Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1909-08-26
lIsprlns nom the LIppIngo.. saIlIon q ISL
CHAPTER XVI.

by the talbh OF my bodyI / did
hear Il whispered, replied the tin
ker; though. as / am an honest
man, l did not believe il
Whilst this little knot OF news
mongers continued upon the quay.
discussing the rumora OF the dav.
and now and then enIiveninR thelr
dropping spirits with resort to
the rod lattice of the Crow and
Archer. behind which Matty Scam
per and Dame Dorothy BY turns
administered the refreshm0nt 0f d
cup OF ale or some stronger pnta-
lion, two boats we're discovered an
preaching the harbor from q point
below st. Inigoe's and making as
much speed as their complement OF
oars would allow. AS they neared
the quay, II became apparent that
the first cOntaineda colin attenedd
by the fisherman's family, and Two
priests; the second was freighted
with jury under the charge Of Mas
ter Giles Ferret, the Coroner.
Whilst the boats are approaching.
We recur 10 our narrative where We
Ieit II 40 the conclusion IL The laet
chapter; deeminR II necessary TO
say that the anxious wife, after
venting some unavailing and aff0c-
ti0nate expressions Of Impotence ae
her husband 3 delay Ia returning 10
his breakfast. sat down 10 her meal
unconscious ofthe cause that detain-
ed her mate and ascribing bis alb
sence 10 that carelessness OF hours
which grew out OF the nature OF his
calling. Noon came, and the frugal
board was again spread for dinner.
but 70 IL came no father OF the won
dering household = still the vacant
seat was not so unusual spectacle
es 70 excite alarm. But when the
sun began TO dip upon the verge Of
the western horizon. and no trace
could DO discerned Of the hOmeward
step OF the fisherman, fears arose Ia
the bosom Of his wife, and long
and earnestly she paced the beach
and strained her sight 10 catch his
expected form. AT length, heading
her little household troop, she saili-
cd forth, with hurried steps, along
the sands, for more than d mile:
and finding no vestige OE him. re-
turned sorrowfully 70 her humble
roof and give up the night 10 thai
sharpest Of all the trials by which
grief may assail the human breast,
the half-hopipg. half-fearing, sill
emit, doubling watcbfulness for the
approach OF evil tidings. which the
heart, by strange presentimeut,
sometimes truly foretells.
At daylight her eldest boy was
dispatched 10 the house OF 50. Int
goes for aid, and very soon some
four or i've persons were on foot TO
sc0ur the country In quest Of the
lost man. A short search disclosed
the dreadful truth: the body was
found La o thicket OF cedar, with
the marks Of bullet through the
brain; the spot within hundred
PAGES Of the. shore Of small inlet
lat this day known as Smiths
creek) that flowed from the Potomac
few miles westward OF Point Look
out. There we're the footprints Of
men upon the beach, and marks Of
the keel OF boat which had been
drawn upon the sand. The wretch
ed wife could only tell Of her hus-
bands departure in the morning:
all other recollections. ia the depth
OF her sorrow, we're swept from her
mind; and the persons who were
busy in seeking out the facts OF the
murder we're obliged to leave the
spot with nothing better then vague
conjoctures as to the agency by
which IL was perpetrated.
The tidlngs we're quickly brought
TO the town. and the Coroner Instant
" proceeded with jury 10 the spot
TO perform the duties required by
the law. His office was soon dis
charged, and, as we have seen. he
was now, early in the afternoon,
on his return with the body Of the
deceased, attended. by the waillne
family and the jury who had pro-
nounced their verdict Of Intentional
homicide by persons unknown.
In the excited state OF parties. at
this crisis, the Proprietary did moi
choose TO risk popular tumult. AL
ready, as was usual at that day.
regardless Of any ascartainod faut
relating TO the murder, common
opinion asceribed II to fhe Indiauss