HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Times, 1896-02-14, Page 2TOOLS,
L UTARY 1m:16,
a,•
k= :Q,
3,rr:.,; stone, mien as were•etrewecx enc':; •,snere
about the sandhills, lay piled close by.
rMatt"s alanto11, very amnia w glilaa,, i He lay for some time waiting and lis
Jones was a bad man and went to "visittelling. All at once, far beneath him,
tile fairies." ! the light glimmered again. Quick as
"Yes," elle cried, "duel every time he thought he rose aid crept away, only
goes the fairies give. him sommat, and just in time: for he' lied no sooner re -
;he brings it home." , gained the shelter of the rock and
"Each time you followed him," asked . crouched there wa ling, than he saw
tBrinkley, thoughti illy, "he disappeared the light re-emerge, accompanied by a
t baht the same place?"
human head; a human body followed,
a about
said Matt; dand the light and and thou he clearly+ discerned William
$him sun:: right downjand never come up
"again." 1
' le •;r :r ; t:• aE
The result of the information thus
+communicated was t� leave the young' , ,,1 - in aled he wore: on
1, ,uj fi iw. 5, having conga e t
than of the Gar titer far more curious the which he was engaged, extiuguish.ed the
ever. He determined to turn j light. Then after =lancing sus icioue-
e tables on William Jones, and to watch l round lrini an every side,he walked
-:bis movements, not in the daytime, but • 3'dl d the 1hi11 1 disappear -
Jones
' ti ' ht t' f
Jones standing in tele moonlight with-
out the burden he hhad previously car-
ried, and holding in -his hand a lanter!.
Setting the lantilrn down, William
busied hirexlf fors neral minutes, and
luring ie summer nig , waa mg or
• 'Is appearance in the immediate neigh-
• • aorhood of the Devil's Caldron.
• The firet night he sawnothing—it was
' storm , with wild. gusts of rain. The
•ssecon(d night was equally uneventful.
.Nothing datmted, he went for a third
;and last time, and lay in :he moonlight
:on the cliffs, looking towards the vil-
:lage,
The night was dark and cloudy, but
;from time to tirne the moon came out
`,'with sudden brilliance on the sea, which
'was gently stirred by a breeze from the
• land,
He waited. for several holm. About
!midnight he rose to go home.
As he did so he was startled by the
sound of oars, and, lying down, perceiv-
ed a small boat a ioachin on a silver
paape y own e sa < and
ed in the direction o ' the sea.
Not until he distinctly heard the plash
of oars, and saw theiblack silhouette of
the boat pass out from the shadow of
the rock on to the moonlit sea, did
Brinkley again begin' to stir, and even
then he did so very captiously lest his
figure should be perceio-ed against the
moonlight by the . lynxeeyed cower.
Creeping on hands and lames he again
wine; abut plied against toe inner wall
was a hoard of treasures to make a
smuggler's mouth watt e ox turn a
wrecker's brain.
Puncheons of ruin and other spirits,
bales of wool, planks of.. mahogany and
pile, oars, broken masts, coils of rope,
-tangles of running rigging, flags of ill
natio, , and article:; of ctich material as
is used on shipboard, swinging tables,
brass swinging lamps, masthead Ian-
terna, and llannnnoe1t ; enough, awl to
spare, in short, to fit out a email fleet of
Vessels. Lost in anlazemealt, Blfnlcley
examined this extraordinary hoard, the
a chin elation, doubtless, of luany years.
All at once his eye fell upon a large can-
vas bag, rotten with age, and gaping
open, It was as full as it could kold of
pieces of gold, bearing the superscrip-
tion of the mint of Spain.
0 William Jones! William Jones 1
And all this was yours, at least by eight
of plunder, upon the queen's seaw.ey;
all this welch, turned into cash, would
have made a man rich beyond the
dreams of avarice, was the possession of
one who lived like+. a miserly beggar,
grudged himself audthis flesh and blood
the common. necessaries of life, and had
never been known, from boyhood up-
ward, to give a starving fellow -creature
so much as a crust of bread or to drop a
penny into the ppoor-box! 0 William
Jones ! William Jolles !
