Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1883-01-26
IN A TUNNEL-SPOUT.
A REVENUE oFF1cER's ADV
"Charles Corliss. when


here to ferret out the secrets of the
smugglers Of Cape Zoar, you took your
life in your hands, and by reason
thereof it seems but just to deprive
you Of thing held so lightly. But
my men, not |, shall decide what the
penalty shall be for your foolhardincss.
Boys, what say you? Shall life or
death be the portion of this revenue
spy"
death. :" was the unanimous reply
from the grim-Hpped, lowering-faced
men gathered about the young fellow,
who Stood with his arms bound be-
hind him, calmy facing the smuggler
chief.
Yet all the ominous darkness of the
faces bent upon him could not form
an accent of fear into the calm tonnes
OF the young revenue officers voice, as
he said:
Well, Chief Coram, l should like to
know what you propose to do with me:
for it is quite natural that ! should
wish to be prepared to receive the
grim stranger to whom you are about
to introduce me, in whatever guise he
may come"
1.-The villagers of Blakeville will
find you on the sands in the morning.
" So you intend that the sea shal
throttle me-?
So be it. I in your power anC
you are able to work your Will as fal
as am concerned. May you sleep a,
soundly as | tonight"
An involuntary exclamation broke
from one of the smugglers-an eX-
clamatio.. of admiration at beholding
one face death so courageously, but &
scowl from Chief Coram silenced him
McOrnville, Hewett, Burchard, leaC
this man out into the night, he said
sternly; and see to it, my men, that
he does not bear you company wher
you return"
Three men started to fulfill theil
chief murderous behest. Two of then
took firm hold OF Corliss' arms and the
third lighted a dark lantern and lee
the way.
Two minutes afterward the foul
were out in the night. which had SCI
in very dark, with a high wind anC
threatened rain.
Surelyit was fitting night in whicl
to hurl man down from towering
Cape Zoar into the hungry man of the
sea, which thundered at its base; anC
Charles Corliss hal reason to regret
the day, when, with his commission
from the department safely hidden o.
/ his person, lie had started forth alont
to gain the all-important clew to The
+ stronghold of Chief Coram, smuggler
whose renown extended along the
/ whole coast.
Cool of head, strong of nerve, with {
large frame and great strength, Child
I Coram's career had been one contin
uous round of daring adventures anC
hairbreadth escapes.
Hitherto he had chuckled nightly
over the many failures OF the sharp
eyed officials to discover the spot he
had selected for his rendezvo Is.
But this beardless STRIPPING, in the
character Of half-idiotic fisherman
had fooled him completely for time
hai supped with him in his cunning
retreat among the rocks, had markeC
the almost imperceptible entrance Z
the lit le deep basin that cradled so Sc
curelv his swift and sharp-stelnmc,
craft-a thing that hid herself in tiC
elements, that haunted the horizons
and mingled with the tints of evening
"a night bird Of the waters.
When, therefore, the disguise OF th'
Young revenue officer was torn iron
him. the natural vindictiveness Of th'
smuggler was augmented by llamln4
wrath because Of being SO cunnln9ll
tricked, and he had assigned terrible
fate to his prisoner v it'll as little mercy
as one would place his foot on ser
pent's head.
But the man who had hazarded hi'
life in the discharge of his duty wa
not one to give it up without
struggle. A seemingly Ornamental
buckle was on the back of the ben
which girded Corliss' waist; but le
edges were sharp as razors. Acres
one of these edges he stretched hl'
hempen bonds. Strand after stranO
snapped in twain, and at last his hand.
were freed. Then he tore his arm
loose, dealt couple of powerful blows
which felled his would-be eXecutIohei
to the ground, and then fled away i
the darkness. !.
OF course he was pursued by th'
smuggler who acted as guide but Il, !,
cared little for that, as he found
tolerable easy running. He had a3
quired. like most men who live mucl
in the dark, that cat-like perception o.
obstacles which is due rather to IN
creased sensitiveness of touch thaL
4 increased sensitiveness Of vision. Hil
feet accommodated themselves TO 'lit
inequalities of the ground; his manu-, anu
ipctipot;volv O1Ytetretched thenSelNts