MARY MARCY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 193, 22 August 1885, Page 3

MARY MARCY.

I. It was a terriblo night. Snow had fallen thick and fast during thoday, and with the evening n liuico storm hail sot in from the north. The wind swept up tho bay, struck against tho stalwart cliffs of Grand Menan, leaped cxultiugly upward to tho dark forests which crowned thorn and roared triumphantly among the pines. Where tho lino of clill'd was broken the etorm rushed into tho coves ami harbours, hurling the \Yivveg romorsolcgsy against tho strip of shore an.l heaping up the snow in drifts. There vero but few lights to be sent at tho settlement near the Swallow's Tail Point beacon. The lulling folk had fastoned tho rudu wooden thiUtora securely, and a stranger might have thought tho houses deserted had not a chink here and there allowed a streak of light to glisten on thu snow. But there iva< ono liouso at tho cove a littio nput fiotn tho rest, which, com parutively -peaking, was billiantiy illuminated. The tliuttere weiothrowu back, and tho light fill through tho littio square wind.nv pane.-' across the load. The house wan not In great favour with the sturdy fishermen of the neighbourhood. It hud been shunned by thsm for many years, and to its tradition* were not ot tho best, it had for a long time boon tho head-

quarters of the various bands of smuggleri which from tiir.o to time had mado Unuid Menan thoir bano of operations. The owner went among its habitues by tlio nnrao of tlio Squrro—not that lio had any legal claim to t\ c title, but members of tho smuggling bands usually Fclcclcd him ».■; nrbitrator to distribute tlio profits of their vnrious enter

prices according to tlio risk which each took therein. In such muticra his word was law. Moreover, his advice was often sought before a bit; operation was undertaken. Some thirty yearn before, whilo Iho liouso whs ftiil in tlio hands of its original owner, the Squire had been himself o bold, dashing smuggler. Ho kne.s every nook and cranny of the island, and ho delighted to narrate how when the customs officers would be watching for him .'it .Northern head ho would bo casting oil' hia boat from ono of tho coves near the Southern Cross. His skill in taking a craft safely through any weather had been wonderful, and many a time when tiio Government agents, had suspected ho was carrying cooked gooda over to Eustport tliey had been afraid to bravo the storm and follow him. Hut tho Squire's nciivo smuggling dtys wore over. To smuggle in tho Bay of Fundy requires strength, activity, and pluck. Tho Squiru still hud plenty of pluck-that had never failed him-but he was getting old now, ar.d was content to have tho young smuggler.-- gather round him and listen to hia bro^.y etovies of exciting adventure. Those young smugglers wero a splendid set of follows-muscular of limb, largo of heart, and open of countenance, and as square ill thoir dealing-1 with one another us any of the Judges before whom thny would be tried, if ever caught, was reputed to bo. But thoy were never caught, thanks to tho Squiro'fl long head. For they always consulted him before planning their enterprises. He commanded and they obeyed, with tho result of achieving an unbroken series of successes. Indeed, so great was his influonco that thoy listened with marked deference and apparent interest ovon to his etoriea, as though thoy wero new to them, when, in fact, they had heard thorn over and over again. But spinning yarn? was h|d ono weakness, and they liked him too much not to encourage him in ib. The young fellows were in the habit of leading the talk up to a point when ono of his stories would coino in handy, and when they heard him knocking tho ashes out of his pipe thoy settled themselves around him near tho huge open chimney and listened, for tho hundredth time porhap?, to tho story of some adventure in which ho had taken part when liowasas youngasthey. Visitors from tho State-* dropped in now and then, for theSquiie ha<i the reputation of nncrr.';in'; tho tinest French brandy in Cliarl. tfce ln ty—a fact worth knowing on a tempi rj ...,i.c island like Grand Menan. Tho thick weather that evening had driven a number ol young fellows to tho Squire's, and just a-i a gust of wind struck tlio house (mother entered. " Still stormy out, Jim !" questioned tho old man. •' The wind's goin' down a bit, Squire. It's only cumin' in groat gusts now," was the answer. " An' has the steamer got in from Eastport yet?" "Aye, Squiro ; but sho didn't try to round Fi.-h Head in tho storm. She came to anchor in Whale cdvo, an' I take it if there's any passengers aboard they'll stay aboard till mornin'." Just then a man strode cut of tho deep shadow of tho chimney into tho light of tho blazing logs, lie was tall and lank, with a thin, bronzed, weather-beaten face and gn y hair. " You're not goin' home a night liko this, aro you, Al ?" asked the Squiro. "Stay horo till mornin' an' v. oleomo. Why don't you i" "Why don't I?" he an=T">r-rl fiercely. " Because,'' and his eyes i.i. uy v i'h a wild fire, " ho might coma back u.^u i'd not be there to n.oot him !" Wit!*out another word ho opened the door and vanished in the darkneps. A great gust of wind howled down the chimney and made the shutters rattle. Tho Squiie aid tho young follows HOrosilentafowmoiii. n s. Then the-o'd man said : "Thero's no use talkin' with him, v.Jxti he gets on that tack. It only makes l.nn wilder. Tho wonder is ho don't get fruz to death those winter nig-lits " Ho whom the Squire had called Al had been gone but affor«r minutes when a stranger entered. Ho was protected by a long grea! coat with a capo hanging in generous folds over his shoulders. A large black slouch hat almost hid his features. Without romiving the cloak or hat ho took a se:it. a', tiie lublo in tho deep shadow of the chimney «hieh h\ bad just left, and called for a pl,i« of brandy. As tho Squiro brought it to him ho a?ked : " Who's that onme out of here just now and went down the road ? He must be a tough ono to go out a night like this without a hat or a greatcoat." " Who was it?" said the Squire, "It was only Al,"

