Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-08-02
WHBN HEARTS WBRB BRAVE and TRUE.
By JOHN p. RITTER.

doorl Smash In the windowsf Make
holes in the walls Tear the house to
pieces! But get at the old varlet and
drag him out of his hole"
In obedience to his commands the
Tories sprang from their horses and
rushed toward the building like a pack
of hungry wolves. Some hurled them
selves against the door. others endeav-
ored to force open the shutters, while
one or two. more venturesome than ths
rest. climbed the pillars of the veranda
and attempted to enter the house
through the windows of the second
story.
Among those who chose the latter
way of gaining access to the interior
was Edward Robin, for even while the
Tory chief was bawling his commands
he had fixed upon plan of action. 1t
was to get into the house before the
outlaws, call upon the inmates to fol-
low him into the attic. barricade the
stairs leading thither and resist to the
last gasp.
Reaching the roof of the veranda be-
fore the others. he ran quickly from
window to window, picking at the shut
tiers with his saber. 1t was in vain.
They were all firmly bolted on the in
side and could not be budged from their
fastenings.
He cast glance upward.
A row of dormer windows projected
from the sloping roof. and he observed
that one of them was open. If he could
only reach the roof he could easily
make his way into the building through
that passage. But the roof was too high
up to be gained.
In the meantime the men who had
climbed with him upon the veranda had
descended to the ground again. and he
was alone He was on the point of imi-
tating their example when his glance
chanced to fall upon the crescent shaped
holes which had been cut through the
shutters for ventilating purposes. There
were two of these perforations-one in
the lower and the other in the upper
panel of each shutter. By inserting his
hand and feet in these apertures it was
possible for an active man to raise him
self to the roof.
It was a hazardous feat to attempt.
but Robin determined to undertake it.
Selecting shutter underneath the win
dow he wished to gain, he slung his
musket over his shoulder and thrust
his fingers and toes into the holes. Then,
exerting all his strength, he raised him
self up toward the gutter. Twice were
his efforts taff1ed, but the third en-
deavor proved successful. He managed
to get a firm hold on the gutter and
swing himself up to the roof.
He was just in time for at the mo-
ment he was passing through the win
dow the front door gave way with
crash, and the Tories rushed bowling
into the hall. Indeed. so far as carry
ing out his original intention was con-
cerned. he was too late, but he might
still save Zadie if he made haste. So he
rushed frantically about the attic.
searching in the darkness for the stairs
leading down into the house.
Suddenly he heard a rush of footsteps
upon the stairs, and, running in the di-
rection of the sounds, he arrived at the
head of the flight just in time to catch
Zadie in his arms as she reached tn
attic and tainted. Taking firm hold
on her limp form, he carried her back
into the loft and laid her gently upon
the floor. Then he returned to the
stairs and. placing his musket and sa-
Der within reach. mounted guard at
the entrance to the attic.