The Smuggler's Daughter

In the early part of last December my ürm sent me down on Jersey shoreto look after a brig engaged in the coast trade, which had been, run aground oiï Barnegat Bay. Arriving there, I found that she had sustained nu damage, ijut had got lose f rom the sand and was on her way to port. Away from the rush and bustle of New York, and out upon a lonely seacoast in winter, was a novelty to me, and I determined to enjoy a short vacation bei ore returning to the city. 1 had a fancy to see Father Neptune in his cold-weather moods and go i -gunning. I had had enough of town, so I lelt Bamegat and went tour or live mies above Watertown, and put ap at an old red tavern thatcaptivated me by its quaintness. It was desolate enough, surely, for any one who had a relish for such tlimgs. lt was a queer, ramonug structuré, at least i century old, with stone chiinneys built up on the outside, and weather-beaten porches ending abruptly iu ocld places, where additions to the original building had been made. An ancieut elia beat its bare branches over one corner, and two or three weeping-willows hung over an ugly little creek in the rear, making dark nooks that oiïered suggestions of a hundred poasible horrors. Inside was good enough cheer - plenty to eat and drink in a plain way ; and when one had had enough ol that, one could lounge about the big bar-room and study human nature, or look out of the dingy Windows at the sea. Within an hour after drifting in there, I made a bargain with a longlegged, keen-eyed fellow, who said he had a spare gun and couple of flnedogs, to go out for game bright and early the next day. After dinner I set out for a stroll on the beach. It was a glorious day. The sky was the tenderest azure; and the blue waters of the bay, ruffled by the light breeze, sparkled and danced ia the rays of the sun, while beyond the low bar the ocean rolled iu grand majesty away. Existence itself on a day like this was satisfaction ; the crisp, pure air gave inspiration. I walked on and on up the smooth hard sund, never thinking of fatigue, until at least seven or eight miles of beach mu3t have stretched between me and my startingpoint. 'My good Kar),' said I suddenly to myself, 'this is certainly Craig Point- tliat smuggler's den long-legged Jerry was telling you about this morning - and I think you'd better go back.' I sat down upon a rock to look at the place. The scène was weirdly picturesque in this bright weather, but it made one shudder to imagine it under a pall of gray sky, with a driving rain and the waves rushing up against the rocks. The mouthof a sm all creek made asnug harbor, and the wild, jutting rocks aLforded mtny safe nooks for smugglers to run into, while there was not a habitaüon in sight. Yes, it was just the place for these f ellows ; and I was soon deep in picturing out the daring and dangerous probabilities of their outlaw lives. All at once I became conscious }f a friendly presence ; a hearty hanüjrasp was on my shoulder, and a brusque voice in my ear ; 'Karl Meiningen! In the name of all thafs wonderful, how did you get tiere?' 'Detective Brunning!' I cried, 'i ani as much surprised to see you.' 'Never be surprised to see me anywhere, my boy,' sticking his thumbs in his vest pockets; 'but the question is, what are you doing here ? I thought you never ventured out of New York at this time of year.' '1 came down to look af ter the Crescent. She was aground off Barnegat Bay; but she was all right when I got there, and I concluded to return at my leisure, i am stopping four miles above Watertown, and strolled up here to enjoy myself. Now, Brunning, for your side.' '1 ? Oh. l'ni on bu&iness, oi course. There are crooked goods on the niarket again, and I am running them down. Crag Point is a first-class cove for smugglers to put into, and 1 think this is the place to look for my game. I was here on the same errand some years ago, and I can assure jou that I had a deuce of a time.' We paced up and down the sand, talking upon topics of mutual interest, until we saw that the short winter day was drawing to a close, and that the on-coming nicht would brine foul weather. A bank of sullen black elouds ïad gathered in the west, and the seting gun was fringing them with a border of dingy yellow; a damp wind was Dlowing laüdward, and there was every prespect of getting a wetting before reaching shelter. 'Come,' said Brunning; 'go up to Whiting with me.' 'No; come, go down to that ghostly old tavern with me, and go a-hunting to-morrow. Business can wait.' As we started, a girl rushed past us, running with heaúlong speed to the rocks at the water' .