" And who is Al ?" asked tho Btranger,

"Well,"answered the Squire deliberately "Ican't tell you that in a few words. It'i somewhat of a story as is to bo told aboir him."

Now the Squiro had a weaknoss not only for tiling stories in general, but also a special weakness for tolling the story about Al in particular. Tho young fellows know this, and nudged each other till one of them spoke up:

" Tell us about it, Squire f

'JL'ho riquire needed no further urging. Ho knocked tlo ashes out of his pipe, threw a log on the fire to keep up the blaze, settled himself in his chair, and began :

" It's this wise concerning Al. You young fellows mustn't thing bo's always boon queer in his head as ho is now. Twenty-four yoars ago ho was known all the island over, was Al Carlton. There wasn't a halor, heartier fellow hereabouts than he. Not a cove, nor a landing place among the cliffs, nor a path through the woods but what he knew. There ain't been any ono liko him since, I can toll you. Ho wu3 swift afoot, strong at tho oar, and a better sailor than you could ha' found even among tho fishin' folk. It choers my old hoart now to think o' tho rigs ho used to lead thorn Customs ollicern. He would sail his boat through currents anil rips nhoro they never dared ollow, and aa for tho woods why they had to sond out a party to find the officer who lirst tried to hunt him down in there. You see he knew the woods so well that ho could take a shortcut to tho other side o' the island while the officers wore goin' it blind. "Al and I and some other young fellows joined forces just about that timo, and I guoss I ain't boastin' overmuch when I say that a more successful gang never operated on Grand Menan. Wo managed things so they could never get any evidence against us. They might run us down sometimes, but thoy'd never find any contraband, and if thoy ever found any boodlo thoy'd never find up. It was because we knew tho lay o' the land. They'd take an hour to reach a point wo could reach in twenty minutes, Whon thoy'd think themselves red hot on our track, we'd turn up at the store at Grand Harbour or at ono of the houses along shore, and when they'd pass by we'd be sittin' thero smokin'. Al had a groat way of runnin' for a houso as was owned by a man as was named Marcy. This Marcy wastn't a Grand Menaner. Me came from somewhere down South in the States. Why ho ever caino up to theso cold cliffs no ono could guess, and he never gave any reasons. He didn't know anything about fishin' or sailin', so ho built himself a small houeo, right square on top o' tho north cliff, and mado a clearin' around it. It was pretty poor fanniti', I can tell you, and I guess it was just about all ho could do to make ends meet for himself and hiu daughtor, so I tako it ho wap glad whon we made his house our headquarters for this part o' tho island and gnvo him a share of the profits for it. The houso wasn't far from Indian cove, so wo'd bring tho contraband in small lots to Marcy'a anl load it from there onto our bout in tho cove, or of a calm night wo could bring our boat right to tho foot o' the elitf and let tho goods down by ropeß. Marcy and his daughter Mary, had beon thero about fifteen years when wo began operatin', and Mary had grown from a todin' child to a tall", handsomo girl. You know, boys, I'm an old bachelor, and never ha' been much of an authority on girls, but 1 could tell she was different liko from our Grand Monan women. She looked as if shod been born in parts where women ain't accustomed to work, for she was smooth and poft like, and quiet in her ways. You know most of our girls are fair complocted. But Mary Moray was dark-black hair curling over her forehead and large brown eyes. She didn't go about much among the fishin' folk, ami sort o' bore herself aj if she thought ahe was a bit bettor than tho others. 1 ahvaya took It that tho Marcys had seen better days in tho States. Marcy himself didn't POOtn to tnke kindly to fnnuin'; he hadn't the hands of a workingman whon ho came here—and Mary, though sho did all .-he had to do quiet and gentle like, without compluiuin', looked as though she hii' fitted bolter into ono o' tho gentry mansions at St John than tho small house on the North Cliff.

