Year: 1871







ONE bitterly cold morning in Decem.
ber, l, John Carnon stood leaning upon
the gate of my little garden, gloomly
thinking over the badness of trade. was
what they call in our parts iOuster' ;
that is l kept horse and cart, and went
about the country iOusting or selling fish.
For several weeks there had been moth
ing doing; indeed, so bad season had
not been known for years, and my wife
Mary, the old horse, and myself were get
ting unplea:sntly near starvation. | could
have borne this if l had to bear it alone /;
but Mary had been valued servant in
the parsons family, and was not used to
roughing it, and it cut me to the heart to
see how thin and pale she was getting for
want of the necessaries Of lite, which
did not know how to get Poor girl
weak as she was, she was he bravest Of
the two. Many time, when was al
most in despair, her loving arms would be
thrown around my neck, and she would
bid me cheer up and bear my troubles like
man; and | have answered that if
could bear them as patiently as a woman
it would be better still.


While stancing at the gate puzzling my
self what to try that hadn't tried already,
saw Tom Dawes, a cousin of mine, COM
ing along the lane, looking as sleek an
comfortable as well groomed rse. 1t
had always been mi stery TO me how
G. Tom lived, for, let trade be ever so bad,
he never seemed to suffer, but was we'll
clothed, and looked jolly and happy


He was always civil; but as be stopped
now to give me the time of day, he noticed
how queer | looked. Though I'm not
given to talking of my troubles, his SYM
pathy loosened my tongue and told hin
how there wasn't a morsel OF bread in the
.r~ cupboard, and l don't know how to put
.. any there.


He took few whifTs of the short pipe
he was smoking cycling me hard the
while, and then told ne if could keep y
secret he thought he could put me in'the
way of Gaming trihe. 1 was ready 10
promise any thing when heard that, and
when l assured him that would be as
secret as the grave he babe me bring my
old horse to Riders Cave on the follow
ing night punctuslly at twelve. He would
be there to meet me; but l was to ask no
questions. There might be tride of risk
n in what / should have to do, but nothing
wrong; at least Tom saw 10 harm in it,,
4r though others might.


cts smuggliDgl" l said to myself and
l thought of Mary, who would sooner die
than know me to do anything that was
not Just right. ] was about to say no to
Toms Offer but Mary's wan face rose up
before me, and remembered how biting
want was dragging her down to her grave,
Igrew desperate.


I'm yolr man, Tom, risk or no r SIX.
I'll be there to my time, never fear me-"


He grasped the hand l held out, left
shilling in it, and with nod walked on,
leaving me with a weight on my con-
science that had never rested upon it be-
10 fore All that day and the next l could
not meet Mary's eye without feeling as if
l were hiding crime from her.


When evening came l told her that
was wanted for little job of moving at
the next village, and should not be home
till late She never doubted the tale, but
smiled and kissed me when l went away,
leading old Bob by the bride, and fancy
ing that had never seen darker night,
nsr heard the wind moan so dismally be-
fore.


Riders Cave is situated in one of the
most lonely parts OF the Cornish coast, and
there is not house within couple Of
miles of the spot. After riding for about
half an hour l came out of the lane on to
the beach, and another mile or so along
the foot of the cliffs brought me to the
cave. AS I rode into it / heard voice
say cautiously, Gan right John, the boat
will be here directly" and was not sorry
TO find Tom Davies mounted on cob
alongside of me-


Handing me flask with some brandy
in it, he bade me take nip; at the same
S q" time telling me with no little glee that the
{ "coasiies" were mapping, and we should
do them Jolly.


After waiting for some few minutes we
heard the regular click of oars in the row
locks followed by the grating of boat 5
keel on the shingle


We rode out and soon had several par.
GELS strapped on either side of the horses
then with scarcely a word spoken we ser
off, Tom giving me Instructions where to
leave my load, and adding that it would
be as well to part as soon as we got off the
beach.


Away we went, but only to find out first
@ Just as we quilted the shOre-thst the
coast guardsmen were not mapping after
all Two of them sprang at us from be-
hind boulder, and clutched at the horses
brides; but the creatures swerved, and
that saved lis.


'Spur for your lifep muttered Tom in
y my ear, at the same time riding his
staunch little cob right at the men. l saw
one of them roll over on the sand, while
the other jumped aside, shouting to us ia
stop, but we never paused until we were
some distance down the lane leading from
the beach. Then Tom pulled up
~. eve must part uow," he said "Keep
n to the right and ride 9hard for they will
cut you off if they can where the lane
.a winds toward the coast. But give the nag
whip and spur, and you'll be there before
them. OF with you" And so We
parted.


After Tom had left me began to re-
member how awkwaTdly close to the shore
the windings of the lane brought it, and
how easy IL would be for swift runners tc
take short cut across the fields and come
..,. up with me- Bitterly | repented being
.r led into such dangerous affair; and tell
ing myself with clenched teeth that fol
Marys sake l wouldn't be taken, rode
rr'I on more furiousy than before.


The nearer 1 got TO the sea the more
dreaded surprise, and it seemed as if
were so long threading the ius AID outs o
my road, that they must be the first L
reach the spot where anticipated danger
Suddenly was seized with the idea tina
.., If could leap the hedge might evad
them, and quick as thought put Bob a
the dark lineof thorn bushes that loomeI
ahead just where the lane made the las
sharp turn toward the beach.
remember the rising in the air, tn
crash through the top Of the hedge, an,
''''' my own fall which was followed by tn
most unearthly yell IL is possible t
im4gine-a shrek that seemed to di
away in the bowels of the earth, Then