4 3 =,

Vol. VEEL, ~ LITERATURE,

ERA AAA AAS A ON THE MARCH,

er lay on the frown g

only a blanket tight

His wary apd wyasted frame ;

wom ground,

A sold With ned around Down at his feet the fiifal light

40 fading coals, in the freezing night, Fell as a mockery on the siwhti,

A heartless purple thime.

All day long with his heavy Wad,

Wearv and sore, on the mowatain road Aud over the desolate plain

All day long threagh the crusted mud,

dover the snow and through ihe dood,

Marking his wav with a @rack of blood, He fallewed the wiuekuy train

Nothing to eat at the bivonae, Bat a frozen ernst in his baversack,

The half of » comrade s store— A creat that, after a longer fast, Some pampered spaniel might have passed, Ruowing that worse! to be the last

That lay at his master’s door.

No other sound on his slowberfell. ‘Than the lonesome tread of the sentinel,

That equal, measured pace, And the wind that eame from the crackling pine, Aud the dying oak and the, awinging vine,

In many a weary, weary line,

ue

Weekly Hourwal of

rature, and Mews,

olitics, Lite

“This is true Liberty, when EFrecborn Men, having to advise the Public, may speak freeo.”---Enripides.

everything with the greediness with which a eat in ambush watches the movement of a nest of young birds —two short masts were raised, and two lug-sails and a jib were shaken to the wind. The boat, aided by this new power, flew off like a swallow, as the favourable wind caught her sails, and soon passed into the gray dim perspective

\of the coming night.

In a moment, the dark, wily brain of the

lawyer had planved his campaign. lt should | begin that very moment.

He determined at onee to steal round the back of the Zebee, get into the road from the assize town, and then return and enter the tavern as if for a glass of grog on his way home from busi- ness. He would watch the landlord’s man- ner, and either coax or threaten as he found it best.

* So it 7s true,’ he said to himself, as he

rose to execute the plan, ‘and no mare’s |

nest, and J have seen the guinca-boat, after all, and found out where it harbours. A crown to a bad shilling, young Master Davi- son, but I stop your courting Polly, and hang you in a wire-basket before April comes round again, Damerham would have it that it was a mere ghost-story, but I stuck to it, it was not, and I’m right.’

Wedger was a lean, shrunken man, with a yellow puckered dace, with little spiteful eyes, hair powdered in the old fashioned

Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Monday, Febr

. = ~ — eae = = ——=— een aoa ania —-=

ee

uary 16, 1863.

i

—

—— EE

New Series.---No. 6,

mt

up to the bill and with a saucy air of the town clerk now tugged with his teeth at ‘ Well, he didn’t know ; it was a bad affair. behaviour. And now we want to ask you a

ridicule, read it through, in mimicry of the lawyer's manner. tle had completed his perusal, and was aboui to tear it in two, when Farmer Wilkins caught his hand :

‘Stand by,’ he said, ‘ Master Robert, stand by; it’s twenty pounds penalty, the lawyer says, to tear it.’

The young farmer laughed as he peeled off the bill and stuck it on again, turning its face to the wall.

‘The bill’s dated the first of April,’ he saifl laughing ; ‘ and as the fools in Lunnun have said nothing as to how it is to be stuck up ia the inn parlours, let me see the law- yer as ‘Il dare to give evidence against us for putting it up as we like. It is all a dream, this guinea-Moat. They'll want to haag us next, because we coast-people don’t all go and join the men-of-war.’

© Don’t, Bob— don’t, Robert, dear,’ said Polly coaxingly to her lover, laying her hand softly on his arm, and looking up at his angry face with pretty peseeching eyes.

‘We don’t want spies here, Lawyer

Wedger? said the young man, flashing | round suddenly on the rather frightened law- yer,

uncle’s house. If you come here out of your way to get liquor, you may have it like any other tramp; but you shall not sneak about an honest man’s house to work out mischiel ; L’}] not have her worried,

‘obdurate red-tape knots, now split up quill’ He hoped they wouldn’t go and hang any of | question. ; i pens in the hurry of fretfal nibbing. oh | the a fellows; but “a the cat was almost | — er cnioen neaggnn ’ Do you _ ‘Good morning Mr. Wedger,’ said both! out of the bag, he saw no harm in making a_ ites akan thei abhi seni satel. >, ie ' gentlemen, as Mr. Wedger entered, took a clean breast of it, aud saying that the younded man answered saucily : ‘ No more seat, and pulled out a paper. guineas were, he had heard, taken to some than a monkey knows of the bagpipes.’