"As I was sayin', sho wasn't on special good terms with tho ehoio girls anyhow, and when they found that Al was going up to tho North Cliff so often they wore more down on Mary than over. You see Al was a handsome, dashin' young fellow, and as easy like with tho girls as i was sheepish, lie could ha' had any of 'cm for tho askin', but ho never took it into his head to ask.

" \yc hadn't made our headquarters up at Mary's long beforo I know Al would never have eyes for any of tho shore girls. I was suro when I'd seen him and Mary to<jothor half a dozen times that ho was soft on Mary and Mary was soft on him. Woll, boys, I felt good over it, for I thought a heap o' Mary. As I was tolliu' you, sho bore up so (.'ontlo and quiet liko, and was such a helpin' hand to Marcy, though you could soo as it was again hor naturo to work hard, that 1 couldn't help resijoctin' hor. Many a time wo got to Marcy'a beforo Al, for ho knowin' tho woods so well used,to bring the valuable contraband by a roundabout path to our headquarters. Till he came Mary hadn't a quiet moment. Sho was all tho timo for join to tho window and peopin out into the darkness and listeniu' for his footsteps. An'-the moment shod hear thorn she'd fly out to meet him, no matter how thick tho weather.

" So you can fancy wo wasn't much surprised when ono night, just aftor wo'd put out from Indian cove, Al told us that he an' Mary Marcy was go'.n' to be marriednext spring. When I'd passed around my ilask and wo'd each had a swig in honour o' the event, I couldn't help tellin' Al I thought ho had tho nicest girl on Grand Monan." "'An' that I have,' ho replied. 'And wl-on wo'ro settled in the houso wo'll mako tho hoadquartera a littlo livelior for you.'

11' May be then, Al, Mary'll give U3 a bit of attention 'stead a lookin' out for you all the whilo. Have you told tho news to Black Bob yet?" " ' Black Bob can go whore ho belongs,' paid Al.

