The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-09-17


up>fhe beach.
She stepped back hastily and lighted
the fagots upon the hearth. As the
small fame licked the wood and the
fire started, there came loud rap upon
the door.
The fire, though small, was burning
briskly. Placing herself witt i-~r back
against the door leading to tie extern
sion, with ore hand upon The handle
of the bellows, she said: Come III.
But they had not waited for her to
answer, and, treading close upon one
another's heels, the officer and three
men entered the room, the rest CT the
company remaining outside. Tie c1ii-
Ger was a coarse-featured, cruel look
ing man.
"Whcre's the old man," he shouted.
eve want to see him, and quickly,
too"
81 am the only one at home" she ar
swered.
That's a pretty lie, he said, but
it won't do. We're going to search this
house, anyway. If we find the man
we think you've hidden, or rebel goods,
We'll burn the house.
II have little sister who is very
sick,'' she said; you can search every
where you wish, but in her room"
''Not search there! Why, that is the
very place We'll search. That Dodge
has been played upon us too often.
Hasn't it, my boys?" he said, turning
to his men as if, even cruel as he was,
he would have their support.
The flame on the fireplace was grow
ing larger; the ashes OF the burning
wood fell with white glow upon tbs
bricks. Barbara saw that with this
man entreaties would be OF 10 avail.
"You can search everyvh here but
there" she said. Give ne your word
that the room will not be entered, and
you may go over the whole house, but
l will not allow you to enter that
room!"
"Will not allow it, The British Off
Ger repeated her words, as if he could
not believe his ears. 'XVin Eot allow
it! Well, that is the most preposterous
thing I have ever heard. You know
what that remark has cost you're
kiss! / am going to give you kiss
q remark that deserves kiss.
Suddenly from back in the direction
of the hills came the sharp crack Of {.
rifle; a moment more and II ON another
direction came the dull report OF a mus
l1et.
The officer pricked UP his ears. The
people were rising. These reports
meant that they knew the british hat
landed, and that they were tioclliIig to
gethcr and would soon be lowering
about him.
"Come on, men!" he said; I'VE will
search the house quickly, but will have
my kiss first" And he stepped for
ward.
"Stand back!'' Barbara said.
Without knowing why he did so, he
obeyed her. Something about that
| 1.-THE, graceful, resolute figure locked
dangerous, even though it were only
a girl. He hesitated but fCr q moment,
, and then took q rapid step forward
! At the same moment he saw line OF
fire suddenly spring from the embers
on the hearth; then the huge chin
ney, as if it would itself protect its own
hearthstone and the girl beside it,
leaned over; there was the deafening
crash Of an explosion, and the CHM
ney hurled itself forward.
The British officer and his men went
down as if they had suddenly met the
fire of a masked battery.
Barbara, protected in a great meas
ure by the huge wall Of the chimney.
found to her surprise that she was still
living, and had only [been hurled
against the doorway. Even in her
dazed condition, she saw there was only
one of the men who was crawling to-
ward the doorway. The officer did not
stir as he lay before the demolished
fireplace.
just then the door was pushed open
by the rest of the boats crew, but hey
halted on the threshold. Through the
blue haze of the explosion they saw
their comrades lying upon the floor,
wounded or unconscious. Barbara's
through the smoke against the back
ground of the door she guarded. Her
face, pale and wan, yet firm with cour-
age and resolve, confronted them
through the haze. Even as they looked
a piece of the chimney, which had been
loosened by the explosion, but which
had not as yet given way, fell with u
crash at their feet.
/ The peculiar character of the explo-
sion. the condition of their comrades
! the loss of their officer, and, last of all
the mysterious look of girl alone fac
ing them, caused a strange dread to
creep over the superstitious sailors
and, as if to heighten it, there came the
sharp crack of rifles now close at hand
A panic seized them, and their cry wa:
Back to the boats!" Lifting thei,
fallen comrades, they rushed out of the
door, and the house was again free
j from intrusion.
Barbara ran to the window and
looked out. She saw them retreatino
hastily toward the boat, while. ever
now and then, from behind some bush
or bowlder, came the report of a gun
as the farmers, who had come to heir
her, fired.
She saw them at last reach the boat
She saw the boat return to the frigate
She saw the frigate weigh anchor.
4 Then, with a wild sob, she ran to he,
sisters room and fell fainting across
! the bed.
There her uncle found her, beside the
\ sister she had nrnfactad II os1;a,.