The above reflediion belongs, not to
cite present writer, but to my adventur-
ous discoverer, the (captain of the Cara-
van.
Aa Brinkley proceeded on his tour of
inspection he beealae more and more
,truck with wonder. Nothing seemed
too insignificant or too preposterously
useless for secretion in that extraorcli-
nary ship's cavern. There were hops
and brooms, there were holystones,
there were "squeegees," there were can-
isters of tinned provisions, there were
bags of weevil'd biscuits, there were
sacks of potatoes (which esculents, long
neglected, had actually sprouted and
pelt ort leaves), there were ring bolts,
there were tin mugs and pannildns, and,
lastly, lnirabile dictu, there were books
—said books lay piled on the top
of a heap of sacks and were is the last
stage of mildew and decay. For what
purpose hacl they been carried there?
Certainly not to form a library, for Wil-
liam Jones could not read. As curiosity
deepened Brinkley opened some of the
forlorn volumes .covered with mildew
and eVVihifeu crawling things.
Most were in foreign tongues, but there
were several English novels half a cen-
tury old, and a book of famous " Voy-
ages,' also in English ear o thein
were some large paper rolls — ships'
charts evidently, an almost o
Nieces, And on 'the top of the charts
see= tier •I)1U 1l lea Tian( 'ller'lleaa,
"here you would Iok in silks and vel-
vets; got u . , in fact, like a grand de-
moiselle. What would yoit say, now, if
a good fairy were to find you out some
day and were to offer to change you
from what you are to a 11110 young lady
—would you say Yes?"
Matt reflected for a moment, thou slue
followed her feminine instinct and
nodded her lxeael vigorously,
"Ah—by the- way, Matt, -can you
rea` "
Print, not Writing."
"And write?"
"Just a bit!"
"Who taught you? William Jones?"
"No, that he didn't; I learned oft Tim
Pennell' down village, Willia.un Jones,
,1e can't read and he can't write; no
more can 4Villialn Jones's father,"
This east piece of information sot the
young plan thnikiug reo deeply that the
rest of the interview became rather dull
for Matt. When she =lose to go, how-
ever, ho came out of his abstraction and
asked her if she would return on the
folloes•ing day.
"I don't know-p'raps 1" she said.
"Al," returned the young roan, as-
suming his flippant manner, "You find
me tedious company, 1 fear. The fact
is, I am generally affected in this man-
ner in the present state of the moon,
But come to-morrow,'Matt. Yourt'pres-
ence does me good."
However, the next day passed and the
next again, and there was no sign of
Matt, He began to think the child Mal
taken offense, and that he would have
to seek her in her own home, when her
opportune appearance' prevented the
journey. He was taking his breakfast
one morning insides, the Caravan, when
lie suddenly betaine conscious that Matt
was standing oute :cue watching him.
"Oil, you are there, are you?" he said
••dolly. "Come in and have some break
East, Matt." ,
to rose negligentiya went to the 'door
and held forth his hand; Matt took it,
rave one spring and landed inside the
vehicle.
"Tem, another knife and fork for the
young lady—some more eggs and mill:;
to fact, anything 3tou've got!" said
Brinkley, as he placed, a seat for Matt at
the little table.
"All, the reply 1s Clia3'acter'istic, and
clearly shows you. are not at present
fitted to become the possessor of riches,
am 1 shall bring you to the proper
state of mind i11 time, no doubt. Tim
neat time 1 ask you a similar question
yon.will propose to give me a third, the
next an eighth, and so on, until you will
finally came to a proper state of mind,
and decline to give 1ne any at all. And
now that T have made you the sharer of
pay secret we will go?"
