The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1901-09-12

Of his left hand. Molly applied her
knife gently, but dexterously; but it.
touched the bone and taught him what
to expect. He drew back with cry of
rage.
"Come down. he said, cor it will
be worse for you. Come down, I say
BE had not reckoned c. a knife and
on the girls courage in using it.
You have no food up there" he
went on. ''Your window is only light
in the roof looking away from the road.
No one from Lynn will come this way.
# they do, they will see nothing You
had better come down. Molly, I shall
wait here for month. I shall starve
you out. Do you hear? I will set fire
to the thatch and burn you out! You
shall come DOWN.
So he raved and ragged. Meantime
the two chairmen, who were his own
servants, stood pole in hand, one in
front of the house and one behind, to
prevent an escape, but this was i'm
possible, because the room, as you have
heard, had no other window than a
small, square opening in the roof, in
which was fitted piece of coarse,
common glass.
Jack" she told me, when he talk
ed Of setting fire to the thatch, con-
TESS trembled, because, you see, my
knife would not help me there, and,
indeed, 1 think he would have done it,
because he was like one that has gone
mad with rage. He was like a mad
bull. He stormed; he ragged; he cursed
and swore; he called me all the names
you ever heard of, such names as the
sailors call their sweethearts when
they are In rage with them, and then
he called me all the endearing names.
such as loveliest of my sex, fairest
nymph, tenderest beauty. What a
man! What manv'
Meantime she made no answer what
ever, and the darkness and the silence
and the obstinacy Of the girl were driy-
Ing the unfortunate lover to q kind Of
madness, and know not what would
have happened.
"Molly," he said, willy nilly, down
you come. I shall tear down the
thatch. I would burn you out, but
would not spoil your beauty. shall
tear down the thatch, and my men
shall carry you down.
Then Molly made answer.
II have knife in my possession. Do
not think that I am afraid to use it.
The first man who lays hands on me I
will kill, whether it is you or your
servants"
'That we shall see. Look you, Molly,
you are only a merchants daughter,
and 1 am gentleman. Do you think
l value that compared with marrying
you? Not one whit. When we are
married, I will buy more land. I will
be the greatest landowner Of the whole
county. Sir Robert will make me sher-
iff. will go into parliament. Molly,
he will make me peer Come down,
I say"
But she spoke no more
Then he lost control of himself and
for awhile stamped and swore, threat
ened and cursed. t'You will have it,
then? Here, John, go and look for a
ladder. There's always a ladder in
the back yard. Put it up against the
thatch. Tear it down. Make hole in
the roof. Tear off the whole roof
r The man propped his chair pole
against the door and went round to
look for the ladder and to obey orders.
49," Molly told me, II was besieged.
Mr.. Rising was below, but I had my
knife, and he was afraid to venture up
the steps. heard the men dumping
about outside. I heard them plant the
ladder and climb up. Now, country
man who understands a thatch is able
to tear it off very quickly, either to
make or mend a hole or to tear down
the roof altogether, and I, feared that
must use my knife seriously. Was ever
woman more barbarously abused?
Well, waited. By the quick tearing
away Of the straw saw that the fell
low on the ladder knew how to thatch
a rick or a cottage. In few minutes
there would be hole big enough for
half a dozen men to enter. Jack" her
cheek flushed and her eye frightened,
"God forgive me, but 1 made up my
mind the moment that man stepped
within the room to plunge my knife
into his heart"
, However, this last act of defense was
not necessary.
MASTER" cried the postboy, who was
waiting with the chaise-"master, here
be men on horseback, galloping. I
doubt they are coming after the lady"
Tom Rising stepped to the door and
looked down the road. The day was
already beginning to break. He saw
in the dim light company Of horse
men galloping along the road. 1t was
a bad road, and there had been rain, so
that the horses went heavily. They
were very near. In a few moments
they would be upon him. He looked at
the chaise. He made one more effort.
Molly" he said, "come down quick.
There is just time. Let us have no
more fooling."
Again she made no reply. Knife in
hand, with crimson cheek and set lips;
she watched the hole in the thatch and