| «And what is this—-what is this infor- | sea-side inn near Seaford ’ | *Impertinent fellows,’ groaned Mr. Damer- |mation you have to give us, Mr. Wedger?, ‘ Exactly—the Zcbee !’ said Wedger, tri- ham, ‘Oh, you're making pretty rods for Smuggling, of course,’ said the magistrate. umphantly pointing to the feather-end of a | your own backs. This is not to be borne, It ‘Oh, those depraved people of Seaford— pen he held at the magistrate, who wae | oat thom . aoe the men away, and how ry he oA ie = You re- ee, at the lawyet s presamptuces | ‘Lor, it’s never no use asking smugglers ceived, of course, that ill-judged, and, I energy. ‘ Wilson, you may go; yeu shall questions,’ said the preventive-men to each may say, irrational proclamation about these hear from me.’ other, as they jostled their prisoners into the imaginary guinea smugglers. I am'surprised; ‘I shoulda’t wonder if T have some of | next room.

to fied our ministers perpetrating such a these sea-dogs after me for this, gentlemen,| * They do say,’ said the town-clerk to the | blunder.’ but I have got friends bere’ (tapping his| ™agistrate, * that these guinea smugglers are | ‘Not so imaginary, 1 fear, Mr. Damer-' breast-pocket) ‘as havesettled many a high- | cneauraged and led by some young man of bam,’ said the lawyer calmly, ‘as you will wayman, and 1 see no reason why they | 5% seine oe cakd thee ital Wied ie tin! allow, when I tell you what happened to me sbould’at pul) just as true on a guinea smug- | ELLs ! Young men of ae family don’t | only yesterday eve.’ 'gler. At all eveats, i’ve now made clean take up with smugglers and thieves, Im- | Thetown-clerk looked up in astonish- bands on it, and I wish you a very good | possible, Mr. Town-clerk !’

‘ment at an attorney who could actually morning, gentlemen, Good morning, gen-| Mr. Wedger, having received many con- | contradict a live Seaford magistrate. itlemen all, Good morning, Mr °Wedger. : ( " | *To smuggle guineas, sir,’ said the It'll be a pretty stroke as ever you made, | reread ant now left the room with many |magistrate pompous! utting his two | netting them all; but mind when you traw) 7°%% aad mach hand canking. :

oa Sees: Serre wel ee lee : J ‘And now he is fairly gone,’ said Mr. ‘thumbs rhetorically into the two arm-holes for whiting you don't get a shark in the net :

. : , . , : Damerham, looking first at the glass-door. of his plum-coloured velvet waist-coat, and in mistake.’ With this fisherman’s meta-| next at the neehaler and then at om town-

, tion at the lawyer’s want of logie—‘ is the himself up like an old man, and departed. | impression of this person Wedger? Now, ‘act of fools. How can Bonaparte hope to. ‘ We'll catch these miscreants next Tues- 'drain a country like ours of gold? What) day,’ said Wedger nodding. ‘Have two are guineas fit for but to be melted down into | eight-oared custom-house galleys, Mr. Dam- ‘bullion? What can the dogs of French erham, waiting just round the point, beyoud

gratulations at his suecess in unearthing the |

come ,speak fairly-—-remember we are friends.’ ;

* A low, mischievous, dangerous attorney, 1 scale p . Mr. Damerham, who foments quarrels, ineul- *°!7'?5 ® carpenter s' ase; * yes, the Sime pates innocent persons, and preys on the | rey you devils, as the poor fellows who

with a laugh of triamph, as their boat, now

Iiave you heard anything about so much lightened, shot forth as if a steam-

engine had suddenly propelled it. In ten minutes, they had gained considerably on their opponents; in another twenty, their boat was oyt of sight, faded away in the inner brightness of the moonli * If old Harry basn’t had a trick as coxen jin that craft to-night, I’m a Dutebman,”’ ‘growled the boatswain, as reluctantly he gave orders to pull baek to the shore. | * And the blessed golden guineas,’ said the stroke-oar,‘ gone to make oyaster-beds of. ‘It’s a sin and a shame, that’s what I call it. but get home, boys; the cursed boat has witchcraft in it. Sone Bosan ie right: ne one will ever catch it; that’s my ofinion.’ A more serious misfortune, in the mean- time, happened to the companion-boat. The reverue-men had aiready headed it, and were turning to board—cutiasses between their teeth and loaded pistols in their belts when suddenly to their horror, the lugger boldiy pat on all sail, and bore straight down on them. There was no possibility of escape. In a moment, their boat was cut in two, and a few shattered planks were all that were left of it. Three of the men, en- cumbered with their heavy coats, instaatly sank; another clung to the rudder, and for & moment or two floated ; four others, ovine the