■ edge, and, stopping there, clasped her hands on her breast and threw back hw luead as in supplication. A thrilling picture of utter desolation as she stood there upon the wild rocks with the waves dashing roughly at lier feet, the marble beauty of her iace outlined by the waning suulight against the bleak winter sky and her long brown hair blown by the unheeding wind. Detective Brunning clasped my arm eonvulsively. i turn ed to look at kim. He was intensely pale, and staring (ixedly it the wonian on the rocks before us. 'My God! Kar!, that is Dick Waaien' Alice!' turning to me. 'I would rathe see a whole graveyard of spooks! 1 was terrible, l'oor Alice - poor Alice We can't help her,' he sak], in reply to an inquiry; 'she is hopelessly insane. So, lmrry on, or we'll get carried off our f eet, besides getting a ducking,' looking up at the ragged, gray clouds driving across the sky. 'l'll teil you about her after supper. About two hours of quick walking brought us to the tavern, a little wet, but blowu almost out of breath by the gale, wüich had helped rather thau retarded us. A good supper and blaziifg fire soon refreshed us, and nine o'clotik i'ound us seated in the room assigned to me - in that corner with the sreat bare branches of the old elm benttng againat it. Iaside we vvere cozy enough. A great fire burned in the ancient lireplace. Outside it was just the night to teil a terrible story; just the night to listen to it. The howling of the wind, the wild dashing of the rain, and the heavy boom of the angry sea breaking against the bar, made a fit accoinpaniment for any tale of human iife that might be weird, or dark, or terrible, or sad. 'Just such a night as this,' said the detective refiVctively, 'just such a night as this! Heiningen, think of a boat at sea! But I promised to teil you the story - about poor Alice, I meiu. You want to kear it ?' 'Certainly; your stories are always worth listeningto.' 'They oughl to be. l've been in enough queer places. You know 1 told you that I was down here before several years ago. Sonie of the merchants found that a lot of smuggled goods were im the market, and they carne to us to trace theni up. For quite a while we were completely baffled; l)Ut at last we thought we had a clue, and that Dick Warren up there at 3rag Point was the leader of the gang. Some half dozen of us went down and ;ried to work up the case, but Warren was as slippery as an ell, and we could get no hold on him whatever. 'We began to think that we were playing a losing game, when a truinp card turned up in the shape of a young f ello w f rom Cincinnati - a new hand at the business, but as sharp as a steel trap. After making all sorts of inquiries about the case, he asked abrupt' 'Has the oíd fox a daughter 'i' ' 'Yes, sir,' says I; 'he has; just ssveet sixteen, and as pretty as a picture.' ' 'And innocent?' ' 'To be sure. Warren would rather lose hia head than have that little angel suspect him of being a sinner.' ♦Then Corwin leaned back in his Chair and twisted his heavy, black mustache very thoughtfully í'or a few minutes, then with a quick flash in his keen black eye, he sprang to his feet, exclaiming: ' 'Gentlemen, i f Dick Warren is a suauggler, you shall have him safe enough inside of thrue months.' ' 'What are you going to do ?' Make love to Warren's e we lamb, and go into the trade. üo you doubt ïue?' showing his white teeth. 1 'No,' saidl; 'you aredeucedly handsome, and could pass yourself off for a pirate seven days in the week.' 'Well, it was settled that Corwin should work up the case to snit hiniself, and that when he needed help to send for me. 'We didn't hear anythiug more f rom Corwin for three months. Going to headquarters one morning in November, I found a message requesting me to come down to Whiting immediately to meet bim. ,1 found him in high spirit, and confident of getting the whole lot. ' 'My success said he, 'is more than I dared hope for. I have joined their gang; urn personally acquainted with every one of them;know all their craft and the places where they keep their stuff, and have everything spotted, so that there will be no trouble when we are ready to make the haul. And all this, because I am to be Dick Warren's son-in-low. Ha, ha, that's goodl But then, 'he added, with a shadow darkening up his face, 'it's a cruel sharne to make that innocent little beauty a catspaw to draw our chestnuts out of the flre. Yet, what'8 the use to moralize! Business is business, and besides justice demands it,' and he sprang up and began to pace the floor. This was evidently a sore spot, bat he was grit clean thïough, and I knew he wouldn't back out. 'Arrangements were made for me to go over to Crag Point with him. I was to be Corwin's father pro tem.; was to be profoundly ignorant of smuggling operations; only come over through a paternal interest inmy son's bride-elect, to get acquainted with the fainily, and all that, you know. 