THE WEST SHORE. August. THE W.ACK COTTAGK. fJV w c , To begin at the- beginning, I must luko you bnck to tliu time ai,t!r my mother's death, when my euly brother hud gone to wu, when my sinter was out lo service, and when 1 lived alone with my father, iu the midst ol a moor iu tlio Wait of Eng land. 'Jim moor mi covered with great limestone rocks, iniil intcraectud here anil then by stream let. The nearest habitation to oun wiw situated alxjiit a mils uml a half off, where a atrip of the fertile la ml stretched out into tho waste, like s touguw. Here the outbuildings of the great Moor Km in, tbun in the powowion of my husband's father, begau. Tho Farmluuds stretched down gently into u beautiful rich valley, lying nicely she), teredby the high nlutfurm of the moor. When the hind begun to rum Hifinii miloit and mile sway, it UA U to u country Iioum, oilluti liulinu Manor, belonging to a gentleman named Kniftoii. Mr. Kuifton h;id lately nnrried a young lady whom my mother had nursed, and whoso kind hum mid friendship for me, linr ms'iir-sister, I shall remem ber gratcliilly to the lust day of her life, Those, And oilier slight particulars, it in necessary to my ktury that I should tell you : and it i nlso iioioh mry that vou should ho especially curuful to bear them wi II in mind. My fulluT was by trade a dime-mason. His col. tugu stood a nn In and a half from tho neirc-tt hah itfitioN. In nil dthitr direction we wuro tour or JIto times that diMniicu from neighbor. Being Very poor people- I hit lonely nil tuition had nnu freut attraction for ui wo lived rent free on it. ii addition to Mint advantage, th stones, by ahtip. ing which my hither gninc 1 his lividihood, lay nil about him at his very door; no that hu thought hiii position, solitary though it was, iiiilu an cnvt iblu oiio. t can hardly say that 1 agreed with him, though 1 uuver cuiiiplnuied, I was very fond of my lallier, and manured to mike tho host of my luiii'tiin in with tlio thought of liiiiif useful to turn. Mr. Kuifton wishod to tuku mo into hnr service wIk ii nht. marrii'il, hut I itcelincil uuwill , iuttly enough, for my lather's sake. It I hud gotio a wuy, no uoiiki mi vo nati nonuuy to uv h uh biin ; and mv mother inn lo inn promise on her ; ib'alb-bt'd, Unit ho should never W le to Jiino , Kwny nlntio in tliti midst of Iho hh'iik III' Mil. Oir collate, miiiiII ai it wu, was ntimtly ami mindly '. built, with atone from tho moor as a matter of C'iiuhu. 'I'liu wall were Ii6c ir1iiiltnnd fcpmt. outside n-ith wood the gut off (r. Kjutlort' fathVr t v fattier. Thi duulilo'col.tfili; Trfinn-h!irt4; crovii-i'i, wliiidi would bnvo Ihtii injuitlliioiH hi a khi'ltcffiil in titflitw.M ntunlti'!u iii'i-iiuiiri' iii.iinr oijKiM'd hntjoii,.). k ClT ojil.tho fttA wiiwiil, iv nr iih (imitmimlly, till tho your round. Ttio out- I mi lo hoard, covuriii our nuinlilv-lniilt iduiiu wnlU, my latht-r juotccted with liiidt and tar. I Tin- jjavit to our liltlu uIhhId a omioiiHly ilurk, diiifty look, lu-jitriiilly when njon fmni a ditnni-u ; Htxl no il had com" to Im called ill the iitdithbor IiwhI uvuii boli iff I wu born, thu lllook Culture. 1 bnvu imw nlati-d thu iivimiuiirv iiarticulum wlitcb it in ihnirahlo that yoit nhould Know, mid lu.iy inifii'il at oucu to thu iiloiuttiiter tank ol tell tut; joii my otory. Oun cloudy liiitnmn duv, whotl I wni rather mom thnn i loliti-un ywur old, u liehlMimit wulki d uvr fioni Muoiu l'nrui with a lit tor which hud bi-tut Kit t Uiiiii) lor my futhur. It oniuu trout a binldrr, tiviiiKtit our county toyn, hull a day's iouitivy ..II, and it invitiul my futhur to come to urn iui'1 nivo bin iudmciit about an (utitimti' fur mn ntotin work mi it vnry birw k-alo. My falh er' iKit'iiMi fur thu limn of timo wcm to Im juiid, nini im nun hi nuvii nit Ninmi oi tuiilovnulit nili'r wur.l, in rc.ariiit! the utme. llu won only too j thid, tkircloi, to oln-y the diri'dioiia which tho j itti-r ivitilmuKil, mid lo uitjiuro at unco (ur bin lout; ' Walk to thu I'liunly (own. ! Cotnidci int: the limn when he received ttn Ictlvr, i Rlid the iini'fMty of ri stiOK It' lore