Wabash express., 1860-01-04

killed Tom. Amt he dead1'
1t was the body OF stout Tom Bricket |
hat lay close by, and when the captain I
lad made himself sure that there was no {
particle of life in it. he reported the same '
% Dick.
"But." he added. "what do you mesnf /,
Who has done you harmf"
Haven't you seen emf" ths man asked,
for breath.
"Seen whom What do you meant"
demanded Lester, eagerly. il
Dick started up 10 bis elbow, aud gaZed
around; but be seemed ,to find nothing for
which be was looking. and he sauk back
again. had he not made this effort he
might have spoken further, but the act Of
rising had exhausted him, and the last
grain of strength was leaving him.
What do you meant cried Lester, as
he saw that the poor fellow was sinking.
Has any body harmed youl"
Dick managed TO raise his hand TO his |
hesd-tn a point above the left esr-snd,
aF tsc did 80, he whispered,
Look Out-they asked for the capt'E /
lhsts where they siruck!p he tried to
speak further, but his voice failed him.
What could this means Maurice Lester !
started 70 his feel aai gszed around. Who !
had killed his meat
The captain was disturbed in his medi-
tsti0n by the sound of voices rot far eff. /
AID upon turning he beheld four men coul
Ing up from the water. He who came 10
advance was tall, muscular man: with
Eaant, heavy frame; somewhere about nj
ly or City five years Of age; aud habited in
4 garb Of blue cloth, cut into q frock, or
shirt. which was scared at the waist by
broad pistol belt.
Maurice Lester was startled when he be-
held the stalwart leader and his three ruff
fianly companions and, considering all
the circumstances, it Is no wonder that be
was startled. However, he had not much
opportunity for reflection, for, by the time
! he had fairly made out the party, they were
I upon him.
> "Hallo," the leader cried, as ne saw orr
hero, "here we have another" And, as he
came up, he added: "And guess we've
found live one. too-one that knows
something. Say, who are YET
This last sentence was addressed to
Maurice. who quickly answered:
"My name is Lester. And now, TO be
fair. what is your name!"
"Weil, guess you've heard it before.
Men call me Ryan Wolfgang."
"Wolfgsng ]" repeated Lester. with a
; start.
"Yes. That is my name"
Then Wolfgsng was not myth after all
That mysterious wrecker, whose name vas
a source Of terror to honest sailors, was q
being Of flesh and blood. like other ne. -
; Maurice gazed upon him with wonder
and, as he gazed. he felt that he looked
: upon a fend incaruate. He had often
4, heard Of the pirate wrecker, and SO dark
and mystic had been the tale which the
t North.Sea sailors had told, thai
/ he had been inclined TO believe that
{ that The whole theme was a fabrication
Now, however. he had no more doubt, 70,
2 the man before him looked as dark and
7 bloody as were any OF the pictures he had
I heard drawn of him upon the forecastle.
But our hero vas not allowed much tims
| for reflection. Wolfgang piled him with
E questions, to all Of which Lester gave
gave straightforward answers; wsll-know.
ing that evasion would serve no practical
purpose, aud hoping by his frankness tC
propitiaie the merciless fend in whose un'
t restrained power he knew himself 10 be.
: When the vrecker chief had elected al
the information he could, and learned with
e what rich cargo the vessel was freighted
aud that she had $4,000 in specie OF
: board. he smiled grimly, and remarked tC
e one Of his confederates that she would per
4 haps be richer prize even than the Wat
= Farn had been g few years before. Th'
{ mention of the name of the i'll fsted shiI
J. in which Carrie Thornton and her fathe
had been lost, gave Maurice Lester sach I
: shock that he nearly fell to the earth. H.
o grew deadly pale, and bis frame quivereC
p convUlsIvely.
6 Whats the matter p said wslfgang -
= "You don't seem to have much strength
left bring him along, boys, where W,
e can doctor him."
y The sinister glance which accompanies
s this last remark, and the peculiar empha
ais laid upon the word "doetoT." struck
chill to orr hero's heart. But he could no
n give his safety much Thought, whil
e be was partly forced and partly carried
g along after Wolfgang, who strobe rapidly
e on for nearly half an hour. Ee coulS
q think only of the While Fa,ca that had beer
{ wrecked on that coast, and of his beloved
: Carrie who had, perhaps, in company will
/ those same men, trod the same path he wa
5 now treading. Wha. had been her fate p
n Had she been murdered by these wretches
$ or reserved for some more deplorable doom
d Those thoughts filed him with uEuttera
bic agony.
J.; Woifgsug had now drawn near the va
5 ter's edge; and soon coming 60 the mouti
] Of cave he entered it, followed By th,
three rufians who had charge OF our hero
}, The bottom of the cave sloped uprarC
I from its entrance for some distance, anc
: then became almost level. The captiv,
(for such Maurice Lester now felt himsel
10 be- frequently bit his feet against whs
hs thought, with chill Of horror, wer,
Q human bones strewn around the cavern
! but he could not clearly make them out il
the dim light. He also noticed that the bot
tom of the cave was very wet. as though i
had recently been covered with water
The wrecker chieftian stopped, at last
i near what seemed the end Of the cave, anc
u making sign TO his followers, they clap
ped msnacles on the wrists and ankles o
Maurice before be had time to note thei
intention.
g Nov. Captain Lester" said Wolfgang
"yeu must remain in this place for shor
q season. You-are perfectly safe here.--Si
lencel Say not a word II you attemp
to leave this spot, you will be slain the mo
ment you set foot outside the cave"
Thus speaking, the chieftain and his fol
lowers silently but rapidly withdrew
!, leaving Maurice nearly supplied with as
ho Po'oco A+cN bh'
!, mouth of the cave. their feet were wet by
= the rising waves. The tide ras fast coming
J, in
> After short line, the captive looked
/, about him with eyes somewhat accussom
q ed to the dim light, and became satisfied
that what he had supposed to be human
bones were really such. There were many
' 0. them. And moving among them wer,
: huge rats, seeking for prey. The top oi
. the cavern. in some places, was but few
: feet above his head, and in one place h,
discovered small aperture, through which
faint light struggled, and on going un
derneath it, he thought he smslt the odol
, Of vegetation and fiewers.
On turning, from the contemplation Of
; this aperture. towards the mouth of the
J cave. Captain Lester observed, with alarm
that the water was creeping up the sloping
, bottom. What if 70 should 6ll The caverui
All now he could account for the presence
, there of those human bones They were
the sad memorials Of other hapless prise
ners who had heen laf, IN The esv. "