'Well, 1 made up splendid, and did the gentle patriarch to perfection. Dick Warren never suspected that a tletective's cussedness lay under that white wig and those snowy whiskers until it was too late; 'Warren lived in quite comfortable style, about a mile beyond Crag Point, in a neat brick house which an old maid sister had charge of, and where she now takes care of poor Alice. Well, Alice's lover and her prospective father-in-law were most warmly weïcomed and hospitably entertained. Karl, I can never f orget what picture of loveliness that little girl was. Her face was like a fiower- so fair and Dure and dainty; and her light-brown hairfloaled down like a cloud f uil of golden glints over her blue silk frock. She sang like a bird, and was just as happy as one. Poor little Alice! It makes my heart ache to think of her. 'After retiring to our room, Corwin disclosed his plans to me fully. They were deep and unscrupulous, the cunning knave! Alice's pretty wedding trousseau had already come from New York, and there was no reason why the marriage should not oocur immediately. Corwin had succeeded in persuading them to have it take place in Philadelphia, his native city, We .were to go m a carriage to the home of a dear f riend, who was to accompany us thither; thence to Philadelphia. This was the programme, as they understood it; but as we undeistood it, this friend's liouss was au old deserted mansion fchat Corwiu had got possession of, somu liftten or twenty miles down the coast. fiere he had u, room fitted up in the best style to lake care of a prisoner. The Windows were heavily grated, and the door well secured. He also had bracelets and anklets in waiting. It was his plan, when we got Warren and his daughter safely inside the house to imprison him in this room, and lock the girl vip in another. Then, on the afternoou of the same day, Corwin was to ride back to Crag Point and entice the rest of the gang into asnare, uuder the pretext that Warren had sent him back with a message to tliem on important business. Four offlcers of the law were to be on hand and take tliem in charge. Theii Corwin and myself were to escort Warren to New York and give hirn over to justice. It was beautifully planned, and we liad no doubt but what it would be as well executed. 'The day was not ftne, but apparently no gayer party than ours ever existed. But 1, at least, wasinwardly wretehed; for [ could tbink of nothing but the sudden woe that was to i'.dl on that pretty, bright girl, and dash the light from the sweet brown eyes forever. 'Well, we arrived at Corwin's house and alighted. They suspected nothing, for he had the shutters on one side of the house thrown open and white curtains at the Windows; the hall was turnished and the stairs carpeted. ' 'Walk right in, my friends. 1 have he passport to the house, and will surprise the folks,' said Corwin, lightly, and opened the door with a latch-key. i 'F olio w me: the parlor is un-stairs.' 'Safely inside, the door was qulckly ocked and the key secured. In a twinkmg, Cor win, pule anddetermined, with smile of Satan on his handsome face, ut a pistol to Warren's head, and told ïim that he was his prisoner. ' 'We have you now, niy ftiend, and will put you where you'll never play muge;ler again. Put on the bracelets, running.' "We detectives are used to scènes, ud we had a first-class one here. Waren raved and swore like a nianiac, while poor little Alice lay in a heap on the floor, mercif ully unconscious i'or a few moments of her sorrow. Then Warren thought of her. " 'Oh, my poor little bird, why must they murder you to puuish me! Oh, you heartless, cowardly dogs!' he cried, turniiig upon us with ineffabie scorn and rage. 'You vipers! to sting to death an innocent girl, than whom the angels of neaven are not purer. Smuggler though I be, I could never be so vile a murderer!' "It seemed to be ti'ue; and we tumed to the window in silence. Presently the poor girl opened her eyes and gazed around in a dazed sort of way for a second, then she shuddered convulsively as the fearf ui truth rushed over her, and she closed her eyes again ae if to shut it out. "'Alice, my darling!' cried the wretched man. "All the filial love in her heart aroused at the sound of his voice, and she slowly rose and tottered over to him. Putting her arms around his neck, she laid her soit cheek against his and murmured: 'JDear, dear father, 1 love you. Mist' ortune can never take rne from you.' "Then she sobbed - such dry, hard, bitter sobs, that they broke a fellow's heart to listen to them. After a while she raised her head, and her face was like a wraith. She walked slowly over to Corwin, who stood on the other side of the room, pale as death, but with his lips set firm together. She took his ring off her little white finger, and dropped it at his feet. He quailed as from a blow at the awful anguish and reproach in those despair-filled eyes. " 'Mr. Corwin,' said she, chokiug down a sob, 'I was a l'appy girl who never harmed you, yet you have heaped upon me an agony so great that heart or reason cannot live through. If God is just he will punish you for your crime against the innocent, and may His judgment come quickly,' raisiug her hands and solemn eyes to hêaven. 