licutti iniili'il In I rclnni, it wan iniioiulihi for him to avoid U in nwuy fiom hoiiiu tor otic iiij;)il at lenot. Ho iro. I jmwcI tu nin in ciom 1 iliHhked Imuiik left alone in tb Ilia . k Ciilliinc, lu Uh k Ibu door and lo lake inn , to M-nr Km in to kIc.'ji with any vm of Iho milk- I nmtdt ho wiiiildnivu me ft ham of her bed. 1 v) no iiH iiim iihcu inc nulloii t t!eeilit Willi n tirl whion I did not know, mid 1 aw no tvuaoti to fi'td n fund of lu iuj! Ivlt nlnne lor only one mulit: no I tin h n'il No lliu'vc bud evi'r coiuo iH'iir un ; unr )iovrty wan milbclent nmU'CIloii H(jitinst them; nnd ot other dnuttem there were noun that oven the moot tnuul jh'Ii.uii could aimvheud. Accord ii'Hl.V 1 K"1 "'.V bilhur' dinmr, lunyliinn at Jhe notion ol inv tiikmn refne. under the j rotection of a milkiiiuid at Moore Faun. Iloitniti d tor liw Wiilk n No.ui ai h hud done, iiyiuu that hi' boutd trv nnd be back by diuuiT iime the nest day. and Wuitf me and my rat 1'olly to take can ol tlio hoiiMv 1 hud clcired the tublo and buuhli'lied up the Hie in I litd Nit down Ui mv w.uk.witli tho cat cl.iiiit5 nt mv fwt, when 1 hemd the tnuui'lm borcn; mid, run in tin lu tlu dnir, mi Mr. and Mr. Kiitlton, with Itivtr iiniuin Iwhiud I be in, nd intt u lo Iho lll.u-k Cotl imv It wu art of the VdiiiiK ld)' kuidneu imver lo mIect un ounor Juinty i'l Ctuiiintl to my im a Iiicmllyvn.it; nnd loir huil and wo jteiiorally wtlliii))to ncomun ber for hu wile'. ake. I iiimle my U pourteiv, lhei(ore, with a hi rat deal of .lcmuir, but with tio Miticiil.ir nuriiMi al mng tiicin. They di uiouiitttl and entered (he c. lt:i, ln-liiii)i nml UikiiiK in nival 'uU, Mmu hen hi (4t thev Wciv lulittu to the rime coui.lv Uu for whicji my l'illu-r w ii Uxnid ; and th.it" tle-v Inlcmlftl to ty with i.w friend there for a frw day, and lu rt'luru on hoiMb)tck, they went out. I b'rt tut, and I alwt diMMvetnl that they lixd len hiiMUK iiirKuimul,iu il, about money widltci-., tt,cj inU aloud to our collnnti. Mm Kinlt..ii h.i l her l.uKiiid ot mvctertte (ttiitvnimv, mid ot nevvr Ih itmulde to tP out it), nioiiw in hi u-kel without landing il all, H h ifmiblj omlil, N-(on he got huu anain. Mr. Kiiillou ha.l biuhiutfly detiudcd huntf If bv lieelni Ui tlmt nil hu KUd money went iu iuvt ruu tvx hi wife, and that. If he --Ht it Invuhlv, it wa umU'r her ml intturuce and mriiiteu- Wf nra Roinit t t'liTertm now," be Mid lo Mr. KuiiTt.ii, iiminK U. nuntv ti-wu. and w-uwiiik luiuwll aloitr jnk.f &n jut a j.kuwtnllv M il U lMU tanlm un hu own itrund hearth. ou will to dun re every rrvtly thin,: in uvrryoneof the TltVeiton ihop window.; 1 hnll h.tnd you the imr, and vou will no in and buy. W hen we hv rm, hnl heme attain, aad you - hd iiuiu lo (tvt tirvd of vour urthaM, you will i'la )nr hAinU in amazement aud d(Un hat you an- .jutte Uuvkl at mv habit of inveUr t r1nivariAHc. 1 am only the hauker who k-M ll.e money -yvm, my tore, are the ndthhft whothtMWtilaUawavr 'Am I, tii r Mt,i Mr Kmllon, a look of mock iiidit-tution Ve will m if I am to be fciiixi iv.iit,.l in thi way with imnuiuiv, IWmt, my deal. itnnmiK to met, "ton .halt judrf. how lar 1 dwn ttM vbarirtvr which thai uuwrua. loin man hiw just (iveii to me. am the spend thrift, am I t And you are only the banker t Very well. Hanker ! give me my money at once, if vou please." Mr. Kuifton laughed, and took loini gold and lilver from his waistcoat (wcket. "Xo, no," aid Mrs. Knitton. "You may wnnt what you have got there for necessary expenses. 