They left the cave once more and
glade their way back across the sand -
hills, Brinkley pausing to obliterate
their footprints as they went. When
they had proceeded some distance he,
paused, and took the girl's hand,
"Good by, Matt," said he. " If it
'` a. ibean you'teli ane what you leave ,
been hiding from me all these years. '
Something came ashore with that child 1
something that might lead to her
identity, and you have kept it, thinking I
to realize money upon it, or to have me
in your power, What means it? Speak;
or I'll strangle you!"
But William Jories was- evidently un0 3 •
able to speak, being perfectly paralyzed'
with fear. Monk stretched forth his
hands to seize him again, when the old
man, who had been a horrified specta-
tor to all this, suddenly broke in with:
"Look ye, now, I know there was
seamed. It were a little book, stuffed
in the front of her frock!"
"A book!" returned Moria, eagerly,
"and what did you do with it? Tell me
wasn't for that promised slnashin I that, you old fool! Did you burn it?" ,
should certainly see you home." `Burn it?" exclaimed the other, "No,
"Then do," returned Matt. "I don't mister, we don't learn nothin', William 1
caro if he does smash nee!" - and ine, You know where you put it, 4.
"Probably not, but I do, It would bo William, clear, In the old place.
an episode in your career which it would } "Then curse you for an avaricious old•l
not ue pleasant' to reflect upon --there- ; devil," thundered.Monk. "The book has !
fore, good -by, Matt—and-and God been stolen—do yet'( hear?—stolen by
bless you, my girl1" that young painter!'° j
Ho gave her a fatherly salute upon the He could say no More; the effect of ;
forehead; a bright flush overspread her his words Upon William Jones was'
cheek as she ben -aided. away. Brinkley
watched her until she was mit of sight,
then he turned and strolled quietly on
in the direction of the Caravan.
"It's a strange game" he said, "and
electrical. He gave one wild shriek, and 1
began tearing his hair. It now became
his turn to moan and rave, and for some
tixne nothing coherent could be gotfrom
him.
requires careful waiting' I Vvonder At length, however, Monk gathered 1
what niy next move ought to be?" that there was some secret hiding -place
He thought very deeply, but when he which Brinkley bad discovered,
reached the Caravan he found he had "I thought his poking and prying
come to no definite conclusion as to his meant summat, moaned William
plans. He therefore partook cheerfully Jones. "I fancied, too, I seen marks!
i' the sand,but I never could find no one
the was myown
near, and I thought y
marks. Oh, what will come to mel
I'm ruined!"
"Curse your folly!" exclaimed Monk;
"you've brought it all on yourself by
of the repast which Tim had prepared
for him and after lie
triad stoked a
ottple of pipes in the open air he retired
to rest.
The next morning he began pondering
again.
"I •have got my trump card," ho said your own greed, and you don't deserve
to himself, "but how to play up to ite I should help you; but I will help you l
I - ---•e a spur d' cl 1 ice, but it yi ill want Listen then! 1t is clear b'lat this young
ISA skilful managing •`if I am to win the man has possessed himself somehow of
game. One false move would do for your secret and mine. But from what
crawled to the mysterious spot, and forth 1 ) Z b It me, for my opponents are crafty as he has said to me, I fancy he has not ';
„e
found, as he had indeed anticipated, that
the hole was covered up, and the wooden
lid or trap-door so carefully covered with
stones and loose sand as to be complete-
ly hiclden.
His first impulse was to displace the
debris, and at once to explore the mys
terious place; but reflecting that he was.
-unprovided with lights of any kind, and ' perforce obeyed his rte iters commands. » „ .•
patch of moonlit sea. 3' Mr. Monk, he said. I can meet him death, and began to ,eremble all over.
