Year: 1860

/


aroused her attention. 1t was from her


prisoner Heinrich, who, opening the grated


window above her head, shouted to some


accomplice without, to catch the child that


was running away so fast, and to kill the


girl.


Hanchen looked around in great alarm,


but saw no one. The child continued to


run with all its might, and she hoped it


was false alarm, to excite her and over


come her resolution, when, just as the


child reached the hollow in the next field


(the channel of a natural drain) she saw


a rufian start from the bed of the drain


and snatching the child in his arms hast


ened with him to the mill, in accordance


with the direction of his accomplice. In


moment she perceived the full extent of
her danger, and formed her plan for es-
/, Gaping it.


Retreating into the mill, she double
locked, and barred and bolted the door,


the only apparent entrance into the build


ing every other means of obvious access
prevented by strong iron grating fixed up
: against all the windows, and then took
, her post at the upper easement, determined
, to await patiently her masters return, and


her consequent delivery from the danger
Gus position of her own death, if inevita-
BILE; for she was fully resolved to enter
| into no terms, and that nothing should in
!, duce her to give up her masters property
into the robbers hands.


She had hardly time to secure herself
in her retreat, when the ruffian holding
the screaming child in his arms and bran
r dishing a knife in one hand, came up and
bid her open the door, or he would breal;
it down, adding many fearful oaths and
! threats to which her only answer was that
she put her trust in God. Heinrich, who
: from his window was witness to this


colloquy, now called out to cut the child's
D throat before her eyes, if she persisted in
! her refusal.


:, Poor Hanchen's heart quailed at this
r moment. The death of the child could
S be no gain to them, while her own death
S was certain, if she admitted the assail
S ant and her master, too, would be robbed
q She had no reason to suppose that hel


compliance would save the life of Tho
t child. 1t was risk against nothing anC
: she resolved to hold out to the last, though
F; the villain renewed his threats, saying i
, she did not open the door to him, ht
e would kill the child and then set fire tc
8 the mill over her head.


e 81 put my trust in Cod" was still The
> poor girls answer.


0 In the meanwhile the rufian set dow1
j. the child for moment to look for com
, bustibles to carry out his threat. In hi
G search, he discovered mode of entering
: the mill unthought of by Hanchen. l


was large aperture in the wall commu
S nicating with the great wheel and othe
e machinery of the mill, and it was poin


entirely unprotected, for it had neve
n been contemplated that any one woulc
/, seek to enter by so dangerous an inlet
n Triumphant at this discovery, he returned
:, to tie the hands and feet of the poor chilc
/ to prevent his escape and then stole bacl


to the aperture by which he intended t.
It effect an entrance.


/ The position of the building prevented
t Hanchen seeing anything of this; but
d thought struck her. 1t was Sunday, whel
, the mill was never at work. If, therefore
n the sails were set in motion, the Who'll


neighborhood would know that something
u was the matter; and her master woul'


!


't especially hasten home to know the mean
n ing of anything 80 strange. Being al
Us her life accustomed to the machinery 0
II the mill, it was the work of a moment t
he set all in nation; brisk breeze whic
H. sprung up at once, set the sails flying
9 The arms of the huge engine whirle
m around with fearful rapidity, the grea


wheel slowly revolving upon its axis; th
lie smaller gear tnrned, and creaked, an
II groaned, according as the machinery cam
/" into action, the mill was in full motion.
le 1t was at that moment that the rufia
le intruder succeeded in squeezing himse