The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-03-17

Il
sold again?' says Mr.. Arrowley, who was
a-listening. There! you clear off, old
fellow says Simmons, or else you msy
thank yourself for what you get But
Arrowley wouldn't 60, and when l had
hnlshed putting away the horse, and tax
ing the things out OF the barge. was go
ing of, when Morrak says, Look out for
US In the morning, Bob; we may do them
yet Hc:e, old friend he says, turning to
ATrowley, you and [ had round, this
afternoon, but hope you don't bear no
malice. Malice not bit Of it, says
ArrOwley. well, then, as We seem likely
TO have an hour or two on our hands, and
as we are all previously wet, I'm good for
one, TO stand drop of something hO: at
the IiorSeshoes down below We'll, you
are trump says poor Arrowley; 'ifevcr
there was fellow better than his looks,
you're that fellow SO they shook hands,
! and off the whole lot went. Simmons
| just stopped moment to whisper to me-
Well, I'm bowed he says, if ever saw
anything like fhdt before. If anybody
had told me that Steve Morrak would have
forgiven a man who had knocked him
| down, should have said However,
his feelings was too much for him, and he
| couldn't finish what he wanted to say.
"As was as wet and chilly as could
be, and as l had to take up the return
| barge in the morning, very early, |
thought | had better go to bed soon. |
| did SO, and was awoke by the force of the
rain beating on the window, for the wind
had got up in the night, and it was reg
ular storm. We soon had the horse put
to and were off, and there, sure enough,
| at the old place l saw Morrak waiting
1t was gloomy morning enough, as |
have just told you; the rain drove against
| me that hard, that [ could scarcely see an
inch before me; | could just make out
that it was Morrak, but it wasn't till he was
right alongside of me and spoke, that |
saw his face was all bruised and cut.
"' Hollo old fellow L sail, what have
you been atg Where are the others?'-
20 they're waiting under the trees says
he, pointing behind him; never you
mind what I've been up to. I've been
earning you one of your easy h lfsover-
eigns.' What = l says, quite surprised
at this did you manage after all to
'There-shut up he says, turning off
quite savage, as was just like HIM; Il
don't want any OF your talk Look
here, Steve / says, for the morning had
made me bad-tempered, I've put up with
good deal from you, first and last; but
don't mean to put up with any more. So,
if you want anything, I'll just finish what
Mr.. Arrowley began yesterday. His face,
which want very agreeable sight before,
as you may guess, turned quite awful at
this, and he tore off his coat, and would
have fought me in moment; but the
others ran up and held him. They held
him back and at last quieted him but /
could not help noticing that they looked
nearly as bad as he did, only they had no
bruises about their heads. Simmons
wasn't there, so | said, As Steve has
thought better of it, perhaps he IL be a
little civil Where's SimmOnsy 90,
never mind Simmons says one of the
party; 'hc has put US all out and we've
had very nasty night. Don't talk to us.
but let us get the thing on board. Will
you give us lift? You and your mate
can do it. Me and my mater | said,
what have me and my mate got to do
with it? There's three of you, that's
enough, suppose; bring it along!'
After a good deal of whispering and
hanging back, Morrak and another went
to the corner where they always put the
sack, and dragged it down to the barge.
Somehow or other | couldn't touch that
sack although l often helped them with
it, yet | couldn't touch 1t that morning.
They said they would meet me at the
regular place, as they could get up quite
as soon walking by the road as we could
by the canal SO off they went, and | was
very glad to see the last OF them. kept
my eyes, do what | would, on the place
where the sack was they had hidden it
very carefully beneath some straw, but
could see where it bulged out, and could
4. L., II, tl& - l,-I
been uncovered, the length, breadth and
shape of it. | made my mate stop once
while l put more straw over; but it was
all no good, and at last | was obliged to
ask him to steer while | drove, although
this, mind you, was change we had no
right to make.
Instead of clearing up, the whether
seemed to grow worse as we got near
town, for besides rain there was fog, al
| though not a very thick one, all round;
but the wind had gone down, and that
| certainly was a good job OF course, |
| took the tiller again when we came near
town, and directly | did, there | could
see the sack just as plainly as before.
Glad was |, | can tell you, when we got near
| enough to the little public house, where
we always met, to see some figures through
the mist; but as | came nearer | saw they
were all strangers.
"This put me out a good deal; had
never missed the men yet, although they
| had several times walked up, and it was
terribly alarming to think how impossible
it was for me to get rid Of the sack if they
should not come, and l dared not wait
more than few minutes at the house.
Just then, to my great delight, Simmons
came out of the public so / stopped the
barge at once, and jumped onto the bank,
says, HollO! Simmons where have you
F, beeng Where are the Others?' But as if
he was as i'll tempered as the rest he
turned away without word; and | was
just about to catch hold Of him, when one
of the men as was standing about touches
me on the shoulder, and says he, Robert
Purrell, you are my prisoner Another
fellow caught hold Of my arm on the
other side. | was pretty strong then,
gents, and shook them both off in mo-
ment, but directly / did that never
knew how it was done-I was handcuffed
as tight as Newgate. What's this here
for?' l says, naturally enough. only
murder. That's all, says the first man
and then Simmons turns round and says,
He had nothing to do with it, mind
that know what Pm about, my fine
iCHo", says tnc man again, DrlnS III
along, he says. Hooked round, and there,
sure enough, his mates had found the
sack, and was a-carrying it into the beer
house. They took me in as well, and in
the kitchen who should l see but Morrak
and his two companions handcuffed like
l was. and looking more dead than live
No one spoke, except Simmons, who
| walked quietly past me, and just whis-
pered, You are all right-tell the truth
L couldn't stand it any longer, so On the
chief of the lot coming in again where |
was-he had gone somewhere with the
sack, | believe-I SAID, Governor | said
for l know civility is the best in such
cases. governor I says, what have
been doing, and who is murdered? |
know our little game isn't exactly right,
but still Here, bargee,' he says, Il be-
lieve there isn't much against you, so you
may look for YOURSELF l followed him