The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1896-06-07


had her right hand under apron.
What We got there?' he demanded,
Sowing murderouSy. At the same time,
| hs manner, as lie took It step nearer TO
| her, had a suggestion or cOwardicc and
| hcSitancy.
Bette surprised him Quick as a flash
she levelcd heavy pistol. It's gaping
! muZzl" almost touched his nose, nor DID
her hand tremble i'll the least.
"Ye lest move a finger or jest bat yer
eyes, she said, IAN III blow The whole
! head urf'n ye.''
The pcdGler, for that he was, stood stone
| still his under jaw down and his eyes
| staring.
| step back one step, yer Il little too
nigh me-" Bette ordered.
He obcyed
Yer beauty, now amt ye?' she OBJ
! served. I've anotion to shoot We anyhow"
| she fingered the trigger.
Coed Miss, good little girl the vii
| lain pleaded. suddenly undng voice. He
raised one hand
| Put 1T down. said Bette
The hand fell
I SO far all was satisfactory TO the brave
| httle mountain lass, but in the long run
what would she have TO do? Holding u
| heavy pistol steadily lcveled at arms
| length viii soon tire the strongest mus
| Giles ard flrmcst nerves Bette felt the
| fatigue coming on, all the more rapidly
| on account OF the excitement that she
| had to overcome, and her quick mind
| sought after "a means of escape from
what must follow a proongation OF such
! strain Moreover the peddler, al
though quite III her power now, would he
! sure To observe the 1irst finch or waver
and take advantage of it.
THE MILL IN DANGER.
Bette was strong and frrn, however,
| and for long while she suffered brave!y
! without showing any sign OF inconvenience;
| bTb presently an uuthOught-Of danger be-
| gan to threaten. There was d peculiar
odor creeping through the atmosphere of
the mill. 1t the first inhalation Bette
| knew what it was. The griSt was ground
| out and the milIstones We're general
ing heat. She Ii ad often heard her father
| say that an ''empty hopper should never
! have TO smell the hot stones,' 10y which
| lie meant that there was danger OF setting
the min on fire by running il when empty
! OF grain. Bettie's heart almost betrayed
| her at this point, but her mind met the
difficulty with prompt suggestion. Grasp
ing the pistol with a firrncr grip, she said:
| Move TO yer left"
He moved.
| A little furdcr Wit, she commanded
Although he obeyed promptly enough
| she had 10 repeat h er directions for some
time before she could place him just
| where She wished him TO stand Indeed
II was desperate thing that she was
| preparing 10 do: but there was no time
10 hesitate. The hot smell from the mill
! stones increasing every minute, made
! vigorous action imperative.
| Now. stand there she finally said and
| just then she accidentally pressed the trig-
ger or the pistol too hard and the hammer
fell with a keen click of flint on steel; hut
there was no explosion.
If the man had but known that the pistol
was, ia fact, empty, what evil he might
have done.
Without wincng, Bette recocked her
weapon and closed the pan.
She's shore fire the second snap Size
remarked.
Then she made aquiCk movement with her
foot, kicking a short horizontal wooden
lever, and something happened. A little
square door in the floor under the peddler's
feet opened downward and he sank 10 his
armpits in hollow plank shaft. He caught
the floor on either side by fliHging out his
arms; tut the shock hurt him severely and
IL was only ny the most desperate mort ttut
! he kept from falling further down the shaft.
Pale and suffering he screamed for help.
''Shet yer mouth. er Tlltake another snap
| at We" said Bette.
Then she stepped hriskly TO the lever of
the min and shut off the water.
The peddlcr was now in Il truly terrible
preGcau.enJ. He could not lift himself out.
and u required al TIE strength OF hi>
! arms 10 hold on IL the floor.
Bette saw her victory ana was not slow
To take advantage oft. She drew a stool
near the painting man and seated herself
| 10 rest.
-"Guess yer sort % tired. amt We? Meb-
hc ye'n like fer me TO feed We some more
she intcTrOgated. The man roared for mer-
cy; hut he got no sympathy. What would
have been the end can hardly be ina gine1,
had not a man on horseback. with a bag
of corn, arrived at the mill few minutes
later He was bury and fearless noun
taincer Il friend of the miiler'S. No sooner
had Bette explained the situation to hin
than he SnatChed the peddler out of the
shaft gave hR a sound beating kicked
him out of the mill, flung his pack after
lin and bade him tramp away. which he
lost no time in doing.
But when Harvey Sapp returned he was
not willing that the peddler should get
Off so easy. So he went after an officer
ct the law and together they soon overlook
him at a cabin Ehere he was trying to sell
his goods. He 10y in Jail SOME months; but
there was not evidence to convict him OF
any actual crime, and he finally went
| acquit.
| Not What He Wanted.