Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1904-04-22

shelter Of the barn. The beseged women,
who, at first, had been nervou9 and
frightened were now calm and hopeful
They were beginning to see the results Of
Elisabeth's management. BY comparing
observations they judged that at the be
ginning OF the fight there could not have
been more than fifty savages. There
were many less now.
An hour passed in quiet. After some
time. however, a dark mass appeared to
be moving up from the barn 1t proved
to be a cart, loaded with brush and tim
Der A short distance away. the Indians
who were pushing 1t from behind set II
afire; then came showing 1t on with hor-
rid SCreecheS. A turn in the path, how
ever exposed those behind the cart to
the firing from the two south windows
In the confusion, the cart was upset
The savages. maddened at this destruc-
ton OF their plans, seized the blazing
timbers and rushed at the door with
them. Once under the shelter of the
overhanging cornice, they were safe from
the shots from above. The laundering
Flows from stout cudgels and sharp hatch
cts began to tell. even upon the staunch
door. 1t strained at the hinges and one
of the bars was already bending. 1t was
plainly about to give way. Elisabeth
rushed to the door and threw herself
against it with all her might. Yet she
knew how powerless would be the com
bined exertions OF every human being in
the house against the force without
Run" she cried, ito the tunnel. Close
the slide after you and stay in the tun-
mel till you hear an uproar in the house.
Then run to Bender's cave and don't stop
to breathe until you get there"
The first bar fell from the door just as
the last form went through the opening
in the wall. Elisabeth stopped pressing
against the remaining bar when she saw
the white panel again in its place, beside
a nr1i
ceiled. y second later the door fell in
Elisabeth stood, defantly to meet the
inrushing horde. The Indians bound her
4, hand and foot, tossed her one side and
proceeded to search the house. Their
amazement at finding the house empty
was sweet to Elisabeth. She sat and
laughed. wild hysterical peals which
echoed above the clamor of the plundering
Indians. Elisabeth used to say, in after
life, that that fit of insane laughter was
the only thing Of which she was really
ashamed. Nevertheless. that very laugh
ter saved her life. The savages listened
to it fearfully They retired to the far
thest corner OF the room and talked to-
gether in low tones. Elisabeth under
stood enough to know that they thought
her a witch, They thought that she
alone had rained down upon them that
volley of shot which had wellnigh driven
them back in hopeless defeat. The idea
was So amusing to her strained SENSIBLE
lues that she burst into another fit Of
shrill discordant laughter. That settled
the matter The Indians departed down
through the cornields, as they had come,
leaving. as propitiatory offering, two chill
dren whom they had taken captive at
Saco.
The next day, at noon. Captain Win
coin came back. boiling with rage be-
cause the Indians had not done as he
had predicted they would do. He had
left two men stretched upon the mead
ow before Saco and had saved but a
dren.
An forsooth, Elisabeth" he cried,
when he heard the story of her general
ship-"you have done more with your
band of white-handed women and babes
than with my army OF sixteen men"
And Elisabeth. since Hardrach Wake
~ agreed with the Captain was we'll con-
tent-lNew England Magazine