Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1860-01-05

But olir hero wns not allowed nrcii time
for reflection. Wofgarg piled hin with
questions to all Of which Lester gave straight
forward answers well knowing that evasion
would serve no practical purpose, aud hop
ing by his frankness to propitiaie the nerci
less ficnd in whuse rnrestrained povet 10
knew himself TO be.
When the wrecker chief had elected all tie
information lie could, aud learned with what
u rich cargo the vessel was freightcd, and that
she Lad so, 900 In specie on board, he smiled
ernly and renorkc! 20 one Of his confcier-
atrs that she would perhaps be richer prizc
even than the While F,taon had bocil few
years before. The mention Of til. name o!
the Inflated ship in which Carrie Thornton
and her father had been lost, CAV. Maurice
Lester such shock that he nearly fell to the
earth lie grew deadly pale, and lis frame
! quieersd convusigely.
/ whats the matter 2" said WGlfgang -
"You don't seem to have much strength
left l---BriHg him along boys, where we cs,!
doctor him"
| The sinister glance which accom- panied this
last remark, and the peculiar emphasis laid
upnr .hr word "d0ctor, struck a chill to Cur
Z hcrJ's heart. But he could not give his own
Z safety much thought, while he was partly
/ forced aud partly carried along after Wolf
! gang, who strobe rapidly on for nearly half
an hour lie could think only OF the Hhite
| Fasrn that had been wrecked on that coast;
I and Of his beloved Carrie who had perhaps
| in company with those same men trod the
( same path he was now treading What had
/ been her fate? Had she been murdered by
these wretches, or reserved for some more de-
| plorabe doom? These thoughts filed hin
with unutterable agony.
! Wofgang had nov drawn near the watcr's
edge: and soon coming to ths mouth of I.
cave lie entered it, followed by the three
/ ruifaus who lad charge Of our hero. Til,
bottom cf the cave sloped upward from its
entrance FOR some distance and then berautg
almost level. The captive for such Maurice
I Lester now felt himself 10 brl frequently hit
/ bis f,ot against what he thought, " til a chill
| of horror were human bones strewu around
/ the cavern, but b. could not clearly make
| them out in the dim light. He also noticed
that tie bottom Of the cave was very wet.
rs though it had recently been covered with
water The wrecker cheftain stopped, at
last. near what eIned the end Of tie cave.
and making sign TO his followers, tray
clapped manaclcs on the wrists and nuk!es of
Maurice before he had time b. note their in.
tcG;on.
"Now, Captain Lester" ssid WoIgang
'ypu must remain in this place for a s!lci.
season. you are perfectly safe here - 81 iiercc!
Say not 4 word II you attempt r. leave
this SPOT, you win be slain the nlun.en. yGu
sof foot outside the cave"
Thus speaking, the chicftain aad hs I'll
lowers silently but rapidly withdrew leaving
Maurice nearly stupeiiei with astnei-hmens
/ As they passed from the mouth Of the cavo,
! their feet were wet with tie rising wavcs -
! 1he tide ,eas .fast coming in
/ After a short time, the capt 80 lonkci
1 about bir with eyes somewhat nc ynatomei
| 10 the dim light and became satisfied taa.
/ what ic had supposed 10 be human bonts
were really rtcll, There were many Of them
And mnying among them were huge rats
seeking for prey. The top Of the cavetr.
in some places, was D'it 4 few feet above bis
head, and in one place he discovered small
aperture through which flint light strus-
alcd, aud ou going underneath it, he th'tigl.
he smclt the ndof of vegetation and tiowers
On tnrning from the c1nten.p piati N ri this
aperture. towards the mouth of tie cave.
Captain Lester Observed, with alarm, tha.
The water was creeping up the ,lopiae bot
tom. What if il should ill the cavern p
AL! now he could account for the presence
there of those human bDnesl They we're tho
SAL memorials of other hapless prisoners who
had been left in that cave 20 perish by drg.cz-
ingi
Slowly but surely the waters crept along.
Tie ycsniH ilcl before them to the elevated
spot on which Maurice stood Slowly fol-
lowing the Incoming water at length reached
his fe.r
At tie end of the cave, within few feet
Of the wall, and underneath the aperaturc
before spoken Of, was a large piece pf rock,
some four feet high, that might have fallen
from above 70 this Maurice hasterei 90
quickly as his Inanac!es wonld permit. she.
some exertiOn lie succeeded in climbing 10
the top Of Il, ard stood erect, his head within
few inches Of the roof Of the cavern But
he WIS not allowed to occupy this retrea
aIpHc. As the water began 20 circle round
IT, base, .hc rats also sought refnge or j. il.
great numbers, and in vain did Maurice try
to dls'odge them with hit nanacled feet
Soon Ia it seemed to the captiye) the w,.-
Ter came iippIiHg over the top Of the rock
He felt its moisture upon hs fret. And st,ll
il Fase--s'owIy and rclcatlc.sly IL rose, hiehe-
higher aaI a. it rose. the ratg climbed
mp bis limbs iYr .a'ety. Il was In vain that
be brushed thttn off with his fcttcred hands
They instantly returned They clanbcrcd
~ bis back-to his shoulders-ove- K: back
their c!amny bodies striking chill - his
very heart
And still higher tie waters rosc, and nlo.s
,hickIy the foul vermin clustered upon The
devoted captive's shoulders and head as their
only place of safety Driven frantic at las.
by the horrors u bis situation, he was about
10 plunge into the surgiug tide and seei
wa'ffy grave. "hsn his attention was arrested
by the tread Of rapid footsteps near tic 4ps-
rature above his bead, and the sound r
harsh masculine voice, amos. ius.ant,y to!-
loved by n voice rs u Struggle agi
piercing shriek which thrilled Maurice Laser
70 the very sou. lie coGld not he rauratea,
it was CAEaIg's voice. Again he hra-5l j.
but now in tones Of entret.~ Or. i va
her "o;.a. She vas not dead She nreI ard
was Lc.r hin. Gathering aIl Lie s,,c1g,,,
&c shouted. Carrie Carrie CAgR.r.'
A dead silence followed, broken oT!y BY
the fearful murmurs oi the y;..i rising watefs,
and the splash Of tie rats az they fell from
toe wirtched cyptiys's head ard siIot:".crS
only to return again, in their fierce struggles
for perch Of sGte:y fsorn the adyaacilg tide
wLi-h had Low nearly reached our here's
shoulders
The abovo is al g: TIL s.dry li.at vii !,
published in our co.uTnz. We give this 70
sample The confirmation Of il from vhcre
il leaves of hcle eau ts E,una o-Iy in tie
New York Ledger, the gfcat family rspe-
to which the most popular writers IL ths
county confTihUte, ard wLi.h is for SAFE 4,
all the stores thr I-ghout the city aui .y.H-
try, where psp IS are SOIL p:msiEtJ.s .at
ask for the New York Ledger Of Jan. :. an!
in it you will fnd the coatiausti1n n: g..
story from where it leaves of here. II .on
cannot get copy at any bo1s s.o:e, the