Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-10-05
the ragged brick projections Of The
old chimney.

| IuO Ao6 ECU OilOh plVJcOblOuo " euO
old chimney.
Two stout-buiIt, short men,
dressed in coarse gray, sIouched
down into the kitchen, with the
easy confidence of those who i'm
aglne themselves entirely without
witnesses. Kitty had never seen
them before, yet they seemed quite
"posted" as TO the various rooms
IN the struggling farm house.
seCome on, Jim, we've got all we'-
relikely to get in this contounded
OlG sbanty," said one. balancing
his foot on. one Of the iron fre-dOg,
"and besides the folks will come
home presently
.kSandSsBlII airaid!' jeerlngly
caFFd out t1e other, who was open.
ing and shutting tue various cup
boards aud drawers about the
apartment, greedily eyeing their
contents.
"Hapo. here's some silver
spoons"
"StOw 'em ami let's be moving"
said Bill. "ConfOund this bag 1t
jingIeS like string o. sleigh bells"
"Well, come, then," said the
other, dlscOntentedly. IL Opine
five hundred amt bad days work;
but somehow, thonght, from the
looks Of the crib, there might lie
old silver or some such grabblngs'
And they lOunged out, side 10y
side, with cool celebration thai
was almost appalling TO the tremb.
ling gill who lurked IN the shadow
Of the jagged brick work.
But Kitty Clifford's mind had
been at work while sh9 stood there;
her resolution was taken.
IlurIieIly tying a shawl around
her mead and shoulders, she sprang
out Of the house, by the back way,
and FASTENED through a lonely
piece Of woods which formed a
short cut TO the road they must
presently emerge upon.
They would be hidden away
someW here long before | could
summon help,' thought Kitty. mo
whatever is done | must do my.
SELF
Ga either side tbe road was shut
in by stCnted cedar bushes, mingled
with the closer growth of the
cleaning silver. birch, and Kitty
knew she could keep in sight Of
them uD>een.
"Il they should See me! If they
should suspect my errand,' thought
poor Kitty, with thrills Of cold
terror.
Goa, 1t would be hard to be mur
dered in these SOlitery woods; 10
have my master think | stole the
gold, ard Mr. Silas-"
While the thoughts passed
through her mind, the ring of com
lug footsteps echoed on tue hard,
frozen ground. Kitty'S col lecture
had proved cOrrect-they had taken
the Hill Road.
Onward, steadily onward, they
pushed, Kitty cOntIiviDg to Keep
nearly parallel with them. through
matted vines and thorny bushes.
Fortunately the wind bad risen,
aud its nournful, rustling sound
thrOug :he tree tops hid the NOISE
she unavOidaOly made, else her
detection wOnld have been little
short of inpVitahIa
But with every precautiOn The
peril was great. AS sue stepped
nnconsclously upon the fallen
branch of a adecayed tree, it snapped
beneath her tread with a sharp
spllterlna sound! The two mer
paused to listen, seemed to consult
together an instant, and then turn
ed quickly toward the very cOpst
IN which She was hiding.
Poor Kitty She sank noiselessly
down like a wounded b,Id, crouch
ing away in mortal terror. But, al
though their footsteps almost touch
ed the huttcriDg ends OF her brown
shawl, the gathering dusk stood
her friend, and they passed by, un
conscious of her presence.
1t was several minutes before
Kitty dared to rise once more tC
her feet; aud then they were hal
way up a hillside, dotted will
blackened stumps, where a charcOs
burners shanty, long unused, ant
10 a ruinous condition, stood, will
its one unglazed window seeming
to survey the vall'y like an eye.
Kitty saw them disappear in Il
this hut-she saw them emerg
once more, descending the unevel
slope with long, running strides
onI of,ibin0 nuoa mara into a..