Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1888-01-05

self, dear Waiter
Before he could protest against
such a course, they heard Uncle Jim
tumbling down the narrow stairs.
They ran 10 meet him.
up here dis way. honey
And Captain Bowie bounded mp the
stairs, two steps at time.
Ella unbolted the kitchen door. for.
without definite plan, she well knew
that her lover could not escape from
the kitchen; and that if the soldiers
were coming, it was better to have the
door Unmatched to avoid suspicion.
She stood irresolute for few mo-
ments, then walked to the door and
opened it. There stood soldier with
his musket. She attempted to pass,
but he barred the door with his bay
onet, and she stepped back and closed
it. Then, seeing the remains of the
supper on the table, she hastily cleared
them away and sat down by the fire.
How her heart did beat with the
terrible suspense and fear for her loved
onel
Old Jim came down presently, and
coming close to her, said:
Miss Ella, has hid Mars Walter
in the long box Of feathers. Sure, day
cannot find him thar"
"But he will smother, Uncle Jim |"
"Oh! he has breathing place; don't
you mind dat. is now going out to
Miss Anne"
"You cannot; a soldier is at the
door,"
II taut SO, honey. see dem gwine
disway. l will put some wood on dis
here fire, den."
And old Jim was busy about the
fire, when the door was roughly opened
and dozen or more soldiers came in,
headed by Capt. Bigfoot. the govern
ment detective before the war, and now
captain ofatroop of horse that was kept
to scour Southern Maryland for spies
and contraband goods. But Will-o'-
the-wisp had been his especial ambi-
ton for three years. He felt his
whole future depended upon his cap
turing him.
They searched the kitchen and the
closets; looking up the wide chimney,
old Jim muttering:
"Who would be fool huff to 90 up
dar when so much FIRE an smoke be-
low?',
But he was not needed at all. Up
the stairs they went until the little
room above was crowded. Old Jim 8
bed was punched on all sides with bay
onets and his clothes thrown about,
'Jes for all de world as if Mars
Walter cud be in the pockets Of dem"
The box of feathers was reached and
looked into, and even hands were
pushed into them. As the box was
deep and long. and we'll filled with
the white feathers of geese-old Jim's
prequisites-no one thought that
man could live at the bottom of the
box. But hole had been cut at the
side next to the wall, and low down,
the box emptied of feathers on an old
quilt, while the Rebel spy, wrapping
himself in a large white sh .et, got in
the box with his mouth close to the
hole; and then old Jim covered him
deep with the feathers and put the
quilt under his bed.
1t takes longer TO write thar it did
to do.
The soldiers turned and left the
room and the kitchen, and filed back
to the house to have another search.
Ella was crouching by the chimney
side as far back as she could get out
of sight, and with her head in her
hands prayed that he might not be
found.-Then, when she saw them 90,
and he was still safe, the tears burst
from her overburdened heart in
streams down her cheeks.
Ola jim clasped his hands and fell
on his knees. Please be to God = he
whispered.
The stair door creaked and opened.
Will-o'-the.Wisp was in the kitch-
en-.
Now is my time" he said. They
will return; heard them say so.
TAey have positive information this
time / am here. / must run FOR it
across the garden to the wood. Open
the window Uncle jim.
Ella just clssped him round the
neck and uttered not word. 1t was
too late. She saw the determination
on his face.
Old Jim did, too. All was black
as pitch.
Captain Bowie put Ella from him
gently, went to the window, and
leaped out some three or four feet
right into the arms of soldier. And
then, before either could recover their
balance, a dozen were around them,
shouting and firing their pistols in the