Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1894-08-18

saved-ah! my God !"
"Too late" he said, quietly. but
be held her hands in tightening
clasp; sthey are here. Hush p
A confused sound of angry voices
and heavy steps coming up the gar
den path. Nina listened, white as
death, but her teeth were set like a
wise.
Thumpl thnmpl thumpl
The man and the girl looked at
each other. His eyes were glisten-
ing; he drew his breath slowly, but
his face was set like flint.
Another thump, and loud sum-
mons to open.
"Hist!" Nina whispered. She
glided away, up to the room above,
and opened the window. Below
were about dozen men, two of them
with torches.
Who are your" she called.
"What do you want ?"
A gruff voice answered, "Open the
door, miss. We're after man who
might be hiding yere."
"Are you mad ? What man Ted
Walton, I know your voice What
DEVILS work are you after ?"
We won't touch hair of your
head. Miss Nina" called Walton,
who seemed to be the leader :" but
we'll make sure Werner, the engineer
is not yere. Open TIL door. er Wen
break it in"
Nina turned from the window and
rushed down stairs; bnt she was too
late.
Werner below heard the leaders
words; he had unbarred an flung
open the outer door.
A yell of execration arose from
the group of men but in that in
slant, before a hand could be laid
upon Werner, Nina had sprung for
ward, and threw herself on the engi-
neer's breast, clinging about his
neck.
You shall not touch him!' SIZE
cried, with eyes ablaze. II love him.
Ted Walton, I nursed your wife
night and day last winter; my faith.
err fought his way through the snow
to pray by her deathbed-you dare
not take my lovers life"
There was moments dead ST.
lence. Werner had flung his right
arm around the heroic girl who was
| giving almost more than her life fol
his his left held the pistol down
ward, which he would not use fol-
Nina's sake, since useless bloodshed
might only bring Vengeance on her.
The men, all armed, stood irresc.
Lutte. Walton half lowered his pis.
toll his rugged face worked convul
sively, Nina still facing him with I'M
flinching gaze.
Then murmur arose among the
men. One of them said "Will he
| promise to dismiss the forman 7"
az make no promises" said Yer.
ner, firmly. "Nina, stand back" as
the man who had spoken and two
or three others made a threatening
movement.
81 will not" She chung closer te
him.
Walton" she cried to the leader
"if you have one spark of manhood
| in YOU leave this man to me. claim
his life from you. If you kill hin
you must kill me frst.'
Dang It'll" cried Walton, hoa-se
~, eve might as well leave i'm go
mates. It's true, what she says.
could ave killed any other man, but
1 can't lif' my ham agin her lover
an no mao else shall neiiher.n
"Cum on - added Walton, I'm
not goin' agin Miss Niua's lover fe
no man on earth.
The men looked at each other. a
Ted, at the engineer, and the nobl
face of the girl who clung to him
aud yielded.
| They turned away half sullenly
and went off, followed by Ted, t.
whom Nina, with trembling lips
gave parting ''Thank you, TedWal
ton" and then the door was shu
and barred, and Nina was crouchiny
| down in low chair in the parlor
and Vernon kneeling at her feet, wit
his face bowed on her hands, clos
held in his clasp.
| The girl was quiveriDg from hea
to foot; now, even through the jo,
of knowing she had saved a life cam
the reaction-the bitter sense Q
shame.
She had rather have given he
life but the man could see only th