Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-11-11

his midnight ride of six long miles. But
when he reached Castleton Court, all was
still and dark. He rang two or three
times before a night-capped heal popped
out of the window-that of the old
squire himself.
.Dear, dearl" said Squire Castleton.
"What's tie matterl Nobody ill,
hopeW
"Why, you are, aren't you1' testify
demanded Doctor FengrOve.
oq2 Not bit ofitI" said the squire,
in surprise.
"Didn't you send for mel"
"No, didn't" sand the squire. "And
if you've got anything more to say, you'd
better come in out of the slest storm
and say it."
"No," said Doctor FengrOve, setting
his teeth together, I'll not come in,
thank you"
at amt joke, is itl" questioned
Squire CastletOn.
"I'm afraid it's something more Sc
rious than a joke" said Doctor Fen
grove. "Good-night."
Aud, turning old Roan's head, he set
spurs to him and trotted rapidly away.
Evidently, the night call WINS a con-
certed plan-a plan 10 leave his home
unprotected-aud his mind turned, with
keen distrust, to Milo YORK and his tale
of distress.
"God keep Dolly aud the little one
safe until get home agaiu" he NUT
tered, between his closed lips. "Faster,
Roam, fas!erw with a touch of the
whip, which was scarcely needed, so
thoroughly did the good horse enter into
the spirit Of his rider. "You know not
how much may depend upon your speed
tonight"
Meanwhile, Mrs. Fengrove, who had
lust fallen into a restless slunber, after
locking the door behind her husband,
was unwontedly startled once again by
low, steadily continuous sound like
the rasping of some hard instrument.
She eat up in bed aud listened a min
ute. Under her window the sound Of
muffled and subdued voices was audible,
even above the rattle and roar of the
wintry storm.
"Burglars" she gasped to herself.
"And my husband is gone-and- Oh,
Milo York is at the bottom of this How
wrong it was of me to give him shelter
in the barnl"
Springing to her feet, she threw on a
blue flannel dressing gown, and hurried
to the cupboard, where her few simple
treasures were kept, besides the square,
morocco case containing Aunt Dorothy's
service of solid, old-iashioned china.
She turned the key and was just drop
ping it into her pocket, when a rude
grasp fell on her arm.
"No you dOn't!" muttered grufi
voice. "Give that here!"
Mrs. Fengrove's heart turned chill as
death as she found herself face to face
with tall, rufianly man, whose face
was half hidden by sort of visor or
mask of black leather, while another
man was busily engaged in ransacking
the bureau drawers opposite.
"Give it here!" he uttered savagely.
"Or," grasping the throat of the sleep
ing baby, who had awakened with a cry
Of infant terror, "I'll wiring the bTat's
neck as if it were a chickens"
Mrs. Fengrove gave a shrek of
alright, but at the same second a stun
ming blow from spade handle felled
the man opposite, like log, to the
floor, and a strong hand, twisting itself,
vice like, in the necxerc'ne. Of the near
est villain, compelled HIM to loose his
hold of the child.
"YOu will, will youl" thundered
Milo York. "Not if know it,
guess"
Aud suddenly closing with the
burglar, there ensued a desperate
struggle for minute or two, during which
Mrs. Fengrove's blood seemed turning to
ice within her veins. 1t was brief, how
ever. Milo flung his opponent heavily
to the ground, and, tearing one of the
sheets from the bed, he twisted it around
and above him, knotting it here and
there, until the cowardly burglar lay
helpless and pinioned at his feet.
"I'd oughter cut yer throat" said
Milo, "a-fghtin' babies and women, you
mean skunk, you'll But l won't; Ill
leave you to the law, and If that don't
grip you tight enough, l amt no good
guesser"
And, with equal rapidity, he tied the
hands and feet Of the other man, who
still lay iusensible on the floor.
"Is-is be dcad2" gasped poor Mrs.