The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1854-08-09

the building from without. His ex
preston OF wonder and astonishmen,
did not escape the observation of hi.
host, whose smile, as he remarked it
might have seemed to arise from graft
hed vanity, but for the expression o.
scorn and bitterness by which it was
accompanied.
advancing to chair pointed out to
him at the further side of the fireplace
Michael seated himself, while the indi.
vidual who had admitted him into the
house resumed his place at q table q
few feet distant, just in front of the
fireplace, and busted himself amonp y
pile of papers which lay before him,
with which he had been occupied be.
fore the entrance Of our hero.
but these two were not the only
tenants 'of'the room. Immediately be.
lore our hero, on the opposite side Of
the hearth was small, wiry, rcd head
ed, pug noscd, ferrety Ii tie individual.
who from the first moment of the az.
trance Of Michael, had fixed upon him
his dimlnutive gray eyes, with an i'm
pudent wondering stare. His panta.
looms, that seemed to shrink back III.
stnctivcly from any kind of intimacy
with the coarse ana rude brogans that
encased his neither cxtrcmitics. so
tightly encompasscd his spindle shanks
tnat his ever having established him.
self in them could not be accounted
Tor by any process short ofliqucGlction
or hydraulic pressure. For the scanli
ness of his neither garment, however.
ample amends were made by the huge
proportions of large blue blanket
overoast, that hung about his body
like ships sails around the mast in a
dead calm.
The other individual, who sat with
several papers scattered before him.
which he was arranging, rs he hurricdIy
glanced at tllclrcontentS, was evidently
Il man who had seen somewhat of the
world. Though not an ill.lookirg man,
his physloSnomy was certainly not an
attractive one. His heavy brows, and
certain sinistrous expression in the
glance OF his eye, which seemed to
shrink benenrh the calm quiet gaze of
cur hero, caused him to regard him
somewhat miavorablc. lis eve fell
whenever he casually encountered the
glance of Michael. Our hero did not
fail to remark that he started, md with
an exclamation of surprise glanced tas
:tly and suspieiously towards him, as
his comrEde left his seat, and hurriedly
whispered q few words in his ear. 4
sense OF insecurity and presentimcnt
of danger began to steal over Michael,
Tor he was greatly apprehensivc of
having fallen in with Inscriptions to
rlcS, who were aware ofhis part in the
contest with the mother country
Dissembling his uneasiness, however,
he manifested no symptom of distrust
or suspicion.
Meantime the storm was raging in
all its fury. The old house rocked and
tattercd in the gale us though it's de
'cayiMg 'timbcrs were about to WELD TO
the shock of tie tempest and be riycn
~ the storm.
AS Wild rs was the contention of the
elements, Michael felt that it would
have been far more prudent and safe
to have encountered the tornado upon
the highway than to have placed him.
self IN measure, in the power Iuf,tw;o
reckless men, who might belong 10
that class of despcradocs, who under
the name of loyalt, to distant mon
arch, pcrpctrated the most revolving
and Eeinous crimes.
AT the'tiT,e utwhich we speak, there
EXISTED het"'aen the wings and tories
the most unsparing enmity. The blood
OF war WAS shed in peace mitk cool and
iiend like :lt:ocity; and the ioyalists
as they termed themselves, asked no
other excuse for their deeds of blood
than that the victims of their sanguin
ary cruelty adhered to political creed
different from their own, and we're
animated by an unalterabc devotion
to their country's independence.
Michael already began to suspect
that the two individuals before him
belonged to that Reckless baMd of ma.
raudlng tories that infested the couE
try, and he well knew that if his sur.
mise proved to be correct, his safety
would depend upon his conccaling from
them the part he had taken in the
struggle for independence. Such being
his apprchcnsions, he was determined
to take advantage Of the first pause OF
the storm o withdraw from the shelter
OF roof which offered so prccarious a
hospitality, and make his Nay at once
to tue end Of his journey, where lie
might rcas in safety.
! " We'll, my friend; began the better
looking of the two individuals, thrust
ing his papers into o drawer, and taking
his seat in front OF The fire place, / SEE
you have not escaped without q wet
jacket. Join me in a social glass, ana
it will not be the worse for Mou,
health. lJcre, Stokcr, SGT out .ou,
lceanters and glasses upon the side
board"
Stokcr hustled about to perform th,
bidding OF his superior, looking for oil
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