The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1897-03-24
CHPYhIN CLOSE
BY CAPTAIN CHARLES KING.
copyright, 1894. by ]. b. Lippincott Col
VIII.

VIII.
AS he rushed around to the southern
side of the old house-the side whence
all this uproar proceeded-Lambert
came suddenly upon two dim, swaying
figures. The one nearest him-that of
n man-was clutching, throttling, APP
parently, slighter form in white,
woman. The butt of his revolver
Strengthened out the dark figure with one
crack, and then for a moment every
thing was darkness and confusion. a
lamp, held by some screaming female
at q neighboring window, was dropped
with a crash. The screams subsidized to
scurry and chatter and Ethiopian pro-
testations and furious demands: you
Elinor! you black nigguh-you let me
out this room instantly" Then rush of
footsteps to the window again, and
tragic appeals: Mamma-ma-amma!
Whut's happened? Doanswer? Do make
Elinor let me GO to you, or Ah'll jump
out this window. Ah'm comm now"
And, indeed, dim, slender form could
be deserted, arrayed in white, benuiEg
low from the easement, when Burns
with his lantern came tearing around
the corner. Then majestic voice, i'm
perious even though well-nigh breath
less, was heard katherine, return TO
your bed instantly. Do you hear? In
stantly! And send Elinor to me-"
That Katherine shot back within the
sheltering blinds was possibly due not
so much to the impetus given her by
those imperative orders as to that JIM
parted by the sight of q pair of shout
derstraps and the face of the young otii-
Ger gazing in bewilderment above him.
Well might he look amazed! AT his feet
on the pathway Private Riggs was
I sprawling, half stunned by the blow he
had received. On his back amidst the
wreck of a glass hot-bed, Private Muir
ply was clutching at empty air and
calling ON all the saints in the Hibern.an
calendar to rescue him from the hands
of that old bedlap. On the pathway, in
q loose wrapper, her bosom heaving
with mingled wrath and exhaustion,
one hand firmly clutching a stout cane,
the other claspiag together at her white
neck the shredS of her torn and DISNEY
eled garb, her dark eyes flashing fire,
her lips quivering, stood woman GER
tainly not so years of age, despite the
silver in the beautiful hair streaming
down upon her shoulders and the deep
lines of grief and care in her cl
and thoroughbred face. She leaned
heavily on the stick an instant, but
raised it threateningly as the luckless
Murphy strove to sit up and stanch the
blood trickling from his laceratcd hands
and face.
Don't you dare to move, subj" she
painted, "unless-" And the uplifted
cane supplied, most suggestively, the
ellipsis.
ooh, fur the luv o. God, ma-am, don't
hit me ag'in! Sure, I'd niver prczhoome,
ma'am-"
shut up, Murphy" growled Burns.
"It's easy to see what brought you
here Shall let Riggs up, lieutenant?
He's bleeding good deal"
But Riggs didn't want to get up. lie
Topped helplessly back upon the grass
plot. Burns bent over and held his Ian
tef2-dlose. "The mans drunk, sir" he
saI--kand cut"
81 did that, l presume" said Lam
bert, still little out of breath alter
the dash to the rescue. 81 found
him daring to lay hands on this
lady. Madame, sincerely hope you are
not injured. 1t is impossible for me to
saw how / deplore this outrage. These
men shall suffer for it, 1 assure YOU"
With rapid step the corporal of the
guard, bringing with him couple of
men and another lantern, came liur-
riedIv to the scene and stood silent and
alert, CHANGING eagerly from face to
face. Two or three frightened negroes
had1crept around the rear portico and
hung trembling behind their mistress.
With a shawl thrown over her head
and shoulders, a quadroon girl halted
half way down the steps from the side
door, her eyes dilated, and her lips
iwitching in terror, until low voice
from within babe her go on, and a iall,
darlx-haired, pale-faced girl in long,
loose wrapper fairly pushed her for
ward and then stepped quickly to the
elder woman's side.
go back to the house at once, my
child. This is no place for you. Go to
Katherine and tell her l say she must
not leave her bed. Col" And, silent
w as she came, but with an infinite and
evident reluctance, the tall girl turned
and obeyed Mrs. Walton had spoken
slowly and with effort. OF Mr.. Lambert
and his party she had as yet taken no
notice whatever. Again Murphy began
70 souirm in his uncomfortable couch
of mingled mud and broken glass and
head lettuce, and the cracking ac-
compartment to his moaning once more