Year: 1877



 it by a circuitous route, and it will oc- cupy more time than by the regular road, and we must apprise father and mother of their danger, and prepare to receive the blood-thirsty hounds when | they come.

 We started in great haste, our road lay through an unbroken forest, but soon we were in sight of the house which we could plainly see by the lighted windows.

 Our road led us in the rear of the house, and we arrived unobserved, and paused to listen if everything was quiet within. Being convinced that all was right, we opened the door which led to the dining-room, without the ceremony of a rap, and, entered, my little angel at my side.

 The old folks were not little aston ished at seeing the strange visitor, but I soon informed them of what 1 had heard, and left the rest of my story un- told, until after we had discounted the burglars.

 Now to business. procured an old musket, which loaded heavily with slugs and lashed it in an elevated posi- tion to an old chair. I then passed a piece of cord from the trigger to a staple in the chair board, which as soon as it came in contact with a moving object, the musket would be discharged, and the contents would find lodgment in the vitals. I then closed the door lead ing from the hall where the musket was placed, and then stationed my little angel (for I had not yet learned her name) at the. door leading into the back piazza, with Colts repeater, with which she claimed to be an expert, while at the windows my father and myself were stationed, each armed with drawn sabre.

 We were now ready for the attack, the lamps were extinguished, and my mother with matches in. hand, stood ready to relight them at given signal. Thus we waited, until the small hours of the night were being ushered in, when the faithful watch dog appraised us that the enemy was approaching. Silent as death was all within the house, presently the soft tread of some one was heard upon the porch, when simultaneously with this came sound of footsteps on the back piazza, then a dull shake of the door was heard, ac- companied by grating sound as if it was being forced open by some flat in strument, introduced between the edge of the door and castings, but it yielded very slowly. My little angel held her post firmly, with nerve strong and ready to send the deadly bullet into the heart of the intruder.

 All again was silent, save now and then low murmuring like some one talking in undertones. The faithful watch dog, what had become of him his warning bark had been silenced, was he dead this thought seemed to occupy all our minds, but it was now no time to discuss the matter.

 Hark! the front door has yielded, hear footsteps within the hall, mo- ment more-bang, goes the musket and tumbling noise is heard without the room, almost at the same time two pistol shots are fired in the back piazza accompanied by similar noise to tha1 made at the front door; while immedi ately our watch dog sprang fiercely ou from under the window and seemed tC be dragging and tearing some fellow tC pieces.

 called to my mother to relight thu lamp, which she did in an instant.

 With drawn sabre went to the hall and found one of the burglars cold il death, while at the back piazza my lit tie angel had put two balls through thu head of another. Our attention wa now called to the dog. There he lay ol his side, under the window, with a firm grip on the third, whom we extracted from the jaws of the dog and brough him into the house, and kept him unde guard until morning.

 The gray twilight of the morn began to dawn, and ere the sun had peepet above the eastern horizon, we hal placed the two bodies side by side il the piazza, and dispatched messenge in great haste for the officers of tn law. t-a

 My father accompanied by Mis- Mayne, (this was the name of our hero

 incl had gone over to her uncle Ross, t relieve the suspense of that family wit regard to the safety of their niece

 whose anxiety knew no bounds, as the were afraid she had fallen a victim t

 the hands of the desperadoes, and tha ,, MT. Jarvis family and she too had al been murdered.

 A few hours, and the officers of tn law arrived, jury of inquest had com

 pleted their verdict, and the dead bodie were removed and buried in publi 5 lot near the town of Haddam-and tn one rescued from the dog was commit tied to jail by the authorities to aw, his trial.

 Having disposed of the bodies, an Il entered into certain obligations mad necessary by the law, Iwended my wa to old Mir. Ross in quest of my fathe and little heroine. arrived, and foun them discussing the events of the pa! evening. I made known to my fathe I and to MT. Ross the eventful meeting u Miss Mayne in the wood, and the timel $ warning which not only saved my Tiff

 but the lives of my father and mothe u My father moved to tears, invoked II blessing upon the young girl, and o u fered to make her the possessor of l' fine estate which belonged to him ac t joining her uncle's.

 u ''Mr. Jarvis," said she, ''your offer '' must reject; you no doubt feel that yo e are indebted to me, but it was only or 7. of many duties, which I am alway :. willing and ready to perform, thoug