Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1897-07-01

S.Ssancs 1cuh saut jug net "
the ancient city with q cargo oi
sugar that was ready for the mar
ket.
The rest OF the sugar crop was
deposited in the CASTLE the de.
fense OF which was entrusted to
Tom Coartenay, the colonies neph-
ew, young fellow of about eigh.
teen years, whs had lived with tbe
fainiiy from bis childhood.
4 Tom was strong, hardy boy, a
bod shot, and had ell the pluck
and tenacity of the typical Ameri-
can lad. of which he was good
representative.
Now, Tom, said Colonel Bulow.
you must keep your eyes open. and
do not leave the house day or night.
Above all do not trust the negroes.
/ believe mine are as true as any.
but there may be traitors. IL the
savages attack you. make the best
defense you can. Frank can help
you a little, and the negroes, some
of them are good fighters. l shall
return this day week. and | hope
there won't be any trouble till get
back, but don't allow yourself to
be caught mapping. These Semi
noles are cunhing as foxes.
Tom promised with boyish impe-
tuosity, and half wished that the
Seminoies might make their attack
so that he could show his quslifica-
tions for fighting the Indians.
He little thought as he saw his
uncle depart that within forty
eight hours he would pass through
the most dangerous adventure Of
his life, and would see ali the Indi-
an fighting that he cared to.
As we have said, a large quantity
of sugar was stored in the castle, ,
several hundred hogsheads at least,
and quite a quantity of molasses,
all in the lower story. Every night
too. most of the negroes came into
the house to sleep, though a few
preferred their cabins.
Tom iadopted at once . course
designed to circumvent any sudden
rush or attempt at surprise on the
part of enemy, and it was well he
did so.
He and Frank Tarr, the latter
being the son of a former overseer
on the place aud who was about
sixteen years old, were the only
whites at the ugar-house.
The two held council inmedi-
ately after the colonel's departure,
and a course of action was decided
upon. Each was to keep watch al
ternate nights, and in the daytime
the house was never to be left open
for any cause.
The stock of rifles in the house
were loaded and placed where they
could be got at easily. and several
rusty swords and pixies were brought
out and polished up ready for an
emergency. Tom indeed did not
mean to be caught mapping if he
could help it.
The fir" Right's watch fell on
the elder lad, but nothing occurred
TO alarm him. though he was cease
lessly vigilant. The second even
ing was cloudy and still, and there
was some appearance of a storm in
the sky.
Before dark. which came on rap
idly after sunset, the negroes were
gathered in the sugar house, and
the doors we're all barred for the
night.
Tom went to rest early, being
worn from his watch of the previ-
GUS night: but he had seen that ev-
erythipg was secure. and he told
Frank to call him at once il he saw
or heard anything suspicious.
He never knew just what time it
was, but it must have been consid-
erably past midnight, when he
awoke suddenly from a sound sleep.
He sprang instantly to his feet, ev-
cry sense on the alerC. An instinct
if we may term it so, told him there
was danger.
He was in the second story, and
he went directly to a window and
peered out into the darkness. All
was blank and a great silence pre-
vailed, still he could not overcome
the sensation that there must be
peril threatening him. Actuated
by shat feeling, he caught mp his
rifle and hurried down stairs. Hs
reached there not a moment too