The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-10-09
THE ROBBERS HOARD.
What a WOmln'S Anxiety Led Her
10 Learn.
How a Robber Was Beat Out OF His
Plunder-Justioe overtakes Him, and
the nl-Gotten Treasure is Gained
by Brave Mary shannon.

by Brave Mary shannon.
From the philadelphia Times
III this grows much worse had we not
better turn out of the road and apply at
tle Kenneths' for shelter for the nightn
said the husband, cycling gloomily the
straining of the horses as they endeav-
ored TO lift the heavy carriage out of the
black mud of the Mississippi road
But the wife gave shudder and re-
piled:
ION, no; never there, Arthur. You
know they say-here lowering her voice
lest the negro outsider should hear-that
old Col Kenneth and the boys all belong
to Murrell's band, and for one believe
it."
''Well, / do not There is no more harm
in the old colonel than in me. Think,
Mary, Mexican veteran-surely he is
not one to hold with such bandit as
John Murrell and his gang of cut-throats
Still, we will try it while longer, though
the next turning leads to the Kenneth
place and you would be assured of a
good nights rest, and the Lord only
knows when we will get into Carrollton
at this rate Of progress"
The lady still shook her head, and,
leaning from the window, encouraged the
negroes to make greater efforts to extri-
cate the painting horses. There was a
sudden heave of the body of the vehicle,
and as the wheels emerged once more, a
crack, and the driver cried: Oar, now,
the axle done bruk, marster, an what we
gwine do2n
That settles it, Mary" said her hus-
band 1--WE can go no further"
Then calling to the men, he ordered
them TO cut loose the two front horses
from the carriage and bring them to the
| side, where he and his wife might mount.
This done he led the way to the planta-
| ton, the mansion house of which showed
its chimneys Just over the tops of the
! trees, while behind rode the servants on
| their own steeds or the other carriage
horses. AS they approached the house a
| group of dark -browed men was seen CON
gregated on its wide, vine-hung porch,
and fire of curious glances was turned
on them.
A tall old man, with snow-white flow
ing beard, rose from his seat in the midst
of the crowd, and came forward to take
Arthur Shannon S hand as that gentle
man held out his own, saying:
This is Col. Kenneth is it not? l
have heard much of you, sir, much from
our mutual friend, Judge Irving, of Jack
son, and have vent ured to throw my wife
and myself on your hospitality Our car
rage has met with an accident
Il thank the accident that has sent me
such guests, ." said the old man with the
punctilious courtesy that marked the
ante-bellum southern aristOcrat Come
in at once. My daughters will welcome
Mrs Shannon, and supper will be served
in half an hour"
He led the way into the house with no
notice of the men on the porch, who were
all gone when the Shannons came down
to supper in the splendid old-lashioned
| hall. The Kenneth boys alone re-
NAMED They were f1ne-looking, we'll
grown young men of silent yet alert man
| ner. saying little, while Col Kenneth's
| daughters, two dark-eyed girls of II or
| Is, rarely spoke except to invite the at
tention of their guests to some dish. 1t
was not until Mrs Shannon had retired
with her husband to their chamber that
she dared even suffer her thoughts to
| dwell on what she suspected. but on her
expressing this, her husband laughed and
told her to go TO sleep, as they had long
Journey before them on the morrow
But sleep was far from the little
| wOmans eyelids, and she Law awake
thinking of many things, until at last her
| quick ear caught the sound of fifteen or
twenty horses being ridden into the yard
before the house, and sprawling from the
bed she ran to tine window, and pceping
out saw the men of the afternoon dis
mount and enter
Soon a murmur of voices announced to
her that parley was being held in the
room below, and a fever to overhear what
was being said took possession of her.
| She could see a figure pacing up and down
before the house, evidently on guard, so
| that the congress below must fear inter-
| ruptiOn or capture. She quietly opened
the door and stole down the dark stairs
| leading up to the second floor, and which
were unlighted, as was the hall below.
| She paused at the door, under which a
| glimmer of light told her was the council
chamber, and listened
mo, will not have it. They are my
guests said the voice of her host, and a
low murmur told that the appeal to the
laws of hospitality had found answer in
| many breasts, but a tone that made her
start took up the question. 1t was that
of neighbo of her own, a man from the
east, but then this band numbered mem
bers from every quarter.
"Well, boys, were in this thing for
| business and not sentiment. And / hap
pen TO know that Arthur Shannon car
ries over 81, 900 in bills about his waist in
belt THE senior speaks truth. We
are engage in dis for the silyare, not for
de fine talk ane feelings. Eef dis gentl'-
man has money it is our business to tex
care of it for him" said the sibilant
tones OF a Mexican.
lit will go to swell the little nest-egg-
is not that what you people sayl-hidden
down in the swamp
There was sudden exclamation and
cry of The chief! the chief" as a man
swung himself in at the window opening
out on the yard. He had passed the sem
tinel with muttered signal word, and
thus taken his followers by surprise.
Murrell, the celebrated robber chief
tain of the south before the war, stood be-
fore them, his keen black eyes glancing
about him and noting every face.
What is the dispute?' he asked and
when Col. Kenneth placed it before him,
answered briefly, Hospitality protects
him. Now, men, there is more serious
business before us tonight. The COVER
nor has offered $4,000 reward for the be-
trayal of the band, $40 600 for me. dead or
alive, and s., 600 in gold for each of you il
taken separately"
He paused and looked about once more;
then. with his eyes narrowed to mere
lines of lurid light, went on
"And F'redericks has played the Judas
and sold US"
Every man leaped to his feet with
deep curse and drew the knife al his belt
as IL eager to draw it across the traitors
throat, but an uplifted hand stayed
them.