Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1901-12-13

down still upon their fat, purple cheeks.
They pleased Polly's artistic eye
Next Polly fed the pigs and locked the
poultry houses. Then she went indoors.
The house was modern built one, with
large double plate glass windows to keep
the cold out and with a great furnace in
the cellar from which hot air pipes car
Fied warmth into al the rooms. Many a
kings palace was less comfortable than
this house. Polly looked to see that doors
and windows were fastened; then she sat
down in the warm dining room to read
and knit and think by turns.
Polly was not lonely or afraid. The
country neighborhood was considered
quite SAFE and, besides, pioneer girls are
not the kind to scream at Z mouse, She
remained up till II because she did not
like to leave the warm fire. Then she felt
sleepy and prepared to 90 to bed. The
family would net be back till 3 O'Clock In
the morning. The guests ct the ball
danced till midnight: then they had sup
PEI, then Z fasewen eotillou. Then fol-
the Valentines came the ten miles sleiek
rde. =
In their home at II o'clock Polly; the
ood headed, strong armed border girl,
VIVA ~" TIC %CIAUE " give Tue luz.
mace last feeding and shake up for the
night and to see that it was not hot
enough to set the house on FIRE on the one
hand and that it should give out heat
enough on the other hand to make the
rooms warm and coy for the family
when they arrived. Then she went back
to the dining room. To Polly. who lived
IN cabin. G':t who nevertheless liked
IrettC things as well as any one. that
room looked beautiful. with it's crimson
painted walls and the handsome silver
ware sparkling upon the sideboard She
had heard that silverware was worth
$500, and she eyed it with something like
awe. What lot of money!
Admitting the silverware, Polly did not
notice how time passed till she looked up
with start and saw it was half past II.
She jumped to her feet, and at that mo-
ment exactly she heard the sound Of q
sleigh and the horses hoof beats upon the
snow. What had happened to bring the
Valentines home three hours and a halt
sooner than they expected to GOMEZ
But, no! Listen! Where were the sleigh
bells? They did not ring. They were
mufHed-the bells on this sleieh. What
did it mean? It might mean harm, dan
ger, terror, if the sleigh with the mufled
bells stopped in front Of the farmhouse.
1t did stop.
. Poor Polly's breath almost stopped, too,
a moment later when she heard two men
approach the door and talk together in a
low voice. The next moment they ham
mered on the door tremendously, making
all the noise they could to scare the girl
the more, and one Of them ordered her in
a.thundering voice to open the door:
"Open this door. Polly Martin! We
know you are-sin there all, alone. and
THERE'S $500 in the house that Valentine
brought home yesterday. and we're going
to have it." q.
!: But Polly said never = word. only at
.a ell >: - sti,l 81. might Ave bee. ~ ~
Open this doors' roiqed the men 1 again.
+ Bot tie beating OF Poi1t's heartswvas the
only soen4 II alRSs<. and they eould not
hear that. Then nay epounde<t haedee
than e$ef aid 1tcked ~ door aid shook
t u Z paoA But It VS. Of ba6ve oak,
a1uag .and:Hell seassaed. and wSuh not
ytsA. Tas ,oboes veesE In fufy.t Onee
~ ~ - y 40 oa'''ne1 q. hot'
a1Ie 80; !essa de dan ~ vfM III
pa az ahvA II you dea'& wediseek Ia
,s e:, ..e491i ~ e:'t @1 ah'"t ~ 49, 4
:. 1tiA LITTLE Polly xeula opeaea 1xas;
HE tnbass 1t ~ dor eeaesks Wha&
/ would The next teeroe ~ Poayvooo IN
deestood: Tie feoo6ss vent to afvtindow.
It was easy eaouSh to force theyahutter.
Thea there was q faint srindinG sound:
Eheborsaars were cuttiag the lsfoe nsw
tas1dDned window paneswith Z diamond.
Andtyet Polly would not open - door.
Indeed it would have been no esod to do
20 now, for the robbers would son 10 In
the room anyhow. Polly only $sat still
and waited for her doom. Her tongue
felt dry in her mouth. She feltaso cold
her teeth chartered, and she could not
even hear, her heart beat now. for It
seemed to almost stop. +. !.
Crash went the outer pane The grind
ing, cutting sound began on the inner one.
It was quickly loose on two sides: only q
matter Of five minutes more. for Polly,
and then 49, -.
And then, in the very nick of time, in
the last moment, there came a sound of
n1oi0hho1lc morrv ch;no;n~ .r,oo% .,a