Year: 1860

Completely deceived by her apparent
readiness to enter into his plans, he allow
ed her to leave the room, only exhorting
her to be as quick as possible, and was i'm
mediately absorbed in his own operations,
first opening the box, and then disposing
of the money about his person. In the
meanwhile, Hanschen, instead of going up
stairs to her room, crept softly along sew
eral passages, till she again by cireuitous
route reached her masters chamber. 1t
was the work of moment to shut and bolt
the door upon him; and this done she
rushed to the outer door of the mill to give
the alarm. The only being in sight was
her masters little boy, child of FIVE years
old, to whom she called out, Run run
to meet your father as he comes from
church; tell him that we shall all be muir
dered if he does not come quick !"


The frightened child did as she bid him,
and set off running on the road she pointed
out


Somewhat relieved by seeing that the
child understood her, and would make her
case known, she sunk down for a moment
on the stone seat before the door, and, full
of conflicting emotions of grief and thank
fulness for her escape, she burst into tears.
But at this moment, shrill whistle arouss
ed her attention; it was from her prisoner,
Heinrich, who opening the grated window
above her head, shouted to some accom-
plice without to catch the child and kill
the girl. Hanchen looked round in great
alarm, but saw no one. The child still
continued to run with all his might, and
she hoped that it was but false alarm to
excite her fear and overcome her resolution ;
when, just as the child reached hollow in
the next field (the channel of natural
drain) she saw rufian start up from the
he'd of the drain, and snatching up the
child in his arms, hasten with him towards
the mill, in accordance with the directions
of his accomplce. In moment she per-
ceived the full extent of her danger, and
formed her plan for escaping it.


Retreating into the mill, she double
locked and bolted the door, the only appa-
rent entrance into the building, every 9TH
er means of obvious access being prevent
ed by strong iron gratings fixed up against
all the windows. She took her post in the
upper easement, determined to await pa
tiently her masters return, and her conse-
quent delivery from that dangerous po-
sition-or her own death, if, indeed, inevi-
tably, for she was fully resolved to en-
ter into no terms, and that nothing should
induce her to give up her masters property
into the robbers hands She had hardly
time to secure herself in her retreat, when
the rufian, holding the screaming child in
his arms, and brandishing a knife in one
hand, came up, and bade her open the
door, or he would break it down, adding
many awful threats, to which her only
answer was that she put her trust in God.


Heinrich, who from his window was a
witness of this colloquy, now called out to
cut the child's throat before her eyes, if
she still persisted in her refusal Poor
Hanchen's heart quailed at this horrible
threat; for moment her resolution failed,
but only moment. The death of the
child could be of no gain to them, while
her own death was certain if she admitted
the assailant; and her master, too would
be robbed. She had no reason either to
suppose that her compliance would save
the life of the child. 1t was to risk all
against nothing ;sand she resolved to hold
on to the last, though the villain from
without renewed his threats, saying, that
it she would not open the door to him he
would kill the child, and then set fire to
| the mill over her head


put my trust in God" was still the
poor girls answer.


In the meanwhile, the rufian set down
the child FOR moment, to look about for
combustibles to carry out his threat; in his
search he discovered mode of entering
the mill unthought of by Hanchen. 1t
was large aperture in the wall, communi-
eating with the great wheel, and the other
machinery of the mill; and it was a point
entirely unprotected, for it had never been
contemplated that any one would seek to
to enter by so dangerous an inlet. Tri-
umphant at this discovery. he returned to
tie the hands and feet of the poor child, to
prevent its escape, and then stole back to
the aperture, by which he intended to ef-
feet an entrance. The situation of the
| building prevented Hanchen from seeing
anything of this; but thought had mean
while struck her 1t was Sunday, when
the mill was never at work; if, therefore,
the sails were seen in motion, the whole
neighborhood would know that something
unusual was the matter; and her master,
especially, would hasten home to know the
meaning of thing SO strange.


Being all her life accustomed to the ma
chinery of the mill, it was the work of a
moment to set it all in motion; brisk
breeze which sprung up, at once set the
sails flying. The arms of the huge engine
whirled round with fearful rapidity; the
great wheel slowly revolved on its axle;
the smaller gear turned, and creaked and
groaned, according as the machinery came
into aetion:-it was at this moment that
the ruffian intruder had succeeded in squeez-
ing himself through the aperture in the
wall, and getting himself safely lodged in
the interior of the great drum-wheel. His
dismay, however, was indescribable, when
he began to be whirled around with its ro-
tation, and found that all his efforts to put
| a cfon tO tho uoworfnl macbina-,, which