1 that all the money you have about you '( What do I feel here r" and she tupped her husband on the chest, just over the breast pocket of hii coat. Mr. Kuifton laughud again, and produced his pocket-book. Hi wife matched it out of his hand, opened it, and drew out some bunk notes, put them back atfaiii immediately, and closing the pocket book, stepped across the room to my poor mother's little walnut wood boik-case the only bit of valu able furniture we hud in tho honso. " What are yu Roinff to do there," asked Mr. Kuifton, following his wife. Mrs. Kniitou opened the glass door of the book case, put the pocket-hook iu a vacant place on one of tho h'lv, rVmwl nn'l l-wk"d the dnnr nijnin, and trave me the key. You culled mo a spendthrift just now," she said, " There is my answer. Not one furthinff of that money shall you ijwnd at Clivertou on me. Keep tho key in your pocket, Humid, nnd whntevcr Mr. Kuifton iiuiy suy, on no nccouut let him have it until wo call ujjain on our way back. No, sir, I wont trust you v-ith that money in your pocket in thu town of Clivcitou, I will make sure of your nt.., it nil h.r, ! Inivmf il l,in i nif.rn tnistworlhy humU tlnni yours, until wo ride l-ack. had, and always shall have, would have considered Hc-wie, mvtlcar, wlnit do you sav to that, ns a h.s- twice in my situation before she made up her mind Tillajte In the vallev below Moor Farm, I stepped out into the passage' with a momentary notion of telling them how I wns situated, and asking them for advice and protection. I had hardly formed this idea, however, before I dismissed it. None of the quarrymen were inti mate friends of mine. I had a nodding acquaint ance with them, and believed them to be honest men, as times went. But my own common sense told me that what little knowledRe of their char acters I had was by no means sufrlcient to warrant me in admitting tliem into my confidence in the matter of the pocket-book. I had seen enough of poverty and poor men to know what a terrible temptation a 'urge sum of money is to those whose whole lives are passed in scraping up sixpences by wenry bard work. It ia one thing to write fine sentiments in books about incorruptible honesty, and another thing to put those sentiments in prac tice, when one day's work is all that a man bjut to set up in the way of an obstacle between starvation and his own fireside. The onlv resource that remained was to carry the pocket-book with me to Moor iurui, uud uak permission to pass tho night there. But I could not persuudu myself that then) was any real neces Hitv for tukiuir such a oouraa as this: aud, ii the truth must bo told, my pride revolted at tho idea of presenting myself in the character of a coward before the people at the farm. Timidity ia thought rather a graceful attraction among ladies, but among poor women it is something to bo laughed A woman wilri less spirit oi nor own man i in economy, intlieteu on a uruueiit liusoanu uy a spctidthrilt wife ':" Sliu took Mr. Knifton's arm while die spoke, and drew him away to tho door, lie protested and made some resistance, hut she easily carried her point, for he waa far too fond of her to have a ! will of his own in any trilling matter between ! them. Whatever the men might Hay, Mr. Kuifton wns a model husband iu the estimation of all thu womni who knew him. " You will sco us as wo come buck, Bensie. Till then, you aro our banker, aud the pocket-book is vi hi m," cried Mrs. Kuifton, gaily, nt the door. ; Ilur husband lifled her into tho Middle, mounted I hiiiiM'l, uml awiy they both galloped over the . hum ir, ok wini ami unppy as u couiuu or cmiiiren. in Aiirmintitr tlirt inlrn of nlniiirhmpu and the isrs of milkmaids. As for me, 1 hardly considered about Koiug In the farm hefuro 1 despised myself for ciitvrluiuiiig any such notion. ''No, no," thought I, " I urn not the womuii lo walk a milo and a half through rain, aud mist, and darkness, to tell a wholu kitcheufull of people that 1 nm a Irani, uorno wiiat may, Here l stop tin tutuer gets micK, Ha vinjf arrived ut that valiant resolution, the first lliiiii! 1 did wai to lock and bolt tho back and front doors, and see to the security of every shutter Thut duty performed, I mndo a blazing fire, lighted my candle, mid Kit down to tea, tin snug aim cimiortutilu as iiossilue. 1 couiu liard. ii!v Lc- AHltoii 'li mv beiii" trusted with money bv Mrs. licve now, willi tho light iu the room, unit tho Knilton was no novelty (in her mniilen davs she ' seuso of security inspired by the closed doors and alwavs employed mu to pay her dreosmaker' bills), shutters, thut I hud ever felt even the slightest ap I did iwt feel quite easy at having a pocket-book 1 prehension earlier in the duy. I sang as I washed full of hniik iiotci left by hor in mv charge. I hud . "P the tun-things ; and oven the ot seemed to no positive apprehensions about t)ie safety of tho ' catch the in lection of my good spirits. 