Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1872-09-07
MARRIED TO A MURDERER.

AZ beSSle w dlteTS TAN lHtO
the cottage, rousing her father with the
news that the smugglcr's schooner was
tacking off Arish Nell, and Jim Bolton
had gone to prepare the men to be
ready at the Mewps.
She was smart little schooner. draw
ing wonderfully little water. So, the
sea being like glass, only throbbing
with ground swell, she was towed up
within few hundred yards of the
shore, and then the work begun in real
earnest.
"We've only but two hours safe to
do it in," said the leading man ;
"when the tide turns the breezell get
up, aud carry Off the fog so push on,
lads, and show what Dorset chaps can
do.'
In couple of hours nearly half the
cargo was safe, each man working like
two. The tea and tobacco slowed away
in snug cave, long used as a hiding
place; the kegs of spirits sent off to
neighboring cellars, some of which were
in the vaults of the churches. BY this
time the fog had covered the downs,
and Icy there as if resting. suddenly
through the mist and silence came the
shrek of a sea-gull, then another and
another.
Every man stopped working. Every
face turned in the direction of the sig.
nal, for such it WAS then down through
the white cloud came a figure scramb-
ling, jumping from rock to rock-and
Bessie Walters, her face flushed, her
hair loose, breathless and painting, stood
by the men.
IIarry's gotten back fro Wey-
mouth" she said "the revenue chaps
ha' gotten word the cutters comm,
and the soldiers, too and some on our
own folk have blown the cave
"Then it's all up" said the captain E;
80 much for your ID Dorst tshire
| amt going to lose my ship though
I'll give five pounds to the man who
will take us out. Tll give ten pounds.
Twenty Ill give. Thirty forty-ffty
fifty pounds to the fellow who'll run
us out of this cursed place. By C.,
| believe you are all in the game, and
brought us here to sell us. I'll cheat
you yet. If | can't do better; I'll burn
the craft, rather than let a stitch of her
fall into such id wreckers' hands.
Here, Charlie, pull off,
AS he spoke a rocket whizzed up in
the otfing, and the cutter was within
couple of miles, coming with the pre-.
dicted breeze.
g" 1t be bad-like to let the craft be Ia.
ken," said a man who had been watch.
ing the captains boat. I've mind
TO 90 off with her-tifty pounds is ter
rible lot of money"
He looked hard at Bessie, and Bes.
o., ,a'c Il.
"Soe be as you'll goe, Garge, I'll row
you off,"
There were no further words spoken
the man walked down to the boat, fol-
lowed by Bessie.
"Supposin' | get the money, Bes
sie?' asked George, as he looked
around.
Bessie bade him hold his tongue till
he got it, and nodded him goodnight
as he scrambled up the schooner's
side.
Sullenly and desperately the SNUG
gler held on her way. Suddenly the
trumpet rang out:
Haul to, or we shall fire."
" Fire away !" shouted the captain OF
the schooner.
A squirt of fire sprang from the cut.
ter's side, and a round shot crashed
through the smuggler's jib, cutting hal
a dozen ropes in two. Still she hello
on. Swish came another shot, this time
hitting the mainmast, and sending out
shower of splinters. They were with
in two hundred yards of each othel
now. The cutter coming on, evidently
with the intention of boarding. Bessie
held her breath-she was thinking O
George Harvel. The crafts were close
together. Bessie started up and fun.
her arms overhead, with cry of dis
may, for the revenue men were board
ing the smugglers. The air was fillec
with firing, curses and shouts. A sud
den thonght flashed into the girls be
wildered brain. She ran down to the
shore, pushed off her boat, and lump
ing in, rowed to the scene of action
never doubling she would see Georg,
somehow, and bring him off the shin
The sailors were too busy to notice tn,
boat glide up; so Bessie lay to unde
the lee OF the schooner, watching, will
clenched teeth, two men struggling fo
life or death, come to the bulwarks ius
over the boat; she could hear thei
painting breath, then the pistol.shot
clutching desperately at the slipper
voodI grasping at the last moment