‘That [ tell you, though it is my | shaking his large gold seals with indigna-|phor, Wilson muffled up again, doubled clerk, ‘ between ourselves what is your real | for mercy, clung to the gunwales

| lugger. * Mercy!’ cried one of the smugglers,

rot in the ebaine at Cragford got ; we'll have

the Li ‘

Pe. Spe. aenmer’«. hosters Snes way, and with Lixck clothes of a formal and | and ag for Polly, But the soldier slept, and the dreaws were bright, scrupulously respectable cut. Even to his Aud the rosy glow of Lis bridal night, very black gaiters, there was a design m

With the angel on his breast everything he wore. As had once heard of Vor he pasted away from the wintry gloom, a certain merchant on ’Change who gained a Te the pleasant light of « ches | fortune eatirely by wearing a frilled shirt, Where a cut sat purring upon the loom, gold sea's, and a blue coat and brass but-

And his weary heart was blest

‘tons; so he determined to dress, too, in character,and assert his special individuality. | There was almost 2 suspicious air of respee- tability about the guests in the parlour of the Zebee when Wedger entered. Jumper | Davison, the landlord, had his arm fondly round the waist of his pretty daughter Polly. |

His children came—two blue-eyed yirls,

With laaghiag lips and suany curls, And cheeks of ruddy “low

And the mother pale, but love ly now,

As when upon her virgin brow

He proudly sealed his early vow,

She don’t want to haye anything to do with pay the misguided men in but worthless as- | Seaford, out of sight of the Zebee at night-

you.’ signats? 1 tell you, sir, the guinea has fall. Directly the signal { saw goes up ‘No I don’t,’ said Polly, half orying,/ gever been at a premium anywherd? Turn | again, one shall pull for the Zebec jetty, and half fretiully. |to the Ist Geo. I. cap. 4, or to the Clipping another shall cut off the guinea-boat as it ‘Take care, take care, young man,’ said | Statute, second Queen Anne—nowhere do | | makes for the French coast.’ Wedger, ‘ or you'll never die quietly in your | find penalties for this offence, siz: The| The magistrate, puffing himself up, said , Men do not in- |e knew very well what it beeame him to do without interference or direction. ‘ Thank you, Mr. Wedger.’ Now was the time to put on the handcuffs.

bed. You have defamed my character, you | thing is a rank absurdity, | have insulted his majesty’s government. 1 cur severe penalties without adequate | tell you, you are suspected. Take care, [ motive. Now, when I was in the City | warn you, that were I not a merciful man, | Light-horse Volunteers there were’-— - | ee. Milanese eieianietis feat tel I could frame two actions out of what has” Could the town-clerk believe his ——— | miniater sl eho thesis Department masiifien| occurred only this very night.’ | Mr. Wedger actually interrupted the wagis- | jim to give his (Wedger’s) best assistance

‘Frame away, lawyer, and give the devil | trate. to thé Seaford magistrates on the subject of

‘lowed the town clerk's advice to the legger.

widow and orphan; but with mach power | ; ; ; at head-quarters, ever since he helped Lord | 088 to rae an car'c. us.” And as he Traneover at the last Seaford election. Be- tbe eit th b aaa ry ee at wreteh sides, he has, I am told, a strong personal | are fell bleeding Sela eee motive in thia case, for be bas been slighked | (14 these telingatsliod thei hold, Gal: 58 by the pretty daughter of the landlord of the | bodiwacds 2 al ’. Zebec. My advice is, however, don’t check | 4 . ned » and were almost instantly him ; do whatever he wishes. If you don’t, | "Then crowding all sail. the la ‘ : ’ ’ fs crew of

he'll set all the corporation by the ears, and atraicbt for Graveli ith

plunge us into endiess expenses, sir.’ entities aa gumiiie “The hie ales The magistrate—contradictory and a very | this cruel murder. and while all Sen ford wus

lion in public, in order to show he was not | shuddering at the news, Wedger’s son ran

led—in private was a very lamb. He fol-| away from his father's housc, leaving a short

letter behind, te = that, sick of the Jaw,

The attack on the guinea smugglers was care- and the severity and dullness of his father’s

iully planned by Wedger—planned with all

‘fOtoudt sbout the fact that even Lawyer”

In the summer, long age.