'' And whore's that ?" I asked

'"To tho devil I'

" That wasn't tho first time wo'd spoken o' Black Bob.and ono or tho other of us wishod him to tho devil. Wo'd had a harder time smugglin' that winter than over before. In tho fall tho Government had increased tho number o' custom officers, and placed in command one o' their crack men from tho border—a man called Black Bob, by reason o' his raven hair and oyos. Wo soon found out that in Blaok Bob wo'd met somethin' like our match. Ho was strong, hard as a rock from exposure to all sorts o' weather, quick as the lightnin' and a genius in his way. Ho spent the first threo weeks ho camo horo gettin' the lay o' tho land. Most of thotimo he was in tho wood?, compass in hand, makin' marks hero and thoro on tho trees. Quick running through the woods had always been a strong point with up, especially with Al. It linrl saved us nn.ny a time. But after Black Bob had been heio a month wo didn't find ns much safety in tho fnrcats ns before. Agaitj and again he was right on our track. " You may think it was his idea of duty as put him so hot after u=. But it wasn't that so much as his hatred of Al. Ho found out soon after comin' to Grand Monan that wo made our headquarters at Marcy's. Old Marcy told us ono night that Black Bob had been there that day tryin' in a roundabout way to bribe him to give us away. The trouble was Black Bob saw not only Marcy, he *aw Mary too—an' Christopher, didn't lie take a shino to her. From that timo on ho hung around tho house and tried to bo sweet on Mary till she told him ono day plainly he'd better pave his line speeches for some one else, as she'd already promised herself fo Al Carlton. 'Al, is it?' ho exclaimed (so Mary told us afterwards) ' I'll run him down some day yet.' Ho kept his woH, (00, and if Al lia-in't been such a gamo ono Hob would ha' brought him down ill a fortnight. I'll do Blank Bob justice Ho was'quick and reckless to danger and ns fearle;s as any of us.

"The 2i!nd of December twenty-four years ago was as stormy a day at thia a fierco wind howling up the bay and whirling tho snow over iho roads. It was just the kind o' day a3 suited us, and late in tho after neon, when thete were no signs that the storm was goin' down, we me: and arranged to cross tho bay that night from Indian Covo. Tou sco we thought even Black Bob would hug the fire on a night such as that promised to be, and, at all events, we were pretty sure in rcckonin' that if wo once trot off from Indian Cove, no ono would dam follow us over the water, for no ono on tl c Ultmd but Al could handle a boat in such a storm. I and tho others was to be at Marcy'a about half after S, and Al waa to bring some contraband through the wood?, calculating to get to Marcy's about 9. Wo were right in thinkin' the Etorm would hold on into the night. The wind was howl-

ing over tho north oliff when we reached Marcy's, and it seemed as if the house itself might bo carried away by one o' them great gusts. " It wasn't more than a quarter to !) when Mary Marcy, who'd boen watching at tho window for Al, said quickly and nervously : ' Something's gone wrong. Al's making for tho houso at the top of his speed !' A moment later we heard fast footsteps and Al, Hushed and heated, rushed in as Mary opened the door. With a girl'a swift wit sho shut it as quickly as possible, even before he'd spoken. " ' It's all up,' he said hurriedly, ' if they find me hero. Black Bob and his gang'a right down on me thia time.' " The.c was no time to lose. Even while ho was speakin' we heard their tread comin' up the galk from the garden gate. "Go in there, Al,' said Mary, pointing to the door of her own little room, oft the room where ho was. ' Maybe you can get out by tho window while they are in here or soarohing tho rest of tho house.' "But the door had barely closed on Al, before we knew that escape by the window was impossible, for we heard Black Bob stationing soma o' kis men around the houso. We were sittin' unconcerned like around the table when Bob and the rest o' them entered. They was a little taken aback at first, seeiu' us so quiet, but in a few moments the leader said, with a sneor : 'Nono o' your Grand Menan games now. Al Carlton's in this house. We saw him enter. Wo'vo found the goods ho threw away when wo got down on him, and now we want him !'

" Mary rose, and lookin' him straight in the face, said: ' If you think he's here, why don't you look for him ?' " 'That's what we're going to do, Miss Mary,' he answered with a sneer,' 'an'if we find him I guess there'll be a weddin' postponed a couple o' yeara or so. Now, men, four o' you stay here an1 see these folks don't stir. The others search the house with me.'

