The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-12-31

over slippery Shiny rocks and cruel tearing crags until
his clothing all torn and his flesh bruised and lacera
ted he finally reached open space among the rocks
where many piece of the wreck had been lodged and
where he found the bodies of three of his men He
hasened to the spot where they ay-two OF them being
casped in each others armsbut he found no signs of
| life
y he found two more dead ones, and of them was
David Griffin his chief He kneeled down by the
officers side, and raised the head but it cold and
feless and the skull broken! Gently he laid it back
upon the sand and then moved again. And he saw
more dead men asol Could it be possible that he had
been the only one left alive9
Ha-wait-whatis is this9 1t moves-it has lfel
Captain Lester hurried forward, fast his feeble
strength would permit and found two men lying by the
side of heavy spar. One of them dead, but the
other gazed up into his commanders face and stretched
forth his hands as though he would ask for mercy His
Dick Mangle and he had been of the best
board the ship. f...
Poor Dck said Lester kneeling by his side and lift
ing his head. "Are you badly hurt?"
"They've done it for usl the sailor answered, in
weakening voice. They've killed Tom. Amt he
dead9"
1t the body stout Tom Brcket that lay close by,
and when the captain had made himself that there
was particle Of life in it. he reported the same to Dick
you harm9"
Haven't you seen 'emP' the man asked, struggling
for breath.
'seen whom9 What do you mesn9n demanded lester
Dick started up his elbow, and gazed around but he
seemed find nothing for which he looking, and he
sank back again. Had he not made this effort he might
have spoken further but the act Of rising had
him, and the last grain of strength was leaving him.
"Wha do you meanY" cried Lester as he that the
poor fellow sinking. "Has anybody harmed you?n
Dick managed to raise his hand to his headto point
above the left ear-and, as he did So he whispered
"Look out-they asked for the captn. That's where
they struck He tried to speak further, but his voice
failed him.
What could this mean9 Maurice Lester started to his
feet and gazed around. Who had killed his men9
The captain was disturbed in his meditation by the
four men coming up from the water He who came in
advance tall, muscular man; with gaunt heavy
Frame somewhere about fifty fftyve years of age;
and habted in garb of blue CLOTH into frock,
shirt which secured at the waist by broad pistol
belt.
Maurice Lester was startled when he beheld the
wart leader and his three ruanly companions and
sderng all the circumstances, it is wonder that he
was startled However, he had not much opportunity
for reflection for by the time he had fairly made out the
party, they were upon him.
"Hao,' the leader cried, as he hero, "here
we have another" And as he up, he added; "And
guess we've found live one, too,-one that knows
something.-Say-who are ye?n
This last sentence addressed to Maurice who
quickly answered:
my name is Lester And now, to be fair, what your
well! guess you've heard it before. Men call me
Ryan WoIfgang."
''WoLPGANGl" repeated Lester, with start
"Yes That is my name"
Then woLFGANG was not a myth after all. That mys-
terious wrecker, whose a of terror to
honest Sailors being of flesh and blood, like other
men. Maurice gaZed upon with wonder; and, as he
gazed he felt that he looked upon end incarnate He
had often heard of the praewrecker and dark and
mystic had been the tales which the NorthSea sailors
had told that he had been inclined to believe that the
doubt, for the man before him looked dark
and bloody were any of the pictures he had heard
drawn of him upon the forecastle.
But our hero was not allowed much time for reflection.
Wofgang piled him with questions to all of which Les
ter gave straightforward answers well knowing that
evasion would practical purpose and hoping by
his franknes to proptate the merciless end in whose
unrestrained power he knew himself to be.
When the wrecker chief had ELECTED all the informa-
tion he could, and learned with what rich cargo the
sci freighted, and that she had $4,000 ia specie
board he smiled grmly and remarked to of ha
federates that she would perhaps be richer prize
the White Fd0n had been few years before. The
mention of the name of the ifated ship in which Carrie
Thornton and her father had been lost Maurice Les
such shock that he nearly fell to the earth. He
grew deadly pale and his frame quvered convulsvey.
"Whats the matter?' said Wolfgang 'You don't seem
TO have much strength left-Bring him along boys,
where doctor him."
