Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1898-06-10


the frightened servant girl, rushing
out on the piazza, where Alice Austin
stood looking anxiously down the
road.
Alice hurried upstairs and found
her sistes-in-law lying still and white
on the floor
''Bring me some water and the salts
from the bureau, Betty; she has only
tainted" said Alice, kneeling beside
the PROSTATE form.
In few minutes Mrs. Austin opened
her eyes and said feebly;
''Has Edward come home yet? l
feel so strangely sickl'
"We will send for the doctor pres
emily, Margaret, when we get you to
bed. Ned will he home soon, / hope, :"
and with Betty's assistance Alice
lifted the slight form on the bed.
Three weeks before Eddie Austin,
the two-year-old idol of the house
hold, had disappeared, and oil search
for him had proved fruitless. As the
days passed on hope gave way to
despair, and the heart-broken mother,
weighed down by anxiety and the
cruel torture caused by false reports
of the discovery of her boy, sank into
state of apathy bordering on insan-
ity. Daily was the cry heard through
the streets of the little village of Fair
field 'tChild lost Child lost! Large
rewards offered" till all hearts sick
ened at the sound.
Mothers kept their little ones within
doors, dreading far less the entrance
of the Dark Angel than that tiends in
human form should steal their house
hold treasure to crafty merciless
passion of avarice.
Betty, you will have to take one
of the girls and go for the doctor, ;"
whispered Alice, in alarm, as she no
ticed gray plllor, creeping over the
wan face on the pillow.
''An' shure, miss, none of 'en be
home but meself. And oh, Miss Alice,
niyer can walk alone to Fairfield
this dark, dark night. "a
The girl looked so frightened at the
bare prospect of going that Alice said,
after a pause:
swell, Betty, then shall have to
go. and YOU must stay with Mrs. Aus
tin. If Mr.. Austin returns before
do, tell him have gone by way of the
tunnel, she added. putting on her
hat and walking Jacket.
"The saints deliver us! For Hiven's
sake, don't We be goin' be the tunnel,
Miss Alicel" exclaimed Betty. implor-
ingly.
"Don,t he fr;gbtepad /, ranl;ad
Alice smiling "So train will mass
for nm bour and IL shortens NV walk
nearly mile II i, mat a o,clocL
NOW and sboIl ho hon,o q E,t,o of,ar
= y and a;ving tl,a a;rl soma 80 nart;na t
;n;,notioos abon, h a. s;star A. 70 o
do,vnatoirs Onon;no bar hrothar,s
oscr;to;re in tbe l;brory she TOOL
from nr;rota Jrowar f" avail nocr a.
revolver and onen;nc tbe front door
stannoJ ont ;nto tba darLnaso
Il was n damn cold n;ght in No.
van,hor Tha ,l;nd noaned dnna.;i Ill :,
tbropgh tbo Iooflass traes and ha,ry
clnnds ebasaJ a,nh nthar oorass 81, .
heavens ob.c,r;no, ~, nsoon Crass
inc tho rood Alice waILaJ short d;s
ta9ca and cIamber;ng ovsr stone
vol fonnJ hersaif in tSa narrow otr;o
Of wood which bor1ersJ tba ra;lroaa
on, Follow;no tbs narrow haaten
,,ath tbronch tha +roas gbo saon
roachad tbe sdae of tha ravino TX or
On feet above Tho track Tho natb
Contained ;ts w;nd;rgs down tha sida
of tba cnt Int tLe wey was stony and
in many nIocss dapgerons ,rba dorl-
ness too. prevented ANYTHING like
rapid proeress
She tinel,v reached the bottom Of
the ravine and had crossed 10 the
RIGHT hand track when a low sonnd
among the bushes above her caused
the cold drons To snring ont on her
forehead aud almost stopped her
hearts beating. Quickly crouching
down under an overhanging rock she
listened. Nothing was heard save
the soughing of the wind and the faint
ripple OF a tiny ril running down
among the bushes near her. Sudden
ly the bushes overhead were stirred,
aud stone fell directly in front of
her. She scarcely dared to breathe,
but crouched under the rock with her
hand clasped tightly in her breast
The tunnel was but few rods beyond
her, but she dared not move.
"I'd like to know how much longer
yer going to keep up this confounded
tramp, Pete johnson. It's besn
nothia' but marchin' and counter
marchin' this whole cursed day." said
low, coarse voice among the bushes.