The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-02-03


into the young lady's eyes he did not
have the courage to say so; and, in fact,
if he had five instead Of one thousand at
his disposal, he would have offered it
Just as quickly.
Perhaps you and your daughter
would like to go down and visit it before
you sell, )" said Mr. Wilson.
IT should like to go down very much
if 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 wait day or two for them to
get ready they would go, and Nellie
could make the transfer there if she con-
cluded to sell; she could do as she
pleased.
Mr.. Wilson could wait Just as well as
not, and as Mr.. Armstrong found out by
their conversation that he was son OF
an old college chum and long time friend
of his, he extended an invitation to him
to spend the time he was in the city at
his house.
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 agreea-
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 to get ready in was
over, they were very good friends.
On Tuesday of the next week the party
arrived at Cantonville, where they were
to be the guests of Mrs. Wilson, Charles's
mother.
Here was another surprise. Mrs. Will
son and Mrs. Armstrong had been class
mates at a boarding-school many years
before, and they had so 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
habit 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 go to the registers Office,
while Charles looked ont of the window
and said nothing. So the next day was
spent in making the transfer, and ii was
two days more before they could agree
on the price, which was finally settled at
thousand dollars, as Charles positively
refused to take it at a cent less.
As he bade his visitors goodbye at
the cars he said to Nellie: 81 shall COM
mence to build my house on the island
right of, and have it ready for visitors
next summer, when I hope your family
will honor me with another visit"
"Oh, certainly" said Nellie, "and in
the meantime, if you come to Boston,
don't forget to visit us"
"No danger of that" said Charles, as
the train moved away.
The house on the island was begun at
once, and hardly a week had gone by be-
fore Mr.. Wilson found it necessary to
J visit Boston for supplies of some kind.
He went Saturday, and concluded it
would not be 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, but instead, went with Mr..
Armstrong to his Office. They were in
private conversation for an hour or so,
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 put 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 bride.
father
The wedding was brilliant one an(
the young couple left for the South
where they were to stay till the mex
May. On their return they were to oc
cupy their house on the island in Can
tonville. Mr.. Wilson had furnished i
thoroughly, and man had been left il
, charge to see that nothing was damaged
during the winter.
With the first of May came the young
} couple, and quite grand reception wa
given them on the island. Every da,
was occupied in receiving visitors, so tina
} it was three weeks before Charles had
chance to call his wife's attention to tn
letter accompanying the deed of the is
land. One morning they awoke to find
, heavy southeast storm beating upon tn
island.
"No visitors to-day, Nellie" sal,
Charles, as he looked out upon the bay
'and we can have good chance to Loo
! over that curious letter that came will
the deed of the island"
, "What do You wish to look at that for
Do you expect to find anything NOR
than we have already SEEM"
"Yes, Nellie. I am free to confes
that do. 1t has been on my mind eve
: since we came to our island home. TIL
, first night we slept on the island had
l dream, and in it I saw that letter yer.
plainly, and something seemed to say
, study tnat letter; tnere is more III IL ina
1 you seem to see.' And have been wait
ing for time when you and could loo
at it together"
: After breakfast they repaired to tn
, library and sat down to the table to stud
? over the letter and see if it containe
4 4 more than at first appeared. More tina
y an hour was spent before anything wa
U found, when Nellie suddenly said:
"I have it; read the first letter of eac
s line: Find my money in the caves. ,
"Sure enough" said Charles, "br
! there are no caves on this island that
IS know of, and have searched it prett
n thoroughly"
"There must be, for I know Uncl
Eben had lots of money, and no on
| l.