Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-05-24

talk 30 unfeelin'l An where 10 thy expert
ence, not TO know the ways o the blessed
dead In summer timer
"whcn do you bury himf'
Tomorrow forenoon. Tho spot Is two
mile from here" lie blnked at me, and hes
itated for n minute. "1s IL your purpose,
sirs, to attendf'
"Be sure Of that said, grimly $50
have beds ready tonight for all our com
pany."
'All thy Dear sir, consider; where are
beds 10 be fouudi Sure, thy mariners can
pass the night aboard their own sbipr'
$50 them" thought I, "you have been on
the lookout" but Della replied for me:
II am Della Killigrew, and mistress Of this
house. You will prepare the beds as you are
told" Whcreupon what does that decrepit
old sinner but drop upon his knees
Mistress Delial Oh, goody feast for this
one poor eyei oh, that Master Tingcornb
had seen this dayi'
declare the tears were running down his
nose; but Della marched out, cutting short
his hypocrisy.
In The passage she whispered:
"Villainy, Jackl"
"Hnshl" I answered, "and lsten Master
Tingcomb IL no more in that coffin than l."
Then where Is herr
THAT is just what we are 10 discover" As
I said this a light broke on me. "By the
Lord" cried " tbs the very same"
Della opened her eyes wide.
Wait" said; 81 begin to touch ground.n
We returned to the great hall. The straight
haired man was still eating, and opposite sat
Billy that hnd not budged, but now beckon-
ing to me, very mysterious, whispered in
voice that made the plates rattle:
"Thats-a damned-roguep
Twas dscomposing, but the truth In
fact, had just solved n puzzle. This holy
speaking minister was no other than the
groom had seen at Bodmin fair holding
Master Tingcombs horses.
BY this time the sun was down, and Della
soon made excuse to withdraw to her own
room. Nor was II long before the rest fol-
! lowed her example. ] found our chambers
prepared near together, ia wing of the
house at some distance from the hall Delia's
was next To mine, as made sure by knock
! ing Mt her door; and on the other side of me
slept Billy with two Of his crew My own
bed was in great room sparoly furnished,
and the linen Indifferent white. There was n
| plenty Of clean straw, though, on the Hoor
| had intended TO sleep-which did not
Instead having blown out my light, | sat
on the beds edge, listening TO the big clock
over tho hall as it chimed the quarters, and
waiting till the fellows below should be at
their ease. That Master Tingcomb rested
under the coffin lid did not believe, in spite
of the terrifying III that l could vouch for
But this If driven to 1t, we could discover at
| the grave. The main business was to catch
| him; and to this end meant TO patrol tie
buildings, and especially watch the entrance,
on the likely chance of his creeping back to
! the house Gf not already inside) to confer
with his fellow rascals.
! As IL O'Clock sounded therefore, tapped
on Billy's wall, and finding that Matt Soames
was keeping watch las we had agreed upon,
slipped OFF my boots. Our rooms were on
the first floor, over n straw yard, and the dis
tapce 10 the ground an easy drop for man.
But wishing to be silent as possible | knotted
two blankets together and strapping the end
round the window mullon, swung myself
down by one hand, holding my boots in the
other
dropped very lightly, and looked about.
There was a fant moon up and glmmcrng
on the straw; but under the house was deep
shadow and along this / crept The straw
yard led into the court before the stable and
SO into the main court. All this way heard
no sound, nor spied so much as a speck Of
light in any window. Tho house door was
closed, and tho bar fastened on the great
gate across the yard. turned the corner to
explore tho third side Of the house.
Here was u group of outbuidings jutting
out, and between them and the high outer
wall narrow alley. Twas with difficulty
groped my way here, for tho passage was
dark as pitch, aud rendered the straighter
by a line of ragged laurels planted under the
house; So that Mt every other step | would
stumble, and run my head into bush.
had done this for the eighth time, and
was cursing under my breath, when on q sud
den heard a stealthy football coming down
the alley behind me.
Master Tingcomb, for n crownm Thought
|, aud crouched to one side under a bush.
The footsteps drew nearer. a dark form
parted tho laurels; another moment and
} had it by the throat
"uugh-uSh-Errl For tho Lords sake
lsssed my hold; twas Matt Soamcs
.SYour pardon,' whispered |; "but why have
/ you left your postP
"Black Sampson is watchin', SO took tb,
freedom-ughi my poor windppel-to-to'-
lie broke of to catch me by the sleeve aut
pull me down behind the bush. About tweiv,
PAGES ahead heard door softly opened and
saw IA shaft OF light flung across the patti
between the gstening laurels. As the ray
touched the outer wall marked small pos
tern gate there, standing open.
Covering lower, we waited while n mar
might count fifty. Then came footsteps
crunching the gravel, and n couple of mer
crossed the path, bearing large chest be
tween them. In the light | saw the handl,
of a spade sticking out from it; and by hi
gait / knew the second man to be my on,
eyed friend.
Woes my old bonesl" he was mutterng
"hcre's fardel for a man o my yearsn
"Hold thy breath for the next load I
growled the other voice, which as surely wa
the good minister's.
They passed out at the small gate and 10y
the sounds that followed we guessed they
were hosting their burden into a cart. Pres
emily they recrosscd the path and entered
the house, shutting the door after them.
"Now for itln said in Matt. s ear, Gliding
forward, | peeped ont at the postern gate
but drew back like shot.
! had almost run my head into grea
black hearse, that stood there with the doc
open, backed against the gate, the heav,
plumes nodding above II in the night wind.
Who held the horses had not time to see
but whispering 10 Matt to give me Il leg up
l clambcrcd inside. "Quckln / pulled hin
after, and crept forward. l wondered tn
mau did not hear us; but by good luck tn
horses We're restive, and by his maudlin tai
To them l knew he was three parts drunk-o
the funeral wines doubtless.
crept along and found tho tool ches
slowed against the farther end; so, pulling
gently out, we got behind it. Though Matt
was tho littlest man of my acquaintance
, twas the work of the world To stow ourselve
/, in such compass as to be hidden. BY coil
ing up our limbs we managed 1t; but onl
Just before caught tho glimmer OF ligh
and heard the pair OF rascsls returning.
They came very slow, grumbling all tn
way; and, Of course, knew they carried tn
4 roiiin.
! IAN right Simf asked the minister.
"Ay,n piped "A squeaky voice by the horse'
Il head- twas the shuffiing stable boyl-"ay