Bui the reville wild, in the morning gray, Startled the beautiful visiou away, Like a frightened bird of the night; And it seemed to the soldier's twisty brain Bat the shrill tattoo that sounded ayain, And he turned with a dull, uneasy pain, ‘To the cawp fire's dying light. <->. :

THE GUINEA SMUGGLERS.

A STORY OF THE COAST.

It wanted but a few minutes to seven o'clock on an April evening, in the year 1812. The moon, iu ber second quarter, had just graciously showa hersclf to the world, gliding into sight from behind a dark rolling bauk of cloud. There was cextainly |

Wedger thought it a gracious and pleasant night. A mile from Seaford, and on the chalk-cliffs, was, however, not exsotly the | place where one would have expected Law- yer Wedger to have been found at such an hour. A clean skin of parchment was a pleasanter sight to him than a field of young corn ; and a tin deed-box, labello! in white letters, * Re Dawson,’ or ‘ The Hotourable Fitzcarder’s Mortgage,’ a sweeter view than the moonlight ever shone on from Seaford cliffs. But let us not think evil even of an_ attorney. Perhaps a successful action at the assizes, then holding at the neighbouring town, had warmed his mil!stone beart, and sent Wedger out te bless nature, and in his | turn to receive her blessing, My Lord Bacon, in the middle of his bribe-receivings | asd present-takings from suitors, would often, we are tuld, go out into hi: stately garden, and there, taking off his jewelled hat, stand bareheaded in the rain, receiving on his bald cerebrum what he, noble pedant, was pleased to call * Heaven's benediction.’ | Why, then, should not Wedger, imitating that great example, and haying, perbaps, | that morging got his parchment-chains well | round some new victim, pot have come out to bathe in the moonshine, and to feel his old wizen heart grow young again in looking at the great gray wall of the sea ?

Wedger was a hard, cruel, unjust man, every one round Seatord knew; but be bad feelings. He had love for that prodigal | seapegrace son of his; he was human at least | in that one corner of his heart. Why not, | then, in others? His manner as a mere lover of nature, however, was rather calcu- lated just at present to excite suspicions. He skulked about in the shade of trees; he evidently shunned the open path ; he peered, he pryed, he stared at particular holes in the cliff; in fact, he had more the manner of a terrier locking for a wounded rat, than that of a good man taking an evening-walk. A sarcastic person might bave said that he looked as if he had dropped a writ over the cliff somewhere, and was trying to find it. Weill, on Lawyer Wedger went along the elifl-path, dogged by that uatiring bailitt, bis black shadow, for all the world like a blood- hound ou the trail, seratching here, nosing there, stopping at this place, hurrying over that place, evidently bent on some mischief, and making straight for a little sea-side ino, the Zebee, the tile-reof of which could just be seen far away to the left.

Suddenly, Wedger started—yes, started as if lightning had fallen and ploughed up the turf at his very feet, then fell on his knees, avd crouched in the shadow of a ehalk-pit, as if he were trying to make him- self as small as he possibiy could; gt the same time he ground his yellow teeth, slap- ped bis thigh, and exclaimed in a low breath : * Thank God, | have it at last.’

A red light had shown itself for an instant from a window of the Zebec, and was an- swered by some boat out at sea. could be no doubt about it to any one who knew anything of the bad goings-on at Sea- ford and its neighbourhood. It was 4 smuggler's signa! that had been given from

'

the window of that public-house — a signal letter with a quiet smile, ‘I sould hike to to land, or a signal warning of danger. sce the man who’jl dare to touch that piece

Lawyer Wedger did not know which, but it ~~ him a clue he bad long wished for, for

now knew that the Zebec was the depot of smugglers, as he had suspected.

asa water-snake, shot out of the darkness into the moonshine; it was pulled by four men, while ong stood at the helm, and pointed the boat straight for the French coast. In &® moment — and Wedger’s eyes received

fey iv’t@o SOOber there,

Three or four farmers sat gravely at their brandy and water, and looked steadily at the kettle, as if they were watching a tardy chemical experiment. They all rose and bowed, like automatons, through the smoke, as Wedger entered and called for a glass o! hot rum and milk. Ove amphibious sea- coast farmer was in the midst of a stolid }

sea-song, something abogt

It blew great guns that night,

It blew with main and might,

With a fury, and a savage lion’s roar ; It ble W 80 bard, d ye s€e, il you licredit Ben and me, lt blew away the wig of our brave old commedore

But even the applause given to this song seemed forinal aad mechanical, and there was nothing hearty in it at all.

