Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-08-23

AAAA " eNNpN oihA NhAS W " u
open. There she stood in q long wrap
per, with her hair down her shoulders
taller by inches, l remember noticing
even then.
What do you here, sir?" said she,
gazing at me.
For answer / stepped into the room.
took h doorhandle from her. closed
the door with as little noise as possible
and looked at her.
WHO are you, and what mean you
by coming thus into my house?" she
asked haughtily, standing away from
me and drawing her gown together al
the neck. Aye, the girl was beautiful
under all conditions, for here she was
gazing at ME like a queen whose hal
lowed privacy had been soiled with sac
rilege.
lpse," said !, and need have no fears
of me-"
II know nothing Of you, sir, nor do /
fear you. But I. bid you leave this room
and his house at once, unless you are
a highwaymnn come to rob a defence
less woman"
"You know we'll that is not the case.
VIII you be seatod?"
mo! / viii mott"
II have something to say to YOU"
And 1 will no longer remain in your
presence" and she made as IL to leave
the room. But ] stepped before her, my
own temper beginning to rise ut this
denial of an acquaintance which, one
would think. she at least might recall.
Mistress Philipse, l am sorry to be
lnder the necessity of asking you to
'emain. l am Obliged to ask you"
You need rot ask, sir. For / viii
not answer a single question:"
"Sit down, mistress" said ! sternly.
1t Is to his day a marvel to me how
his chit Of 4 girl could rouse my anger
by her very calmness. She did not
move, but said with fine scorn:
you are a h~ighwaYman, l see," and,
following her glance, I flushed to find
myself standing before her with a
drawn sword In one hand and a pistol
In the other. One was sheathed n the
ether put up in a moment, but l was
upset and said nothing for n space.
Who Is In this house besides your
self and YOU maid?"
al Infamous s%Coundrel! Perchance
aye, no doubt-a h~ighwayman! a man
who has neither sense of decency, nor
honor, who"
"Who beside him? Tell mel" I cried.
II will net speak with you further.
You do not dare to remain in my pres
ence longeri" said she, her voice rising
In anger and wounded pride, and be-
ginning to culver with
Madam, you will some day regret
your words said I hastily. II am
here to protect you''-an Involuntary
exclamation escaped her-"to protect
you from being arrested as a spy. This
house is full of British soldiers, who
are-'
"Ah!" cried she, at that; "let them
! come to me now, then" and she rushed
by me and grasped the door to open
IT. But | caught her rs she cried out,
and put my hand over her mouth and
lifted her from the ground, setting her
down In a large chair by the table.
: The result was enough to distract any
man. For she burst into tears. and,
looking up and stamping her foot in
Helpless rage, she cried:
Are you not ashamed to maltreat n
woman, who is helpless! Are you not
ashamed! oh, had q strong arm to
strike you down now, making war on
a weak woman
! was on my knees at her feet in a
moment, and took her hand in mine in
my excitement.
Dear child" cried I. God forgive
me! Some day you will understand
and forgive me too. / cannot do aught
else. If you will but give me your
word! Believe me, believe me, I would
papa's daughter and bring her to her
tome and to her wits"
Il Will do what ] choose; and
do not choose TO receive you, nor will
you take me hence"
Indeed, and l will, Debby! And do
you make ready now in some garment
lit for a horses back, and prepare to
come with me on the minute. l like
not this territory. IT'S too near our
rebels for comfort. And, besides, there
Is other work for me to do tonight"
Leave ne, sir. l have lone with
this, once for ALL"
You Will come with me now" cried
he, angrily. and stepped UP to her and
took her by the arm and shook her.
You Will come with me now, on the
Instant
And is there so much haste, then?'
The man wheeled on me with q sud
denness that startled us all. / know
not why l came forth, but / could not
see her tyrannized over; and though
my mind was in a whirl as to the pur-
pose OF this stranger, as well as to what
might be going on below, l was out and
Vt him with my hanger before the
words were well out of his mouth.
He muttered to himself. What the
tend is this?" as he drew and guarded
my thrust. Then he cried out to his
man:
shoot, fool, shoot him.
Out sprang the report across the
rom, and a pane of glass fell behind
me; but, as good luck would have II,
the miss was clean and fair.
At the same time, too quick, and toe
tangled up with u hurrying about the
room to at first distinguished from il
came an uproar from below stairs. Shot
followed shot, and we could soon near
even above the noise we made as We
thrust and parted, the sounds of fight
ing from beneath.
At the first he hesitated a moment
muttering, What may that be?" But
as l pressed him sorely, he turned tc
me again, crying:
"Dorkin, thou fool, fire! Waste nc
time! Fire, curse thy soul!
Then / saw the man come towards
me, and l knew he could not miss
again. There was naught to do but
run, and ] ran for the great bed, fol.
lowed by the leader, who had thrown
his great cape back over his shoulders
AS / ran / caught a chair n swung
1t around towards the soldier, hitting
him squarely In the shins, and he
bowled over, cursing with pain. THAI
gave me a moment, and / pushed
table at my adversary; but he. catch.
ing 1t, swung 1t aside, and at it agar
we went
All the while the terrible din below
stairs increased, 2pd cries and curses
now d to the uproar. 1t rar
through my mind to wonder how my
men Jared, and If Curtis were neai
enough to hear. But l could do little
for my time was near up.
Shoot! shoot! coward" cried the
man again.
/ caught, out of the corner of my eye
the soldier again~on his feet and walk
ing slowly up to me, with his great
pistol held before him and bearing or
me. And it's more than TRANCE how,
gone though / knew i must be, 1 had
but n thought-she should see what
a patriot could do in his last hour. Sc
| gave a hearty lunge at my man, and
again, still seeing the other growing
slowly larger-when there ran out an
other shot like q rannnn's rpnnrf In