Year: 1875




swered


"I have! Circumstantial evidence
has condemned me I admit it. looks
as if I did the deed, but am guiltless
of murder! Dropping my percussion
cap box in a mountain stream, return
ed home for more; for without caps my
gun was useless. 1t was n lovely night
and I determined to enter the house by
nv room window, get caps, and return
without awakening my uncle. Itied my
horse to the fence, sprang into the win
| dow, and then heard loud crash, q
call, and shrek in the direction of my
uncle's room. rushed thither "a dark
form dashed by me in the uncertain
light of the room-and I fell over
something upon the floor. With fear in
my heart, / arose, lighted candle, and
saw my uncle's body covered with blood,
gold scattered upon the floor, and my
own knife, which had done the deed, lying
near. picked up the knife; and thus
was found by the negro, and seen by
the peddler. As God is my witness,
I did not murder the good old man who
has protected me throughout life, and
whom I loved as though he was my own
father! am guiltless of the deed, but
submit to my fate"


A silence fell upon all there were,
however, but few who believed the
youth's statement among the latter Was
Mr.. Dewes and his family, who, through
all, remained stanch friends.


Frank Mercer was to be hung, to die
an ignominious death on the gallows,
and hundreds focked to the little town
where the execution was to take place,
to see him die. How were they disap-
pointed to find that the night before he
had escaped How, no one knew, but
he had left note addressed to the gaoi-
er, thanking him for the kindness shown
him while he was in his charge, and his
regrets that his escape might cause him
trouble, but saying he had had an op-
portunity of escaping, and took advan
tage of it, for he had no idsG of dying
an ignOminious death for an act he was
not guilty of, merely to crafty the curl
osity of n gaping crowd. Freedom was
offered him, and he accepted it, and
hoped he would yet be able to prove his
innocence.


This was about the subject of the let
ter, and when it was published in the
local paper, there were some who were
glad that the boy had escaped the gal
lows.


Mr.. Mercer's property was, in his
will, all left to Frank, and it was found
to be considerable. Trustees assumed
charge of it, and before long the quiet
community had settled down to its usual
routine, and the murder and escape
were almost forgotten.


Ten years passed away, and no word
of the fugitive had been heard, and peo-
pie believed him dead. One exception
was Mary Dewes, now grown to woman
hood. She had never believed him
dead, and through her life had treas
ured Franks image in her inmost heart,
the mystery that hung around him but
aiding strength to her regard. Her Sis
ters had married, her mother was dead,
and together with her father, they lived
at the old homestead.


Business calling Mr.. D ives to Havana,
he took Mary with him, and they set
sail from Charleston in fine ship run
ming South. They had been some days
at sea, when in the dead of night the
fearful cry of "Fire!" aroused all
from slumber. The ship was on fire,
aud in vain were efforts made to quench
the flames. The seamen in fright
rushed into the only available boat and
it sank with them, and left them strug,
Cling in the ocean, borne away by the
wind and waves, while Mr.. Dewes and
Mary, the captain of the ship and few
others, were huddled away upon the
stern. awaiting the doom that must over
take them.


"Sail hop


The joyous cry came from the captain,
who had been straining his eyes over the
ocean, i'll hopes of seeing some vessel
coming to save them. Swiftly flying to-
wards them came low, rakish, three
masted schooner, which ever and anon
sent up light, to prove to those on
board the burning ship that succor was
near. Hark the deep boom of gun
is heard, and as the captain listens he
exclaims: "Miss Dewes, we are all
right now cheer up, for there comes q
vessel of-war to our aid"


from the schooner, as she came near the
burning ship, which was being driven
rapidly along by the wind.


"Ahoy" answered the captain.
"Throw long line from your ship,
and I will send you boat" came in
the same clear tones.


The lines wa thrown, the boat at
tached, and, after little difficulty, the
people from the ship were transferred to
the schooner and Mary was soon in the
comfortable cabin, rejoicing over their
escape from horrible death.
At breakfast the next morning, the
young captain of the war schooner de-
scended to join his guests at the table,
and, as he entered, Mary sprang towards
him.


Frank Mercer! Oh it is you-is
it not2"


One glance at the beautiful girl, and,
though years had passed, Frank Mercer,