‘Rom and milk, Mr. Wedger, sir; and how do you do? Any news at 'sizes? Here; Polly, ren ond heat the milk at the kitchen- Lake a seat, sir. Here; there's room between Muster Jobson aud Muster Wilkins.’

* Thank you, friends—thank you, Davis- on,’ said Wedger, bowing coldly and grand- ly, taking a seat, as if intentionally, not where the Jandiord bade him, but elose to tne parlour wall, and laying his loaded stick on the table as he spoke. ‘ Plenty of sugar, if you please, and nof too much rum. U'm a temperate man. Lawyers must keep their heads cool, in order to get other folks to run theirs into hot water, eh, eh 2 News at the assizes, Davison! Well, not mych; except that they expect to hang those three smuye!ing fellows from Keastbourne.’

There was a slight involuntary shudder ran through the room as the lawyer spoke so coolly of hanging smugglers, and one farm- er, perhaps unintentionally, crushed a stray piece of coal with his heel,

* Every one, too, is talking of this guines- boat that has been seen on the coast lately.’

* Pack of lies!’ said Davison sulkily.

‘And where’s Robert to-night?’ said Wedger, looking round for a smart young farmer-cousin of Polly’s, who was generally said to be a formidable rival of tke old lawyer’s in that quarter.

* Gone to Eastbourne for a load of malt,’ said Dolly blushing, and speaking with nervous haste. ‘ Didn’t you meet him, Mr. Wedger ?’ .

* Nort I,’ ssid Wedger, in his turn taken somewhat aback, not having been, in fact, near Hastbourne at all that day. ‘ But lies or no lies,’ he added, feeling in his pocket for something, ‘ ministers and the govern- ment believe in it, for the guinea smuggle- ing increases terribly, and here’s a proof of it,’

And, as he said this, he drew a large posting-bill out of his pocket, and moisten- ing four wafers. which had been previously attached to the four cogners, he stuck it, with a slap of his bony hand, on the parlour wall, just over Jumper Davison’s head. It read thus:

“GUINEA SMUGGLING.”

“This is te give notice to seafaring men and others, that a reward of £150 is oifered to any one who will apprehened or assist In the apprebensiou of any srilor, boatman, or other on the coast, en- gayed in smuggling guineas to France. Vivat Rex.

* Wairenanr, April 1, Sie.”

‘Look you here, Mr. Wedger,’ said the landjord, starting up, quite red in the face ‘I'll not have the paper of my inn parlour, spoiled by your cock-and-bull posting-bills, not for you or any lawyer in the country.’

As he said this, Davison angrily stepped forward to peel the obnoxious bill from the wall; but Wedger, putting his back to the bill, to keep it on, for several ready bande were now raised to tear it down, drew out a letter from his breast-pocket, and requested silence. The letter wag from the chief- magistrate of Eastbourne, and written by the Secretary of the Home Department. it urged him to do his best to put down the guinea smuggling on the coast, and ordered

There him to have gopies of posting-bills posted up |

iu e¥ery in parloar in his county, Penalty for teariug down or refusing to put up the same, £20 ; second offence, £3U.

‘ Now, then,’ soid Wedger, folding up the

of paper.’ No one stepped forward.

‘T thought that would damp your cou- But rage,’ said the lawyer. At that moment hush! He rose, and crept towards the edge Wedger, who was liftingangry Polly's hand of the cliff, for just then be heard a faint to his lips at the doorway, was roughly splash and fall of oars. Suddenly, from out :hrust one side by a strong, handsome young of the dark shadow of a little bay between man, who entered, and asked in a loud voice the cliffs, a long white, ghostly boat, swift whut all the fuss was about, aud ‘who was

scaring his Polly.’

The farmer pointed to the bill on the

wall. Young Robert, for it was

Polly's lover

merciful ?— Merciful as a weasel sucking at | never move in legal matters without proof.’| cowed; but he bent his head to the storm,

a hare’s blood—merciful as the Goodwin Sands on a rough night. Ha! ha! I say,) friends, a lawyer merciful! Well, that isa

better joke than evgn the fool of a mend Saat contradicted by the chief-magistrate of

about the guines-boat.’

