The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1894-08-24

while her bright eyes glanced every
where. Suddenly she gave q little
scream,
''What is the matter?" asked Bar
barn.
'I thought I heard some one cough
up in the loft! The children never
go there, do they? And see, this
looks like footprint !"
Barbara leaned, white and trembling,
against the barn door. Lydia looked
up and ran to her.
"How pale you arel Are you
frightened, Barbara Come out in
the sunlight. Don't be frightened.
1 will run home and tell Uncle, and
he will bring some men and search.
Perchance tits one Of the robbers
we've been hearing of. IT'S not safe
for woman to be without a man in
the house these times"
Barbara regained her self-control
by strong effort.
IT am not frightened, Lydia. In
truth l heard no noise. do not be-
lieve there is robber there, and your
uncle would not thank us for bring
ing him on FOOLS errand. Anyway,
one could not escape in broad day
light, and you will be too late for the
spinning match if you go home first.
Twill be time enough to speak of the
matter after that.
"Wel," said Lydia, ''perchance
was mistaken, but l will surely speak,
and l will not stay till the match is
over. You know can outsspin any
girl there" :"
Barbara's mouth took its inAexible
expression. Something kept saying
itself over and over again in her head
till it sounded to her excited fancy
like the whirring Of the wheels. ]
must, I must, I must outspin Lydia
She did not know how she was going
to do it. Lydia had never thought Of
. her as even a possible rival. She had
never cared to try before; now sht
must not only try-she must do it
At Miss Hackett's they found half {
$ dozen girls waiting for them. 1t wal
. seldom they had a spinning match il
g warm weather, but Priscilla Hacket
had the novel thought of holding on,
! out under the trees. She was futter
ing busily about placing the wheels
s and nodded a gay welcome tothe girls
n "Come and choose your places" sh
e called. "You are late, and we shal
q 81 H. oI1o 10 Ev1eI, l>oco,o 1,rI,
you do not hasten. The sun sets a
; six, and tits nigh four now"
s "We will do our best" laughed Ly
dia, with a conscious little toss of he
g head.
'Tll do my best" thought Barbara
l. And then the old refrain began
must, must, 1 must outspin Lydia |!
l, The sun set at six; before seven he
l. father would start. If she could onl
u keep Andrew Gardiner from comm
), before eight Four hours-could SD
IL doit? Sheplaced her wheel carefully
~ SO that the light of the setting su
{ would not hinder her later. She eve
II picked up her distaff and was in pos
~ ton to begin as soon as the signal WI
y given. The gay chatter Of the CIR
~ rose above the whir of the wheels; br
70 above all, beating rhythm in time
~ the wheels, came the old refrain agai
10 -"I must, l must, [ must outspin L,
IL dia !"
a Hands and feet flew lightly an
20 steadily. After a while one of I'll
os girls began to sing. Lydia's voic
az rang clear and high above the otheri
70 She dearly loved music; once in
a. while she half forgot her work. Ba
1o bara noticedit, and her own wheel Ae
i. faster. Still they sang, and Il
~ wheels whirred an accompaniment
- Barbara had full control of herse
no now her hands we're quick and steady
70 she began to feel strange power an
bo exult in in it. Lydia glanced occl
~ sionally at Priscilla Hackett, but d
oD not think of looking at Barbara
!, work. The shadows grew longer, an
II the girls began to grow tired; on
Barbara never faltered.
~ At six o'clock Mistress Hackett can
-. Y, out and the girls left their wheels b
81 Barbara leaned back too tired to NOV
,ot Priscilla came over to her.
er "Why, Barbara, did you do all this
III "Yes," answered Barbara.
~ SIT is more than Lydia did, I do
na lieve! Lydia, come here? Are y,
~ beaten for once?
~ "What!" exclaimed Lydia, incred
he lousy,
nix "Nay," laughed Priscilla, mischie
he ously "see if you can take defeat
ne gracefully as victory. Barbara /
Ter outspun you"