ELBERT COUNTY. 237 



Stacked their arms where they were in view and within 

 reach ; and Mrs. Hart, assiduous in her attentions upon the 

 table and to her guests, occasionally passed between them and 

 their muskets. Water was called for, and as there was none 

 in the cabin — Mrs. Hart having so contrived that — Sukey 

 was again sent to the spring, instructed by her mother to blow 

 the conch so as to call up Mr. Hart and his neighbours imme- 

 diately. Meanwhile, Mrs. Hart had slipped out one of the 

 pieces of pine which constitutes a "chinking" between the 

 logs of a cabin, and had dexterously put out of the house, 

 through that space, two of the five guns. IShe was detected 

 in the act of putting out the third. The party sprang to their 

 feet. Quick as thought Mrs. Hart brought the piece she held 

 to her shoulder, and declared she would kill the first man 

 who approached her. All were terror-struck, for Nancy's ob- 

 liquity of sight caused each one to imagine her aim was at 

 him. At length one of them made a motion to advance upon 

 her. True to her threat, she fired. He fell dead upon the 

 floor! Instantly seizing another musket, she brought it to the 

 position in readiness to fire again. By this time Sukey had 

 returned from the spring, and taking up the remaining gun, 

 carried it out of the house, saying to her mother, " Daddy and 

 them will soon be here." This information increased the 

 alarm of the Tories, who understood the necessity of recover- 

 ing their arms immediately. But each hesitated, in the confi- 

 dent belief that Mrs. Hart had one eye at least upon him for a 

 mark. They proposed a general rush. No time was to be 

 lost by the bold woman ; she fired again, and brought down 

 another Tory. Sukey had another musket in readiness, 

 which her mother took ; and posting herself in the doorway, 

 called upon the party to " surrender their d d Tory car- 

 casses to a Whig woman." They agreed to surrender, and 

 proposed to " shake hands upon the strength of it ;" but the 

 conqueror kept them in their places for a few moments, till her 

 husband and his neighbours came up to the door. They were 

 about to shoot down the Tories, but Mrs. Hart stopped them, 

 saying they had surrendered to her, and, her spirit being up to 

 boiling heat, she swore that " shooting was too good for them." 

 This hint was enough. The dead man was dragged out of 

 16 



