the
living room, went to the open window and
scrutinized the yard closely, glaucing
sharply into the dark shadows. II was to
all appearance lonely and deserted She
silently closed the shutters of this last
window also, and then, being entirely in
lnky darkness, felt her way to the lad
der and crept up to the attic above.
just as she was going to draw up the
ladder she bethought herself that her re
volver was down on her dressing bureau,
where her brother had left it. She crawled
down and got it. Each moment spent in
shese maneuvers, instead of calming her,
left her in more abject state of terror.
She pulled the ladder up into the attic
after her. striving to make as little noise
Is possible, but she could not avoid scrap
ng sound that seemed to fill her ears with
.oaring din. The ladder drawn up, all
hat she could do at present was done, and
The lay fat on the floor to await further
She put the revolver little way from
,er, fearing that If she held it, itmighs go
,f with her nervous trembling.
ooh, If he would only make noise or
10 something! Where is he now9 He
ant be looking at me out of the dark Oh,
lord Forgive me my sins-I know that |
ny last hours have come-oh, please let |
no make sound-oh; Rob Rob WHY |
lid you leave met Oh, what is this trick.
ing down my cheek Oh, its only perspira
ion-I shall die of fright before ever am
A slight sound from outside made her
lood, which had begun mild circulation
gain, fly back to her heart She felt for |
er revolver. 1t was there.
Rob said was brave and | will be |
ID, help me heavenly Father |"
The door latch ratified slightly in Its
ocket. Some one was trying it. Then
be window shutters creaked as If they
vere gently pushed. She strained her
yes to pierce the blackness. Cold chilIs
IN up and down her spine, but her con-