The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1883-07-13

wrap about her figure. and seized
wooden vessel, used among the humble
people, for carrying water, But 1 COM
mand you," she cried, "hear me, wom-
an, the daughter of Wolfgang, must be
obeyed."
The woman shuddered.
But / must not go, my life would
be the forfeit. Do you not know, my
Lady, that it is the great Wolfgang
himself, who orders the lighting of the
beacon fires. To extinguish them, is
to be guilty of treason"
At the mention of her fathers name,
the girl sank, as if she had been struck
to the heart.
There is but one Wolfgang, woman,
she said, in a hollow voice. ut cannot
be Wyndert Wolfgang-my father"
The wrecker's wife bowed low before
her.
HE is our chief, my Lady" she said
simply. Then, suddenly, with loud
wall, she sank upon her knees.
"But my tongue hath lost me my
head, my Lady" she wept. Il have
told the chiefs secret, and my children
will be motherless if you betray me to
your father. Have pity-oh, have
mercy upon mep
But Christobel did not heed her.
She sat motionless-a dumb, frozen
horror seeming to chain her to her seat.
my father, Wolfgang, the chief of
the wreckers at st. Quentyns Point,
she said over and over again, in ter
rible monotone, more dreadful to her
nearer than the widest shrieks could
have been.
my father a robber-a wrecker-a
murderer Oh, Thou God of my
mother who lettest me hear this thing
and live!"
Pardon me, my Lady" sobbed the
still kneeling woman, as she clutched
the hem of Christobel's robe. at is a
terrible mistake; l did not mean to
tell. "
The young girl shook the woman's
hand from her garments. Her large
blue eyes shone with an unearthly
luster, and her white face cleaned like
star from the masses of yellow hair
that foated unconined about her head.
Il go to the sacrifice" she breathed,
in an almost inaudible tone. "Oh,
mother in heaven, be thou my guide
and my stayi"
A minute later and she had stepped
over the threshold, and disappeared in
the fast-increasing darkness.
Hastily making her way to st. Quen-
tyns Point, she reached that place just
in time to see the faggots ignited by
one of the torchlights. The men only
stopped long enough to see that it would
burn, and then went on their way to
execute some further order of their
chief.
Wolfgang himself was now upon the
beach, doing out liquor to his chosen
followers, and watching with prac-
ticed eve the long, lance-like tongues of
flame that now began to leap up in the
darkness of the night.
"Pile, on more fuel, my men," he
cried, as another roar from the ships
gun came rolling over the water. "Pile
up those faggots higher. Oh, but it is
brave light those sailors shall have to
go to bed BY" he shouted, as the
streaming fires soon threw in plain re-
lief the strange fantastic shadows of the
wreckers on the shore.
He threw glance in the direction of
the old monastery. Again he roared !;
this time in anger:
Light the great fire on st. Quen-
tyn's Pointl"
1T was done, my chief" said voice
at his side. Il myself lit the faggots
with my torch"
"Then, by my beard" cried Wolf
gang, haughtily, 'it was not we'll done.
There is not the ghost of spark there,
as you can see for yourself.
"Strange!" muttered his lieutenant,
prospect for fire than when 1 was
there, a few minutes ago"
Taking comrade, he hurried to the
point. What was his surprise to find
the embers extinguished, and the fag-
gots carefully scattered far and wide
Hastily rearranging them, he again
ignited the dry wood and watching it
until it burned up clear and bright,
he returned and reported the circum-
stance to his chief. Wolfgang listened
with lowering brow
While they were still watching the
flames that had now begun to start up
from st. Quintyn's Point, they were
both astonished to see them go out.
Wolfgang swore terrible oath, as
he beheld the extinguishment of the
most prominent beacon fire.
"Ho, therep he shouted, hoarsely
"a traitor campers with the signal
lights. Go, you, my faithful men, and
mete him out the doom he has courted
and which he richly deserves.
At different points the fires were as
suddenly and mysteriously quenched.
Wolfgang strobe along the beach, ex-
citing the wreckers to immediate ac-
ton. Four of his most trusty fol-
lowers were secretly to steal up to st.
Quentyn's Point, and after replenish-
ing the fire, was to retire cautiously in
to the thickets, and upon the first
motion of the unknown enemy to de-
stroy the flames, they were to rush up
on him and kill him with their cut
| jasses.
Foaming with rage and vexation the
chief paced the sands, waiting for the
cry which he knew would herald the
success of his lieutenant in carrying
out the scheme.
He had not long to wait They had
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