‘I warn you,’ said Wedger, throwing, down the money for the rym and milk, | |‘ there are queer reports at Seaford of this | | Z.bee inn.’

‘And [ ware you,’ said Jumper Davison, | spoke to # corpus juris as big as a family better, good sherry. And, befare we part,

the ex-pilot, and now Jandlord—* [ warn | you, for all your nasty threat, that the day) you see the guine-bout, or any one who is | in her, will be the worst day in your life.’

* O ho !—So there is a guinea-boat then,’ Wedger, I am surprised ata man of your \thought Wedger to himself, as he took up! years and sense !’ his stick, frowned heavily at every a 4

_ strode out of the room.

| ‘LT have them, I bave them,’ exclaimed he, |

as he strode rapidly home along the cliff, | and closed his hand as he spoke, as if clutch- ing on a living thing, ‘i have seen the guinea boat; L have found its starting place ; L know the signal for its starting. No’ doubt that young cub of a farmer, too, is one of the lot—and he'll hang. 1 have them thank Ged! I have them ina net, reward, and all. O lucky, lucky walk! But’

This triumphant soliloquy might have lasted till Wedger had reached Seaford, had not a thought of danger suddenly struck a momentary chillkthrough the lawyer's nerves. ‘That warning,’ he thought, * what could it mean # glers wayluy him ?

armed. Ile instantly drew a pistol from his breast-pocket—for he generally went armed—and fired it into the air. There was a flash of light, a report, and then a deeper silence than before. But, to Wed- ger’s astonishmeni, he was answered by a shot in the direction of the Aebec Inn. ‘Then a blue light shone out, and cast a lurid, corpse like light over thecliff, sea, and inland fields, It seemed almost like an omen of some evil to ensue from the events of that night.

‘ Signals again !’ said Wedger ; ‘ why the very air’s alive with them to-night ; but I'll soon smoke out this hive of fire-work- makers,’

‘Twenty minutes more sharp walking brought the lawyer to Seaford. The coun- try town was already still and hushed, for sleep seizes on such places at an early hour, probably becauge jn the daytime it is never very far away from it. There was no sound bat the regretful music of the chimes, as they sang the cirge of another hour, and an oc- casional fitful burst of drunken singing from the Sir Home Popham Inn. Wedger gave

;

a spiteful and suspicious knock at his door—- |

a knock that seemed to say in a staccato way : ‘ Come look alive, for | know there is some- thing going on inside that ought not to.? A trembling slut of a sorvant black with heed- less industry, came shufliing to the door, aud opened it with a rattling of chains. Wed- ger, like most bad men, was a tyrant; he said, in @ cold, stern voice: * Pru, is wy son in ?? Pru faltered out: ‘ Yes, I think so,’

Wedger stepped back a foot or two, and looked yp at the third-floor window. There was no light. He returned. ‘ Liar !’ be said; ‘you know he’s out deinking and gambling as usual. If you don’t tell me when he comes in, I'll discharge you this day fortnight. Mind — d’ye bear ?—and look ’ee, call me early, for 1 have important business with the town-clerk to-morrow.’

There was a crowd of prisoners, smugglers suitors, watchmen, and sailors, in the outer office of Mr. Shipton, the towa-clerk, next morning, when Mr. Wedger, sending in his name and a line written iu pencil on a card, was instantly bowed into the inner sauctum gf the great man, to the enyy and chagrin of a dozen or so of other visitors.

‘The ferret and the terrier always work well together, drat ‘em both,’ grumbled a farmer in top-boots, flapping the door-mat with bis hunting-whip.

But let us follow the lawyer into the great man’s terrible presence, where he was in close confabulation with a local magistrate, a pompous and tremendous person, who prided himself much on the cireumstance of his having once been in the * City Light-horse Volunteers.’

