Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1860-01-04

aud be bad been one of the best sea:nen on
board the ship
Poor Dick y said Lester, kneeling by
his side aud lifting his head Are you bad
| y hurt?'
I They've done it for U.S. the sailor answer
ed. in a weakening voice. They've killed
Tom. Aint be dead?'
Il was the body of stout rom Bricket
that lay close hy aud when the captain had
made himself sure that there was no par
tice of life in it, he reported the same to
Dick.
But, he added. what do you mean?-
Who has done yoa harm:
Haven't you seen 'em? the man asked,
struggling for breath
Seen whom! What do you meant de-
manded Lester eagerly.
Dick started up 70 his elbow, and gaized
arouBd but he seemed TO find nothing for
which he was looking, and he sank back a.
gain. Had he no; made this effort he might
have spoken further. but the act of rising had
exhausted him. aud the last grain of strength
was leaving him.
What do you mean? cried Lester, as he
saw tia, the poor fellow was sinking. Has
any body harmed you:'
Dick managed 10 raise his baud to his head
Ito point above the left ear-and, as he
lid so. he whispered
.LooS out they asked for the cap, n
That's were they struck" He tried to speak
further. but his voice failed him.
What conld this mean? Maurice Lester
started to his feet and gaized around. Who
had killed his men
The captain was disturbed in his medita-
ton by the sound of voices not far of. and
upon turning he bcheld four men coming up
frori the water lIe who came in advance
was tall, muscular man; with gaunt. heavy
frame: here about fifty or ffty-fve
years of age: aud habiied in garh OF
blue clorb cut into frock. or skirt which
was secured at the waist by broad pistol
belt
Maurice Lester was startled when he be-
held the stawart leader and his three ruffian-
iy companiops; aud, considering all the cir
cumStances. II is M wonder that he was
startled However. h.. bad not much oppor-
iuuty for reflection, for, hy the time he had
fairly made out the party. they were upon
bim.
Halle the leader cried as he saw our he
70, here we have another Aud. as ne came
up. he added: And / guess we've found
live one, too-one that knows something
Say-who are ye?'
This last sentence was addressed to Mau-
rice. who quietly answered
MY name is Lester. Aud now to be fair
what is your name?
Welt guess you se heard it before. -
Men call me Ryan Wolfsaug'
.WoLFGASG :, repeated Lester with
start
Yes. That Is my name.
Then WoLFGANG was not myth after sll.
That mysterious wrecker, whose name was
ssurcs of terror to honest sailors, was be-
Ing of flesh and bloOd. like other men. Mau-
rice gazed upon him with wonder; and. as he
gazed. he felt that he looked upon ieDd in
csrnate He had often heard of the pirate
wrecker, and so dark and mystic had been
tie tales which the North sea sailors had told,
t.,ai he been inclined to bell We shat the whole
theme was a fabrication. Now. however, lac
lad no more iouhs, for the man before him
10 ,ked As dark and bloody as were any of the
scturcs b, had heard drawu of him upon the
iorecast,e.
BuI our hero was not given much time for
reflection Wolfgang ,lied bia, with ques-
tiuns 10 all of which lester gave straightfor
ward answers we'll knowing that evasion
would serve 40 practical purpose. aud h"ping
by his frankneSS to prOptlafe the msrc'iess
fsud in whose unrestrained power ne knew
himself 70 be.
When the wrecker chief had elcited all the
information he coul1, and learned with what
Il rich cargo the vessel was freightea and
that she had 81 900 in specie on board. lre
smiled grimly, and remarked TO one of has
cnnfederates that she would perhaps be a
richer prize even than the While FaieR had
been few years before. The 'uent tion of
the name Of the III fated ship in which
Carrie Thornton aud her father hal been
lost. gave Maurice Lester such shock
that he nearly fell to the earth. lie grew
deadly pale, and his frame quiyered eonvul
sively.
What's the matter !? said Wolfsang.--
Ypu don't seem tn have much strength lefi
-Brin. him along. boys, where We can doc
tor him \
The sinister glance which accom- panied
this last remark. ard the peculiar emphasis
laid upon the word 'd..ctor.' struck chill to
our hero's heart. But he could not give his
own safety much thou yht while he was part
Iy forced and partly carried along after Wolf
gang who strobe rapidly on for nearly half
an hour He could think only of the Waite
Eotca that had been wrecked on that coast
aud of bis behaved Carrie who had perhaps
in company with those same men, trod the
same path he was now treaAiGg. What had
been her fate Had she been murdered by
these wretches. or reserved for some de-
plorable doom? These thoughts filed him
with unutterable agony.
Wolfgaug had now drawn near the waters
edge; aud soon coming tn the mouth of cave
he entered, followed By the three ruifans who
had charge of our hero The bottom OF The
cave sioped upward from its entrance for some
distance, aud then became almos, level
The captive (for such Maurice Lester now
felt himself to be) frequently hit his ct a
gainst what he thought. with chill of hpr-
ror. were human bones strewu around the