The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1865-08-24

foot OF the lighthouse without discovery !;
then Nam, taking Jamie on her back, began
the ascent of the lader. Step by step up
ward, as silently as a shadow, she had reach
ed the top in safety, and had just swung
Jamie round from her shoulder, and passed
him in through the little entrance-door,
when Girls, pausing from his work for mo-
hent turned to contemplate the state of the
weather. and as ne did so, his quick eye
caught the outline of something dark NOV
Ing on the ladder. Look to your prisoner,
oteve!" he cried, and drawing a pistol from
ms belt, fired The bullet whizzed past
Nam Gurlock's head, but did not touch her
and before there was time to fire a second
shot, she was safe within the lighthouse
with the little iron door shut and boIted be-
tween herself and her enemies She caught
Jamie to her heart, and murmured brief
thanksgiving to Heaven and then her ov-
erwrought nerves gave way, and she fell in
TO sort of half-swoon, from which she was
aroused, after minute or two by a violent
hammering at the iron door. 1t was Black
| Steve, furious at her escape, trying to force
an entrance. She had little fear that he
would effect his purpose, for she knew the
stout old door would not yield readily
Still, there was possibility that the door
might give way under the assaults of the
furious giant 50 Nam, followed by Jamie,
assembled to the room above and taking
down an old blunderbuss which hung
against the wall, more for ornament than
use, she proceeded to load it. to the best of
her knowledge, from the bag of bullets and
the powder-hask in her husbands chest,
which Miles always kept there ready for an
occasional fowling expedition. Thus armed,
Nam Gurlock, taking Jamie by the hand,
went up to the lamp-room, determined
should Black Steve break in, and such
dreadful occasion arrive, to sell her life as
dearly as possible. She stole out into the
gallery, and looked down. He was still
hamlnering savagely at the door, but as yet
to little purpose, while Mr.. Girls, on the rocks
below, was swearing at him for a senseIess
fool, and vowing that they would not have
time to finish the boat and get clear away,
if he delayed minute longer; but Steve
was too intent on the accomplishment of his
revenge, to heed the entreaties of his friend.
Nam crept round to the oppisite side of
the gallery, and straining her eyes, without
hope or expectation, over the dark waste of
waters, saw--what? A large boat pulling
rapidly and steadily for the Skeve Mhoil
1t was only few hundred yards away, and
could be clearly seen, thanks to a moment
AIRY break in the clouds, through which the
moonlight streamed full and bright. One
long incredulous gaze as though what she
saw were merely the phantom Of a distress
ed brain, and then Nam Gurlock, with
sob of heartfelt gratitude, accepted the APP
pearance as blessed reality. AS a signal
that the boat was seen, she then began to
toll the large deep-mouthed bell, which Was
rung by the keepers in foggy weather when
the lamps were invisible, and its solemn
tones now doomed forth through the quiet
night, instinct with dread significance to
the two wretches on the rocks below
But wary Mr.. Girls had also seen what
was coming and had passed the alarm to
Black Steve; and as the bell gave forth its
first stroke, the two men were pushing their
boat down the slanting rocks into the sea.
Another moment, and they were both pull
ing with desperate energy for the shore.
But the boat had been badly mended, and
the water began to come in rapidly, so that
Mr.. Girls had to cease from rowing, and oc-
cupy himself i'll baiing while Black Steve,
notwithstanding all his exertions, could
make but little Roadway with the water
logged craft. Five minutes later, the strange
boat rounded tue edge of the Skeve Mhoil,
on its way to the landing place, and next
moment loud shout from its crew announc-
ed that the flight of the two men was dis
covered, and the boats head was at once put
round in pursuit.
Black Steve and his companion seemed
for moment or two to redouble their eff
forts to escape, and then, as if seeing the
utter hopeIessness Of their case, they at once
ceased rowing, and sat quitely on their oars,
as though merely waiting for their pursuers
to come up to yield themselves into their
hands. But when the pursuing boat had
got within dozen yards of the other, Mr..
Girls leaped suddenly from his seat, and fir
ed both his pistols at the advancing foe;
and then, with wild inarticuiate cry of
rage and despair, he leaped headIong into
the waves and sunk to rise no more. Black
Steve, unlike his friend, was an excellent
swimmer, and before the confusion Incident
on the firing of the two pistols among the
crew of the boat was over, he had slipped
quietly into the water, and coming up after
a heightened dive, struck out boldly for the
shore. The impression among the crew Of
the boat was that both Of the men had been
drowned; and on finding that the lighthouse
boat was on the point of going down, orders
were at once given to pull back to the
Skeve Mhoil The boat and crew proved
to be those of a revenue cutter, which had
picked up Abel Rushton as he was drifting
bel plessly past the Giants Nose. On hear
| ing his story, preparations had been made
at once to capture the two villains, and look
after the safety of Nam Gurlock and her
son. RI #a4 o. eA
Leaving two of his crew to look after the
1 lighthouse, the officer in charge of the boat
carried Nam GurIocl1 aud Jamie ashore,
where search was at once instituted for
missing Miles. After several hours search,
| he was found bound hand and foot, in
lone of the many caves for which that
ipart of the coast is noted. tIe stated that
he had been set upon by Black Steve and
| three more men as he was returning from
seeing Martin Gilbert safe home; i'll the
scrimmage he had received blow on the
head which had rendered him insensible for
some times and on recovering his wits had
found himself tied hand aud foot, and left
in charge Of two out Of his four captors.
On the landing of the revenue cutter boat
these men had taken the alarm and left him.
A few days saw Miles thoroughly recov-
cred from bis injuries; but the long and Sc
we're strain on the nerves of his wife was a
much more serious matter, and several
months passed away before Nam Gurlocl'
was her old joyous buoyaut self again, and
could bear to talk calmly over the incidents
, Of that terrible night on the Skeve Mhoil
The body of Black Steve was washed
: up few days afterwards, several miles
!, down the coast. He had been caught by
; the current, and carried away and drowned
: The money in his effort TO obtain which
Mr. Girls and his friend lost their lives, wa
found intact on the table of the lighthouse
r where they had left it while occupied witt
, the mendipg of the boat;and when old Mar
tin Gilbert died, some three years after
yards, the whole amount was left as leg
, acy to Nam Gurlock.
| M = Al =