The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-06-17


fore her little game was discovered.
The moment the tories perceived the
deadly purpose of the giantess the three
nearest the window sprang TO their feet in
terrified establishment
stand back !" she cried in a threaten
ing tone, presenting one of the loaded car
bines with an air of resolute determine
ton. "The first villain of you that stirs a
step I'll shoot, and the first one that
touches another mite of that pork I'll blow
his brains outr'
Without needing her blazing eye or her
stern verbal warning the tory leader
sprang fearlessly toward the stack of arms,
but before he could reach them there was
a report of a carbine and the advancing
rufiian fell to the floor, while the slug,
which had passed entirely through his
body. struck another in the temple who
was seated at the table, killing him in
stantly.
A third, rendered desperate by the try
ing situation, made reckless attempt to
get possession OF one of the carbines, and
instantly paid the penalty with his life.
Throwing the second empty carbine
aside Mrs. Hart caught up the third one,
with which she now covered what re-
manned of the terrified party.
There were but four left, and not one of
the four dared to move finger.
Leah, blow the dinner horn' cried the
mother in tone of resolute triumph at
is safe now to call IN Silas and your
father"
The young girl, half terrified out of her
wits, promptly obeyed the maternal COM
mand, and long, winding blast echoed
and re-echoed through the intervening
woods.
She had left the house and Joined her
mother on the outside before she essayed
to blow it, and as she lowered the horn
from her lips, now rendered colorless from
her recent fright, her anxious eyes were
bent in the direction of the distant corn,
field. where her father and brother and
faithful negro servant were at WORK, al
though narrow belt of timber stretched
between them.
She uttered quick exclamation of joy-
GUS pleasure, for at that moment she saw
ali three strike out of the wood and start
on a rapid run toward the house
Hearing the first shot that had been
fired, and then alarmed by the other two
which had followed in such rapid success
sion, they caught up their loaded carbines
and started on a run from the field where
they were then at work.
The moment they had quilted the tim
Der they saw at glance by the several
horses hitched 10 the fence and the
belligerent attitude of the heroic giantess
at the window pretty nearly how matters
stood at the house, and they all three
sent up an encouraging shout to the
women.
Just at this point they heard the ring
ing sound of horses hoofs in an opposite
direction, and turning suddenly Leah
beheid her lover dashing furiousiy toward
the house. This additional reinforce
ment, coming so opportunely, yet so I'M
expectedlv, filed the heart OF the timid
maiden with increased confidence.
"Oh, mother" she burst out excitedly,
Randolph is coming-seel He rs just
leaving the wood. Isn't it lucky for
him to come just at this time, when we
had no reason to expect him?"
az expected him" said Mrs. Hart with
quiet assurance. II knew it was he the
tories were in pursuit of, and l was deter
mined to outwit them if it lay in the
power of woman to do it. Everything has
turned out for the best, for had Lieut..
Darrell ridden straight here instead of
lingering in the woods as he did he would
doubtless have been captured and perhaps
murdered before our eyes. So you see,
my girl, the WAYS of Providence are better
than our ways, for they always turn out
for the best in. the end"
In another moment Randolph Darrell
had aiighted at their side, and in the next
the blushing and happy Leah was enfold-
ed in his manly embrace
While the lovers were thus preoccupied
Abijah, Silas and the negro arrived, fear
fully excited and wholly out OF breath.
SiIas recovered first and was about to
shoot down one of the tories, when his
mother resolutely interfered.
Don't shoot them! Leave them to me,
Silas. | will mete out their punishment
to them. We haven't forgotten Eben's
murder yet, and shooting is too good for
'em. We will just hang them like pack
of dogs, the whole cowardly kit of them.
Get the clothes line. Leah: we can afford
to cut it on such righteous and heaven
sent OCCASION"
Randolph shuddered, for he understood
the determined character of the woman,
and knew that she would not be long in
putting her terrible threat into execution.
Nor, indeed. was she, for within the ensu-
ing hour. in spite of their prayers and pro-
testations, the bodies of the four tories
went dangling from the nearest tree
And thus at the hand Of a resolute and
heroic mother was the death OF a beloved
son simply and satisfactorily avenged.
After the tories had hung a sufficient
time they were cut down and tumbled in
discriminatory with the other three into
one common grave.
Shortly after this event Leah and Ran
dolph Darrell were happily united in
wedlock and soon after the close of our
glorious revolution the whole family emf
grated to Hardin county, Kentucky, where
they could have, as Mrs. Hart expressed
it. more ''elbow ROOM" ii less civilization