Year: 1859

him the three English soldiers were COM
ing on like mad. while to his right and
left the surface of,he ground rose steep
ly to the height Of twenty or thirty feet,
completely hemming him in. If the
party coming on in front were not
friends. of which there were but few
chances. he was in bad situation. He
could not but wait and see. He had no
other alternative.


S,ngularly enough. at that moment the
clatter Of horses feet sounded from be-
hind also. The English soldiers stopped
and looked back. barley also directed
his gaze towards the sane point. The
next instant a female. mounted on pure
white horse, came riding from the patch
Of woods at break-neck gait. She sat
her gallant s,eed splendidly. fearlessly,
firmly. With cheering cry, she dash.
G! forward.


Almost instantaneously with the ap-
pearance Of the female, the party coming
from the other direction turned the bend
in the road. barley turned his head
quickly, and beheld a dozen or more
English troopers driving on toward him.


"Better face three than dozen J" he
said to himself, as he turned around and
began quickly to retrace his steps.


The sergeant and his companions ut
tered an exultant shout when the troop
ers burst in sight. and by signs directed
the attention OF the latter to the young
patriot.


Meantime both the female and barley
were rapidly advancing toward the three
Englishmen, who we're in the road be-
tween them. The latter were facing
barley with their backs toward the bold
equestrienne, and were spread across the
road so as to intercept the progress of
the young patriot; and 80 occupied did
they appear to be with wha. was gong
on in front Of them, that for the moment
they seemed to have forgotten all about
the woman in t e rear.


On and on came tie troopers, and on
and OH came the female. The latter,
however, advanced much the quickest.
and just as barley had got within half
a'doz n feet Of the sergeant aud his com
panlons. she dashed up behind. instantly
riding down one Of the Englishmen -
Suddenly aroused to sense OF their
danger. the other two jumped out Of the
way.


The female. a beautiful creature of
not more than twenty years Of age. in
stantly checked the headlong speed of
her horse, and brought him round in
the most gallant aud aimilable style.


Mount, sir. up behind me, and you
are safe she cried to barley. I'm
five minutes my gallant white will carry
US beyond pursuit. Quick


The troopers were but little distance
off and were coming OH rapidly. With a
single bound barley varlted up behind
the young female, and the next moment
the horse was rapidly bearing them both
away towards the patch of woods. The
troopers uttered cry Of disappointment,
in the midst Of which a voice was heard
to excla'm


Take aim! fire !"


The air resol nded with the loud re-
pors Of the troopers pistols, AMI the
balls whis lei in all directions, but nei-
ther the young lady. DArley nor the
horse suffered any injury. So fleet was
their steed that already they were near
ly out of the reach of harm.


The dogs !" exclaimed barley, inGi :
nantly-"to reach my life they would
sacrifice an unoH.ndns woman


For several miles the troopers kept up
the chase, but at length they lost all
sight OF the fugtivcs. and turned back,
retracing their way 70 the spot where
they had first encountered the young pa
triot.


Finding they were no longer pursued,
the gallant Young woman drew rein on
her horse. and at the solicitation Of Dar-
ley entered into a brief eXplanation.-
Her mother had been suddenly taken
sick that morning, she said, and being a
practiced rider she had mounted her ia
vorlte steed and without any attendance
! ridden out to the residence of the doctor,
which was some miles distant from her
own home. On her return. passing near
the spot where barley had first encoun-
tered the sergeant and his party, her at
tention had been arrested by the report
OF fire arms, and subsequently her SYM
pathies were so excited by the situation
Of the young patriot that she desperate
ly resolved to make bold effort for his
rescue. Her name was Lucy Farmer.
she added in conclusion. They were
now in close proximity to her father $
residence where she invited the young
man to stop and rest himself. In plain.
honest words, Frank barley thanked the
brave girl for her timely assistance, and
in earnest tones applauded her fearless
spirit and intrepid conduct. Lucy lis
tened in blushing silence, for now that
the excitement was over, she was again
a woman. barley had now dlsmounted.
and was walking along by the young
girls side. As they leisurely pursued
their way they continued to converse to-
gether, and though Lucy was much too
modest to ask his name or anything con-
cerning him, the young man managed to
give her all the information that was ne
cesslry for perfect understanding. He
also learned that Mr.. Farmer was u
staunch patriot. and Lucy dear lovtr
vi hsr country and the cause OF freedom.


In due line tney reacned Mr.. Farmer 5
residence. and the circumstances beng
fully explained, barley received IA most