The moon came out, and he saw that :that the cavity below woald most ter- filled t' hideous o s c aV ling Matt sat down and late with an appe- now on pretty equal telex's. if 1 hint a "I couldn't do it, "sir," ho moaned.
the occupant of the boat was a solitary tamer• be in total darkness, he teeter- tite. Brinkle playe . negligently with few things to him the amiable gentle- "Look ye now—I couldn't do it."
man. mined to postpone his visit of inspec• his knife, and watch 1 her. man may think of becoming just." . Monk stamped his foot impatiently; -
It approached rapidly, making direct tion until ht o sound o£ h this
t. there
It is two clays sin •e you were bore,some He called up Tim and sent him on. e. thea he turneit to his frightened victim.
for the Devil's Caldron. Lying down ...was o sight = 1 N t Matt,"said he. I w s seriously think- errand "Listen to to ins,
!on his face and peeping ovef, Bainkley mg to his feet, he mused. It was all another! g p 1 p •fug of corning to look for you. Why As soon as hews well out o thethe• wgaay ought to know by thhisltime that I have
:saw it stop just outside the foaming ;time, well how talk of
eetorning he spot? ! = d ly d 1 t t wool n't you
t come
e before?"
Matt.
„ 1 Brmkloy.enterecl the !caravan, produced both the power and determination to
:passage, while the man stood up, stop- some papers from the inner pocket of effect my ends. Continue to 'oppose me
ped, lifted something heavy from the ;The sea of sandy hillocks stretched an ! was a tiny prayer -book, slime -covered couldn't!" :his coat, and locked them up securely in and play the fool, and all that power
bottom and threw it overboaad. Then, every side, and he knew by experience {and dripping wet! I "Couldn't? Why?" his trunk. shall be used against you. Do you .
after watching fora momenta dark ab- 'how difficult it was to distinguish one j Whatpossessed Brinkley to examine •'Wh3-, he wouldn't let me, William So far so good," he said. "My aami- hear? I will rutin yep? I will hand you
jest which drifted shoreward, richt into billet.+ from another. As to the cairns i the prayer -book I cannot determine but Jones. He says he'll splash mo if 1
of loose a=ones, sneh cairns were nearlyp 3= able friend may not be in an arniable over to the authorities as a thief—I will
the Caldron, he rowed. away until he - 1 o (in after years he always averred that it ' come Isere and talk to.you."mood, and I don't wish him to get any have you tried for concealing the papers
reached a sheltered creek, close to the 'as nttnreons as tU0 hillocks theins Lves. was an inspiration. At any rate he elite As Matt spoke her Bosom heavoct and advantage of fuel"
which might have proved the identity
At last he thought of the rock where ; and saw that her eyes flashed fire. him the of the child found washed ashore fif-
Here he ran the bot shore and leaped .ho bad first concealed himself. Stitch ! coover en d with writing., the fly
difficult ; "He ain't at home to -day," she said,in ke - of did
herl1 ox0ven takeb t haven witattacl eel to Leer, years ago! Do you hear?" 4
out. rocks TATO numerous, too, but pulling ; to descipher, fast fading away. But answer to the young• man's query
eon - it ill'
:detail piece paper, on which were Mi. Monk evidently knew the nature
The nest minute 'Brinkley beard •hila 'out his case of crayons, he marked the; what more particularly attracted his term,, the oti wreciler , g p of the man with whom he had to deal
8' U f the 1 with 11 streak f some written instructions, he ltd It In
owing up
foxes. «m+d they aro two against one as yet divul� eel it to a single soul, H
What i§'ivy right move, I wonder? 1 is the only human being we have to
wish some good fairy would guide me I" feat. We must cease to fear him. Do
He took out his pipe, which was his 3 011 uliclerstanth"
' usual consoler, and smoked while he No, William Jones did not under -
Tim gave a gruut of dissatisfaction. ! took a few turns on the greensward out- stand; so in order to make his meaning
This "bold colleen " side the Caravan. clear, Mr. Monk drew him out of the
was becoming too mull for him, but he ! "I think I'll pay a domiciliary visit to ear. William Jones turned as white as
as he
called her, Suddenly an idea struck him, cottage and whispered something it his
elle cliffs. ase o it roc c ra sone s at i o 1 attention was a loose rete of arch- to mar at -town mice °wolf t be back b0- for a G '
Trembling .nidi excitement he lay color. Finally, remembering that the :meet fastened to the title ago ipVrth a fo.o night." the Caravan and st htedl off ull)o'1 his 11V1111
after a Little more convel tion,
drift sand might coV el this mark so , , 'am Jolles, cowering like a ..'tio fright -
down flat on his face and waited. Pres- made, he drew out his penknife and rusty pin, and ceveiccl also with written Asp •
L'rxnkley looked at her a sudden journey shote child, 1105 ted implicit obedience.
eptly the man emerged on the top of ; characters. ! thought seemed to strike him. It was a dark, gloomy horning; gin "Nein tliez," said .Conk when he lead
the cliffs, within a few yards . of Brink- ! made a large cross in the hard sand. 1 Fixing the candle on a nook in. the ' "Matt," he said, "you and I will go h g every promise of eomrllg storms. h Aa brought matters to a shatisfactory had
ley°s hiding -place. Just then the moon .ma eng thetaken these wprecautionsyo' he 1 damp wall he inspected the title page, wrecl:11 nting this afternoon; that is, if
e passed through the wood which sir b oui,ion, "yell will show me this hid-
iiashed brightly out and Brinkle ' re- made best of his way down' the , and deciphered these words you've no objection. rounded 11i 1 h t H thed m� • ),ace of oris
•
cognized him. y y ! cliffs,and foilowine the cpen green j p She deo obj had "hone; whistled soft. alnou trees malting l y
"Christmas -eve, 1804, on board the y
Iounc e( On cs L11S House
Win .. „
wherever he y g the_ g .Co this William Jones at first object -
It was William Jones, carryingon his ed backt which fringed ho crags, wander- Ship She
fast breaking 111) on the. went she seemed to bo willing to follow: a moan like the sound of human voices. ed, but Monk Vias then.
shoulders something like a loaded sack, ed to the C the
nee. Welsh coast, If any Christian soul In a very little while the two started off. A gloomy place," said Brinkley; a
At daybreak the nest day he strolled '
and dandling from his left waist a learn ,should fie this book and these lines
lantern. back along the crags, first asking a ; .where I ace them, if they sink not
He looked round once or twice and bird's-eye view of the • village; and per -
with the' .bearer (on whom I leave nmy
ot
then hurried towards the sandhills. ceiving no sign of William Jones, who ,last despairing blessing) to the bottom
Brinkley followed stealthily.The moon h• ad doubtless no suspicion that he
of the sea, or if God in Iiis infinite
now went in, and it became pitch dark. would rise so early, he soon found the mercy, should spare and• save the little
Presently Jones paused, set down his spot where he had stood overnight. „
load and lit the lantern; then he hur- watching the approach of the boat, and ; child. (The book trembled in his hand
first reconnoitriu file Ineighborhood : as he read. The writing, went on :) "I
sled g ' ' cast her adrift in her cradle in sight of
For fifty or sixtyardaa, coarse car- s• truck off aalnongr the sand hills. At
y first he was guided by footprints, but as shore, 011 a little raft macro by my own
e of neensVvarcl cavorecl the cliff
1
pt b s •
then the sandhil-ls bei*au. Passingover the sand grew harder these disappear- i
nd
the first sandhill, Jones disappaihd. ed. At length, afters somewhat be ;she work
be saved. At
Quielt as thought the young man fol- wilclering !cart Vit, he fhuncl the sand '; holy book are the prop
hands. 'Tis a clesperat hope, but He
it is His will
>ached to this
sof her poor
lowed, and, peering over, saw the light hull he sought, the reek with his mark • (lead mother's marriag(I and my dar-
,in the hollow beneath; it rose higher and upon it, the cross marked in the ground ling's birth. May she }live to inherit
higher till it reached the top of the next and finall • the well -concealed mouth of my name. Signed, Ma THEW THORPE
Sandhill, where it paused. Crawling on the lhole.� ! Ma-NieColonel 15th Cavalry, .Bengal."
hands and knee:,. Brinkleyslipped down . He looked keenly to right and left. NoThe = detaining g 1
into the hollow, and then ept upward one was visible. Stoo luxg doVwn, lie des At last Brinklestery y t hst thhook dance
haif- way t(p the mound • lie found a placed the stones and loose sand and des 'is conte its into his )•ket and after
I ltl trap-door with 1�
o candle, and
ks, and out of
the light of
solid earth end disappear. descendmg into the bowls of elle earth.
out the light,
huge rock, behind which lie erouohecl cosec the lap c oor its iron ring.. '
and ee ed. A long pull, a strong pull, and up came • one lock round took t
p p made his way up the rc
As he did so William Jones, light M the trap. Open Sesame! Beneath him the cave. Whn he sal
hand, seemed to dive down into the was a dark caV^-ty, with a slanting path day above him he blew
Anxious to lose no time, he squeezed and crawled up through the aperture.
himself through. thea aperture and be- Then, stanching on the lonely satndhill,
1' he surveyed the scene on every side.
CH-•1PT R X. gap descending. While he did a o m
he herd the hollow roaring he had here was no sign of any living soul,
heard the night before. As he proceed- Carefully, but rapidly, he returned
ed he drew out a box of matches and a the trap-door to its place, covered it
g with the stones and Neral handfuls of
candle which he lit. Pestrai i n eau- loose sand, and walked. away, taking
tiously on his back, and restraining hint- care for the first hundred yards, to
self with his elbows fro'ni too rapid obliterate his footp ints''as he went,
n
descent, he found himself suirouldec.,
not by sand, but by solid rock, and peer-
ing downward, saw that he was looking
down into a large subterranean cave;
Just beneath him was a flight of steps
cut in the soli,. rock. Descending these
carefully, for they were slippery as ice,
he reached the bottom. and found it
made of sea -gravel and loose shells,
forming, indeed, a decline like the sea•
shore itself, to the e ige of which, filling
a1)out half the cavern, the waters of the
sea crept with a long, monotonous
moan. Approechin,; the water's ed:;e lie
saw facing him the solid back of the
cliff, but pet at the base there was an
opening, a sore of slit, almost touching
the waves at all times, quite toucbirl;�
them when the swell rose, and "t:nough
this opening crept beanie of daylight,
turning the waves to a clear malachite
green.
The mystery was now clear enough,
The cave cominunicatetl directly with
the sea, but in each a way as to make
an ,entrance for any largo object impos-
sible from that direction.
Turning his back upon the watcx, and
-holding rip the candle, he eaauhinecl the
interior. - The damp black rocks rase.
011 every sidle, and from the room hung
epon •v and hideorc weeds, like those
funcllo beg soeiL i;. ."n)te:", va,ilt* -of
VIM SECRET or THE CAVE,
For a minute after 'the disappearance
Charles .Brinkley lay as if petrified, and,
indeed, he was altogether lost in wonder.
'What had happened? Had an earth-
quake swallowed the mysterious one, or
hard he tumbled down in a fit? Brinkley
waited and watched ;five minutes had
pawed, ten minutes, ,and still the light
did not re-emerge: •4A.t laart, overcUxne
by curiosity, Brinkley roro, and stoop-
ing close to the ground, crept from the
n ock 1)012111(1 which he had lain con-
cealed, and crawled across the summit
of the aandhill. Suddenly he stopped
short and went down. 01 Mantis and
knees, for he now clearly discerned,
coming out of the solid earth or sand
the glimmer of the light
It glimmered, then disappeared again.
