Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1888-08-24

was group Of fresh graves, where
took it to 10 that the soldiers were
buried; and among these l noticed a
newer mound, viii h, from the flowers
upon it, l thou ht had boon raised that
morning.
| read the inscriI tions from tomb to
tomb TILL it got too dark to dccirh +
them. Pres n'Iy Ii ,hts from tho di tant
houses began to appear; and | was just
thinking it time to 60. when the sound
OF some vehicle coming my way arrested
the thou hit
Listening in breathio3s Suspense, |
soon found that the wheels were much
nearer than | had supposed, the stcalthi-
ness of the approach alone having kept
mo from hearin. them Before / had
time to collect myself, a close covered
wagon stopped outside the wall, and !
saw two men get cautiously out of it
oae to open the gate, and the other to
lead the hor'c in. The time, the place,
tho mysterious approech-evcrything
tended to agitato me, and | wa3 on the
point Of taking to fiji ght, when the
truth flashed upon m. Preceding at
once to the ncw-mado grave, tho rob
bers, each with spade from the wagon,
began forthwith to remove the loose
gith skill and rapility that
Eond doubt their professional
3 may b3 imagined with what pro-
Tound interest ] wat ched their opera
tions. In less timo thau / had con-
ccived it possible tho ctilil was raised,
and the body, arc und which they threw
a long cloak, removed to the wagon.
The work of ref ling the grave was
soo9 done and hardly an hour from the
came in the rascals were out
of ho graveyard and on their way
hoTeward. The wagon had no sooner
TUNED from tho gate than Istarted to
f,Sow Il
There was no moon, and the night
was dark; lut, luckily for me, the viii
lains drove slowly, aud, though at some
distance behind the vehicle, never lost
sight of it.
When about halfway back to the viii
lag, we came to stop; and | saw the
two men, to my great satisfaction, get
out at the door of public house, leav-
ing, meanwhile, the cart and its occu-
pant alone in the road.
= Just as til, tavern door closed again
Rcd my pace, and, impolled by
kpiration, leapcd forward and
Iycfo bolt upright against tho front
seat, sat the stolen corpse, hat pulled
low down over the face, while the cloak
before mentioned completely enveloped
tho rest of the fi5uro
My purpose was, first, to remove the
orpsc, and then, having put on the
clio TX and hat, to take its place and
await what might happen.
need not have hurried my task as l
did, for the men took their time When
they came cut at last, it was evident
that they had been drinking freely in-
81 lie; and saw with delight a. they
entered the wagon that one had a bottle
along with him to imbibc on the way.
They resumed their seats, one on each
side Of me, aud W. started again.
Hitherto, l am Inclined to believe,
not word had been uttered upon the
road by either of my companions; Lut
the alcohol doing its perious work.
they began to talk openly. Ilearncd
now that it was not their intention tC
stop in the village, but at a vacant house
six miles beyond; and this place was, al
I further discovered, within easy reach
of my own destination.
BY the time we were fairly out of the
village the bottle had already twice beer
produced, with results that great con-
filmed my hopes of the scheme l was
meditating.
My comrades, soon in this maudiir
state, became silent and drowsy; anS
just here it was that my part began
Very gently at first, and by slow de
grce', inclined myself moro and more
to one side.
Jim, you are pushing this thing OF
me" said my left-hand neighbor.
Don't lean on it so. .
Jim, with an effort, straightened him
self and tried to SIT upright. 1t wa
his turn next to complain of me, for
gradually slopcd my whclo weight OF
him till he gaspcd for breath.
by George, it Is you that are showing
it now! I'm almost smothercd Pul
up the blame thing. will youl he cried
"and don't let it slip over this sid
again"
Denying the charge with an oath, th'
other leaned over, and drew me int
position. So ludicrous was it becoming
to me, that. but for the stupeied stat
OF the rogu.s, must have betrayed
myself. The game, however, was no
yet done, and my stakes in the issu
we're far too great to allow it to stop
The question was now of seconc
move.
was projecting another descent upor
the left wing, when, as If 10 anticipate
such design, the enemy hemmed IN.
in on both flanks; and there sat. pin
ioncd between the two, like hand
cuffed prisoner