1 nover delimit idiicel iu mv hands; hut it was one of tho ! knew tho pretty oreuturo so playful as she was odd (HiinlH in mv character Hon (and I think it is j that evening. f til!),(to feed an' unreasonably strung objection to 'J'1" teu-things put by, I took up my knitting, lftViV"l&l'iwilh money responsibilities of aiiv R,1(i Worked away at it so lung that I begun utlust tijitf, 4'A',Ui"ifi! the convenience of my dearest ! to get drowsy. The Are was so bright uud com TrifuJl. ftsBoBn as I was left alone, tho very . foiling that I could not muster resolution onough night of the pocket-book behind the glass door of 1 toleavo it and go to bed. I sat staring lazily into tho liook-caso bcan to worry mo; and instead of ( the blaze, with my knitting on my hip sat till Morning to my work, I pu.zled my brains aliout the splashing of the rain outside, uud the titful, tiding u place to lock it up iu, where it would nut mi vxposcn io the view oi any etrinco pasers-ly, who might stray into thu Black Cottage. This was not un city matter lo compass in a poor houo iike ours, where- we hud nothing vulu ublu to put under lock and key. Aftur running sullen Bobbiuji of the wind irrew fainter mid faint er on iny ear. Tlio hut sounds I heard before I fairly dozed off to sleep were tho cheerful crack ling of the lire and tho steady purring of tlio cat, as she bunked luxuriously in the warm light on tho heurtti. Those were the last sounds butora I fell over various hiding places in my mind, I thought . asleep. The sound thut woko me was ono loud oi my len-cuiiuy, u present iroin Airs, riniflon, i uug m mo iroiit uoor. which I uhvnvn kept out ot harm's wuy in nry own 1 slatted up, with my heart (us the saying is) in bod-room. Most unluckily us it afterward turned my mouth, with a frightful momentary shiulder out instead of taking tho pocket-book to the tea- : "g l the roots of my iiiur I started up breath eaddy, 1 went into my room Hint to tuku the te i- 1 lens, cold nnd motionless ; waiting in the silence, caddy to thu pocket-ltook. 1 only acted in this 1 hardly knew for what; doubtful, at first, wheth ruuudaboul way from sheer UiouKhtloHsnrnnud er 1 hud dreamed about i the bung at the door, or severely cnouli 1 was puuisheil for it, us you will i whuther thu blow had really been struck on it. acknowledge yourself when you have reud a littlo ! lu n minute, or less, there came a second bang, more, of my story. i louder thnn tint first. I ran out into the passage. 1 was just getiing tho unlucky tea-caddy out of ' " Who'a there r" my cnpho:ird, whun I heard footsUins iu tho (ins- J "Let us iu," answered a voice, which I rocog. snge, and running out immediately, saw two men nid immediately us the Voice of Shifty Dick, walk into thu kitchen-the room in winch I had " Wait a bit, my dear, and let mo explain," said received Mr. uud Mrs. Kuifton. 1 inquired what second voice, in tho low, oily, jeering tones of they vantetl, shnrply enough, and one of them Ibck's coiupniiion the wickwlly clover littlo man answered immediately thut they wanted my father. 1 whom ho cuileit Jerry. "You nre alone iu the He turned toward mo, of course, ua he spoke, mid ! on3, my pretty little dear. You may crack your I recognized him us a stone-mason, going among : sweet voice with screeching, and there's nobody his comrades by the mime ut Bliiity Dick. Ho ' near to hear you. Listuu to reason, my love, and bore u very bad character for everything but i 111 U!t W o don't want cider this time we only wtostliug a sjwrt for which the working men of j wullt very neat looking pocket-book which you our purl wow famous ull through tho country. ' ""l'''ti to have, and your lute excellent mother's Shifty Dick was uhamiiion, uml hn had not iianrn from some tricks in wrestling, for which bo waa celcbrutciK He was a tall, huivy man, with a lowering, scarred