Tust uteri tile 1110021 slipped out of her
Clunc% illtuninating the hillocks with
vitreous rays, and he perceived, close
'by him, a darty .tole, opening in the very
heart of the hillock.
Ile crept closer and looked down, but
could see xithing. IIo held his head
mar the hole and listened; all he heard
w a dull, hollow moaning,, like the
sound of the sea. The light of the noon,
however, enabled flim to perceive that
the hole had been covered with a loose
of woo?. 114 1.,( :(t f,)•tr ''tet
e, and. with an iron ring -bolt in
center; 'svhi.•h lid was now lying by
tide of the t • :ring, ready to be te-
d. A 111;:.,. •r of lame pieces of
k,.
CHAPTER. XI,
MYSTn1•:IOus nEI1Lviotit or THE YOUNG
ESI.* rareak1`.
About this time Mad noticed a curi-
ous change come over her artist friend.
Ho was more thoughtful and conse-
quently less entertaining. Often when
she appeared and begun chattin t to lxilrx
about affairs ire which she thought he
might 'fake 10)/110, interest she had the
mortif ceeion not merely of eliciting no
rept:, but of flailing that lie Batt not
heard a word of her conver:setion.
.'low this style of proceeding wotth1
certainly have caused her some annoy -
a100, bat oor one compensating' fact
which pat the balance entirely on the
other side. It was evident that, despite
the chat, ee, Brinkley'! interest in Matt
was not iessellin ;—na't , it rather seemed
tel be on the nlcreaase-•-and this feet
Matt, very woman as she was, was quick
to perceive
Very often onlooking suddenly at hint
she for;nd :ria eyes fixed wonderingly
and sympathetically llpoll .ler. She
eake"c him on one occasion what he was
tlxira'�i• e about.
alt Mat t," he answered, promptly
• 'TV a-trvr•:-• toirna.smine."'hecorltamed.
"Who knows," said he. "but there
It was Brinkley who led this time, Matt fit residence for such as ile. A clank may be other things having reference to
walking along beside him like a conficl• deed might be committed hors, and who - the child. I mean to see for myself.
lug child ; would know.
"By the way, Matt," he said, present- The path which he+Followed was a
ly, "you told Inc once of treasures being neglected. carriage drive, strewed with
hidden among the suauclhills. Did any stones.
ones: overgrown with ,weeds and bort
body ever find any ?" ere 1 on either side by the thick trees o
"Not that I know on." , the forest. Presently the trees parted
"William Jones, fol' instance?" and ho came in view of the house.
"No. Least ways r. don't know." A large, gloomy -looking building, as
"Well, what would You say, x1i: tt, if I neglected as the woodland, in the center
told you that I had found one?" of which it stood. It seemed as if only
M
and the large
a part of it was inhabited,
,g
"If you.
"Yes. I wonder if you eau keep a garden at its back was unprotected by
secret? Yes, on reflection I think you any wall and full of overgrown fruit
can. Now, before we go any further, trees. Tho door was opelied by a grim,
Matt, first you place your hand in mine, elderly woman. Ho ineuiied for Mr.
and promise never to mention until I Monk-, and was informed that he was at
give you permission what 1 am about to home. Tho next minute he was stand -
confide in you none." ing in a lonely library, where the owner
Matt's curiosity was aroused. of the house was busy writing. Monk
"All right," slue replied, eagerly, "I rose, and the two stood face to face.
shan't tell."
"Very good," replied Brinlaoy; "we
will now proceed." '1
They passed on among the sandhills
and cane to the entrance of tho cave. It is not my purpoe:e to describe the
Brinkley removed the stones and sand interview which took i,ince between my
from tllo hole and entered. Breathless hero and Mr. Monk. Suffice it to say
with curiosity Matt followed. They that when the youngman again emerged
reached the bottom. Brinkley struck a from the gloomy shadows of the dwell -
light and pointed out to ler all the won- ing there was a Curious smile upon his
derful treasures which the cave contain- face, while Mr. Monk, who had'followed
ed. It was such a surprise to the Girl him to the door, and watched his re -
that for a time she could do nothing out treating figure, wore a horrible expres-
stare and stare in speechless wonder. sion ()flared and fear.
