Connecticut western news., 1872-01-19
BESSIE, THE SMUGGLER'S
 DAUGHTER.


 DAUGHTER.
 At darklng Bessie Walters ran into tbe cottage, rousing the father with the new, that the smuggler's schooner was tackinc off Arish Nell, and Jim Bolton had gon9 to prepare the men to be ready at tho Mewps.
 She was smart little schooner. drawlne wonderfully little water So the sea be- ing like glass, only throbbing with ground swell, she was lowed up within few hun. dred yards of the shore, and then the work began Tn real earnest.
 We've only but two hours safe to do it ln," said the leading man; "when the tide turns the breeze Fl get up, and carry off : the fog; so push on, lads, and show what Dorset chaps can do"
 In couple of hours nearly half the car go was safe, each man working like two. The tea and coffee stcwed away in q snug cave, long used as a hiding place; the Kegs of spirits sent off to neighboring eel lars, some ot which were in the vaults of the churches. By this time the fog had covered the Downs and lay there as a rest ing. Suddenly through the mist and silence came the shriek of sea-gull, then another, and another.
 Every man stopped working. Every lace turned in the direction of the signal, for such it was; then down through the whipe cloud came a figure scrambling, jumping from rock to rock-and Bessie Walters, her face flushed, her hair loose, breathless and panting, stood by the men.
 Harry gotten back from Weymouth. ) she said; "the Revenue chaps hal gotten word; the cutters coming, and the sol dlers, too and some on our own talk have blown the cave"
 Then it's all up," said the captain .sso much for your internal Dorsetshire. I amt going to lose my ship though. PU give five pounds to the man who'll take us out. I'll give ten pounds. Twenty I'Il give. Thirty-forty- -fifty-fiftv pounds to the fellow who runs us out of this cur- sed place. By -, believe you're all tho game, and brought us here to sell us. I'll cheat you yet. If I can't do better, l'li burn the craft rather than let stick of her fall into such - wrackN CTS hands. Here, Charley, pull off.' As ne spoke, rocket whizzed up in tie ofing, andthe cutter was within couple of miles ] coming with the predicted breeze.
 |" It be bad like to let the craft be ta-
 
 the captains boat. five mind to 20 off with her--fifty pounds terrible lot of money" He looked hard at Bessie, and Bessie's cheeks grew redder, as she said sbe you'll go, Gargc, I'll row you off.n Inere was no further word spoken the man walked down to the boat, fol- lowed by Bessie. "Supposin' get the money Bessie ?' asked George, as he looked round
 Bessie bade him hold his tongue till he got It, and nodded him goodnight, as he scrambled up the schooner's side. Sulleniy and desperately the smuggler held on way. Suddenly the trumpet rang out.
 Haul-to, or we shall fre.n
 "Fire-away Shouted the captain of the schooner. A spurt of fire sprang from tne cutters side, and round shot crashed through the smuggler's jb, cutting half a dozen ropes in two. Still he held on. swish came another shot, this time hit ting the mainmast, and sending out a shower of spkntcrs. They were within two hundred yards Of each other now. The cutter coming on, evidently with the intention et boarding. Bessie held her breath-she was thinking of George Har- vel. The crafts were close together. Bessie started up, and flung her arms over head, with cry of dismay, for the rev enue men were boarding the smueyler. The air was filled with firing, curses shouts A sudden thought flashed into the girls beWlldered brain. She ran down to the | shore, pushed off her boat, and jumping in, | roWed to the scene of action, never doubt | ing she would see George somehow and bring him off the ship. The sailors were too busyto notioeIthe boat glide up; so Bessie lay too under the stern of the schooner. | watching with clenched teeth, two men struggling for life or death, come to the | bulwarks just over the boat; she could | hear their painting breath, then the pistol | shot; clutching desperately at the sli ppery wood, grasping at the last moment a loose rope, he swung down almost touching the girl.
 At first she was to busy to notice his lace; but when the bandage was tied she | looked at it, and saw his lips moving, though his voice was too faint to sound | over the noise of fight and roar of breaking waves. Her ear almost touched his lips before she caught the words.
 Hide me, hide me, and let me die in | peacep'
 TOT mnute Bessie sat staring at the | black rocks and thinking, then a light crossed her eyes; she said to herself, i've mays we'll risk it; may be there's no boats about, and he's handsome young chan to be hanged, Garge maun look after him. self l allow" Excitement lent extra strength to her arms. Shooting througS tbe Durele Archway, she ran the boat into the beach just on the quiet little nook be- hind the "Door, ,"where the projecting rocks made perfect haven, dragging the boat up as far as she could.
 The man was moaning now, and as she couldn't lift him out, the only alternative was to make him shift for himself.
 "Yoll hey to land, young man. Iallow it's difficult; but yo' maun do it. There's . cave here yo' can lie in till the cutters men and soldiers are out O the wav.n
 For answer he got up, and scrambled. with many groans, out of the boat, drop ping upon thefshingle
 Your good lass, and if you are as pretty as your vocie is sweet, I'll have the best of it hiding away here."
 We'll see about that, my man. Yo'or lll tarred with the same stick. The meer