Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1868-04-03

ed up at the stara-they had got round
I 70 nay right my path had evidently
1 been bending outward toward the sea,
so that a shorter cut over the sands no
/ for the tramps, and besides there was
/ the fisherman in sight, and then / re-
| collected how they had turned round
I 10 see whether he still watched as. It
4 was dark now, and there was no fear OF
2 witness I paused for moment
They were two and well armed. I
must get past them and rgin for it-that
was my only chance. 4 let 20 one strap
of my knapsack, that I might drop it,
/ boots and all, in a moment, and then,
1 putting the best face ] could on II, step
/ ped out boldly. As nsared The two
men, I saw that they had halted q little
above the line was following. I could
see their sheepskins, and the bludgeons
too not over their shoulders now, but
/ in hands with one end on the ground.
Step by step i approached them. The
| knaDsaek hung loosely on my shoulder.
ready to be dropped in an instant aud
on the least movement of the men 4
should have been of. To NV astonish-
ment, they did not move an iueh.-
When I was quite level with them one
called out to me-
''Good night, sir"
sfGOod night, gentlemen" I answer
ed. ''You re still going this road,
then ?"
No reply still, no movement ( but I
heard q few words muttered between
them. They had thought, perhaps,
that I should go up to them, and my
ghem I had got past theHa before they
could resolve 70 attack me. A dozen
steps further on, where / thought they
would not detect the change in nay pace,
which might bring unanimity to their
divided c0unsels, I walked at the top0f
NTrb If hon
[ stop to listen, Strange-tWiee they
have let their chance go by they
shan't get another, for il is a straight
line now, as I see by the lighthouse
which are throwing their melancholy
glare over the water between me and
them.
Another hour, aud I hear the Tum-
bling of a train on the railway which
crosses the Dunes a little longer and
the bark of a dog, and then the first
sign Of the town, the Calvary, all lit
up with candle lamps, forming strange
object as the light falls on the rudely
carved figures. Ten minutes more, and
am watching the preparation for my
very late dinner. Very late, but don't
know at what hour could have had so
good dinner at the White Hart or Red
Lion Of a little English town. Soup
could have had, but didn't; but had
set before me veal, beef pate of hare,
(of which still think with fondness,)
an artiChoke, cheese and biscuits. Din
ner despatched, / sat toying with mag
nificent bunch of grapes, and told nay
host of the story of my walk TO the
Dunes. To my surprise, he burst into
d loud laugh when I had finished.
'sOh, pardon" !" he said, when he saw
that did not join in his merriInent-
"MOnsieur does not, them know what
his two subjects were ~
ga pair Of brigands, clear enough"
IA pair Of coast guards"
"Bah know them we'll enough.
But those fellows in sEeepskins ?''
''They wear them at night. It's fright
fully cold on the open coast without the
shelter of so much as a stOne."
"And the bludgeons ~
"Their muskets, only hidden by the
scraps of cloth on them.'
i'But why did they follow me %
mot at all they're stationed in pairs
at distances. You must have passed
0thers besides the two pairs you saw.
They are always on the lookout, and
saw you, no doubt, although you did
not see them. They saw. that you were
simply traveller and did not disturb
you; had they doubts they might have
arrested you"
I thought Of my determination TO run.
Suppose / had run from themW
t'Why, they would have lodged bail
in you, perhaps"
I begaa to be sorry that had told my
story, and soon retreated to bed, where,
Kept HWake by the eon1hined effect Of
the veal and the pate I had leisure TO re-
feet that sleeps clothing does not al-
ways make q wolf.