Year: 1867

heart sunk like lead within her.
mo; am stranger-have lost
my way: you must let me in.
81 cannot-cannot! am poor,
lone woman. 1 dare not let you in"


"Yon need have no fear. AS there
is God in Heaven, will not harm
you. l am an escaped convict--an
innocent one-and as you have mercy
In your heart, open the door,"


When was such an appeal made to
an Irish heart in vain? An escaped
convict, and wanting succor That
Is tallisman to open every door
to have the last potato or bite of
bread forced into the hungry mouth.
Yes, it is truly the open sesame to
an Irish heart, and it operated SO
in this case.


The woman arose, opened the door,
gave the fugitive food, and having
again received his assurance that
be would do her no harm, but on the
contrary, protect her, and having
also seen him stretch himself upon
the floor before the remnant of the
peat fire, she again sought the side
of her sleeping children.


But even then she was not allowed
to rest. At first her fears kept her
awake. Then came another loud rap
for admission, and both she and her
stranger visitor arose."


sis this part of your gang 2 she
asked in trembling whisper.


"l call Heaven to Witness" he an
swered, solemnly, ''that such is not
the case. Ask them what they want"


She did SO, and was told that
they knew thar she had money in the
house, and were determined to have
it.


"Tell them," whispered the stranger,
''that you have a friend with you,
and that it will be dangerous for
them to enter"


81 have a friend here" she said
going close to the door, ga man who
will protect me, and you had better
not try to get in"


81 know better I" laughed female
voice-that of Bridget, the servent
girl, 81 know. that there is no one
there except the children"


"What shall I-shall do ?" asked
the poor woman, wringlng her hands.


"Tell them," again said the stran-
ger, "That 1 have pistols, and will
shoot the first one that dares to step
his foot within the door God help me!
/ would not have blood upon my
hands, but ! promised to protect you
with my life, and will. Warn them
once more"


Bridget" shouted Mrs. O'Brien,
"the friend 1 have here has pistols,
and will certainly kill you. 1 warn
you to go away"


Again the bold bad laugh of the
servant girl rang out, and her voice
could be distinctly heard urging
them on.


''Its only talking they are. Dev-
il a one is there in the cabin but the
children. Break down the door and
be done with it. tell you there is
more'n hundred pounds hidden be-
tween the BEDS"


"Stand back" whispered the con-
vict to his hostess. "Their blood
be upon their own heads"


Scarcely had the words been utter
ed, before heavy blows fell upon the
door, and made it tremble upon its
hinges. The self-appointed protec-
tor stood little to one side, calm
and firm. In either hand he held a
pistol, and his manner showed that
he was no stranger to their use.


"Down with the door % shouted
Bridget, cor else stand aside and
give me the AK"


A shower of heavy blows, and it
fell. The false servant girl entered,
and dropped dead with a bullet
buried in her brain. The foremost
of the men met the same fate, and
and the others fed. They had had
quite enough of bloodshed.


To leave the helpless woman thus,
was not to be thought of by the
kind-hearted stranger, and though
prison or transportation stared him
in the face, he comforted her as well
as was possible, Strengthened the
corpses, and then hastened to the
nearest magistrate, told the entire
story, not even denying who and
what he was.


The facts were too evident to even
bear questioning, and as a reward
for his bravery the convict was par
doned-sabsequently found to have
been convicted innocently, and when
the husband and father returned, was
readily persuaded to emigrate with
the family to "the land of the free
and the home of the brave.


Now in onejof the Western States,
Terrence O'Rrien has house by
the side of beautiful river, and not
far from it is another where the once.
fugitive convict has wife and chill
dren of his own to protect, and both
families will give as an heirloom to
their descendants the little but true
eforv of how O pardcn waa won