Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-22
THE EVENING STORY
One of World Famous Works of Literature

branches like canopy over the water.
The gust came securing along; the wind
threw up the river in white surges; the
rain ratified among the leaves; the
thunder beloved worse than ever; the
lightning seemed to lick up the surgeS
of the stream, but Sam. snugly shell
tered under rock and tree, lay crouch
ing in his skiff, rocking upon the bill
lows until he fell asleep.
When he woke all was quite The
gust had passed away and only now
and then faint CLEAN of lightning In
the East showed which way it had
gone The night was dark and moon
less. and from the state of the tide
Sam concluded 1t was near midnight.
He was on the point of making loose
his skiff to return homeward when he
saw light cleaning along the water
from distance, which seemed rapidly
approaching. AS it drew nearer he per-
ceived 1t came from lantern in the
bow Of a boat gliding along under
shadow of the land. 1t pulled up in q
small cove close to where he was. A
about with lantern, exclaimed:
This is the place-heres the iron
ring"
The boat was then made fast, and
the man, returning on board, assisted
his comrades in conveying something
heavy on shore. AS the light cleaned
among them, Sam saw that they were
five stout desperately looking fellows In
red and wooden caps, with a leader in
a three cornered hat, and that some of
them were armed with dirks, or long
knives and pistols. They talked low to
one another and occasionally in some
outlandiSh tongue which he could not
understand.
On landing they made their way
among the bushes, taking turns to re-
lieve each other in Juggling their burden
up the rocky bank. Sans curiosity
was now fully aroused, SO, leaving his
skin he clambered silently up ridge
that overlooked their path. They had
stopped to rest for a moment and the
leader was looking about among the
bushes with his lantern.
Have you brought the spades?" said
one.
They are here" replied another,
who had them on his shoulder.
we must dig deep, where there will
be no risk Of discovery" said a third.
cold chill ran through sans veins
He fancied he saw before him a gang
OF murderers about to bury their victim.
His knees Smote together. In his agita-
ton he shook the branch of a tree
with which he was supporting himself
as he looked over the edge of the cliff.
What's that?" cried one of the gang.
Some one stirs among the busiest"
The lantern was held in the direction
OF the noise. One of the redcaps cooked
pistol and pointed it toward the very
place where Sam was standing He stood
motlonleSs, breathleSs, expecting the
next moment to be his last. Fortunately
MS dlngy complexion was in his favor
and made no glare among the leaves.
'TiS no one" said the man with the
lantern. What plague! You would
not fire of your pistol and alarm the
country!"
The pistol was unlocked; the burden
was resumed, and the party slowly
toiled along the path. Sam watched
them as they went; the light sending
back fltful CLEANS through the drip
ping bushes, and it was not till they
were fairly out of sight that he ventured
to draw breath freely. He now thought
OF getting back to his boat and making
his escape out of the reach of such
dangerous neighbors; but curiosity was
al-powerful: He hesitated and fingered
and listened.
By and by he heard the strokes Of
spades. They are digging the grave"
said he to himself; and the cold sweat
started upon his forehead
Every stroke OF a spade as it sounded
through the silent groves went to his
heart; it was evident there was as little
noise made as possible: everything had
an air of terrible mystery and secrecy
sam could not resist the impulse, in
spite of every danger, to steal nearer to
the scene of mystery and overlook the
midnight fellows at their work. He
crawled along cautiously, therefore, inch
by inch. Stepping along with utmost
care among the dry leaves, he came
at length to where a steep rock inter-
vened between him and the gang.
Sam slowly and silently clambered
up the surface of the rock, and raising
his head above its naked edge, beheld
the villains Immediately below him, and
so near that he dared not withdraw
est the movement should be heard.
The rcdcapS had nearly finished their
work; the grave was filled up, and they
were carefully replacing the turf. This
oJnc, they scattered dry leaves over
the pace.
And now" said the leader, IT defy
the devil himself to find it out"
THE murderers' exclaimed Sam, in
voluntarily.
The whole gang started. and looking
up, beheld the round black head of
Sam just above them. His white eyes
strained half out of their orbits; his
white teeth chattering, and his whole
viSage shining with cold perspiration.
We're discovered" cried one.
Down with him." cried another.
Sam heard the cooking of a pistol
but did not pause for the report. He
scrambled over rock and stone, through
brush and brier; rolled down banks
like hedgehog: scrambled up others
like catamount. In every direction
he heard some one or other of the gang
hemming him In. At length he reached
the rocky ridge over the river; one Of
the redcapS was hard behind him. A
steep rock like wall rose directly in his
way; it seemed to cut off all retreat,
when fortunately he eSpied the strong
cord-like branch of a grapevine reach
ing halfway down it. He sprang at it
with the force of desperate man,
seized 1t with both hands, and being
young and agile, succeeded in swinging
himself to the summit of the cliff.
There Sam stood in full relief against
the sky, when the redcap cooked his
pistol and fired. The bali whistled by
Sans head With the lucky thought
OF man in an emergency, he uttered
yell fell to the ground and detached
at the same time a fragment of the
rock, which tumbled with loud splash
into the river
I've done his business" said the
redcap to one or two of his comrades
as they arrived painting. He'll tell no
tales, except to fishes in the river"
His pursuers now turned to meet their
companion. Sam, sliding gently down
the surface OF the rock, got into his
skin and made for home. Nor did he
feel himself thoroughly secure until
safely nestled in bed in the ancient
farm house of the Suydams.
Sam always believed those men had
buried dead body; perhaps they buried
treasure. He was always too busy or
too frightened to return to find out.