Year: 1870

Our heroine lived in Bartlett, New
Hampshire, and was descendant of the
old Crawfords. Her father was o Craw-


ford, and followed the profession of q
guide among the mountains Her name


was Bessie, and she was the only daugh-


ter remaining st home-a dark-eyed,


brown-haired girl, of slight, but compact


frame, just entering her 10Th year. Her


mother had been dead several years, and


upon her devolved the whole care of the
| household.


One day, late in summer, MIR. Craw-
ford went, with a party of travellers,
away to the headwaters of one of many
mountain streams that empty into Saco,
and Bessie was left alone. Even the dogs
had all gone with the pleasure-seekers.
Near the middle Of the afternoon, while
the girl was sitting by an open window
in the front room, engaged in sewing, a
man came up from the road and asked
her If she would give him drink of wa
| ter. Bessie had seen this man before, and
had not liked his looks. He was stout,
broad-shouldered, ilI-favored fellow, and
the bits of moss and spikes of the pines
upon his clothes indicated that he had
slept in the woods.


But Bessie did not hesitate. She laid
aside her work, and went to get the water.
w QSl SnG CGllS DdGh IO6 man Dau entered
the room. She did not like this, for she
was sure he had come in by the window;
but she handed him the tin dipper without
remark. The man drank, and then sat the
dipper down upon the table. Then he
turned upon the girl, and drew broad
bladed knife from his pocket.


'Look ye, my young lady," he said, 81
know there's money in this house. and
know that you are alone. Show me where
the money is # you don't, 1 shall kill
you, and then hunt it up myself I'm in
earnest, and there amt no time to waste.
Don't make fuss, for if you do you'll feel
this knife quick


Bessie shrank back, and looked into the
mans face, and she could see that he meant
Just what he had said


s'If show you where the money is, will
you promise not to do me harm p


s'Show me, honest, and I won't harm
you"


'sThen come with me. But tyou will take
only the money-you won't take my fathers
papers p


ssOnly the money, girl"


Bessie led the way to a small bedroom on
the ground floor. where there was an old
mahogany bureau, the upper drawer of
which she unlocked. The man, when he
saw this, thinking doubtless, that Craw-
ford's gold was within his grasp, shut up
his knife and put it into his pocket The
girl opened the drawer, and, quick as
thought, drew forth q large navy revolver
one with which she herself had killed
trapped bear-and cooked it.


stVillain ~ she exclaimed, planting her
back against the wall and aiming the weap-
on at his bosom, ''many a wild beast have
shot with this good pistol, and I'll now
shoot you if you do not instantly leave this
house! will give you not even second.
Start, or I fire p


The ruffian could read human looks as
well as could the maiden, and he could read
very plainly in the firm-get lips and in the
flashing eyes-but moro clearly in the
steady hand which held the pistol-that
she would not only fire, as she had prom
ised, but her aim would be sure and fatal
one.


And he backed out from the bed room,-
backed into the sitting room, then leaped
from the nnen window and disappeared.


Bessie kept her pistol by her side until
her father and his guests came home; and
when she had told her story, search was
made for the ruffian, but he was not found.
Our heroine had SO thoroughly frightened
him that he never came that way again.