face, and hugo hairy hands uii'Miiitiiiiui in mo wauio worm unit i stmuiil four silver tea shxiiib, which yon kt ep so nice uml clean on tlio ehiiuney-pieee. "if you let us in, we Won't hurt a hair of your head, my cherub, and wo promise to uo uwny tho moment we huvo L'ot what wo want, unless you particularly wish us to stop havu lieoii glad to see ninW any circumstances. to tea. If you keep us out, wu shall be obligod to oiii-uim'ii nun it ntiiinni r, WIIOIll no AllUreSSVIl uiciifc luit' lou iiiiubv, mm ineil by the naiuu of Jerry-a ipuck, daper, wicked 1 "Ami then," burst in Shitty Dick, "we'll math looking muu, who took ulT his cap to mo with mock i yu :" iolitcm s and showed, in so doing, a Tery Iwiltl ! " Ves," said Jerrv, " we'll mash you, my beautv. ua to uoiiig mat, will you.' head with tomo very uly locking knobs on it. f distrusted him worse than 1 did Stnily Dick, nnd mniiAgeil lo get between his leering eyes aud tho liook-etise, aa 1 told the two that my father was gone out, and that 1 did nut eipoct him buck till the next duy. Tho word were hardly out of my mouth before I repented thut my nn s ltd y to get rid of my un welcome visitors had nude tno incautious enough lo acknowledge that my father would lo away from home for the whido night. Shift v Dick nml his eoniNtnhm looked at esdi other wheu 1 unwisely let out tho tiuth. but made Hut vou wont dri' ion will let This long parley gave mo time to recover from tho effect which thu first bang at the door had pro duced on my nerves. Tho threats of the two vil liaus would have terrified some women out of their senses; but tho only result thev produced on me waa violent indignation. 1 had, thank Uod, a strong spirit of my own; and tho cool, con temptuous insolence of the man Jerry effectually roused it, ' " You cowardly villians," I screamed at them imougii mo uoor. l ou i mu it you can frighten me no rcmiiTK, exenpi iu ask me it l would give them I because I nm only A poor girl left alone m the a drop of cider. 1 Aiiwcred, ihsridv. that 1 had house. You nurainutllu thieve. I .Ufi- mn k,,n, i no cider in the hoiivc- having uu fear of the iud sentiences of refuiiiL' them drink, beeansa 1 knew Ihut plenty of nieu weiu at wotk within hnil, in a nciuhbormg tpiniry. The two men lookwl at each other again, when I deniml having any cider to give tlit iu; and Jerry (aa 1 am obliged to call him, know in i uo other nnmo by which to distinguish the MUwl took off his can 'to me onc mow, and, wilh a kind ol blackguard gentility uinm him, sr.id they would have the dens ore of rAiling the next I rushed into the kitchen and Mixed the vrnker nay, wucn my lamer was At homo. 1 said good nml then hcAned wooil on the tlr, and liahted all allerniM.ii as iiugiAt'ioiisly napoastble; ami, to mv the candles I could find; forU felt as if I could great relief, lhy both Kit the cot tag immediately i keep up my courage bettor' if I had olenrv of lmht aiterwards. strange and ,mprobabl. a. it may appear, tho next As soon at thev were wel awm 1 wutl. i ti,.t -i..i ' ' "lv UL1 fr.m the d...,. Thev trudircd off in the. d.et,. n umv. , XS Z ZL tMwr j iwu oi me nine creature that 1 taok her mr ooiw are strong, our shutters are thick. I am hero to keep my lather's house safe ; and keen it I will against an urmy of you 1" You may imagine what a passion I was in when I vapored aud blustered in that wav. 1 heard Jerry laugh, and Shifty Dick swear a whole mouthful of oaths. Then there waa a dead silence lor a minute or two; aud then the two ruffians at is uu 1 1 iv uoor. oi jioot rarm; ami, as il was begin mug to get dusk, 1 aoon lost siht of them. Half an hour ath'iw.ird 1 looked out agniu. The wind had lulled with tlie sunset, but tho niut was rising, and a heavy ram was tigiunnig to fall Never did thu lonclv prospect of the moor look so dreary a il look.-d to mv em that even ing. Never did 1 regrnl auv tluht tmng mora ain ceielv than 1 then n-grettwl the leaving of Mr. Kuilton1! pocket-book in my charge. 