Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1895-06-20

Ii | could only give myself up in
their stead"
You are doing all that is posi-
BILE, my darling, ,-and between us we
shall kesppthe fiends in check till
aid can come. They are not so
brave that they will come out in
fair battle, and we should be able
to hold our house against them, at
least, until the ammunition is ex-
hausted.'
During the succeeding quarter Qf
an hour the defenders Of the Dufias
ing had but little opportunity for
conversation. The savages were
drawing nearer and nearer the
doomed dwelling, and both the
brave ones were fully occupied.
Patience had discharged her weapon
until the barrel was SO hot as to
burn her slender fingers, and she
was obliged to cool it as best she
could with water.
Half an hour passed; the attack
was being made with more vigor;
the rattle of fire arms should have
been beard a mile away, but the
hoped for assistance failed to ar
rive.
The men in the block house
must have heard the noise, father,
Patience said in tremulous voice.
They think the enemy is here in
larger force than really is the case,
and are afraid to venture out.
When your rifle is cool, give it to
me, and take mine. 1t is growing
so dark that haven't seen my tar
get fairly since the last ten min
utes.
Reloading her weapon, Patience
gave it to her father, receiving his
in exchange. She was yet busily
engaged pouring water into the
heated barrel, when cry Of an
guish caused her to look up just as
her father fell to the floor, the blood
gushing from his lips. Through
the crevices between the logs bull
let had found its way, wounding
him unto death. Sprin ging to his
side she did her feeble best to raise
his head; but he motioned her away,
saying as he did so,
Your place is at the loop-hole,
my darling. It's to save your own
life that you must hold the house
now; mine is nearly gone.
Patience hardly understood what
he had said: the thought had sud-
denly come to her that unless a
vigorous defence was continued her
mother might be exposed to yet
more danger, and she took her
fathers station at the door. Five
times did she discharge the weapon
at shadowy forms which could be
seen darting to and fro amid the
shrubbery, and then came violent
concussion which literally shook
the building. Well did she know
the meaning of that shock. The
enemy had felled a tree, and was
using it to batter down the door.
Forsaking her post of duty for an
instant she ran to where her father
lay, kissed his blood-stained lips,
and whispered:
God love and keep you"
Then her weapon was discharged
once more; bu: it was for the last
slime Another blow on the already
splintered door, and through the
opening thus made host of paint
ed savages burst in. The little he
roine barred their passage for an
instant, and then she was stricken
down without pity.
Patience Rawlins had given her
life in vain for her loved ones.
The savages, in too great haste to
destroy the building, rushed forth
to attack the home Of Samuel Raw
Inns.
This, fortunately, they found de-
serted, and with their captives they
beat hasty retreat, probably fear
ing the members Of the garrisoned
houses would sally out TO give them
battle.
Meanwhile those in the fortified
building awaited an attack. Itwas
believed, from the rapid discharge
of musketry during the assault in
which Patience was murdered, that
the enemy were present in very
large force, and among them all
was no man SO brave as the twelve
year old girl, since not one attempt
ed to aid his suffering neighbor.
at break of day, when it was pos