Year: 1861

]
10 him she called with all her might:


"Run run to meet your father as he
comes from church tell him we shall all


be murdered if he does not come back p
The frightened child did as she bid him
and set off running on the road she pointedi
Somewhat relieved by seeing tha, the child


understood her, and would make her case
known, she sat down for a moment on the
stone seat before the door, and, full of con-
ficting emotions of grief and thankfulness
for her escape, she burst into tears.
But at this moment shrill whistle a.
reused her attention. Il was from her pris-
oner, Heinrich whos opening The grated
window above her head, shouted to some
ccomplice without TO catch the child that
was running away so fast, and to kill the
girl.


Hanchen looked around in great alarm,
bui saw no one The child still continued
TO run with all its might, and she hoped it
was but false alarm 10 excite her and
overcome her resolution, when, Just as the
child reached a hollow in The next field
(ihe channel of a natural drain,) she saw
ruffian start from the bed of the drain, and
with him to the mill, in accordance with
the direction of his accomplice. In mo-
ment she perceived The full extent of her
danger, and formed the plan for escaping
it.


Retreating into the mill she double lock-


4 L Il
apparent entrance into The building, every
other means of obvious access prevented
by strong iron grating fixed up aeains, all
the windows, and then took her post al the
upper easement determined tn await pa
lienily her masters return, and her conse
quent delivery from the dangerous position
OF her own death il inevitable for >he was
fully resolved 10 enter into no terms, and
that nothing should induce her to give up
her masters properly 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 brandsh-
ing knife in one hand, came up and bid
her open the door, or he would break it
down, adding many fearful oalhs and threats
to which her only answer was that she put
her trust in God Heinrich, who from his
window was a witness to this colloquy,
now called out TO cut the child's throat be-
fore her eyes, il she refused.


Poor Hanchens heart quailed at this mo-
ment The death of The child could be no
gain 10 them, while her own death was
. certain if she admitted The assalsut, and
her master, too. would be robbed. She had
no reason TO suppose her compliance void
save the life OF the child. 1t was a risk
against nothing, and she resolved TO hold
out to the last, though the villain renewed
his threats, saying that il she did not open
the door 10 him, he would kill the child,
and then set fire TO the mill over her head
81 put my trust in God was still The poor
girls answer. In the mean while, the raf-
ian set down the child for a moment 10
look for combusiibles 10 carry ou; his
threat. In the search he discovered a mode
of entering The mill, unthought of by Hanch
en- li.was a large aperature in Ike wall,





aud The other machinery of The mill, and it
was point entirely unprotected, for it had
never been contemplated that any one
would seek TO enter it by so dangerous an
inlet Triumphant at this discovery, he
returned TO tie the hands and feet of the
poor child TO prevent its escape, and then
stole back 10 .he aperaiure by which he in
tended 10 effect an entrance


The position of the building prevented
Hanchen seeing anything of iLis but a
thought struck her II was Sunday, when
the mill was never set in motion, the whole
neighborhood would know that something
was The matter, and her master would es-
peciaIIy hasten home 10 know the merning
of anything so strange. Being all her life
| accustomed TO the machinery of the mill, il
was the work OF a moment TO set all in mo
tIon-a brisk breeze, which sprang up at
once, eel The sails flying. The arms of the
huge engine wnirled around with fearful
rapidity the great wheel slowly revolving
ing upon lis axis thesmalIer gear TUNED,
and creaked, and groaned, according as The
mdcnIueis cdue iulo dctOu inc mil was
in full motion.


II was at that moment that the rnffian
intruder succeeded in squeezing himself
through The aperaInre in the "all, and get
ting himself safely lodged in the great drum
wheel. His dismay. however. was inde-
scri5able, when he began TO be whirled
about with lis rotation, and found that all
his efforts TO put a stop TO the powerful ma
ctinery which sci il in motion. or exiricale
him-eIf from This periloos situation, were
ruthless. Ia his terror, he uttered shrieks
and horrible imprecaiions. Asionished at