Year: 1874

and milk pots through it, it had
been left open.


With gentle tread she went up to
this window, and looked into the
room. What she beheld there in
deed filled her with horror.


Before her eyes, the old man took
off his fur cap. and his white beard.
too, raised up his bent down. pow
erless figure, and now there stood
before her quite different man
than the one she in her pity
had admitted. The first was tot
tering. half frozen old man-this
was a strong young man, of savage
and wicked appearance; and the
smile of Joy at his successful trick,
which passed over his face, had an
expression which filed the girls
heart with terror. as~e - 4


So overcome was she at this
change in her guest, that for few
moments she had no idea how it
would be best to act.


The robber did not know that he
had been seen. He went up to the
window which the good natured
girl had opened, and from which
she had drawn back the shutters.
It looked toward the wood, which
extended on that side of the house.
The man started out, and then wav
ed his handkerchief; he then drew
from under his old ragged coat
long, broad knife, examining care
fully the point and blade.
What was to be done? That was
the question: but there was short
time for the poor girl to consider.


She must be quick-she must
act decisively. Rescue from with
out was not to be thought of-she
alone, by Gods help, must save
herself, and the property of her
family!


She took a hasty glance around
the room, and seeing a heavy axe
which was used for chopping wood,
lying upon a block, she quickly
seized it. The coffee was hot, but
in the pot it would not serve the
plan which she had devised


She poured the boiling liquid in
to a small deep plate, and, quite
determined what to do, she went
up to the door of the room, the
plate with the smoking coffee in her
left hand, and the heavy axe in her
right.


I have both handsfu1l,' she cried,
standing before the door; be SO
good as to open the door for me-
Not suspecting what was about
to happen, the robber quietly open
ed the door, standing in the mid
die of the threshold. In a mo.
ment the whole of the boiling coffee
flew into his face. With furious
exclamation of pain, he bent for
ward, and, with his hands, rubbed
the coffee from his eyes.
Availing herself of this moment
of his helplessness, the brave girl,
with the broad side af the axe,
dealt him such violent blow on
his head, that he fell down sense
less to her feet.


| Quick as thought, pushing aside
his body, she sprang to the window,
which she had before opened her
self, closed it securely and put up
the shutters. Then she hastened
back, took the key out of the door,
which was inside, called, Sultan,
keep watch, and, pushing the great
dog into the dark room, where the
robber still lay senseless, she lock


ed the door from the outside. Then,


after building up her wall of de-


fence against the door, she hasten.


ed up to the second story.


The dog was growing from with


in, and trying to get out, and al


the same moment there was VIC


lent knocking at the house door.


The girl took her fathers double


barreled gun down from the wall


and, opening the window, she in
quired:


who's there below?'


From the window she saw before


the door man, with the appear


ance of huntsman, of savage anl
forbidden aspect, quite a stranger
to her. He called out to her in {


commanding tone:


, Open the door!'


When 1 choose to do so,' replied
the girl.


IF you do not open it, shall,
cried he .huntsman, angrily, i shal
break open the door, and then yo'
l will see what will happen.
, we are long way off from tina
! yet,' replied the girl,


We shall see,' cried the hunter
; and. taking his gun from his should
er, he was about to place it agains
the doorlock and fire.


Kate saw that rapid action wa
necessary. In a moment her faith
er's gun was cooked and her ain
! ! taken, and before the rascal coul,
turn round, there was loud repor


above, and bullet had shattere,
7 his right arm


His gun dropped from his hand
4 he fell to the ground. He uttere,
! cry of pain, and rolled over in tn
: snow, which he redeemed with hi


blood. But, before the girl coul'
take up her fathers other gun, h
, had risen and fled into the woods
; Kate quickly loaded the gul
! again, and prepared for struggl
OF life and death; for she felt Ger
!. tain that these two were not alone