The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-10-26


there.
was as fine as that noble buffet of old
silver cups and flagons which formed
the most striking feature of the whole.
Many collector envied that buffet;
and some asked anxiously where he had
found them? To which he would answer
carelessly that he had picked them up in
old second hand shops in London and
the Notwithstanding made his collec-
ton since he settled here. The things
were French, all of them. but that did
not prevent their having been second
hand in London and the provinces. How
else, indeed, could they have been
picked up? Maze had not one of them
while he lived in Tours. How else then
could he have collected them, save by
careful scrutiny of bric-a-brac shops in
England, and cleverly understanding
good things when he saw them?
But the odd part of the matter was
they were all like poor Mr.. Walters
collection; AMI all like the legacy left to
Linda and renounced for honorable COM
pensation to those members OF the fam
lily who had been put to expense without
remuneration.
"God bless my soul, this is very like
old Walters Michael Angelo" cried one
who knew, taking ur a certain coarsely-
wrought, but effective cup. And 1
could swear this was the 'Cellini' he
used to be so proud Of; this and this, :"
he added rapidly running over the va
rious pieces, while Maze stood by quite
calm and smiling.
eyes," he answered, "they are his.
They found their way in some manner
over here, and recognized them as my
old friends favorites and picked them up
wherever saw them"
"Who inherited them?" asked Hard
man, the man who knew.
"Well," said Maze, with shy look of
a good man caught out in virtuous ac-
ton which he had wished to keep secret /;
"to tell the truth, Hardman, they were
left to me. l implored the dear old man
not to make such an inyidious distinc-
ton in favor of an outsider, to let the
sleeper wear the night-cap and short
coat and go to the dancing booth, as ar
ranged by the eternal harmonies Of
things; but you know how arbitrary he
was-how he took the cord and chain
into his own hands. and would not be
led or driven? He would not listen to
me-; and these things were assigned to
meas q mark of gratitude for all that
1 had done for him He said this more
than once, and to please him consent
ed, and so let him die enthusiastically.
OF course, when all was over l passed
them on to certain members of his own
family, and they must have sold them.
Finding them scattered all abroad like
Osiris's members, l made it a point of
conscious to re-collect them. l bought
them up, no matter what the price. 1t
was labor of love, transcending filthy
lucre. Here you have the whole history.
Simple enough when you come to the
pith and marrow OF it!'
"You are a noble fellow. Mr.. Maze" "
said the Mr.. Hartman.
"It was only loyal and honorable"
said Maze. with the dignified humility
of conscious virtue.
At Tours, Linda went to see Miss
Walters, the only representative left of
the dead Masters family. In the course
of conversation, Linda asked, (Which
member of the family received that box
of silver bequeathed to me by my dear
old friend and master?"
"What box? what silver?' asked MISS
Walters.
"Those cups and fagons which he had
at Fairfield. They were left to me, in
the care of Mr. Maze, but he wrote to
me and asked me to give them up in
favor of certain members of the family
who had incurred expense, and ought to
be remunerated. OF course, did; but
1 never heard word from any one, and
l am curious to know who had them.
"My father left you a box of silver
which Mr.. Maze asked yon to give upT'
eyes"
"For the family?"
Eyes"
"The old rascalw shouted Miss
Walters. She had inherited her fathers
temper as we'll as his smile. Not a
member of our family had one single
cup or vase; and We never knew what
he had done with them all. Be sure,
Linda, that old fox has taken them for
himself He worked on your feelings to
make you give them up, and then he Sc
cured them"
"Oh, Miss Walters, is it possible?'
cried that foolish Linda, beginning to
cry.
IT am sure of il, child. When you go
to London see if Maze has not some fine
old cups and things which he will ac-
count for in some extraordinary man
ner. / know him." said Miss Walters,
cuntemptuonsly. II know what he is
capable Of. 1t we're wonder If did
not"
But Linda could scarcely believe that