Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1894-07-14

my va hi6hN'
in the house, and the house itself was
| lonely enough, a small cottage stand
ing back from a country road; not
near any other dwelling. Then,
further. the curate had been called to
n sick man three miles off; he might
not be home all night: and the servant,
old Molly, was gone to see her sister
in the village a mile away; but Molly
had the key of the back door, and so
had no need to knock at the front
door, What made Nina cautious was
the fact that there was trouble at Mr..
Ilinton's mills at Copeland-some four
miles distant, and there might be idle
people about; otherwise she was not
fearful; girls accustomed to country
solitude are not so timid as their town
sisters. Yet a girl of twenty, and Il
very pretty girl, too, may well hesitate
to open the house door between ten
and eleven o'clock at night to a pos
sible rufian. 1t was a wild night, too,
with a gale of wind blowing across
the moors-the sort of night burglars
affect.
As the girl paused. the knocking came
again. There was no mistake about
it this time. Then a thought flashed
across her mind. How silly of me.
OF course, it's poor Molly; she has for
gotten her key and she quilted the
little parlor, and went out into the
hall, lighted with an oil lamp. She
drew back the bolts-thcre was no
c~hain-and opened the door-but re-
coiled q step, startled, even frightened
for a tall, slight man, wearing a low
felt hat, stepped hastily across the
threshold, closing the door behind him.
But even as he did this, he pulled off
his hat, and Nina saw a dark, hand
some face, and a head covered with
crisp black curls.
Forgive me-" he said, speaking
quick and low; the in~tonation was re-
fined; the man, Nina could see now,
was certainly . gentleman-"l am fly
ing for my life"
Flying for your life!" the girl re.
peated, amazed. She felt no actual
fear now, her unexpected visitor was
neither burglar nor mailman, and by
his speech he was a Londoner.
Eyes; the men at the Hinton mills
are on strike-they have fired the
mills; they broke into the house where
! lodged was one against a hundred
i had to fly. Some of them followed
me, but, stay-are you aloneP'
Yes, no matter for that!' The girl.
brave spirit rose to the occasion. Thu
fugitive's looks, mien and manner car
ried conviction; he was speaking truth
she would shelter him. II will hel]
you" she went on rapidly. Tell mi
who you are? Why do the men hat
you?'
II am Derck Werner, the new en-
gineer. have opposed the mems de
mands. They want me to dismiss tn
foreman under me, and | refused. Blu
| cannot remain if you are alone. In
possible! l."
"You must remain the girl ez
claimed, springing past him to tn
door. They won't look for you here.
She shot the bolts. This way" sh
said, then pointing to the open parlo
door. lie followed her into the room
IF | close the shutters" she sale
"tbey will see no light-they wi
think the house is shut up. Are the
coming this way? How many ar
there?'
"A dozen, at least. They are prett
close on my track. Let me-" II
stepped before her and barred tn
shutters, drew the curtains across tn
windows, then turned to Nina. Sh
saw his face full and clearly now
the bright l~amplight-a face full Of il
telligence, with brilliant dark eye
and the look that wins instructive fait
] from m
Young lady" he said, quietl.
"thank you for trusting me. won
= fail you. Tell me who you are-who'
house is this?"
II am Nina Medwyn. My father
the curate of the church here. He
out visiting a sick man. l haven
any wine to offer you, but have son
spirit" She began to open a sid
board. Werner touched her arm.
NO" he said, nothing but a gla
of water"
"N%onsense!-I beg your pardon-tl
spirit will do you good" She poure
some into a glass, added water to
and gave it to the young engineer.
"You. are too good" he said, ar
drank obedicntly. AS he set down tt
glass Nina started. "Hark!" she sal
do you hear? it was a shout! VI
must hide; they might come here aft
all"
Glide! do you think l would lea
you to face those villains alone?
they comet will go out and meet thel
They shall do no harm here!"
mo! mo-" the girl cried, with flas
ing eyes. "How do you think l C;
endure that?"
Miss Medwyn-it is useless to hid,
he took her hand in his, speakir
firmly. IF the men once entered Il
house they would discover me, and