The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-02-09

bullet that Missed and sang sharply
through the rir "a yard above his head.
And some enc, slight girl, came on
the run, her eyes burning, her face M
white as her frock.
"Out of thisl BECOME or l shoot you
like the wild beasts you areF" she cried,
stopping short and fiinging her gun to
the shoulder. She was SO white, so frail,
so slender young, any one of them could
have crushed out her life with one hand.
but not hand was lifted. The men
stood still, shaking and staring, while
she ranged herself beside the old black
woman. who leaned heavily against the
house. Rob gave low, contemptuous
laugh, then went on:
"This is brave work for men--attack-
ing harmless woman at dead OF night
1 could guess who you are. Twill not.
do not want to name creatures so inef-
fably mean and vile. Be off at once. l
tell you'll Remember this is Roscoe and
l the mistress of it. i"
"Hol You won't be long, my fine
ladyp' Noch shouted as he made for his
horse. The rest were already mounted
and galloping for life across the fields.
They had scattered furiously almost at
the bullets ping Noch stopped and
faced about. He was alone with the
breathless old woman, the slim, scorn-
full girl. Why not wiring their necks
and make an end of them? His hand
itched to feel that soft throat in its
grasp He had hated aristocrats all his
life. Now he hated her with hot. per-
sonal grudge.
With hoarse cry he made to spring
upon her. She was too quick for him.
She set her back against the wall, flung
her rife to the shoulder and fronted
him in the moon rays without one thrill
of fear. Her fine nostrils dilated, her
eyes famed with the primal fire, the ell
emental human impulse of combat. Her
finger on the trigger was as steady as
steel. She half smiled as she said, COW
ering the heart of her adversary:
"How would like to kill you if only
you were worth killingr'
Among men Noch Annis was no cow
ard. He owned sullen, brutal, bull
dog courage, crafty and cruel, but cour-
age for all that. Yet now he skunk
away, muttering as he set his horse in
full run:
"That thar gal, she's the devil er one
er his mighty big imps"
In some way Rob managed to get the
old woman inside and stir the hearth
embers to leaping blaze. Then she
found a lamp, lighted it and looked at
Aunt Phemy, who sat covering and
shaking, but uttering no sound. AS Rob
turned to her she pointed eagerly toward
the water pail. Rob ran and fetched
dipper of water, which she drank with
great effort.
"Are you hurt, Aunt Phemy? Tell me.
Show me where" Rob said, bending
close to the old woman's ear. The black
lips were ashen and shriveled as by the
touch Of strong corrosive. They tried
to speak, but no sound came over them
save faint, inarticulate, husky cry.
"Can you hear me, Aunt Phemy?"
Rob asked, her own lips quivering.
The black woman nodded.
Scan you speak?'
She shook her head.
Ibid they-they hurt you, burn, tor
ture your" Rob asked, her eyes again
her hands beginning to clinch.
Again the old woman shook her head.
Then she stopped, picked up an over
turned earthen pot full of pungent, Wis
cid paste, held it minute toward Rob,
then pointed down her own throat.
IL understand. They made you swal-
low that. )" the girl said. Again the old
woman nodded Next breath she had
thrown the pot into the fire, where it
Kissed, and its contents sent up weird
green and yellow flames.