The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1886-06-17

"a Tile JOIuD uiN1uLelV. 10 all
outward appearance it had not been dis.
turbed since the day wlfenfthe remains of
" Sir Dick were lowered into it. There
was not Granny in it wide enough to
admit mans finger, and The most viyor-
GUS blows with the fist aud foot failed to
shake the slab in the smallest degree.
Suddenly, as he was mediiatively leaning
on the stone helmet above the escutchcon.
the slab slowly descended, and the secret
was discovered. The parson squeezed
himself into the small dare space, and
scarcely had he done so, when the slab
rose again to its normal position, and he
felt himself dragged by a, powerful hand
down flight of steps into utter darkness.
lie would have given a good deal to
have been back at his rectoLy just then.
"ltesistance was useless, so he passively
followed, aware by the smell that he was
amongst the chambers of the dead. STUN
bllng against substances which rany ont
welrdly hollow, and more than once dis
turb'ng with his foot round objects which
rolled away with rattle suggestive of
skulls.
"Suddenlya turn in the passage revealed
lfSht, and group of dark figures
who greeted him with "a deriSive howl.
IarSon, said the leader, Won made
fools OF us last night, and it was ,arncd
clever of you. But look here; we mean
business. You've found out bv accident
what has been secret for nearly hun
dred years. This 'cre passage is cut
clean through your buryin' ground, and
As t"ther end opens on the beach, it
comes very handy to us, for the cIeverest
Preventive man on the coast, and that's
Scorby West, of Shcrringham, would no
more think of lookin' for runners Gel
lar III Il graveyard than in a market place.
II you're mum about it, all right, and you
shall have the finest cellar % wine in the
kingdom but if you split, as sure rs you're
Holy Joe we'll do for YOU
hat could the poor man say: 50
he promised that no syllable should cs-
cape his lips As to the existence of the
smugglers' passage. lie was allowed to
return, and that very evening he found
couple of hogsheads of port wine in his
garden.
Now there was in the village a pretty,
lively girl named Nancy IIoliicn Upon
her the Rev. Mr.. Airport, who was .et-
ting tired of single blrsscdncsS in such a
m"n"tonouS place as st. Edwards, began
10 east alrclionate eyes; for although So
claIIy she might have been considered,
from metropolitan point Of view, his in
l'-rl"r, She WAS most r"Smctahlc and
we'll behaved lass, who lived alone with
her mother in a little white cottage built
almost on the sea edge
at happened one night that the rcvrr-
end gentleman surprised Miss Nancy in
company with "A Snn@g Ter, and Judged
from some bits of conversation he over.
heard that there was lovers quarrel 90
ing on between them. From that moment
he notice! Il change in Nancy IIolldcn
She replied to his salutations with blush
ing cheeks and downc'lst eyes; he noticed
coquettish touches about her dress as she
sat under him in church she was always
lit home when he called on her mother;
he met her at times and places when AMI
where he least expected her. And, rs he
was by no means a badlooking man, be-
sides holding the high position of IarSon,
he made up his mind that Nancy had
really thrown over her old sweetheart.
and was actually in love with him as much
rs he was with her.
MIR. Airport resolved that he would
make his formal requst for the girls hand
on New Years Evc-an auSpiciouS date,
he considered, when peace and good will
would be uppermost in the hearts of wo-
men as Of men.
The fatal night came "A wild, gusty
night such as smuggIcrs loved and shore
folk feared. The ringers had done their!
'inty in the old belfry, and the simple vii
laSe folk were streaming out OF the church
porch, shaking hands, congratuIatiny, anl
Wishing each other everything good and
kind, on their way home to celebrate the
ing. The parson and Nancy IIolli,lcn
fingered behind.
OF course you can guess, Nancy, he
said, why am Keeping you behind the
rest =
"Of course Nancy had no idea. and
looked askance at him over her muller.
The parson cont inucd:
"' Well, it's to ask you to be my wife
"OE, Mr.. Alportr said the girl with
well tciyncd astonshment. =" really
oh, l-l-you take me so by surpriscr
"'Tell me, Nancy he went on, sc;zlng
her little thick -gloved hand. 'LeL me-
have happy New Year, for do love
you SO truly aAd honestly. Tell me if
you will take me as your husband
"The gih was silent for a few seconds,
and the young man could almost hear his
heart beat during the suspense. AT length
she looked in his face and said:
"'Mr. All port, You are very far above
me. You are an educated gentleman,
who might marry any of the sJuire,'
young la lies hercabOuts. am only II
village girl
But all that's nothing enthusiastic
cally began the young clergyman. Nancy
went on:
+" Perhaps not to you. But something
else may be. DO you know that | am
loved by another man-indccd, | WIS as
good as betrothcd to him not month
back
:" Yes, know it, replied Mr. Airport
{ 1t was to Ned Blackman, the-the--'
"The smuggler, yes finished Nancy.
'You know it, see Well, Pm only a
simple village girl know it, you know
it, every one knows it. But | have a
heart, and, Mr. Airport, have what Pve
read most woman have, a love OF revenge.
Ned Blackman deceived me. will marry
you on one condition.
"'Name it, Nancy said the young
parson, struck by the intense earnestness
of the girl