"The sittin'room and Mary's little room wero built out from the main house, and Black Bob left us with the guard till he'd searched the main building. They returned without findin' Al, (Hid my heart was beginnin' to feel easier, for they made as though they waa about goin', and I thought Bob might think the man he left with us had searched Mary's room. But I guess he mado believe he was goin' just to make things harder for us, for he turned when he reached the door and said, pointin' to Mary's room : ' we haven't searched there yet, Miss Mary, so we're not quite ready to

' Mary rose. She stepped between him »nd the door o' her room and faced him ike a queen. 'That's my room,' she said, 1 and I don't choose to have any one enter.' "' But Miss Mary,' said Bob, with a sneer, 'it would be a pity if we went away without a look at your weddin' dress. We want to sco if it's rich enough for Al Carlton's bride. Stand aßide !'

" Sho remained standing where she was. " ' Stand aside, I say !' he repeated ; and then, as sco remainsd motionless, he seized her roughly by the arm and tried to push her aside.

" ' Unhand me Black Bob !' she cried, her face flushed with anger. " ' Unhand her you, bloodhound !' It was Al's voice. He stood at the door of Mary's room, palo and determined looking. A momont later he had Black Bob by the neck, had mado him loosen his grip from Mary's arm, and had flung him on tho floor. But Black Bob was on his feet in an instant; somothing glittored in his right hand, there was a sharp report, a cry of anguish—a heavy full,

" When tho smoke had cleared away we all ftood strickon dumb with terror. Black Bob had been swift with his deadly weapon, but some one had beon swifter. When the pistol had glittored in his hand there had been a clear spacs between him and Al Carlton, but Mary Marcy had stood between tho bullet and her lover.

" ' Mary !' murmured Al, ' Mary !' " Then when he saw that she neither moved nor answered, he drew himself up to his full height between the officers w h were holding him, and his eyes flashed with

shriekod at oathe i ml/ i 1: mi / Mary Marcy follow you whorever you go ! May you hoo if in your dreams! May it drive you from place to place like a haunted man till it drives you back to Grand Monan I An' when you come back, Black Bob, you'll

•'Well, boys," continuod tho Squire, " there ain't much moro to tell. The next morn in' Al was taken aboard the steamer by Black Bob and his mon, Stragglin' reports came to us from Fredericton how Al had never been tried, but sent to an asylum, bocauso when he reached Frederioton the doctors all said ho was stark mad. I can't say I wonderod at it much, for I thought thero was tho fire o' madness in his eyes when he hurled his curse at Black Bob, The latter never returned to Grand Menan. If ho had, no ono would ha' guaranteed his life for five minutes. We buried Mary almost on the edge o' the cliff on which her fuher's house ctood, and put a white cross over her mound. Old Marcy was all broke up. In a year or two he moved away from Grand Monan, and we've never heard of him since. About eight years after he loft .vord came aa Al had sort o' quieted down, had boon lot ont and on his way back. Ho did come back, but he wasn't Al Carlton. Ho was a wreck of him. Hia mind was awanderin', his face thin, his figure lank and hi? hair sparse and grey. He had one lixed idea thon as ho has now—that some time sooner or later Black Bob would be driven to seek out the spot where he slew Mary Marcy. Tho fancy's grown on him since ho's boon back, for he's been livin' all alone for years in the old Marey's house on the North cliff."

" When did you say it happened, Squire ?' asked ono of hia listenere. "On the 22nd o' Pecember ?"

"Ay, Jim. On tho 22nd of December, twenty-four years ago, at about quarter past nine."

"Then Squiro," said Jim, "it will be just twenty-four yoars in half-an-hour, for this is the 22nd of December."

" Before tho Squire could answer there was tho sound of shivered glass from the table in tho shadow of the chimney. As the Squiro stopped over in that direction tho stranger said quickly :

" I've drunk your brandy and broke your glass, but I gnoss this will cover tho damage and more," and ho threw down a piece of silver.

Then he rose, and with his hat still slouched over his face, stepped hurriedly to the door. As he opened it the last gust of the dying storm swept in and carried hia hat back into tho room. Ho made a hasty grab at it and slammed tho door after a quick exit.

