Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1896-06-18
toned their accuracy.

up and asked, rather abruptly:
"The old fisherman who lives yon-
der-what do you know of him?" Z
"Not much," said /, except that his
name is johnson, that he has been in
the navy, and that he has the best Of
regulations for honesty"
"No more?"
"Well, he and his two brothers who
live with him are an unsociable lot,
who keep much to themselves. There's
no woman with them; they're their
own housekeepers."
81 may buy of their fish. Bid the
eldest to come here tonight. You
need not be present" said he. With his
usual ceremonious bow at parting, he
turned on his heel and stalllcd upstairs
to his sanctum.
The order was surprising, in view Of
his desire to avoid his neighbors; but,
though it puzzled me, l sought out
johnson and delivered the message.
That night in my coy office | tried in
vain to discover a reason for the inter
view then going On in the honse on the
knoll. The old fish explanation was
fishy indeed old Martha, the cook, be-
ing quite able, in spite of her deafness,
to bargain for any supplies for her de-
partmcnt. 1t was improbable that La
mar had any notion of setting Johnson
tc spy upon my doings, for he had
used me as means of communicating
with the man, q course he would not
have adopted had he entertained any
suspicious of my faithfulness. 1t might
be that he desired to arrange for the use
of a sloop owned by the brothers, with
an eye to the possibility Of opening
way of retreat by sea in case his pres
ent stronghold became untenable.
Yes, that seemed to be the most reason
able explanation, although, SO far as |
knew, Lamar was not in the slightest
danger of discovery by his enemies.
Such precaution at that time APP
peared to be about as necessary as q
shipment of antidotes for frost-bite to
the llottentots.
Sleeping over the matter gave me no
fresh light upon it, nor was the wiser
for my pains for many II day there
after; but at last chance, the muclleX-
planning, furnished the clcw.
had tarried at the house on the
knoll unusually late that afternoon,
and the sun was setting as | began my
walk homcward. 1t had been a clear,
pleasant day. with a good deal of
warmth in the sunshine, although
autumn was now far advanced; but as
the evening came on the air grew chilly
end the brisk Off shore breeze took on
q touch of the approaching winter.
With turned-up coat-collar and hands
buried in my pockets, | stepped out
hrskly on the tramp homeward, rather
rcconcilrl at the moment to the slen-
dtrncss Of a practice which guaranteed
me an uudisturbed evening. With book
and pipe and an easy-chair, and
bright fire, several hours could be
passed very delightfully."-, with the stiff
breeze whistling through the trec-tops
and signaling warnings to good folk
within doors to keep snugly under COW
err just at this point III my reflections
there came fierce gust which almost
sent me staggering back. My hat torn
from my head, went seward, spinning
like a top in what might have been Il
baby whrlwind. | ran after it at my
best gait, sometimes losing ground and
sometimes gaining, only to see the
gust with impsh pcrversity sweep it
from my very grasp. Then my toe
caught in something, and down | went
in heap. AS | regained my feet the
hat, with u flight as clumsy as that of
hen clearing a barn-yard fence,
Topped across n saltwater creek and
dropped upon the opposite bank. The
tide was at the ebb, and the stream
was neither broad nor deep. Gather
ing such momentum as | could, ] ran
to the edge and gave a vigorous leap.
MY feet struck the farther bank, but
slipped in the soft mud, and once more
| measured my length. spraWling this
time, however, half in the water and
half on shore In the worst of tenn
J,crs | scrambled out of the slime,
picked up the runaway hat, and then
almost dropped it again in surprise;
Tor right before me was wire, strung
as neatly as any telegraph linc,and sup
ported by posts about foot in height.
The chase had carried me into the