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

y
forward, the two men stood over the
PROSTATE form of woman between
the trucks, Apistol lay on the ground
beside her, which Austin instantly
recognized as his own. He trembled
SO violently that Dana pushed him
one side and raisetty the slight form.
As he did so, his companion bounded
| past him and in voice in which JOY,
pain aud incredulity were blended
cried out
aas"Oh, my boy, my precious boyl
She has found my Eddiel' and he
caught the little form to his heart
and fairly sobbed aloud.
ID sob, heaven, he is deadl Gerald,
look at himln and the father's eyes
burned with anguish as e'looked on
tue white baby face pillowed upon his
breast.
Dana laid Alice on the ground and
looked earnestly at the child.
"Cheer up, Ned. The little fellow
has been druggel. Listen; his heart
beatsl'' and, putting his ear down, he
heard the faint Autterings which told
of the spark of life still remaining in
the wasted form.
"And Alice, is she"
''She is in swoon, and the sooner
we get her to the doctors the better.
! 1t is quite evident that she was pur-
sued by those scoundrels while rescu-
ing your child, and that fellow yonder
has somewhere in his body ball from
this pistol" picking it up as he
spoke.
Lifting the insensible girl in his
strong arms, Dana strobe down the
track, followed closely by Austin, who
held his boy wrapped warmly under
his coat. After some minutes walk
they were out of the tunnel and
reached the depot, where they drove
directly to DOCTORS. For an hour
Alice lay insensible in the doctors
Office, and when she opened her eyes
Austin whispered in alarm:
''Why does she look SO strangely,
doctor?"
''rhere has been such a terrible
strain on her nervous system that
fear she may have an attack of brain
fever unless a reaction takes place, +"
he replied with some anxiety. "a
good hearty cry would do her more
i good than any of my remedies. /"
'Let her see the child. That baby's
face ought to be enough to melt a
heart of adamant," said Dana, com
passionately.
Austin laid Eddie beside her. She
looked at the little, white, emaciated
face with troubled, sorrowful ex-
preston for an instant and then,
clasping her ans tightly around the
child, burst into a passionate, uncon-
trollable food of tears.
By this time the news of the child's
rescue had spread like wildfire through
the town. Bells were rung, bonfres
lighted, and men, women and children
rushed to the doctors house, ,crowding
the street aud sidewalks. The entire
village had turned out, and yards,
doorways and stoops were alive with
an excited populace. The crowd was
clamoring to see the little hero of
the hour, and cries for eddie Aus
tin" filled the air.
"Ned, you will have to take him on
the stoop to satisfy them," said Dana,
as the shouts and cries were re-
doubled.
Austin took the child out on the
steps, and as the bright light of the
torches fell upon them, cheer after
cheer rent the air. When the father
raised the little inanimate form SO
that all could see it, the excitement
and enthusiasm knew no bounds.
4 Women cried aloud for Joy, boys
shrieked and hurrahed, and many
tear coursed down the hard, weather.
beaten cheeks OF stalwart men in the
crowd. Alice stood beside her
brother, leaning on Dana's arm, but,
overcome with agitation, was led back
faiuting to the sofa.
Reused to indignation by the sight,
some one shouted out. death to tho
child-stealerl' In an instant the
cry was caught up by the excited
throng, who rushed in frantic haste
toward the railroad. Dragging the
wounded man from the tunnel, they
would have lynched him on the spot
had not Dana, with the sheriff and one
or two others, arrived to prevent them.
The wretch was groveling on the
ground in an agony of pain and ter
ror. With haggard face and blood
shot eyes he looked up and cried
aloud for mercy, but he saw no pity
in the white, inexorable faces sur
rounding him. A rope was around
his neck, he was dragged to tree,
when Dana hurried to the spot
"Untic that ropel' he demanded,
sternly.
"We'll string him up to high heav-
en- firstp' answered an angry voice
near him.
"Howeyer deserving the fellow may
be of death, it is not for you to take
the law into your own hands, replied
Dana.
''The deuce take the law and you,
tool What right have you to inter-
fere between that man and jusiice?''
said the man, clinching his fists threat
eningly.
The excitement had now reached a
fever heat. The crowd had quickly
gathered around Dana, who stood be-
side the wounded man; threats and
curses were freely hurled against
both, and the state of affairs began tc
look alarming.
'If the man is guilty he has a right
TO be tried, and I'll shoot the first one
of you who dares to touch him" said
Dana, coolly.
His quiet, commanding tone, and
still more the menacing CLEAN of the
pistol he made no effort to conceal,
quelled the tumult, and the miserable
man was carried to the village jail,
followed ~ an angry, hooting crowd,
ciamorous for his death.
An hour later Eddie Austin was il