The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-10-11
HN STEpHEH GRAH5E
Il opyright 1905 by Irving Bacheller.l

| quietly In at the door, and said: Jones,
go Through the house"
As for himself. he remained planted
in front of the girl. for she evidently
did not dare to move and allow him to
see what she held so carefully behind
her back. So she was his prisoner.
The men rummaged around on the
ground floor of the house. Sometimes
the captain called to them. TRY that
| close,,." rs there any cellar" But
| they found no one, and at last they went
| trooping toward the stairs which led to
the second floor.
But at this movement on the part of
| the men. the girl uttered a cry. a cry
| of such fright and appeal that the men
paused. "Oh. don't go up there! Please
don't go up there ,-'ple-ease. There is
no one there! Indeed-indeed there Is
not! Oh. ple-ease"
Go on, JONES' said the captain,
calmly.
The obedient corporal made pre-
liminary step. and the girl bounded to-
ward the stairs with another cry.
| AS she passed him, the captain caught
sight OF that which she had concealed
| behind her back. and which she had
forgotten in this supreme moment. 1t
| was a pistol.
| She ran to the first step, and standing
| there, faced the men, one hand extended
with perpendicular palm, and the other
| holding the pistol at her side. ''Oh
| please, don't go up there. Nobody Is
| there-indecd there is not. P-l-e-a-s-e."
| Then suddenly she sank swiftly down
| upon the step, and huddling forlornly,
| began to weep in the agony and with
| the convUlsive tremors of an infant The
pistol fell from her fingers and ratified
down TO the floor.
The astonished troopers looked at
| their astonished captain. There was a
| short silence.
Finally, the captain stopped and
| picked up the pistol. 1t was a heavy
| wea pom of the army pattern. He ascer-
| tanned that 1t was empty.
He leaned toward the shaking girl.
and said gently: 'Will You tell me
what you were going to do with the
| pistol?"
He had to repeat the question num-
ber of times, but at last muttled voice
said. Nothing
| "Nothingw He insisted quietly upon
further answer. At the tender tones
| of the captains voice. the phlegmatic
corporal turned and winked gravely at
| the man next to him.
Wont you tell me?"
The girl shook her head.
please tell me-"
The silent privates were moving their
| feet uneasily and wondering how long
| they We're to wait.
The captain said. please won't you
| tell me?"
Then the girls voice began in stricken
| tones half-coherent. and amid violent
sobbing: 1T was grandpa's. He-he -
| he said he was going to shoot anybody
who came in here-he didn't care If
there were thousands Of 'em. And-and
| / know he would, and l was afraid
| they'd kill him. And so-and-sO l stole
away his pistol-and was going to hide
it when you--you-kicked open the
! door"
The men Strengthened up and looked
at each other. The girl began to weep
| again.
The captain mopped his brow. He
peered down at the girl. He mopped
his brow again. Suddenly he said: "Ah
don't cry like that"
He moved restlessly and looked down
at his boots. He mopped his brow
| again.
Then he gripped his corporal by the
arm and dragged him some yards back
| from the others. Jones'" he said. In
an intensely earnest voice, will you
tell me what in the devil / am going to
| do?'
The corporars countenance beca me
| illuminated with satisfaction at being
thus requested to advise his superior