Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1893-06-09

six miles below, had called Miriam away,
poor Emily was oil in flutter.
True, tho one train day which stopped
at the station was not due until seven in
the morning. The telegram office was
closed, and there was absolutely no caro-
for her TO assume except to put another
log of wood on the air tight stove and
go quietly to bed.
But the very sense of solitude appalled,
her. She shivered at the very click OF
the snow flakes against the window, tho
crack of the boards in the floor, the slow
drip Of the water into the kitchen sink,
where Uncle Absalom had recently in.
troduced the modern improvement of n
water tap, connected by pipes with tho
spring in the spruce glen above.
"Why couldn't Miriam have stopped
at one of the neighbors' houses and sent
some one to keep me company" she re-
pinned. "Andrcw says there are some
nice girls ut Almondsley, down the
mountain, and he said he'd like to intro
duce me to Marietta Mix, who teaches
Sunday school in the South Clcating,
and does type writing for the company
on week days. I'm sorry, now that I
tossed my head, and put on airs, and
said | did not care to minglc in the So
cicty hereabouts. must have appeared
hateful enough. Gracious, what was
that"
1t was the clock striking nine, and
then Emily remembered that she had no
supper. Ncrvously glaucing around her,
she tip-tocd to the cupboard, and to ok a
glass of milk and little bread and
cheese AS she replaced the tumblcr on
the shelf she heard footsteps on the
frozen ground outside.
cts my imagination" she said, after
listening for second. "But won't be
frightened so. 1 will be brave" She
took Ratchet, and sallyiug forth,
opened the celIar-door. ''If anyone
comes he'll sail down there before he can
get to the door," said she.
And with two prodigious slashcs of
the hatchet she cut away the board rath
which led across series of rugged bould-
crs to the railway platform.
"There," she cried, hurrying back to
the inside warmth and brightness, as if
n whole brigade of pursuers were at her
heels, "that's doncl feel safer now.
But must hang the lantern out before
Uncle Absaom comes back. 1 don't
want him to fall down and break his
dear old neck"
She had just seated herself with sigh
of relief when something like big fire.
fly blazed on her vision-for a brief Sec
ond only; then it was gone.
ga dark lantcrn!" she said to herself.
az am sure now that hear the sound Of
feet on the platform. There are two or
three people there perhaps more. They
have learned that 1 am alone with all
that money" Shc claspcd her hands
over her eyes, and shivcrcd rs she heard
Il crash, Il smothered exclamation, sup
pressed buzz of voices, "Somc one has
fallen down the cellarl Oh, how for
tunate 1t was l thought OF that"
And now low whisper came up
through the carelcssly- joined boards of
the floor. She could distinguish the
words, "Hold on! Be CAREFUL The
front door is fastened, for tried it.
You can all of sou get down cellar, and
come up that way"
Emily's heart gave an exultaut Jump.
The cellar door, mass of timber in
which she had the fullest confidence, was
securely bolted. She pcsred out into
the stormy darkness. BY the occasion
ally displayed CLEAN of the lantern she
could see a huddlcd mass of figures
creeping down the cellar steps.
Last OF all Disappeared the lantern it.
self, one leisurcly step at time; and
then, consummating plan which she
had long been connecting in her mind.
Emily made n dash out into the night,
closed the two divisions of the cellar
door with bang, barred them, and fled
painting into the house.
BY this time there was n brisk knock
ing at the cellar door, crying out of,
"Open the doorl Let us in!"
But to these calls Emily Elkton paid
no heed, and it was only when n hand
was suddenly laid on her shoulder from
behind that she uttered a piercinn
scream and lost all her presence OF mind.
"Why, Emmyl" exclaimed familiar
voice. "Why, Child, what's the matter2"
ooh, Uncle Absalom, how you fright
SHS1 AiS' Oh, uCdi Iuc CeliHr IS lull oil
burglars and robbersl Reach down your
gun get the hot-water kettlc!"
N"Burglars, chr" said Uncle Absalom.
'Robbers2 Why, whar on yarth did
they come from2 Sure ye amt mistook,
sissy Anyhow, I'll be ready for EN-"
He advanced toward the cellar door
with his loaded revolver in his hand.
"Whoever We be" he shouted, .stcll
| us what your business is or take this |
Don't hold my arm, sissyl There cant
no more'n one ut time como up these
'ere cellar stairs, and I reckon Pm n
match for that much, if i be old an
stiff"
To Emily's infinite alarm he unbolted
the cellar door and flung it wide open.
There, crowding on the narrow wood
en- steps, stood Andrew Markham, the
Miss Almonnsleys, Leonidas Mix and
Sister Marietta, and DR.. Cities two club
by daughters.
1--WE came," said Markham. rather
shamefaccdly, "to give Miss Elkton