‘There sat the great men, opposite each other, at a table crowded with bundles of |

papers, depositions, and other magisterial

: . . , | more clients!’ said the young farmer. ‘You

rose, and laid his old knuckled and gloved

with rumours, dreams, or ghost-stories. 1

Would some friends of the smug- | |

machinery. Now the great man bowed to glers # : 1 who thus abruptly presented himself, went | the right-haud baudles, now to the left—! Wilson scratched his head, and said: ment will depend very muc

i ° i > ham, : | evine oelj es ela i : & 7 _ * But, Mr. Damerham, I[ have proof; [| guinea smuggling. .The magistrate was the ‘ensp-<gith which o gaessheapee Grows hie

7 ; jand affecting extreme urbanity, he shook nets round the covert in anticipation of the The town-clerk wag petrified. What, the ! Mr. Wedger by the hand, and "heoked him Bet day’s shooting. Two custom-house gal-

house, he had enlisted, and hoped no further any would be made for him. W

bore the disappointment with deep grief, though he treated the act as 4 mere a

low attorney of the place — the felon’s (or hig important, he might say his invalu-|'¢¥#, remarkable for their swiftness, were | refuge—dare to have proofs to support a! able information. " carefully conveyed into a boat-shed not far | ‘Delighted with your help and advice. from the Zebec, and two crewe of eight Seaford! He was astonished~nay, more, And now, my dear sir, that business being aaee co Ehell ieee —- armed to the teeth, | hei dae have, | settled, and we public men haying a moment’s rier ene ee ah, prepared. -e in- shai . | breathing-time, try a glass of sherry.’ . oP | ale Gy eniag Glas te} Some garbled words of a drunken coast _ Wedger said he never touched sherry when | 42W8 With the boats, launch them, and pull guard’s man, [ suppose,’ said Mr. Damer-) 5)... os anything to be done J off after the guinea-smugglers. The men | ham, somewhat netiled, and refering as he =. Subieaa?®: Well. now. it makes me work | ete eager for smugglers as half-starved ; : ; greyhounds for a hare. They had heard) that the guinea-boat was painted white, 80 as to best ee detection at night; but) this time, taken by surprise, she would have | no chance of escape. They were all eager for the reward, waived glitteringly before | their eyes by Wedger. The sixteen men) spent the whole morning of the appointed, day in grindiug their valine patunenging their pistols, for they swore, whether or alive, no guinea smuggler should thai

| J

Bible to hide his annoyance ; ‘some dream let me ask you, my dear sir, how you get on

of a suborned fisherman, 1 suppose, again, with your son that you once consulted me |

who swears he has met a great white boat @bout; not so wild, Lhope? Why not hen)

twimming with loose guineas. Tut, tat, Mr. | hijp to sea! No school for wild youths like | © a& man-of-war.,’

W edger shuddered at the thought of losing his boy ; he was softened for a moment by the Very idea.

* No,’ he said. ‘Mr. Damerham, you are

* Sir.

‘ As for our ygars,’ said Wedger, nettled

in his turn, ‘ they’re pretty nea egal." | COLNE Insti HP TERE thet obec

. ifferent calibre 2? dger here | that boy ; he is my only child, my only so- | ™5 7 43 Salt i.e Hifierent calibre Wetger. heen! lace, saa he sehainda De of mi Sear » fe The night came. Jt was dark and heavy, No; I'll try bim again, I think he is sorry? as bad been anticipated. | Almost at the ex- for what he does, for only this morning, when ; 4ct moment that W edger ffad seen, the signal L sat on his bed, and warned him of vice, | from the Zebee window, a rocket rose up| told him how vice turned to crime, and how with a swift hiss into the air, and scattered come here, gentlemen, to speak of what } | certainly sooner or later justice overtakes its golden sparks in a momentary shower, myself have seen not twenty-four hours | crime — talking of these very guinea smug- over the Zebec roof. The next minute, a se-} ago, and not a wile from this very room.’ glers whom we shall soon have on the gallows cond rocket rose in answer from some vessel . ; | 4. | swinging—he buried his head in the clothes, hidden by a point of chalk-cliff. Then there I he magistrate and town-clerk pricked ‘and seemed struck dumb. No, no, there is| was a sound of mufiled oars ‘I think there up their ears, and stared with positivcly | grace and innocence in the boy still ; he’}]| must be two on ’em,’ said a gray old officer, open mouths as the lawyer related the events do, he'll do, sir. He is my Absalom but—’ peering intently into the darkness through a of the preceding night, confirming the cur-| Here the door was thrown open, and a_ diamond hole in the planks of the shed, * for’ rent story of the mysterious white boat that, | voice shouted in a monotonous way : * Two) I hear the cars at the Zebee landing every when pursued, seemed always to melt away smugglers, sir, from Cragford to be examined. time as the rocket goes up over the cliff. | sale the Manes Oificers took ‘em last night, tubs and all, | Now, if I know a spanker-boom from a yard- ite : r d eae | after a tussle.’ jarm, that there boat never sent up that there ery important evidence, po douvt,| «The yery thing,’ cried Mr. Damerham, | rocket. Get your pistols ready, boys, and |

