Winning Her Way 



A STORY OF A CHANGE OF HEART 



EBEN E. REX FORD 



Chapter IX — Continued 



WE'LL jest do our best, 'n' then if 

 we don't come out ahead, we 

 won't hev to think, after its all 

 over, that mebbe, ef we'd done a leetle 

 more, we'd ha' carried the day. The more 

 I think on't, the more set I be on tryin' 

 to git the* otart o' the shif 'less critters." 



It was finally arranged that old Towser 

 was to be shut up in the granary, until 

 needed. Then they would wait for the 

 coming of the expected visitors, in the 

 darkness. They would allow them to ef- 

 fect an entrance to the house, and then — 

 they would trust to luck for further de- 

 velopments. Future action would depend 

 on circumstances. 



"Yer c'n bunk down on the lounge," 

 said Miss Betty to John. "I'm goin' to 

 set in the rockin' cheer, over'n this corner. 

 An' Mary — I don't know what we'll do 

 with her. I s'pose 't'd scare ye to deth to 

 think o' goin' to bed; or bein' shet up in 

 the bed-room ?" 



"Let me stay here, with you," pleaded 

 Mary. 



"We'd o't to left her over to your house," 

 said Miss Betty. "I don't see why we 

 didn't think o' that. She'll be right 'n 

 the way here, 'n' jest as like's not spile 

 the hul doin's." 



"Wall, she's here, 'n' we've got to make 

 the best of it now," said J ohn, philosophi- 

 cally. "I guess she won't make no trouble. 

 She c'n stay with me, on the lounge, 'n' 

 then she won't be so 'fraid. I say. Mis' 

 Peabody, if y'u jest as le'ves, I''d like to 

 hev y'u keep that ol' shot-gun p'inted 

 'tother way. That is, ef it's loaded." 



"Of course it's loaded," said Miss Betty, 

 with a look of pride at the old weapon. 

 Someway, it made her feel as if she had, 

 in it, the backing of an arsenal. "But ef 

 y'u don't like the looks of it I'll keep 



the muzzle t'ord the winder. I sh'dn't 

 wonder if one end was 'bout as safe as 

 'tother. It us't to kick like sixty, when 

 father shot crows with it, an' I s'pose it's 

 likely to do the same trick now." Miss 

 Betty chuckled over the idea. So excited 

 was she over the adventure, so far as it 

 had gone, that she had almost forgotten to 

 be cross. In fact, sle was enjoying her- 

 self more than at any time in the last ten 

 years. 



Before the clock struck nine the lights 

 were put out with the exception of that of 

 the lantern, which Miss Betty insisted on 

 having hung in the cellarway for use in 

 case of need. The shades had been drawn 

 down when they were lighted, so that no 

 one, outside, could see what was being 

 done in the old kitchen. John took pos- 

 session of the lounge, with Mary cuddled 

 up behind him, in the corner, so nervous 

 and excited over the danger which loomed 

 up gigantically before her childish vision 

 that she hardly dared to draw a long 

 breath, and Miss Betty sat bolt upright 

 in the rocking-chair, with her gun across 

 her knees, ready for whatever might hap- 

 pen. 



Chapter X 



The silence that followed seemed almost 

 more terrible to Mary than she believed 

 the sound of battle would, when it came. 

 Every little noise, from outside, made her 

 start, and think that, at last, the burglars 

 were there, and had begun their attempt 

 to force an entrance to the house. John 

 would give her head a reassuring pat, now 

 and then, and whisper to her to "not be so 

 skeery," but she found it impossible to 

 take his advice. The "skeery" feeling 

 could not be got rid of so easily. 



It seemed as if they waited for ages. 

 But by and by the old clock "warned," 



