The Van Buren press., 1896-10-17
SMUG6LER kERN'S LAST RUN.

Tn the Wiz pfoaohtoEa q 1oK ASA0,
little 70 the west Of the famous bill, :
a rude stone dwelling was doyetaiied
into : ehasm that broke the scarp Of
the elf some 20 feet below the brink.
Ingress and egress on the landward
side could only be had through a trap
door on the roof but, as much of the
iraille 70 that house came from the
sea, there was also a door in the side
flush with the eliff-faee. from which
anyone stepping would have fallen
sheer on to the rocks below. This diff
Guilty, however. was obviated by the
dropping of rope ladder when ocea-
sion required.
The almost impregnahle citadel
formed the lair Of Steve Kern. the most
daring Of all the smugglers who, 100
Years ago. burrowed and nestei in the
island
Every revenue cutter and preventive
man. frcm the Start to Dover, knew
Steve for smuggler; but It was his
proud beast that not one of them had
been able TO catch him in the act of
running cargo or dispoSing of his
goods. and to this he owed his immun-
ity.
On a November evening in 1904 the
large kitchen, used also as the general
living room of the queer roost, MES oc-
eupied by three persons-an elderly
woman. dark. well-dreSsed. yeungish
man Of rather foreign appearance, and
& beautiful girl Of IS.
TIE elderly dame was Mrs. Kern, the
girl was her daughter Margery, and the
man Vas Pierre Roublot. the French
brandy merchant Of Fecamp. whose eN-
tcnsive dealings with Kern necessitated
frequentNiSits to this side Of the water.
AT least this was the Frenehman's eN-
plantation. though old Kern had long
suspected that Margery's bright eyes
formed the real attraction.
The brandy merchant had arrived
in Kern's lugger the night before for a
three days stay. and had just taken the
opportunity of the smuggler's tempo
rary absence. and Mrs. kern's deafness,
10 make the girl formal proposal Of
marriage.
But Margerv shrank away from the
hand that sought hers. Il am sorry.
Mr.. Ro0hlot. but cannot listen 10 YOU,
she replied. speaking in very good
french. which she had learned from
her mother, Mrs. Kern had been =
Bretagne peasant girl.
And Why not9" persisted RoublOt,
a Soowl darkening his swarthy face.
al 4 Ill L.,
ing and l."
'sSpare me a catalogue Of your viz
tues said Marsery. "You may be all
that ana much more, but the reason
why l cannot WE'D you IS that do not
love ron. Besides" and the girl
paused and bluShed.
~Ah-ha, with your BESIDES which
YOU hesitate 10 define cried the angry
lover. Come. let me finish your sen
tenee for yoa- Il Is that you love the
1onng sailor who assists your father
his uzate. D.c& Langston--is it rot
soe~
But before Margery could utter the
reJogt that roSs 10 her lips, an inter
iupsion occurred that relicye6 her from
liz aeesSSity fer reply. From FAR down
81 ghe 5o01 Of the rope ladder a pistol
shot rang cut. followed by another in
guic& sgccesS5on. and immediately after
ward. evidently startled by the sound.
3 tall young fellow csuse ruaniug into
tae Aischea fVugn one Of the rocS-hewn
Siis ehasnosrs. where smuSg5ed cooGS
Nere STORED
What was thats Where : Cap'n
Kcroe~ he asked.
~oA. Hsck. eriei MarSery. some
thiag hss happened 10 fsther fear
nick i-znSStoa Seizcd a pistol frOn 4
Vgellsle3 rack sui ran 10 he dor.
thro1gh saich the u,ocu was vfSihls
sslfag ever the heavirg ssa. But b.
fcre H. resohed ths la3der. the face O.
Gre 1sceliirs appeared over the dor
Sll ara the r1rSser q the keuSe Sr-anr
nm52y lute the uOc2-a miracle o.
sessity despite hiS sissntie frame and
e. rearS
lis su rights there's 70 clu 10
frsbs yuurseiseS.- hs sad. as ths Won
g Clustered aroun3 hirn- I bl1red q
rl pistol 90 try Il The powder vas vet.
Here, A1rEsrys luSt roll tbs kes int
H. stc-enocm With The rsSt-"
IS $50 a. Mlrgery Vas cut Ct ksar-
ing Ner1 drew he TWO men ASIDE ssd
SID
Ihas VAS a rsrrou shave TIE never
besr - asar tcsS BEFORE. had % Bite
a. eel IS ters 70 save myself Thsrs's
nan dead tcioz--
Were there 2o-e than czss- asked
D. tzr-S-cr
NC. rhe7e vas e-iy o-s- L VAS that
rev S,cteh preventive frou Fortunes
-Sarsg aieIasyre. his uzEs = He
must Asrs e--rs l-1-- tke racks ur6sr
th- cffs at ioa water ard hsi5e- Nm
slf~
-sh. ucn Dieut BIT sea are unhurt.
uT fre~ eNclai-ac3 Ecch1et
~l1s. te DiSSe5 ne ty hlr's
t-.asss. eus ~ 49, S-hsfr- ne u--sfs
q szccl5 r-Stci. 50 ] lei Ain have a
etars sf lad frcz ui1e ard he rolie6
crer. a. seai Is a rsab5t. szts a pa
IL h-'s let bs5e tbsre the tsts uill Ike
81 re a<za tia rtsht into Wlyucuth