The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-05-02

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~ Gunnor
"You have never heard whether anything
was found with you which might leal 10
your finding your relations"
''No; no more has William Jones. Ho
says maybe they'll find me some day and re-
ward him, but Mr. Monk says thcy were all
drownded, AMI | ain't got no friends 'cept
him and William Jones"
"Wen, since ho found you, l suppose he
ought to Llow; and since you have no re!a-
tions, Matt, and no claim upon anybody in
the world it was very kind of Mr.. Monk to
keep you, instead of sending you to the work
house, as he might have done"
On this point Matt seemed rather skeptical.
"Wel, ~ continued Brinkley, as he went on
lightly touching up his work, ''pcrhaps have
done my equestrian friend wrong. Perhaps
his unamable exterior bellies his real nature
perhaps he is good and kind, generous to the
poor, willing to help the helplcss-like you,
for instance"
as it himg' exclaimed Matt; "Monk, of
Monkshurst! Why he don't give nothin' to
nobody. No fear"
"And yet, according to your own showing,
he has helped TO support you all these years
YOU, who have no claim whatever upon him. "
This was an enigma to which Matt had nc
solution She said no more, but Brinkley,
while he continued his painting, silently
rruninated thus:
sit strikes me this puzzle would be worth
unraveling if l could only find the key.
Query, is the young person tho key, if | but
knew how TO use herr Perhaps, since the
amiable Monk evidently dislikes my coming
into communication with her. But it would
be useless to lay the case before hor, since, if
she is the key, she is quite unconscious Of 1t
HERSELF
He threw down his brush, rose and stretched
himself ard said:
Look hero, Matt I'm tired of work The
gun shining on those sandhills and on the far
off sea is too tempting. shall go for a walk,
and yol, If you are in the mood, shall be my
guide
Sha evidently was in the mood, for she was
on her fee; in an instant
"Ail right, master" she said, "rll 60"
every we'll. Tim, bring forth some re-
fre5hment. We will refresh the inner man
and girl before we start"
Tim disappeared into the caravan. Pres.
emily he reappeared bearing a small tray, on
which was n small flask of brandy, a large
jug of milk, some biscuits and coupe Of
glasses. This no placed on the camp-stool,
which his master had just vacated, and which,
when not in use rs seat, served rs n table.
Brin,:ley poured out two glasses Of milk, then,
look ng at Matt, lie held tho little flask ON high
Brandy, Matti'
She shook her head.
every well, child; I think you are wise.
Here, take the milk and drink confusion &c
your enemies"
Matt took the glass OF mix and drank il
down, while Brinkley fastened to dilute ard
dispose of the other. Then he gave some or
ders to Tim, and they started OF. AS they
had no particular object in view, they chose
the pleasantest route, and clearly the pleas
ATTEST lay across the sandhills. Mo- because
the sandhills were pleasant in themselves
they were not, especially on Il dag when the
sun was searching the roads and making the
sea like n mill-pond-but because by crossing
tho sandhils one came, ON the other side,
upon footpath which led, By various wind
ings, gradually to the top of breezy cliffs.
To tho sandhills, therefore, they wended
their way. Having gained them, they fol
lowed route which Matt knew full well, and
which soon brought thcm to tho narrow foot
path beyond. During the walk she was singu
larly silent, and Brinkley seemed to be busiy
trying to work out some abitruse problem
which had taken possession of his BRAIN
When they had followed the footpath for
some distance end had gained the grecnsward
on the top of tho cliffs, the young man threw
himself upon the grass and invited Matt to dc
tho same. 1t was very pleasant there, sooth.
ing both to the eye and to the mind. The
cliff was covercd-somcwhat sparsely, it is
true-with stunted grass; aud just below, or
their right, lay the ocean, calm as any mill.
pond, but signing softly as the water kissed
the rocks and flowed back again with
rhythmic throhs. On their left lay the sand.
hills, glittcring like dusty gold in the sun
rays, while just before and below them was
the village
"Do you see that house standing all by itself,
close to shore' said Matt, pointing to the
cottage where she lived. "That belongs tc
William Jones. And, look ye now, there be
William Jones on the rocksr'
Looking down, Brinklcy beheld n figure
moving along the rocks, just where the water
touched the edge.
every lazy Of William Jones" lie said.
"Why isn't he at work."
"At work."
eyes, tillinS the fields or FISHING. By the
way, forgot to ask you, is he lshermanf
mo, he amt, said Matt Hes wrecker,
be iSln
"a whatp exclaimed Brinkley
"a wreckcr," continued Matt, ms if wreck
ing was tho most natural occupation in the
world. Brinkley looked at her, imagining
that she must bo practicing some wild joke
Iie had certainly heard Of wreckers, but he
had always beloved that they were aspccies OF
humanity which had belonged to past centu-
ries, and were now rs extinct rs mammoth.
But the girl evidently meant what she said,
and thought there was nothing extraordinary
in the statement.
"That sea don't look ugly, do IT. sho con-
inued, pointing at the ocean. "But it is
there's rocks out there where the ships split
on; then they go all to pieces, and the things
come ashore"
"And whatbecomes of all the things, Mattf'
"Somo OF ems stole, and some of 'em's took
by the coastguards. They do say, she added,
"as there's lots o. things-gold
md silver-hid among them sandhills. Be
fore the coastguards come all tho folk was
like William Jones, and they used
TO get what come ashore, and they used to
hide it in the sandhills.'
"indeed Then, if that is the case, why