Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1909-09-09
CHAPTER XVII

WHILST the burial of the fisher
man and the topics TO which IL gave
rise. engrossed the attention of
young and old in the town, Albert
Verheyden, dressed In q riding suit
with q winter surcoator horseman s
cassock loosely thrown around his
person. made his appearance or
horsebacks at the Rose Croft. He
had engaged to ride towards the
Chesapeake with Colonel Talbot and
q troop of followers, to explore the
country as far down as Point Look
out, where rumor had already affirm
ed certain Indians OF suspicious
bearing to have recently landed
from the opposite shore OF the Chesa-
peake. Talbot himself had project
ed this expedition mainly with q
view to sift out and expose the
calumny which imputed the recent
murder 90 the frie nds or the Pro-
prietary; and he was the more whet-
ted in his purpose by o secret ex-
pectation that q vigorous endeavor
would enable him not only to refute
the slander, but to furnish evidence
OF the agency of the opposite party
in the perpetration Of the crime.
1t is one Of the base arts of unprin-
cipled politicians, he argued, even
TO be among the first In charging
upon the innocent the wicked de-
vices by which they accomplish
their own designs. He had re-
solved, therefore, to take the matter
in hand himself. and, at the head
OF q party Of the townpeople, ran
sack the country around the scene
of the murder. for every item OF
proof which might bring to light it's
authors. There was, In addition to
this motive, an underlined and misty
connection in his mind, of tho muir
der with the stories told of the COB
Inns OF the haunted Chapel. "a con
viction Of some wicked influence
active, hedid not exactly know how,
in stimulating the crime. He was
no disbeliever In sorcery and witch
craft, and vague thought hovered
over his meditation that the fisher
mans death might be traced to per-
sons holding relations with the
spirits OF the Chapel. He set forth,
therefore, on his adventure with a
persentiment that some startling
disclosure would soon be made,
which should still more awaken the
thoughts Of the government to the
mischievous character of the beings
who infested the region bordering
on the bay.
His purpose being made known
in the family OF the Proprietary, 10
was with a modest yet eager petition
that Albert Verhayden asked leave
TO accompany him on the expedition,
"a request which was granted with
even more alacrity than that with
which IL was made. The hour an
pointed for setting cut was dalayed
only until sufficient party should
be collected; and this was retarded
by the ceremony OF the funeral and
the common anxiety to await the It'd
ings expected by the coroner and
his attendants. In the mean time
the Secretary, feeling more concern
in the affairs at the Rose Croft then
in the gossip of the town, repaired
thither 10 await the moment of de-
parture. having commissioned the
young Benedict Leonard TO ride as
far as the Collector's and give him
warning when the troop should take
the ROAD service which the heir
apparent promised TO perform with
the greater satisfaction, as 10 assign
cd him some show of duty In the
general engrossment OF the house.
hold, and therefore conferred upon
him an interesting TO his vanity.
Tia GAnwAkaau