Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-09-14
By the Hand Of Their
Leader.

BY the Hand Of Their
Leader.
On one of the widest and most
rugged coasts of Newfoundland,
nearly thirty years ago, was build
ing-tenantless, |rooHess, doorless.
The simple fisherman near thought
it haunted,-no by spiritual forms,
but human.
Built upon no foundation, the four
walls were in danger of blowing from
their natural element to foreign.
But the building did not change its
location. It seemed as if an invisl-
BILE Colossus had placed himself upon
Its walls, defying the winds and the
waves.
The spirits haunting the place were
a band of unprincipled men, eking
precarious living as wreckers. Know
ing how prevalent the superstition
among the dwellers on the coast, they
seized an opportunity and made the
desolate walls their rendezvous.
1t was a stormy winter night. Sew
eral dark forms were making their
way to the supposed abode of spirits.
Their dogged footsteps, their fire.
quent, sudden haltlngs, and their
other suspicious movements, looked
sinister.
One by one they entered, until
none were outside. Rough-looking,
swarthy men were they, standing
around inside the walls, waiting the
orders of their leader with respectful
silence. Drawing package from
the folds of his cloak, and hurriedly
breaking the seal, he read, by the aid
of lighted torch =
castle: Be ready tonight. French
ship. Cargo: Wines and silks. Not
familiar with the coast"
Finished reading, he lighted a
match, and touching the flame to the
paper, watched it shrivel slowly into
nothing.
He turned to them abruptly.
"Men, are you ready?
"Always.
The leaders, brevity was conta-
gious.
care the boats and the beacon
ready? This must not be failure. 3"
"All are ready"
"We will GO to the boats.
''First, Captain said one of the
men in a tone rather impudent, ''we
want to know if you have told the
girl"
''My daughter, AIDE, suppose you
mean. Certainly l have. But no
more of this. You know Worse AS
tie enough to understand all his Sc
crets are known to his daughter. l
do not know but she would keep our
affairs closer than yourselves.
Leading the way, they followed,
silenced for the time only. They
were jealous of the daughters infu-
ence over their leader. They dislik-
ed to think that another knew enough
of their doings to implicate them.
True, she never allowed an unguard-
ed word to escape but evidently this
was from motives of self-preserva-
ton. Again, her youth-she was
only eighteen-should debar her from
a knowledge of their undertakings.
However they consoled themselves
in thinking of the doom awaiting
her, did she divulge their secrets.
1t was the living law of this band
of wreckers, that whoever became a
traitor to their interests should die
by the hand of the leader.
So the men reasoned, going to the
boats, distrust following distrust,-
none daring to show outward signs
of dissatisfaction, after the subject
had been dismissed so peremptorily.
Worse Astle was well calculated to
govern these twenty men, separated
from all ties and affections, swayed
only by motives of plunder and gain,
and seemingly devoid of all tender
feelings. His control was undisput-
ed, except in one particular. Of him
his men knew little. He was man
of singular firmness of will and in
tensity of idea. He appeared among
them, volunteering his services, ris-
ing to command, and proved himself
more adventurous than the bravest
among their number. He was a
Frenchman, with an English name.
His daughter AIDE was born in France,
loving her native land as only wo-
man can love, and possessing the
flashing beauty of her race.
With their varying thoughts, the
wreckers passed over the crispy snow
cracking beneath their feet. Winding
in and about the cliffs, they reached
a small inlet where the boats lay.
Taking their places they waited the
command of their chief. Aided by
the light of the moon, peeping thro'
the shifting clouds, he looked through
his glass out to the stormy sea be-
yond the breakers and the threaten
ing rocks.
''Dorcus, light the beacon"
| The man departed. Climbing the
cliff he disappeared. A few minutes
later the light of the beacon shone,
revealing to the eyes of the expect
ant wreckers, who were sheltered