The Bottineau pioneer., 1893-09-09

the house! And they were not very
quiet about it, for she could hear their
voices plainly. She crept out of bed
and listened.
"Only a woman; and we can soon set
tie her! / tell We Mr.. Burton is"
She did not watt to hear more, but
went back quietly to the bea and wax
ened John. ~
"Hush--not a world! she whispered.
'"There are men breaking into the
house. You cannot 60 for help-I must;
but first let me leave you safe. If
we only had pistol, you might have
fired: but we will defeat them yet
trust to me!''
Her courage was marvellous, and it
revived John Burton's spirits, for at
| first he had groaned at his own power
| lessness to help. N
II am but log. just now with my
| unfortunate knee, vet"
Before he could utter another word
she had put blanket round him, and,
almost carrying him in her arms, was
| hurrying him towards a lumber-room.
Placing him behind lot of boxes and
hampers she fetched some more cloth
ing, and heaped it. upon him. Then,
quietly locking the lumber-room door on
the inside, she put the key into her
| pocket, and, opening the window,
peered out cautiously. It was the win
dow that the pear tree sheltered. She
neither saw nor heard any one, and
the moon was shining brightly. Hold
ing her breath, she prepared to get
Oh to the window sill. John would
have stopped her, but, after one vain
attempt, he was forced to give way to
her, knowing that her will was law
to him.
ut is our only chance of escape" she
said, in low tone. ''They shall not
catch me aliye-I can run with the
best"
Johns hand would have been a great
help to her in her descent by the pear
tree, but she managed to do without it.
Halfway down her heart almost mis-
gave her, for one of the men came
! round the corner of the house to see
that all was right; but fortunately he
did not look up, or he must have seen
her nerves were, that incident disturbed
possible She trembled excessively,
and was obliged to pause for some mo-
ments. The grating Of Jimmy
sounding from the front Of the house
told her that the men were once more
together, trying to break in; and she
pursued her way hurriedly.
About twenty minutes later Judith
rushed into the bar room at the Angel
Inn A sorry figure she looked, with
the few clothes she had contrived to
throw on and a shawl over her head.
Being fair time, there was an unusual
ly large number Of men collected to-
gether. Each one looked up uncom-
fortably, expecting to find that the
woman, half f-hidden by the shawl, was
! his angry wife come 20 fetch him; but,
when they found that it was Mrs. Bur
ton, they all listen.M to what she said
with the greatest respect.
Breaking into your house? Auda-
cious roLbersr" calculated the land
lord. "But where is Sultan, Mrs. Bur-
ton? He would have been Invaluable
now"
II dared not wal. to bring him." she
said. Hurry, please, or my husband
may be murdered and the money
taken.
~.sYou should not have left the cash."
observed one man. But see-there
is dog cart driving off to your as
sistance, and the men that can't ride
will walk. How are you going. ma'am?
VIII you follow or stay here?
She was about to declare her inten-
ton of walking too, when gentleman
came forward and said:
II am driving that way, and can give
you seat in my carriage;' so she ac-
cepted this kind offer.
BY the time she reached the farm
house again the men were captured,
with the money on them. They were
tried at the next assizes, and received
long sentences, both proving to be des-
perate villains whom the police had
| long been searching for.
Squire Hall was so elated at his
daughters bravery that he walked over
to the farm the next day, and became
reconciled to Judith and her husband
indeed he would have made them re-
! turn with him to Fyfeld house but that
Johns knee was so much worse that
they preferred postponing their visit
for few days.
II dc aot know, Judith, that you have
not done better in taking your own
way and accepting John Burton" OBJ
served the squire; "but have suffered
no end of misery for my pig-headedness
in the matter, and so has your mother
"Ah," exclaimed Judith, "and I also
have suffered! My will was too strong;
7 ought to have coaxed you more. Let
us learn q lesson from it, and try to
| be more patient and forbearing in the
future. I am truly thankful for last
nights incident if it has reconciled us
again. Now, father, stay and have a
pipe with John while I run home and
see mother ~
Squire Hall accepted the invitation;
and, when Judith returned with Mrs.
Hall, it pleased her greatly to see how
well the father and his son-in-law
! were getting on together.
| "Your husband is a cousin to the Bur
tons Of Corby, learn, Judith" said
Mr.. Hall proudly some Of our grand
est neighbors. Who would have
| thought it?' @.s
And he is not an impecunious noble
man, like Lord Slater, going through
the Bankruptcy, Court, !" whispered Ju-
dith.
aNo. indeed returned the squire.
| ut is q great comfort to me to know
that in leaving my money to Judith
It viii not be made ducks and drakes
| OF. 4
1--WE shall want no money spoke up
John Burton proudly. Through my
noble wife's industry and good manage
ment we are independe lent, and through ]
Iher undaunted courage we are now
happy family. My Wffe's good health!
Three cheers for Mrs. Burton,s
bravey g,
Il The squire Joined II the toast, and
added: