The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1895-04-20

U0lUluK Nh ~cl6VdGlOu, THEY saw tuO puI.
suing boats reach the shore. Then there
was q conference, which finally ended
in the men returning to their boats, evil
IDENTIFY satisfied that it would be impos-
sible to find tho fugitives in the almost
impenetrable woods which at that timo
surrounded the base Of Owls Head.
After seeing the men return to the
island Mary and her companion consid-
cred what had best be done next. There
were very few buildings in the vicinity
of the mountain at that time, only a few
loggcrs' shanties, and it was decided TO
seek the shelter of II of these till day
light would permit them to find a path
over the mountain. O'Erien, who seem
ed to know the locality very well. tool,
them by an intricate path to II clearing
where there was a deserted log house.
Hero they made themselves as comfort
able as circumstances would permit,
when O'Brien asked Mary to tell him
the cause OF her alarm. She was about
to comply, when they were startled by
the sound Of an explosion.
"All were on their feet i'll a moment,
hurrying to the eminence from which
they had watched their pursuers depart.
All eyes We're directed toward the IS
land. No lights were visible now, but q
Fort Of vapor seemed to float over it, al
most enveicning it.
MY God. tho powder magaziEe!'
calculated Blake.
My father, my father!' moaned
Mary. oh, come to himr
And starting forward again she dart
ed toward the boat, the three men fol
lowing. Az the island was approached
q strong smell of g%unpoEder wa no.
ticed, but not Il sound was heard. The
oarsmen rowcd direct for tho opening Of
SINNERS cave. Drawing the boat up
the beach, Mary leapcd out and dar:ed
forward to tho opening Of the cave. Bus
she had not proceeded many PAGES when
she was brought to q sudden halt. There
was no opening. At the end of the cave
appeared q huge rock, while scattered
in all directions were pieces of splin-
tered granite that had evidently hoen
recently deposited there. Both Mary
and Blake, after vainly trying to find
the opening. returned to the boat and
rowed round to the side Of the island,
where there was another landing place.
Both appeared thoroughly aaquaint-
ed with every part Of the island, and
selecting Il of two paths that came
down to the beach they darted up it and
soon reached the crest Of O hill. From
there they looked eagerly around, but
nothing but a scene of desolation re-
warded their gaze. The whole place
looked as # if h:3 boon recently shaken
by some ~yiolont upheaval. Trees were
uprooted, and great rocks were over
turned in all directions. Vainly Mary
and Blake, assisted hy O'Brien and his
companion, searched for traces Of Skin
ner and his crew. Nainly the first two
sought what t o them were familiar land
marks.
Seeing that it was useless to remain
longer on tho island, the four deter
mined to row back to SINNERS house
i'll the hope Of finding somo of the SNUG
glers there, but Oh their arrival the
house Was found just as O'Brien had
left it. AS con as it was light the whole
party returned to SINNERS island, but
their further sca1ch revealed nothing Of
a stan ding nature. There were certain
~ many pieces of boards, broken barrels
and fragments of bales strewn in all
directions, but no trace of a human be-
ing. The whole party were forced to the
opinion that the powder magazine had
by some means exploded, blocking up
both entrances to the cave. and in all
probability burying all tho smugglers in
tho ruins.
Both Mary and Elako told their sto-
ries to O'Brien. Captain Skinner and
his band had carried OF q most extensive
system of smuggling, the goods being
taken from confederates i'll all parts OF
the country. These goods We're first con-
veyed to his store and then concealed in
the underground passage. whence they
were taken to tho little cove and ferried
in boats, of which the smugglers were
in possession of quite a f~lotilla, to the
island, where they were concealed in
the caves with which the island was in
tersected. The smugglers were in league
with several residents in the vicinity,
who came to the island at stated inter
walls for the goods and distributed them
all over the country. Their immunity
from arrest had made them bold, and at
the time Of the explosion there mnst
have been many thousand pounds worth
Of contraband goods on the island.
Regarding Mary's lovers, it appears
that there was an understanding be-
tween old Skinner and his lieutenant,
Jackson, that the girl was to become the
latter's wife OH her twenty first birth
day A StrQnn a~tfacLnnn lal aaAnaaa-