'It is in vain to ask for mercy for my father from such a soul as yours.' "Corwin opened his white lips as if to speak, but no sound came from them. " 'No,' she said in protest; 'let me not listen Ui yóur traitor-voice. Leave my father and myself alone for a liltle whilo,' wich a wail of entreaty. We w 1 1 utside and left them alone. " 'Oorwin,' said J, 'that girl will be the deatli ot me. It's too awf ui.' "It cuts me to the quick,' he replied; 'but it's our business, you know.' " 'But can't we get out of this for the girl's sake?' "A look of scorn was his only answer. " 'It's now three o'clock,' he said, after a few turns in the hall, 'and I must be back at Crag Point by six. The men will uever suspect me, and by midnight all will be over, and I shall be safely back here. and Warren can esisily be tinishedofl'. Of course we'll see that - that Alice does not suffer.' 'He took a fresh horse and rode rapidly away. L wandered up and down like an uneasy ghost all thejaf ternoon. At six o'clock I carried the two prisoners their supper, and Alice begged so piteously to be lef t with her father that I did not have the heart to take her away. 'The night set in pretty bad and kept getting worse. ïhe rain was f alling fast, and a stiff breeze was dashing the sea against the shore. 1 went out on the porch to wait for Corwin. The moon was at its full, and despite the storm I could see pretty well. Suddenly two figures rushed past me into the wild night. I was utterly surprised. Could it be the two up-stairs? Of course, my flrst impulse was to run af ter them; but a second impulse told me to go and see if it was they - it must have been the voice of f ate, for I went. Tes; somehow Alice had picked the lock - how, I am not satisfled to this day - and she and her father were free. I wished from my heart that they might get where we could never flnd them. I got downstairs just as Corwin dashed up, dripping wet, and threw himself frbm his exhausted horses. "Well!' he cried, 'mine are safe enough. Howare yoursf' 1 'Grone!' l replied: I 'Gone, gonel' he yelled. 'Coward - fooi!' ' 'Take caxe,' I cried, catching hiai by the throat, -wait UU you know.' ' 'I briefly exolained. ' 'Quick, quick! We'll be too late!' ' 'Go yourself,' said I, 'I don't hound children to death.' ' 'Coward!' he hissed between bis teeth. 'I'll blast you in every paper in the land for this.' ' We glared at each other. ' 'Come,' I cried, wiljj at tho taunt. 'Follow where I leud. They went to the sea.' 'In a lew minutes we reached the shore just in time to see the frantic girl and her desperate father pushing out on that fearful sea in a little boat. "Ihere were two boats yesterday,' Corwin shrieked. 'We'll take the other one. She can row like fury; but I can beat her in this storm. Quick! I'll have him or die!' 'Like two madmen we sprang into that frail bark. Karl, Karl! no one ever did such a thirig before. It was like Ilying into the arms of death. What was human strength before that miglity sea. We Vere tossed Iiie a bubble by those vvrithing, mailing, foamiug waters! I know not how long we stood it; but it scemed uge,-. Then there was a wild shriek of the wind; a terrfflc roar of billows, and I knew no more until the sun was clinib ing up a cold November sky. Stiff and battered by the storm, it was long before I could realize who or whp.t or where [ was. Af ter a while I dl agged myself up and looked around. Both boats had been washedashore togpfcher. Warren and Corwin both lay stark and dead- Warren with his han'1 .uffed hands dropped across his breast; Curwin with a great gash in his white temple. Both had expiated their crime - for I can never hold Corwin guiltless. I turned to look for Alicc, and saw her a little waj off- just as we saw her to-night. When she saw me she laughed that wild, blood-curdling laugh of the maniacs, and il has never yet ceased ringing in dij ears.' The storm beat and the sea roared, and Brunning and I studied the tire in silence. 'Poor little Alice!' said the detective, softly, af ter a while. 'If those cruel waves had only borne hor out into the wide ocean of