The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-04-06

| should have. q bit OF luck tonight it
would not be bad beginning this win
ter" "Ah !" said the first one, who an
swered to the name of Knox, "my wife
Gays she thinks Providence has deserted
our coast We haven't had anything
worth telling about these two years.
I've seen the time when we've had
dozen wracks season. "Well, never
mind, Master Knox said pert look
ing, snub-nosed fellow, named Gray,
whom at first took for an attorney,
but afterward found that he was min
ing agent. "Never mind, Master Knox"
said he, jinsling bunch of SEALS which
peeped from beneath the waistcoat of
that worthy. "You have made the most
of your luck, and if you don't get any
more you won't HARM"
"Why, yes" said the fellow, drawing
out handsome gold watch, which hard
ly seemed in keeping with his coarse at
tire, 81 don't complain of the past, and
yet had narrow escape with this. Ir
it hadn't been for my boy Jim, should
have lost it," "He's cute child, that
boy of yours" remarked one. "There
said he, addressing me, sit is two years
ago, come December, on Sunday, when
we were all at church, that we had news
of wreck. Well, off we all started, and
the parson not tue last, to see what God
had sent u.s. We found, on coming up
that it was French India-man. She
had gone to pieces on the rocks, and the
goods were floating around like dirt.
wasn't long in making the most of it,
and Jim was jest going off for the
cart, when I spied, half covered with
weeds, and hidden by o piece of rock,
the body of Frenchman. soon SAW
had got prize, for he was loaded with
money and trinkets. These l quickly
eased him of, as he'd never want 'em,
but to make sure, hit 'un good slap
over the head, just to see whether lite
was in 'un or no. Here general grin
went round) Well, 1 was just going
away, when 1 seed diamond ring on
his finger, and the finger being swelled
with the water, cuts it off, and walks
off with my goods. 1 hadn't gone far
when little Jim runs after, crying, Dad,
dad, hit 'un again, dad he grin'th, he
grin'th." 1 looked back, and sure
enough that rascally French thief
whether it was drawing the blood or
not, don't know-but he was moving
his arm about, and opening his eyes as
If he were bent on taking the bread out
of my mouth. This made me mad, for
these Frenchmen are a spitcful set, and
hate Englishmen as they hate the devil,
so makes no more ado, but hits i'm a
lick with the tail of a rudder, laying
close by, and I'll warrant me he'll never
come to ask for my goods" The mis-
creant chuckled over this horrid recital
with all the self satisfaction that one
might feel at the recollection of vir-
tuous action while his companions, to
whom the story was familiar, felt no
other sensations of uneasiness at its re-
capitulation than from the recoll, ction
that they had not been able to do the
same thing. Knox was evidently the
villain par excellence. saw others around
me whose countenances would have
hung them at any bar in England, but
none ventured to boast so openly of
crime. Knox was the only avowed pro.
fessor of villainy, and seemed to glory in
his right of pre-eminence. l have trav-
elled somewhat, and have met rufians OF
every grade, but never before did l have
the fortune to hear depravity of such a
character 30 freely confessed. "Well,
Knox" said Gray, after pause, 80 you
have seen Hobart; hows poor Bill 2"
Knox placed his finger significantly on
his cheek. How" said the other,
"dead?" dead as fish, returned
Knox. "You know was in it, and a
sharp fight we had. Poor Bill had three
balls in him he died the same night"
A universal expression of sympathy fol-
lowed this announcement, and various
were the questions put as to the details
of his death. 1t appeared that he was
killed in an engagement with revenue
cutter. "He was as likely lad as ever
run cirgo," said Thomas. "Where did
you bury him? Alongside of the gauger,
l 'spose," said Gray, who ventured ma
licious glance, though apparently half
doubtful of the consequences. never
saw so speedy a change as that remark
produced in Knox. In an instant his
brow became as black as the storm that
was raging without. "What have you
to do with that, you meddling, conceited d
fool Z" said he, as he fixed his black eyes,
almost concealed by their overhanging
brows, on the object of his wrath. "Now
mark me, Master Gray, play off no more
of your jokes on me. This is not the
first time L have warned you, but it shall
be the last" learned afterward that
the gauger alluded to was Knox's half
brother, who was supposed to have met
with his death by the hands of his rela-
ton, his body beng flung down shaft
near the sea. What confirmed the sus-
picion was that he had frightful dreams
about his brother, and would tremble
like child if left alone at night. Be
that as it might, however, a fierce alter
cation was now proceeding between
Knox and friend of Gray's who had
replied to the others threats, and serious
consequences might have ensued had not
the attention of all been diverted by a
loud knocking at the outer door. This
seemed so unusual an occurrence that
the host hesitated to unbar the door, for
never was a stranger known to arrive
there at such an hour and on such a
night too, for the rain was still pouring
in torrents. The knocking continued,
and although we were too many to fear
anything like personal danger, still /
could see an evident uneasiness spread
ing throughout the party. The knock
ing was now fiercer than ever, and the
host was compelled to unbolt and unbar.
AS the door opened, in stalked tall,
weather-beaten man, enveloped in a
huge, shaggy great coat, and broad
OIL skin hat on his head.
"What do you mean by thisI I" he said,
1 a