The Jersey City news., 1902-08-02
} By Samuel Minturn Peel
CHAPTER III.

When he had learned all that Jake
knew, Adams again assured the negro
that no harm should happen to him
five dollar bill and opened door in the
rear of the Office, which communicated
with the back stairs, for the negro to
make his exit
The captain next summoned Brown
from the room across the hall.
The informer could not conceal his
surprise and alarm as his eyes made
the circuit Of the Office and failed to
find Jake.
Il have dismissed the negro. Mr..
Brown" said the officer without ask
fng the merchant to be seated.
Il presume the rascal has been tell
ing you pack of les said Brown,
perceiving instantly the change in the
captains manner.
unfortunately for you, Mr.. Brown"
renlied Adams s.Jalse has told tie
truth. 1t appears, sir, that you at
tempted to appropriate the cotton your
self in the most contemplate and un-
der,aand manner and, being baff1ed in
your dishonorable scheme, spite and
disappointment have led you to inform
upon others. That duty requires me
to act upon your information causes
me sincere regret"
st is an infamous lie Of that scoun-
drel," exploded Brown. in rage, "and
I'll shoot him on sight"
mo, Mr.. Brown; you will not shoot
jake said Adams quietly. Il give you
notice that if Jake suffers any vio-
lencc shall arrest you, and you will be
tried by a court martial. Further, il
you are found guilty shall make it my
business to see that you receive the
extreme penalty"
The captain looked at the merchant
for some time in silence, then added:
"For some Of the lowest and basest
actions there is no punishment assigned
by law The nature of your guilt comes
under this head. You may go, SIR
At this conteinptuous dismissal
Brown sneaked from the room. When
he reached the foot Of the stairs, he
stopped a moment to try to pull him
self together and resume his usual
manner. Then he walked down the
street to his place of business, sooth-
ing his malicious soul with the thought
that Layburn and Mcriweather would
lose the cotton they had hindered him
from appropriating. 1t was true that
he had been despised and suffered con-
tumely, but he had sown his revenge
IA nd d-
not fail to bear bitter fruit for his enc
mics.
The Edgewood mansion, like most
antebellum southern homes, was en-
powered in mass Of greenery. Great
oaks, stately relics Of the primeval for
est, stood sentry about its wide door,
and here and there lofty pine tow
cred in the air, lifting its crest above
all other growth, and as it swayed
softly in the breeze sang to the ear Of
fancy drowsy legends Of the long ago.
The house itself was built in the col
onnade Grecian style first introduced
by Thomas Jefferson soon after the
Revolution, style eminently suited to
the warm climate of the south, and
up the white columns, softened by the
shade of the gnarled oaks, rose vines
and jasmines went clambering in
riot Of bloom and fragrance.
On one side of the house stretched
spacious garden, filled with roses, myr-
ties, pinks and other old fashioned
flowers, which grew and blossomed in
kind Of wild liberty, delightful to the
eye.
In the center of this bosly Eden was
an old summer house covered with
trailing honeysuckle, whose graceful
tendrils interlaced lattice and roof in
SO intricate a manner as to enable the
frail structure to defy the disintegrat-
ing hand of time, even after the frame
work had gone to decay.
1t was sunset, and Mary Edgewood
was seated on bench in the summer
house listening to old Ben Layburn,
who stood by the door with his hat in
his hand.
The girl was intensely interested, for
her snowy tatting had fallen unnoted
to the ground, and she clasped and un-
clasped her hands as If she were great
ly troubled.
Miss Mary, yo' AK me how Black
Jake fine all dis out when he done lef'
de room? Dis de way it was, young
miss. When de cap'n let Jake out de
door, Jake say he skeered to go down
dem back stairs kaze he didn't know
whar Brown mought be, SO he crouch
ed down outside de door. Den. when
Brown come back in de room whar de
cap'n was, Jake lowed he'd listen an
hear how de lam lay wild Brown an
de cap'n. Jake say he curi's to know
eff de cap'n gwine STAN by him lax he
said he gwine do"
"And you are sure, Uncle Ben, that
Captain Adams is going to arrest Mr..
Layburn and Mr.. Meriweather and
take the cotton away from them?"
Dat what he gwine do, Miss Mary.
Jake heerd him say dat he's powerful
sorry dat his duty compels him toyact
on de inflammation"
The young girls anxiety deepened,
and her fingers trembled yisibly.
An Knows. Miss Mary, dat Cap'n
Adams is gwine arrest Marse ALI dis
night kaze when / heerd Jake's tale
II went a-pyrootin' down to de garri-
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