The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1852-11-06
SATURDAY MORNING NOVEMBER 6 1852


with dislocated system; all shaking
within like hard bones; all benumbed
externally; with glazed eye and happy
lip, and parched tongue, and smother
ing in the breast. And as the shadows
stretch out long from the peaks, and in
and out of the sunlight through them
seems like riding through ghosts, and
the air begins to chill and move and
speak of change, he observes that they
are following round the top edge of the
Basin Of Rocks to gain the inlet. By
and-by, they are back at their haunt
again.
"Never mind, my lads says the
black; she's been too many for us this
onCe-hnt that's all. Wen have to
shift within the hour, or they'll be on us,
SO don't unsaddle the horses; let 'em pick
bit; the poor brutes have had hard
run, and the load III be heavy when We
start again.
! None Of them speak to him. All his
! life is in his ears and eyes: it feels to
him as if his ears We're drums, and his
eyes staring through iron rings. Speak!
he knows not that he even has lips or a
tongue; his jaws move, but the sound is
narticulate, like the distant catter and
! hum of little mill-a rattle with low
! buzzlng moan.
81 suppose we are all agreed says
the black, as they sta nd round looking
up at him.
For a second or two no one speaks !!
some continue to look as they were
looking; some look away. Presently
! the soldier SAYS, "Justce must be done. -
"Iou hear what's said" announces
Beck, quietly; and, cold as contempt it.
self, he Leans back against the rock at
the side of the gun yah, folding his arms,
and slowly throwing one foot over the
other; then, as the action shows him a
little taft of grass tangled in the rowel
OF his spur, qulety STOPPING and clear
ing it, and resuming his posltion-"W e
want no revenge Oh you, my man; you're
beneath that. But the man that betrays
his comrades is wretch too dangerous
to liye-a dog that sneaks in and mauls
in the dark-a death-snake that sleeps
his fang in the life blood, without warn
ing and without pity.'
Again the black paused, and scanned
the faces Of his comrades.
! "tor one man that he lordlv lion
kills, twice, thrice as many are killed
by the devilish snake-a low, miserable
reptile thing, without body or limbs
nothing but crawling head and tail"
Again he paused, and began to move
impatiently, as if he were awaiting a
reply.
Speak, man - he said, at length,
throwing himself up with energy, but
still with folded arms 'It's YOUR bus-
ness to find out if there's any chance
left for vou-oGrs to see whether it's a
fair one"
And yet | must not speak" thought
the wretched being; st will but aggra-
vate them"
Last night at this time" pursued the
black, almost mourntully, "rf we had
heard you were in the hands of the po-
lice, not a man here but would have
risked his life freely, if there had been
any chance to rescue YOU crawler as
you ever were. Twelve hours after
wards we catch you eating AMI drinking
and smoklng-our blood. Speak, ma nn'
And again, and again, and again; but
how changed their tone from the night
before. The echoes of the hills shouted
back to him: "Speak, man !"
He tried he threw his head back in
lnsupportable agony; hall way lifted his
arm. Some rain came suddenly along
on the wind: more; faster and faster.
Now" he thought, 'there'll be a
change"
A change There was. The black
moved his arm, and, almost ere he did
so, Brown came mp and loosened the
few remaining coils Of the tether-rope
that still hung about his waist; carried
up the end moose; yut one arm through;
put the other through; got it as high up
as his neck--tightened it !
Could it be Was he to die ! To
die F! He forgot the wet grass he felt
no horror of abjec tedness: he would con-
TESS the truth--the wholp--il they
would only let him live. He would
go with them to the end of the world.
"Confess ~ exclaimed the black;
"why, he's mad. After selling us to
them, he'd go on now and sell them to
us; and, by the powers! he thinks that's
going to make man of him And he'd
go with US to the end of the world too
and do the same again as often as he
had chance. No Marcus. it's my be-
lief, and it's everybody's belief here,
that you have seen enough ofthis world,
and this world enough Of you"
"Let me live-oh! let me---let me
livcw
No pity. He is dragged along on his