The sinister glance which accompanied this remark
and the peculiar emphasis laid upon the word decto
struck chill to our hero,s heart. But he could not
give his safety much thought while he partly
forced and partly carried along after Wogang who strobe
rapidly for nearly half hour He could think only
of the White Faon that had been wrecked that cast
and of his beloved Carrie who had perhaps in company
with those same men, trod the same path he
treadng. What had been her fate? Had she been
dered by these wretches, reserved for de-
porable DOOM These thoughts filled him with unuter
able agony
Wolgang had drawn near the waters and soon
coming the mouth of he entered it, followed by
the three runs who had charge of our hero The bot
tom of the soped upward from its entrance for
distance and then became almost level The captive flor
such Maurice Lester felt himself to be frequently hit
his feet against what he thought with chill of horror,
were human bones strewn around the cavern but he
could not clearly make them out in the dim light He
also noticed that the bottom of the cave wat yery wet as
though it had been recently covered with water The
wrecker cheftan stopped, last what seemed the
end of the cave, and making sign to his followers they
capped manacles the wrists and and ankles of Mau
rice before he had time to note their intention.
''Now, Captain Lester" said Wolfgang, "you must re
here-Silence Say not world fyou attempt to leave
this spot will be slain the moment set foot out
side the cave"
Thus speaking the ceftan his followers silently but
rapidly withdrew, leaving Maurice nearly stupefed with
astonhment AS they passed from the mouth of the
their feet wet by the rising waves. The tide
fast coming an
After short time the captive looked about him with
somewhat accustomed to the dim light, and became
satisfied that what he had supposed to be human bones
were really such. There were many of them And mo-
wing them were huge rats seeking for prey The
top of the cavern in some places few feet above
his head and in place he discovered small aperture
through which faint light struggled and ngong un-
derneath it, he thought he smet the odor of vegetation
and flowers.
On turning from the contemplation of this aperture
towards mouth of the cave Captain Lester observed
with alarm, that the water creeeng up the slo-
ping bottom. What if it should fill the cavern? Ahl
could account for the presence there of those hu
man bones They were the sad memorials of other hap
less prisoners who had been left in that to perish By
drolcning.
Slowly but surely the waters crept along The vermin
fled before them to the elevated spot on which Mau-
rice stood. Slowly following, the incoming water at
length reached his feet
At the the cave, within few feet of the wall,
and underneath the aperture before spoken of large
piece of rock four feet high that might have fallen
from above To this Maurice hastened quickly his
manacleS would permit. After some eXertlon he sue
ceeded in climbing to the top OF it, and stood erect his
head within few inches of the roof of the But
he not allowed to occupy this retreat alone As the
water began to circle round its base the rats also sought
refuge it in great numbers, and in vain did Maurice
try to dislodge them with his manacled feet.
Soon las it seemed to the captive the water rip
png the top of the rock. He felt its moisture upon
his feet And still it rosesowly but reentlessy it rose
higher higher; and it rose the climbed up his
limbs for safety 1t in vain that he brushed them off
with his ettered hands They instantly returned. They
clambered up his backto his the back of
he of is their bodi
striking chill to his very heart.
And still higher the waters rose and more thickly the
foul vermin clustered upon the devoted capves shou
ders and head their only places of safety Driven fran
tic last by the horrors of his situation he about
plunge into the surgng tide and seek watery grave,
when his attention arrested by the tread of rapid
footsteps the aperture above his head and the sound
of harsh masculine voice, almost instantly followed by
| noise as Of struggle, and piercing shrek which
thrilled Maurice Lester to the very soul He could not
| be mistaken: it was CARRIES voice. Again he heard
it, but in Of enreaty. Oh, it her voice.
She not dead! She lived and near him. Gather
| ing all his strength he shouted Carrie! CARRIE
| CARRIE"
A dead silence followed broken only by the fearful
murmurs of the still rising waters and the splash of the
rats they fell from the wretched captive's head and
shoulders only again, in their fierce struggle
for perch of safety from the advancing tide which had
nearly reached our hero's shoulders.
The all of this story that will be published in
our columns " e give this sample. The continue
ton of it from where it leaves OF here be found only
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