WHBJf Al Carlton left the Squire's the storm was already subsiding. It was dying away in groat gusts, which ewept the snow in his faco and would have caused another man to turn back to the Squire's hospitable roof. But ho went steadily on, bracing himself against erery gust and when it was over hurrying rapidly forward. He kept along the road for a whilo, and then plunged into tho woods to the right. Through these he continued alout half an hour until he camo to the cleaving on the North Clift'. The little house stood at the very edge, almost orerhanging the water. To the right also, near that terrible descent into the depths of the bay, was a mound su'mounted by a whke cnvs. There wore no footprints in the snow. No ono could have been there since Al had loft in the inorning. Al crossed the clearing to the house, but just as ho was about to enter hesitated, as though changing hie mind. A moment afterward he turned from the house to the mound. Ho stood at its head by the cross awhile, and then crouched behind it, his eyes fixed on the point where the wood path emerged onto tho clearing. He remained perfectly silent, scarcely stirring for some twenty minutes. Then he raised his hand a little and listened like a hound that hears a faint sound. Suddenly he crouched down once more behind the mound and tho cross, and again fixed his cye3 on the point where path and clearing met.

Aftei; the departure of the stranger whose query had loosed the Squire's tongue and drawn from him the story of Mary Marcy's fate, the Squire filled hie pipe, lighted it with an ember from the fire and eat silently gazing into the blazo. He had started when ho had caught a glimpse of the stranger's face as the latter hurriedly removed his slouched hat, and his face wore a perplexed air. The young fellows carried on a low-voiced conversation, as if afraid to disturb the old man's meditations. For though the events related had happened so long ngo, he always relapsed into a thoughtful serious state, after telling about his old pal Al Carlton, and his sweetheart. He had proved himself in many ways a true friend to Al, He had

bought the clearing and the little house from Marcy when the latter left Grand Menan, and when Al returned with his mind unable to fix upon any idea but vangoance for Mary's death, the Squiro quietly turned the place over to him. Al was at tho Squire's most of the day, and sometimes until late into tho night. He always found tho place in tho shadow of tlio chimney vacant for him, ancl a hearty "weicomo.

The Squire had been ruminating in silence for some minutes when, with a quick start ho sprang to his feet, his bands clenched and his teeth set. The group at tho table looked at him in amazement.

" Good God ! Squire," exclaimed Jim, "you look a3 though you'd seen the devil!"

"Ive seen somo one worse than the devil," shouted the Squire. ■" I've seen Black Bob—not more than ten minutes. That man who sat there—there in Al's placo drinking my brandy—l, who would ha' choked him if I'd known him—if I'd recognised his cursed face then—that man was Black Bob ! There's not a moment to lose, boys. God knows what may happen if we don't get thoro in time. Black Bob has travelled tho path to the Marcys' hundreds of times. Follow me. We must bo quick !"

A few moments later tho party had plunged into the woods to tho right of the road. Headed by tho Squiro, who seemod all at once to have regained the strength of his youth, they passed swiftly as shadows over the path. They had almost reached the clearing—a moment later their lanterns flashed over tho white snow, illuminating it from the fringe of pines to the edge of the cliff. What they saw made them double their pace. A tall figure in a great cape coat and slouch hat stood near the mound. As tho Squire and his party rushed forward they heard a shriek like that of a wild beast driven to desperation, and saw a form leap from behind the cross and close with the h'gure in the great coat. A short, fierce struggle — then both suddenly vanished. There was a cry of despair, ringing loud above it a a triumphant shriek, and then naught was heard but the booming of the waves against the ledges at the foot of the cliff.

When tho party reached the spot they found tho snow trampled down all around Mary Marcy's grave and from there to the very edge of the cliff. Some of the young men stepped to the edge and looked down. Theysaw nothing but the angry, hissing sea. The Squire stood by the white cross at the head of the grave. As they gathered around him he uncovered his head, and, raising his right hand, said solemnly:

"Boyß ! when Black Bob came back' to the spot where he killed Mary Marcy twenty-four years ago, Al was a-waitin' for him!"— August Kobbe in "Mail and Express."