The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1881-02-24

have the courage TO nay so; and, III fact,
| il he had Ave instead of ono Thousand nt
his disposal, no would have offered II
just rs quickly.
perhaps YOU And youf daughter
wonld like to go. down and visit it before
Won sell, I" said Mr.. Wilson.
II should like to 90 down very much
II father could spare time" said Nell.
Mr.. Armstrong could not go, but he
thought his wife would be very glad to
go down to the old home, and if Mr.. Will
son could Walt day or two for them to
net sendy they would 60, and Nellie
Could make the transfer there II she con-
cluded to sell; she could 10 - She
pleased.
Mr.. Wileon could wait just rs well as
ect, ind as Mr.. Armstrong found ont by
their conversation that be was son Of
an old college chum and long time friend
Of his, he extended An invitation to him
10 spend the time be was in the city at
his hcNseA
He did so, and Of course was shown
about the city, sometimes by. Mr.. Arm
strong and Nellie, but generally by Nellie
alone. He found in Nellie very agreed
BILE companion. She could talk common
sense and could play chess, his favorite
game, and by the time the week IN which
Mrs. Armstrong took 10 get ready in was
over, they were very good friends.
On Tuesday Of the next week the party
arrived at Cantonville, where they we're
to be the guests Of Mrs. Wilson, Charless
mother.
Hereswas another surprise. Mrs. Will
son aud Mrs. Armstrong had been class
mates ut a boarding school many years
before, and they had 80 much TO say to
each other that Charles had to devote
his whole time to Nellie, thing, by the
way, that he seemed to take to as handily
as though he had always been in the
hebit Of taking young ladies in charge,
whereas he had never been Seen in COM
pany with one before, at least not to the
remembrance Of any Of the Cantonville
people. Two weeks WAS all too short for
the visit, and when the time came for the
visitors to return to the city, Charles and
Nellie would have forgotten all about the
island had not Mrs. Armstrong asked if
they had got the deed all fixed.
Nellie blushed and said no, they had
not had time to 60 to the registers Office,
while Charles looked out Of the window
and said nothing. So the next day was
spent in making the transfer, and it was
two DAYS more before they could agree
on the price, which was finally settled Mt
thousand dollars, AZ Charles positively
refused to take II at cent less.
As he babe his visitors goodbye at
the cars he said to Nellie: Il shall COM
mence to build my house on the island
right of, and have it ready for visitors
next summer, when hope your family
will honor me with another visit.
"Oh, certainly" said Nellie. land in
the meantime, Il yoii come to Boston,
don't forget to visit MS.
mo danger of that" said Charles, MS
the train moved away.
The house on the island was begun ut
once. and hardly week had gone by he
fore Mr.. Wilson found it necessary to
visit Boston for supplies Of some kind
He went Saturday, and concluded it
would not he losing much time to remain
over Sunday. SO he did SO. OF course he
spent Sunday at the Armstrong;, and
Monday morning he did not take the
early train, hut instead, went with Mr..
Armstrong to his Office. They were in
private conversation for Nh hour or 50.
when Mr.. Wilson came out and went to
the depot.
The building on the island progressed
finely, and Mr.. Wilson went regularly to
Boston every Saturday and returned
Monday, till folks began to pnt this and
that together and talk about the future
Mrs. Charles Wilson. The gossips all
called on Mrs. Wilson to inquire about
the son, but they all got the same an
swer from her: my son Is not one who
talks Of his private affairs to people not
interested, and until he makes his doings
public you will have to wait for your in
formation"
But the gossips talked just the same
and told each other such stories as they
thought might hit the truth or some
where near it.
Matters went on thus till about Christ
mas, when Mr.. Wilson and his mother
left for Boston. The dav before Christ
| mas quite number OF Cantonville peo-
pie received invitations to the wedding
of Mr.. Charles Wilson and Miss Nellie
Armstrong at the residence Of the brides
father.
The wedding was brilliant one and
the Young couple left for the South,
| where they were to stay till the next
May. On their return they were to oc-
cnpy their house on the island in Can
tonville. Mr.. Wilson had furnished It
thoroughly, and man had been left in
charge to see that nothing was damaged
during the winter.
With the first OF May came the young
couple, and quite a grand reception was
given them on the island Every day
was occupied in receiving visitors, SO that
| it was three weeks before Charles had a
chance to call his wife's attention TO the
letter accompanying the deed OF the is
land. One morning they awoke to find
heavy southeast storm beating upon the
island.
"No visitors to-day, Nellie" said
Charles, rs he looked out npon the bay,
land we can have good chance to look
over that curious letter that came with
the deed Of the island"
"What do you wish TO look at that for?
Do you expect to And anything more
than we have already seenl"
Eyes, Nellie. I am free to confess
that l do. 1t has been on my mind ever
since we came to our island home. The
first night We slept on the island had a
dream, and in it saw that letter very
plainly, and something seemed to say,
study that letter; there is more in it than
you seem to see.' And have been wait
ing for time when you and I could look
Mt it together.
After breakfast they repaired to the
library and sat down to the table to study
over the letter and see if it contained
more than at first appeared. More than
an hour was spent before anything was
found, when Nellie suddenly said:
II have it: read the first letter Of each
line: Find my money in the caves. !"
"Sure enough" said Charles, "but
there are no caves on this island that l
know Of, and I have searched it pretty
thoroughly"
"There must be, for I know Uncle
Eben had lots Of money, and no one
knew what he did with it. His son only