Argosy and Railroad Man's Magazine — page 122: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

464 Late one afternoon Polly caused a terrible commotion by returning with the announce- ment that she had seen the Indian boy of the soap episodé, peeping at her from be- hind a big tree, whose branches extended out over the pool. One of the Misses Lord had been Polly’s guard and ag the first yell which Polly had emitted, the guard had turned and incontinently fled back to the house, leaving the terrified negress to her fate. But Polly got hold of herself and made such strenuous efforts to. reach safety that-she actually arrived before Miss Lord. Although the Indian had done nothing whatever except peep at them, no one in the place slept that night, and twice Thetis was sure that she heard footsteps. They were all in a bad state by morning, and were really in no condition to protect them- selves had any danger presented itself. But no danger did present itself, although they felt it hovering near them. They wondered what had become of the men, what was keeping them so long, why they had heard nothing from them. No more trips had been made to the branch for water, and before night their supply was entirely exhausted. Finally~ Polly, whose mercurial temperament had so completely recovered from her fright that she seemed no longer cognizant of the danger lurking about the spring, offered to go and fetch water, but only on condition that she had the negro man as a guard. “‘] think it’s silly for anybody to go,” Mrs. Carrington declared. But they had had less than one pail of water for the whole party for a day and a night, and the twins were clamorous for a drink. “We can’t go through the night without water,’ Mary Ann commented, “and I don’t see any use in waiting for the men to come back. They mayn’t return to-night at all. I+think Polly had better go now.” It was about eight o’clock and quite dark when Polly, accompanied by the negro and Miss Lord, who carried a pine torch, left the house. “T think it’s very silly to let that old woman go with them,” Melissa remarked. “ She’s not so old,”’ snapped Miss Lord, who had been left behind. ‘‘ She’s almost my twin and I’m sure I’m not old.” ARGOSY AND RAILROAD MAN’S MAGAZINE. Melissa smiled and made no reply. In- deed, she had no opportunity, because at that instant they. were startled by blood- curdling shrieks and in these shrieks they could make out a man’s voice as well as the staccato yells of Miss Lord. “By Heavens! What can have hap- pened?” cried Mary Ann, looking to see that the door was securely barred. “They are probably being scalped,” an- nounced one of the twins in a comforting way. ~ At that moment an avalanche was hurled against the door and, in terror, the women were about to fire from their various loop- holes when, from out of the darkness came the frantic cries of Miss Lord. “Open the door! Let us in!” The door was unbarred and the negro man, whose terrified eyes seemed to stretch oveér most of, his face, dashed into the room. At his heels came Polly and Miss Lord. Polly was minus her two buckets and Miss Lord had lost her torch and her hair was streaming out behind her. “Tt is a panther—a panther,” the poor woman shrieked. ‘“ At the: spring—in the tree—Polly was getting down on her knees and I looked up and saw his big eyes.” “A little mo’ and I’d ’a’ been snatched to Gawd A’mighty!” Polly supplemented. More than one person cried: “A pan- ther!” ‘““Yes,”” Miss Lord began, when Mary Ann inpoerepted by announcing, “ I’m 0- ing to see.’ “An astonished silence greeted her remark, but before she could reach the door every one was remonstrating. “Are you sure it was a panther?” Mary Ann demanded. : “Sho as I’m alive,” Polly cried. ‘“ I saw him good. I saw his eyes shinin’ up out of de branch and I thought they was stars, till I heard Miss Lord fotch a yell, and then T looked up an’ saw him, all yeller in the tree.” ““T am going,” Mary Ann cried, and be- fore any one could stop her she unbarred the door and, rifle in hand, started across the threshold. “Wait! Take a light! Go with ss somebody!” Miss Lord implored. r Commiclooolks.comn