1 cannot say that 1 auftcced uudt r anv actual alarm, for 1 felt next to certain that neither Shifty Dick nor Jerry had got a chanev of setting eyaou so small a thing as the iHVkct-boos. while- thev wan in th- kitekn- but Iher was a kind of vague dulrust troubling me -a uinon ol the nmhl-n dudike at being left by mvtell, which I never rrmetnl-er having ex Mmucvd b fin. Th (whuy ao increaard, after I had vlowd liied.Kr and none Uck lo the kitchfn. up in my Arms and carried her into my bod-room, and put her inside mv bed. A comical thing to do iu a itu,tion of deAdly peril, was it not If But it seemed uiute natural and proper at the time. AH thu while the blows were falling faster and tured, wnh heavy stones picked up"from'TheLkor " iuui,,i quite horror-struck befo'r groumi out,le Jerry sang At his wicked work. I " Aud Shiftv Dick swon. A I tt th. ter putting the cat uukr cover, I heard the lower pon.l of ihe door begin to crack. I ran into the kitchen and huddled out foursil vr s,m. ,nto my pocket; then took the unlucky book with the bank note and put it in the btwom CI my drwa I wu determinetl to defend the protrtv e,M.ttdl to my care with mv life. Ju.t as 1 had secured th ii-Lni.i..L- ii.' L , t . , r---.-.--, a lll-niu lot) UOOf Ibal. whMi I neard the vo,.ot Uie yunS E TtST "fiS y asaed our coltajv ou Uiwir way home to tho hands, " 1 ' 'UUli m I was in timo to see the bald bead of Jerry, with the ugly looking knobs ou it, pushed into the pas. sage through a great rent io one of the lower pan els of the door. " Gut out, you villain, or I'll brain you on the spot !" I screeched, threatening htm with the poker. Mr. Jerry took his head out again much faster than he put it in. The next thing that came through the rent was a lung pitchfork, which they darted at me from the outside, to move me from' the door. I struck at it with all my might, and thcAblow must have jarred the band of Shifty Dick up to his very shoulder, for I heard him give a roar of rage and pain. Before he could catch at the fork with his other hand, I hud drawn it inside. By this time, ofjsn Jerry lost his temper, and swore more awful ly than Dick himBelf. Thon came another minute of respite. I had suspected they had gone to get bigger stones, and I dreaded tho giving way af the whole door. Ii mining into the bed-room aa this fear beset me, I Uki hold of my cheat of drawers, dragged it into the passage, and threw it down againttt the door. On tho top of that I heaped my father's big loobclieat, three chairs, mid a scuttleful of coals ami last, I drugged out the kitcheu-table and rammed it ns liurd as I could against the wholo barricade. They heard mo as tiiey were coining up to the door with fresh stones. Jerry said, " Stop a bit," and then tho two consulted together in whispers. I listened engerly, and just caught theso words : Let's try the other way." Nothing more was said, but I heard their foot steps retreating from the door. Were they going to besiege tho hack doer nowY I had hardly asked myself that question, whon I heard their voices at tho other side of tho house. Tho back door was smaller than the front; but it had this udvantugu in the way of strength it was made of two solid oak boards, joined longwise, and strengthened inside by heavy cross pieces, It had no bolts like- the front door, but was fastened by a luir of iron, running across it in a slanting direction, and fitting at either end into the wall. "Thoymust have tho whole cottugo down be fore they can break in at that door," I thought to myself. And they soon found out as much for themselves. After tivo minutes banging at the back door, they gave up auy further uttempt in thut direc tion, and cast theft heavy stones down with curses of fury awful to hear. 1 went into tho kitchen and dropped on the window scat to rest for a moment. Susnense nnd excitement together were beginning to tell upon me. The perspiration broke out thick on my foro- iiead, ana 1 liegan to feel the bruises I had in flicted on my hands in making the barricade uguiiist the front door. I had not lost a puiticle of my resolution, but I was beginning to lose strength. There was a bottle of ruin iu tho cup- , board, which my