The Irish standard., 1891-01-03
THE IklslI Standard! SATURDAY. JANUARY s.

"
70 her car in listening attitude,
''whnt's that?''
''sounds like horses said zeb, got
ting up and going toWnm the door.
But his wife restrained him. 'Don't
open that tloor!'' she cried, catching hold
OF Zeb's arm. "May be they've come for
you'll"
In q moment 1t was plain to them
that tho house was surrounded. They
could hear voices speaking In low tones
outside. Then there was loud knock
at the door.
Zeb got his rifle, and standing In
front OF his wife, facing the door, asked:
who's there?"
"Only u fow frionds," replied n grutf
voice. Twin you open tho door and lot
US In, or shall wo bust 1t in?"
"What do you want?' cried Zeb, 90
comm to mans house an talkin'
about broakin' his door downl"
."Wo want YOU" replied the voice.
"Wo'ye got little matter to so.tle
with You"
"How many OF ye out THEREOF asked
Xeb.
"lhorc's enough Of us" replied the
voice. ''It you don't want your door
broke down, you'd better opon 1t quick.
We ics' wanter talk with you bit"
"Break 1t down Ii You're mind tor
said Zeb, whilo his wife clung to him in
terror, "but tho first ono Of you that
shows his head'll git bullet in it.
Tho door was locked and barred and
tho only window In the little cabin was
securely fastened.
A hoavy blow on tho door with tho
butt OF an axe made it tremblo Then
thoro were several blows in succession,
while on tho other sido OF tho house they
were trying to wrench the window cpon.
.'C,it that shotgun, Mollie,' cried Ieb,
can stand guard at the winder!'
Pale and trembling, tho woman
obcynl,
Blow on blow fell on tho door, They
saw the keen blade or an axe clcaye
through; Il heavy oakon panel gave way,
then another and another
"Stand fast, Mollio!' cried Icb, San
fire at tho first face you secl'
And Moilie obeycd.
As tho window WAS torn from Its
hinges and IL wide space was cleft In the
door, the SHARP crack OF rife WAS fol-
lowed by tho louder report Of IL shotgun.
There was n cry Of pain outside; II
heavy sound, as ol n MINIS body falling
to tho ground.
'''rho captains ki)lod" yelled voice,
and the cry was followed by the sound
OF dozen rifles from without, and then
tho men who had boon trying to forco
their way in tho door rushed to tho side
of tho house that MolIic guarded.
Ieb and hls wife had cronohch low
after the first fire; the room WAS Mod
with smoke, but through 1t al lob could
SEQ that tho door WAS unguarlnd from
without.
Come, Mollier' he whispered, honrso-
ly, ''now's our clanco?'
They fed just Ms three horscmcn
wheeled around the house and fired a
vulley into tho door.
The report or tho guns drowned the
echo Of their flying feet, but Zeb and
Mollio heard % voice cxclMim:
"Ihcre'S IL wo,nnn in The house. Don't
kill tho won,an'
Then there was a loud yell, and tho
rnlloning OF horses in different dircc-
tiOn3.
Their escape had been discovered
On they went, hob and Mollic; on
through tho dark and rain.
Two mon, riding furiously, passed 50
close to them that thoy might have
touched them with their whips; but
they crouchcd low on the ground, and
were not seen.
On thcy went; tho only sounds vtcy
heard now were those Of thcir own hnr-
rying feet; tho chase had either been
abandoned, or had tuEnn . different di"
rccton from that in which they were
going.
Mollie's strength was failing, and Zeb
himself was exhausted.
Soaked through by the rain, and shiv-
oring with the cold Of chat wintor's
night, they reached ut last n little cabin
In tho woods The flicker OF u fro with
I'm was seen through tho chinks.
The negro who lived there was well
known to Znb and There, by his hospi-
table hearth, Och and his wife spent Che
night, while the old man, terrified by
tho story Heb told him, watched and
listened by their side, lest their pnrsuors
should come upon them unaw;tres.
When the morning dawnod, clear and
beautiful, Zcb and Mollic rotraced their
steps to their deserted home
Tackled in a conspicuous place on the
front or the house was u piece or brown
paper ON which these words were writ
ten:
We give you twenty -four hours
re- LEAVE TJIE COUNTY.
by order OF CAPTAIN JACK.
"Oh! Zeb," cried Nlollic, '1ets go back
to Savannah. They'll conc back tonight
to Kill us both"
nNo" cried Xeb. with O. look OF deter