The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-03-06

taking his knife from his pocket, he
whitfield q little here and little there.
Now I guess It will keep its center
of gravity" said he, and pulling the
string, he sent it whirling across the
floor in q manner that brought yells of
delight from Dick.
"Why, it's nothing but streak!
There she goes!-under the table-un-
der the chairs! Take care o. your toes,
girls!' AS the gyrations grew slower,
and finally, when it seemed about to
topple over, he picked it up, drew a
long breath, and calculated, "That
beats all!''
Eyes, she's all right now," said the
young man. cts q nice thing to
know how to make your own tops.
suppose you made that little craft over
the mantel-piece, too"
"Oh, no, can't make ships. David
made that"
"And who is David?''
"He was my brother, that got
Here Dicks reply was brought to q
sudden close by thrust from Faiths
elbow, accompanied by " Hold your
tonguer'
II amt a-goin' to hold my tongue"
snapped Dick, rubbing the wounded
place, GIVE as good right to talk
as YOU"
There, there, be quiet" said Mr..
Golden, soothingly. cts sad story,
sir, and we don't Often allude to it.
David was our SON, who was murdered
three years ago."
Murdered! How, prayr'
"Well, that we don't know, for his
body was never found"
"But what motive could anyone have
for so foul a deedr'
"The usual motive, sir; money. He
had quite a large amount, just taken
from the bank. 3"
"And of this money you never found
any traceT'
"None at all; the cunning villain
looked out for that"
"And your son was-excase me-
quite trustworthy-not wild or rowing
at all; in short, he was entirely above
suspicion?''
''He was, to everybody that knew
him." said Mr.. Golden, with dignity;
"but an angel could not escape the
tongue of SANDER"
"Then there were those who charged
him falsely?"
"There were. They charged him
with running off with the money"
HOrrible!' exclaimed the young
man.
"We always hoped we might trace
the villain by curious old watch d.
vid had with him, and sometimes think
it will be the means of bringing him to
light yet"
"What kind of watch?''
Mrs. Golden, who had all this time
hardly taken her eyes off the stranger,
now came forward, and said, eagerly:
cit was large silver watch, hun
dred years old, and it had a queer
picture on the back-I never could
quite make out what it was-but
should know that watch in Guinea"
"Was it anything like that, nsother?"
holding his own up before her.
"My son, my s0n!' cried she. 81
knew it was David's voice, butt thought
he was dead-deadr' and the poor, joyful
mother covered her face with her apron,
and wept aloud.
Pale and trembling, Tom Penhallow
leaned on the back of his chair for
support.
"Then you were not lost in the
Tempest?" said he.
'Wrecked, but not lost" said David.
When calmness was in some measure
restored, they all sat down, and David
told the story of his disappearance.
"When l left the matchmaker s." said
he, IL CHANGED to meet an old friend,
and we strolled together down to the
wharf to see what was going on. The
first person we saw there was my old
Captain, who was just about to sail for
Liverpool. He was in great trouble be-
cause his clerk was taken sick at the
last moment, and Immediately offered
the position to me.
ut was q tirst-rate chance, and /
only hesitated because Icould not come
home and say good-by; but then it was
3 short voyage, and l was certain of
your consent, SO entrusted the pack
age of money and letter to my friend,
who promised to deliver it that very
night.
II think now that was hasty. l
thought then that l was doing right.
We set sail. The Tempest was wrecked
when ten days out; but had the good
fortune to be picked up by a vessel
bound for Australia. 1t was long be-
fore we reached our destination, and
when we did, I had nothing but the
clothes on my back.
II thought the wisest thing to do
was to 90 to work and earn some
thing. This l did, and succeeded SO
we'll that 1 put off my return from time
to time far beyond my original inten-
ton. l wrote whenever an opportunity
offered, but it seems no letter was ever
received.
"The rest of the story must be told
by another, and there sits the only man
who can tell it," with a nod at Tom
Penhallow
Don't be too hard on me-" said
Tom. 81 meant to deliver the pack.
age safely when took it; did, on my
soul! but l was busy that night, get.
ting ready to 60 to Boston, and ]
thought it wouldn't make any great
odds whether went then or not. You
often stayed away over night, so ]
thought they wouldn't worry.
"Well, l hadn't all the money
wanted to buy my stores, and used some
of that; but meant to replace it; but q
man that was owing me did not pay, SC
couldn't just then, and by-and-by
saw a notice that the Tempest was
wrecked, and all aboard lost.
$50 said to myself, or Satan whis
pered it in my ear, Who'll be the
wiser if keep the money! The rest
you know, so where's the use of going
over it? I've played my game and LOST
it, so there's the end"
Yes, Tom had played his game ant
lost it-lost reputation, lost friends, los
his promised bride; and in a. shor,
time he left Oldport for good, driver
from fhonco hv tho foroo ~ ,,,,h1;o con