brother, tho sailor, hud left with us tho last time he was ashore. I drank a drop of it. Never before or since have I nut nnv thin it down my throat that did me half so much good ua Liinv juvenilis mouiiiiui oi ruin. I wo still sitting in the window sent drying my face, whuu I suddenly heard their voices close be hind me. They were feeling the outside of the window ngainst which I was sitting. It was protected, like- all the other windows in the cottage, by iron bars. I listened in dreadful suspense forthe'sound of tiling, but nothing of the sort was audible. They had evidently reckoned on frightening mo ' easily into lottiVig them in, and hud come unpro vided with housebreaking tools of any kind. A fresh burst of oaths informed mo that thoy had recognized tho obstacle of the iron bars. I listened breathlessly for sotiio warning of what thoy were going to do next, but their voices seemed to did away in tho distance. They were retreating from the window. Were they also retreating from the houso altogether r Had they given up the idoa of effecting an entrance in despair t Along silenco followed -a silence which tried my courage oven mora severely than the tumult of their Unit uttack ou the cottage. Dreadful suspicions now beset me of their being able to accomplish by treachery what thoy had failed to effect by force. Well as I new the cot tage, I began to doubt whether there might not bo ways of cunniugly and silently entering it ngainst which 1 was not provided. Tho ticking of the clock annoyed mu; the crackling of the tlie start lod me. 1 looked out twenty times iu a minute into tho dark corners of the passage, strniHiim my eyes, holding my breath, anticipating the most un likely events, the most iniossible dangers. Had they really gonei' or were thoy still prowling about the houso? Oh, what a sum of monoy I would have given, only to have known what tiiey were about in that interval of silence 1 I was startled at last out of my suspense in the most awful manner. A shout from one of them reached my ears on a sudden down the kitchen chimney. It was so unexpected and so horrible iu the stilliipsa, that I screamed for the first time since the attAck on the house. My worst forebod ings hud never suggested to me that the two vil lains might mount upon the roof. Let us in you she devil roired a voice down the chimney. 1 here was another pause. The smoke from tho wood lire, thin and liulit as it was t. n.,i of the embers at that moment, had evidently ob ligcd the man to take his face away lrom the mouth of tho chimney. I couuted the seconds whilehewas.asloonjectured, getting his breath again. In less than half a minute there camo another shout: Let US iu or We'll bum the nlnen dntrn . your head." uum it t iiurn what ? There w nnti.it.,. sily combustiLle but the thatch on the roof; and that had been well soaked by the heavy rain which had now fallen lucessuntlv for mora thnn ii Kn.. Bum the place over my head 't How f While I was still canHmr l,.i ;i,it t- mind to discover what possible danger there could be of tire, one of the heavy stones placed on the thatch to keep it from being torn up by the high winds, came thundering down the chimney. It scattered the live embers on tho hearth all over tho room. A richly furnished plAce, with nicknacks . mutiiii uuuui ii, wouiu nave been set on tire immediately. Even our biro floor and rough furniture gave out a smell of burning at the first .una wmcn ino nrst none scattered. new nruof of thu ilnviiuk inn..it. .ka ;i fains outside. But Ihe dreadful danger I wai now ... uid w my aensea immediately. There was a large canful of water in my bedroom, and I ran at once to fetch it. Before I could get back to tho kitchen, a second stone bad been thrown down the chimney, and the floor woe smouldering in sev eral placet, B I bad wit enough to let the smouldering go on tor a moment or two more, and t pour the whole of my cantul of water over the nra before the third stone came down the chimney. The live embers on the floor I easily disposed of after that The man ou the roof must have beard the biasing ol