The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-08-22


emily he reappeared bearing small tray, ON
which was small flask Of brandy, large
jug of milk, some biscuits and a couple OF
glasses. This he placed on the camp-stool,
which his master had just vacated, and which,
when not in use as a seat, served as a table.
Brinkley poured out two glasses of milk, then,
looking at Matt, he held the little flask on high
Brandy, Matte"
She shook her head.
"Very well, child; / think YOU are wise.
Here, take the milk and drink confusion to
your enemiesr'
Matt took the glass of milk and drank il
down, while Brinkley fastened to dilute and
dispose of the other. Then he gave some or
ders to Tim, and they started off As they
had no particular object In view, they chose
the pleasantest route, and clearly the pleas
ATTEST lay across the sandhills. Not because
the sandhills were pleasant in themselves
they We're not, especially on day when the
sun was scorching the roads and making the
sea like mill-pond-but because by crossing
the lis one came, on the other side,
upon foo,p path which led, by various wind.
mgs, gradually to the top of breezy cliffs.
To the sandhills, therefore, they wendell
their way. Having gained them, they fcl-
lowed route which Matt knew full well, and
which soon brought them to the narrow foot
path beyond. During the walk she was singu
larly silent, and Brinkley seemed to be busily
trying to work out some abstruse problem
which had taken possession of his brain.
When they hal followed the footpath fol-
some distance and had gained the greensward
on the top of the cliffs, the young man threw
himself upon the grass, and invited Matt to dc
the same. Ii was very pleasant there, sooth
ing both to the eye and to the mind. The
cliff was covered-somewhat sparsely, it i.
true-with stunted grass; aud just below, OF
their right, lay the 5cean, calm as any mill
pond, but signing softly as the water kisset
the rocks and flowed back again viii
Rhythmic throbs On their left lay the sand
hills, glttering Ike dusty gold in the sun
rays, while just before and below them wa!
the village.
'Do you see that house standing all by itself
close to shoreF said Matt, pointing to tn,
cottage where she lived. THAT belongs t.
William Jones. And, look We now, there b,
| William Jones ON the rocksn.
Looking down, Brinkley beheld a flgur
moving along the rocks, just where the waite
touched the edge.
VERY lazy of William Jones,n he said
"Why isn't he at workf'
"At worksn
"Yes, tilling the fields OF fishing BY TIN
way, forgot to ask you, is he u tisheIman9'
No, he amt, " said Matt Hes wrecker
be Isl"
| "A what" exclaimed Brinkley.
| ga uvrnyl.,r a.,
| ing was the most natural occupation In tn
world. Brtnkley looked at her, imaginin,
that > must be practicing some wild joke
He . certainly heard of wreckers, but h
had always believed that they were species o
humanity which had belonged 10 past centu
rieS, and were now as extinct as mammoth
But the girl evidently meant what she said
and thought there was nothing extraordinar
in the statement
THAT sea don't look ugly, do itgn she con
tinued, pointing at the ocean. But it is
there's rocks out there where the ships spill
on; then they go all to pieces, and the thing
come ashoren
and what becomes of all the things, Mattl
'Some of 'em's stole, and some of EMS too
by the coastguarrls. They do say, she added
mysteriously, las there's lots o things-gol
and silver-hid among them sandhills. Be-
fore the coaStguards come all the folk wa
wreckors, like William Jones, and they use
to get what come ashore, and they used t
hide it in the Sandhils.n
"lndeedl Then, If that is the case, VIII
don't they take the treasure up, and turn i
in,o money!
"Whys Cause them sandhils is allu
changing and shifting about, they are; thong
they know well enough the things is there
there's no tindin' of 'em.n
"Ialways thought William Jones was poor
$50 he is, he says' replied Matt; ''caust
: though he be allus foraging, he don't fin
much now on account o them coastguar
chaps"
After they had rested themselves they wen
little farther up the cliff, then they followe
a narrow, winding path, which brought ther
to the shore below. Here Matt, who SCENE
to be pretty well grounded in the history c
the place. pointed him out the wonders of tn
cast She showed him the caves, which trf
lition said had been formerly used as wrecker,
launts and treasure stores, but which wer
+. now washed by the sea-, and covered wit
ilimy weeds; then she brought him TO a prom
n )ntory where they told her she herself ha
, oeen found. This spot Brinkley examine
'uriously, then be looked at the girl.
q II suppose you had clothes on when 20
; slme ashore, didn't you, Ma5tf
'eWhy, of course had. William Jones liz
r got en-"
elias be? Wherem
:, ''In his cave, l expect"
4 tCUis coyni Whore is thaty' asked Brinl
ley, becoming very rrIth Interested.
''Duno,n returned Matt; perhaps it
somewhere hereabout. I've seen Wlllial
\ Jones come about here, l have, but / neV'
.ould track him.