hand on the corpus juris: *I do not come here to waste a magistrate’s valuable time

|

Wedger finished his story by urging strong thing. Call them in, Mr. Town-clerk;! Another moment, and a dark boat could | and prompt measures. ‘ No doubt you have | they'll be sure to know something about the | be seen dimly, its cargo taken in, stealing seen, I may even go so far as to say, a/ guineas and the extraordinary white boat.’ under the cliff, and passing round the shoul- smuggling-boat ; but why a guinea-boat, of | ‘ Bring in the Cragferd smugglers,’ cried | der of land. It is not a white boat, then, all things?) What proof of the guineas, | te town-clerk grandly, through the cau- | after all. | :

jas age F P L | tiously opened door. ‘ Now!’ eried the old boatswain.

|Mr. Wedger? How can we proceed, Mr.

| op The men ran like tigers, with their boats Towu-clerk, on evidence like this? Aj} The door opened, and four custom-house | on their shoulders. ie moment they had : officers entered, leading between them two | a : gentleman sees a white boat, and observes | rough edn i Cath pilot-coats with black | them in the water, and had leaped into corresponding signals; that’s the total of| and eut faces, and with hands coupled to-| ‘em; in another moment the oars were in his evidence.’ “ gether with bright steel handcuffs. The head | the row-locks, and the men pulled swiftly in | * Not quite,’ said the attornery coldly, be-| officer advanced, and made his statement. tween his teeth, as, rising from his chair, he) ‘ Was on duty last night, as ever was, at | opened the door, and cried with a loud voice | Cragford Waste, top of Cragford Cliff, when |

es ae ; [ sces the smugglers’ flash-boxes auswering | ; : to the door-keeper : ‘ Call John Belton. along shore ; and presently down a.road to colour, evidently to better eseape detection

| Befvre the sound of the name thus called! the sea-shore cut in the chalk, I sees, five) #* might; and a long, sharp-nosed, white had died away, a thick-set man, closely | handred yards off, about two hundred horses, | a ae anon a ee | mufited, entered ; what with comforter, long ridden or led by some fifty men, and on every | SW!'tness, an a P ah hoe thie ~~ ih a ‘hair, and hat pulled over his eyes, there was horse two casks of * Godsend,’ as we folk call | Crown-Pleces. wd ee ee

are oe ro "| it. ‘The men were in white round frocks, and 8¥adow of the promontory, as if wafting for no making out face or features of the man. | '*" ie some signal. In a moment, however, they | ay: -__,| every one seemed to carry pistols or cutlashes, | 5 . gp Scie

| His own father could not have recognised | | | 4 they were led by a man on a hig black | had caught sight of their enemies, and with him. Wedger pulled out a deposition, and mare, riding between two brandy-tubs. * We|* shout of defiance and a blaze of small-arms read it; the stranger looked straight in his,shall be soon at home, men,’ says he, as|%* the approaching boats, put out to sea, ‘face as he read; * Deposition of George they passed us.’ jeer y ic omen Gee cod er ‘Wilson alias John Belton, takea down by) * Well, never mind what he said, but get! rom the tang. e lugger tacked. and put-

: ; ies eth Pare : : ft ting out sweeps that moved like two great re nye s the Seaford magistrates, — ee the Solon. ‘ And then you Pre wittge, bore off in = couttary direction tees Apri i Z. *

| ¢ What! stop two hundred horses and fifty | the attendant boat, that shot across the sea | The man nodded assent, as much as to men, your honour? Not 1; I knows better. SWift as an arrow, and straight for the say,‘ 1’m Wilson.’ I, George Wilson,depose But I flashed my pistol as soon as they were ne =. oe <4 that as a eae that I am guard to mail-coach between out of sight, and up comes Bill Davis here, ore oe a tenn ees 1 eft = | Wastbourne and London, and that on the 5th | to where I lay hid, and we watches.’ suacow, ed its white sides wi

a large heavy lugger, painted a light-gray

man’s caprice, a mere intention. He

soon tire of it, he said; he would return when the freak was over, and all his money was gone.

A few days after, news that could not be gainsaid reached Wedger. The guinea smugglers had been tracked to a fisherman's house in a lonely lane not for beyond Kast- bourne. They were going to keep close there all day, and at night to strike into the in- terior. The murderers of the revenue galley- men were, it was well known, among them.