The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-07-22
SeIp,s Secret.


sportsman to waste q dart upon him.
And well he might: for less "shining
mark than Old 0rley, or one apparently
less worth the expenditure ofammunitiOn,
could hardly be imagined. lie hal
grown rs old, seemingly us he could get.
His withered face left Time TO room to
edge In another wrinkle; and his pal'ied
limbs shook SO many different ways that
the opposite motions in manner neutral
lied each other, and served to steady the
old man up. lie was miser withal,
thought by some to be of untold wealth,
its repository being a secret OF Old Orley's
own, or lying between him and his colored
man Scip, the only human being he was
ever known to trust, The scene, We had
forgotten to mention, Is laid in the Old
Dominion, and the time dates back Of the
Amendments.
scip, whom Old 0rley had taken for a
bad debt, was nearly as old, but not as
decrepit as his master. A sort OF attach
ment had sprung up between them. IsO-
ated from the rest Of tho world, Old Or
leys social instincts found In Scip their
only outlet. Scip, In return, who had
experienced more cuffs than kindness at
the hands of former masters, requited his
present treatment with the loyalty so
common to his class.
All things must have an end, and even
Old 0rley's came at last. Scip stood by,
in his last moments, rendering kindly
offices, aud protFering such words Of com
fort as he could command. "llc would
be glad" ho said, ito go long wild Ole
MAssa, for company, an wait on him whNr
ho was gwyne, for he knOwed bis ways
better'n strange darkies would.' But 1t
wasn't so ordered; Old 0rley had to make
the journey alone
SCrip's new status was n problem to
more thaS himself. Old Orley had neither
kith nor kin. Was Scip his own master
now, aud, by virtue Of being left in pos
session, that of the rest of the dead miser's
eiiectsi
There was much division of opinion on
the subject. The two leading men of the
ncighbOrlood, Col. Flune and Capt.
Scope, shook their heads over it.
"Not that ii makes much difference"
said the Captain; "for the real estate isn't
worth the taxes, and Scip would eat his
head off in q week"
'Jest sO," aBented the Colonel, who,
nevertheless, lost no time in taking the
"adyicen Of Lawyer Burkitt, which was
to the effect the dead mans property "es-
cheated" to the State.
"And the wust kind o cieiiiE' | call
IT," muttered the Colonel 10 himself, who
had entertaiRod sort of indefinite notion,
which he had hoped the lawyers opinion
would confirm, that, under the circun.
stances, the title to Old 0rley's posses.
sions would vest in the fortunate finder.
And having no doubt but the old iniser
had left mint OF money hid away, hO
had set his heart on gaining track of It,
by hook or by crock. SCip, he felt con.
yinced, was the only one who knew the
secret. But wOHld he Ml There was
ono way to get the truth ont of him, and
that was to fog 1t ont; but the right to
DO so must first be secured.
Learning from Lawyer Durkitt that It
was the States Attorneys business TO
bring escheated property to sale the Col.
Onel at oRSe spplied to that official to do
Ills duty, which the latter grudgingly did
protesting there wouldn't be enough to
pay expenses, let alone fees; nevertheless,
being candidate for n second term, he
felt constrained to made show OF zeal.
When Scip was brought TO the block,
there was the liveliest kind OF bidding.
Col. Fluie and Capt. Scope, secretly bent
on the same project, had each resolved to
become the pOssessOr of Scip and his
secret at whatever cost.
The Captain struck out with stiff
iacer of five hundred, while the Colonel
promptly Countercj with another. Then
came sharp. sustained fire of hundreds;
then rattling vOlley of iitiies; then the
Colonel spurted a hundred. The Captains
blood was now up, and raising tile last bid
two hundred and fifty dollars at jump,
fairly distanced his competitor and came
out winner. Sep bad as lief been knocked
down to Old Niok as either OF them; still,
he felt not little proud Of having brought
twenty-five hundred dollars, when the
market price oflikely young fellows wasn't
over a thousand.
The same day scip was summoned to
the presence of his new master, whom
he found Tipping lilies from the wainscOt
with his riding-whip, by way of keeping
his hand in.
"D0 you know where your master kept
his money, Scipln asked the Captain.
"Spec' does,' said Scip.
"Can you take me to the spot"
"Spec' kim"
"YOu must conduct inc there tonight,
Scip, and swear never to breathe word
about 1t to mortal. If you break your
uath"-witli a crack Of the whip like
pistol shot-"l'll nog the black soul out
OF you! Do you swearl"
n does-by HOkey"
AT late hour, Scip, lantern inlhHnd,
but not light, and spade on shoulder,
led the way to secluded spot in the rear
OF the hOyel lately teuanted by Old Orlcy,
Striking match he lit the lantern, and
closely examining the ground, stopped
near broad stone, which le showed
aside. The removal of a few spadefulls of
earth disclosed the top Of a wooden box
about n foot square.
"Dat's it, said sciP.
The Captain was on his knees in an
instant-it was not the first time he had
knelt to Misunderstanding his nails from
the flesh In inpatient efforts to force the
box from It's bed.
NWhat nre ynn doin' tltnr ~ shouted n