Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1909-11-11

near: the facts Of his late outrage
admitted none, and the presence ol
the Secretary assured him that the
crime be had attempted 20 perpetrate
on All Souls Eve had been divulg-
cd In ell It's enormity, and with
such full Identification OF the actors
In it as 10 render useless all attemp,
even at palliation.
The uuabashed gesture OF the
buccaneer, his confident port and
look. even Of scorn, provoked an
instant emotion of resentment in the
proprietary, as well as OF the great.
or number OF those who surrounded
him.
Viper i'' he said, ''dost thou an.
preach as with this shameless frons
30 brave our authority In she pro-
vincel Does no sense of crime
soash thy brow. that here, in the
presence OF those whom thou hast
most foully wronged, thou showest
thy dastardly face without a blush
Richard Cocklescraft, YOU came
hither. as all men thought. a peace
ful trader. and found the friend
ship OF the port accorded to you,
without stint or question. Again
and again you left us, and returned: {:
snd the townspeople over gave you
hearty Welcome to their homes.
How brief span is it, since we saw
you breaking bread and sharing the
wine cup with this aged father,
whose daughter, exscrable villain,
thou soughtest TO carry of by force,
in the dead hour OF the night? Hast
thou not plotted against the life of
the Secretary Didst thou no,
murder the fisherman. bloody and
remorseless man2 Didst thou not.
like a coward, strike at the gray
hairs OF this venerable man, when
thou stol st upon him in his sleep?"
No" replied the pirate leader,
in voice loud and angry. undaunt-
cd by the presence Of the chief func-
tionaries OF the province, and un-
tanned by his captivity. He lies
who says | struck at the Collector
though, by st. Iago, Anthony War
den may claim no favor at my hands,
-p
Favor at thy hands |" exclaimed
the Collector. who could not sit
quiet whilst the skipper spoke-"A
boy. who undertakes to play at man 8
game. with men "A boy. to prate
me thus
Il pray you. Master Warden,
interposed the Proprietary, mildly.
do not interfere.
II struck not at the Collector, :"
repeated Cocklescraft; ~ look 70
match my sword with men not spent
with age. When others would
have beaten this old man 20 the
ground. | saved him. | plotted not
against the Secretary's life," he
continued, answering the accusa-
tions which the Proprietary had at
random heaped upon him. "I slew
the fisherman, as a hound that had
been set to track my path. / carried
away this old mans daughter be-
cause | loved her. Are you answer
ed. Lord Baltimore 2"
"Impudent outlaw |" returned the
Proprietary, with an excitement OF
speech altogether unaccustomed,
"dost thou beard US with the con.
fession OF thy crimesP Have the
laws, Of the province no terrors for
thee?"
II never acknowledged your
Lordship's laws" retorted the sea.
man, scornfully. 81 have lived
above them-coming when ] would,
and going when IL pleased me. By
st. Anthony, your Lordship hath
but a sorry set Of lieges! You
might do well to teach the better
half OF the freemen to remember that
Charles Calvert claims to be lord
and master OF this province-they
seem to have forgotten it. You
think | am saucy, my Lord; / have
but one master here-Old Rob OF the
Trencher, my fellow prisoner we
will die in company"
Peace. knavel" CALCULATED Rob.
in his former peevish voice OF com
msnd. Il know thee and thy viii
lainies OF old. Never again call me
comrade OF thine. Thou shalt not
depart in ignorance OF the favor you
owe me, Dickon Cocklescraft. Know
that l save the Secretary 8 life-that
l gave back the daughter to her
fathers bosom"
"Thoul" exclaimed Cocklescraft,
with deeper storm thickening on
his brow. Thou didst thou be-
tray meP"
Il foiled thee, replied Rob, as a
vengeful smile played on his fea-
lures, "in tiny horrid plot;-I saved
the boys life-ha, ha, ] saved his
lifet-and left thee on the island
without a refuRe-thy viilainy de-
served it,"
Betrayed. betrayed by theel'
vociferated the pirate, as with the
swift spring OF the tiger hs threw
himself upon The Cripple. and seiz
ed the long knife from the old man q
girdle. and plunged il deep into his
bosom, shouting as he struck the
blow, BY st. Iago, have paid
thee for iil"
The suddenness OF the deed took
all by surprise, and scarce a step
was made nor hand raised 70 ar.
rest the murderer, who. with a
quickness that defied orderly re-
sistance, turned towards the door
with the bloody weapon in bis hand
AMI pronouncing aloud the watch
word that seemed to electrisy bis
men-'A Ia savaunai" rushed, a,
the head OF his crew, into the
ball. The guards at the we're
door were no less unprepared
for resistance than the persons
within, whilst the crowd ia the hall
gave ground. with that sudden panic
which belongs 10 all unorganized
maSses of man and fed tumuitno,s