Beaufort Republican. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1871-1873, 1872-05-23

for rope, and lowered myself safely and
silently to the ground.
There was light still burning IN the
lower part of the house: but | crept
noiselessly along, feeling my way care
fully among the trees, and in due time
came upon beaten track which led me
to a road, the same which | had been
travelling on the previous night. walked
on, scarcely knowing whittier, anxious
only to increase my distance from the
accursed house, until the day began to
break, when almost the first thing could
see distinctly was a small body of men
approaching me. 1t was with no small
pleasure that l recognized at their head
my friend the Capo di Polizia. "Ahl
he cried, unfortunate Inglees, what
trouble you have given mel Where have
YOU been. God be praised that | see you
safe and sound But how9 What is the
matter with you2 You look like one pos
sessed."
told him how had lost my way, and
where I had lodged.
"And what happened to you there 2 "
he cried, with look of anxiety.
81 was disturbed in the night. could
not sleep. I made my escape, and here l
am. | cannot tell you more"
"But you must tell me more, dear Sir
forgive me; you must tell me everything.
l must know all that passed in that house.
We have had it under our surveillance for
a long time, and when heard in what di-
rection you had gone yesterday, and had
not returned, feared you had got into
some mischief there, and we were even
now upon our way to look for you"
! could not enter into particulars, but
1 told him / had heard strange sounds,
and at his request went back with him
to the spot. He told me by the way that
the house was known to be the resort of
banditti that the landlord harbored
them, received their ill-gotten goods, and
helped them to dispose of their booty.
Arrived at the spot, he placed his men
about the premises and instituted strict
search, the landlord and the man who was
found in the house being compelled to ac-
company him. The room in which | had
slept was carefully examined; the floor
was of plaster or cement, so that no sound
could have passed through it; the walls
were sound and solid, and there was
nothing to be seen that could IN any way
account for the strange disturbance l had
experienced. The room on the ground
floor underneath my bedroom was next
inspected; it contained quantity of straw,
hay, firewood and lumber. 1t was paved
with brick, and on turning over the straw
which was heaped together in a corner, it
was discovered that the bricks were un-
even, as if they had been recently dis
turbed.
dig here" said the officer. "We shall
find something hidden here, | imagine.
The landlord was evidently much dis
turbed. Stop" he cried. 81 will tell
you what lies buried there; come away
out of doors, and you shall know all about
it,"
"Dig, I say. We shall find out for our
selves"
"Let the dead rest, cried the landlord,
with trembling voice. "For the love
of heaven come away, and hear what |
shall tell you"
$50 on with your work." said the Ser
geant to his men, who were now plying
pickaxe and spade.
81 can't stay here and see it." exclaim-
ed the landlord once more. Hear then! !
1t is the body of my son, my only son
let him rest, if rest he can. He was
wounded in quarrel, and brought home
to die. | thoug ght he would recover, but
there was neither doctor nor priest at
hand, and in spite of all that we could do
for him he died. Let him alone now, or
let priest be first sent for; he died un-
confessed, but it was not my fault; it may
not yet be too late to make peace for him. -"
"But why is he buried in this place 2"
"We did not wish to make stir about
it. Nobody knew OF his death, and we
laid him down quietly; one place was as
good as another when once the life was
out of him, | thought. We are poor folk,
and could not pay for ceremonies"
The truth at length came out. Father
and son were both members of a band of
thieves; under this floor they concealed
their plunder, and there, too, lay more
than one mouldering corpse. victims who
had occupied the room in which slept,
and had there met their death. The son
was, indeed, buried in that spot he had
been mortally wounded in a skirmish
with travellers, and bad lived long enough
to repent of his deeds, and to beg for
that priestly absolution which, according
to his creed, was necessary to secure his
pardon. In vain he itad urged his father
to bring the confessor to his bedside; in
vain he had entreated him to break off
from the murderous band with which he
was allied and to live honestly in future;
his prayers were disregarded, and his dy
ing admonitions were of no avail. But
for the strange, mysterious warning which
had reused me from my sleep and driven
me out of the house that night, another
crime would have been added to the old
mans tale of guilt. That gasping attempt
to speak, and that awful groaning whence
did they proceed9 1t was no living voice.
Beyond that | will express no opinion on
the subject. | will only say that it was
the means of saving my life, and at the
same time putting an end TO the series OF
bloody deeds which had been committed
IN that house.
received my passport that evening by
The diligence from Rome, and started the
next morning on my way to Naples. AS
we were crossing the frontier, tall figure
approached, wearing the long, rough ca
ootta of the mendicant friars, with hood
over the face and holes for the eyes to
ook through. He carried a tin money
box in his hand, which he held out to the
passengers, .jingling few coins in it, and
,l.Yino ont In a mOnotOnonS voice "fninle