Whealing gayly, Brinkley turned about No sooner had he disappeared than
the casks of ruin and brandy and thrust Monk left the house also, and, following
his hands into the bags and let the a footpath through the woods, made
gleaming gold slip through his fingers. straight for William Jones's cottage,
Matt's amazement turned into awe. Entering unceremoniously, he found
"Don't," she said, in a fearful whis- that worthy seated beside the hearth;
per; "it belongs to the fairies." without a word. he rushed upon him,
Brinkley laughed. ' seized Min by the throat and began
y "It belongs to a very substantial fairy, pummelling his head upon the wall.
'Matt, but 1 done t think that to -day I The attack was eo sudden that for sea -
will mention that fairy's name. Did era. minutes William Jones offered no
you ever see so much money in all your resietaiie c whatever, Indeed, so passive ,
life before, Matt?" : was he, and so violent was the rage of
She shook her head, but her eyes were his opponent that there was every pros -
still fixed upon the gold. , pect of his head beingbeaten to a jolly.
"1 gee," observed lilinkley, flippantly, ! Preoently, however, Monk's fury :,bet-
"tle sight of that gold fascinates you, ing, his unfortunate victim was allowed.
Well, so it slid me at first, but you see I to pick himself up. ate sat and stared
what use does. I can roger(' it now before ilial, While Monk, looking like
with coin. t' 1 ' ss However i the evil olio himself, glared savagely M.
CHAPTER XII.
BURIED!
)gra eve ca mne s, V 1
1 have e particular wish to accustom you ' his face, .
to the sight of wealth; therefore, I shall "You villain you! `You accui`sod,
bring yon here and show you this
g n wretched scoundrel 1" hj aid. "Tell me
ow s
and again. Colne, Matt, tell me what what you've alone, or I'll kill your
you would do if you were very ricer, if'
But William Jolles was innconscions ,.
;all this flotsam and jetsam, in fact, be- of having done anything. a11d he said as
longed to you?"mucin, whereupon Monk's fury seemed '
Without the slightest hesitetioin Matt, about to rise again,
replied, , "Mr: Monk," cried William, Jolles. in,
'I should give it to you•--ieastways terror, "look ye now tell me what's the ,
Now, William Jones?"
So William Janes, seeing that resist-
ance would. be uselees, premised to con-
duct his friend to the cave, and, after a
good deal of hesitation and of continued
stow of unwillingness o,1 William
Jones's part, the two men started off.
When they drew near to 'the cave,
gave Jones a cry and pointed
to the sand. Looking down, Monk
clearly saw footprints. They roilowed
them and found that they led right to
the mouth of the cave.
"It's standing olden!" cried William
Jones, as he pointe& down with tremb•
ling finger.. •
"Follow me!" said Monk, crawling
down into the hole.
Jones followed in terror.
As he reached the rocks below he
heard a sharp cry, and looking down
saw, by the dim light of a caudle stick
in the wall, Brinkley struggling help-
lessly in the powerful grip of Monk.
He had been sprung upon from behind,
and was helpless through a sort of •
garrote,
Horrified and trembling, William
,Tones was rooted to his place.
Suddenly 110 saw the young man fall
backward lifeless, and, with one last
1 /
lj1407'•
Ott
1EINIitEY STRUGGLING HELPLESSLY 'IN
Tilt POWERFUL L GRIP Or HONE. --
garp, lie portfectly still, Monk stooped
ever him, and looked into his face.
"0 Mr, %conk!'acried William, "ishe
—is he',----.-
"He is dead!" was the reply, 'o
rnnch;•thebeta* "
s t43anlnlidt. he /Unit dcwn.iei'l s01th?11-
[TO 13H CONTLNtJEt2.]