The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-04-25

wooden fgure-head of young woman, naked
to tho waist, holding mirror in her hand
and regarding herself with remarkable com
paccncy, despite the fact that accident had
deprived her of n nose and one eye, and that
the beautiful red complexion and jet black
hair she had once possessed had been entirely
washed away by the action OF the elements,
leaving her all over Of leprous pallor The
rest of tho building, as have suggested was
of sinister blackneSs, though here and there 1t
was sprinkled with wet sea sand. Sand, too,
lay on every side, covered small patch,
originally meant for garden, and drifted
thiclsly up TO tho very door.
To this cottage William Jones ran with his
treasure trovc, and, entering it without CGre-
mony, found himself in almost total dark
ness; for the light which crept through the
blackcned panes OF tho small windows was
only just sufficient to make darkness visible.
But this worthy seaside character, having, in
addition to cats predatory instincts, some
! thing of Il cats power of vision, clearly dis
carncd everything in the chamber no just en-
tercd-a rude, stone paved kitchen, with an
open fireplace and no CRATE, black rafters
! overhead, from which suspended sundry lean
pieces of bacon; a couple of wooden chairs, u
! table, and in one corner u sort of bed in the
wall, where human figure was reposng.
Setting down the trunk on the floor, he
marched right over to the bed and uncere-
moniously shook the individual lying upon
| it, whom he discovered to be n man, muttcr-
| ing in heavy sleep. Finding that he did
not wake with shaking, William Jones bent
down and cried Justify in his ear:
"Wrcckl wreck ashore"
Tho effect was instantaneous. The figure
roso up in bed, disclosing the head and Shout
dcrs OF n very oil man, who wore red cotton
night cap, and whose hair and beard were as
white as snow.
'Eh! Whecr, Whcer" he cried in a shril
| TREBLE looking vacantly around him.
"Wake up, old 'un,' sad William, Selling
! him and shaking him again. "lts me, Will
liam Jones"
"Williaml Is it my son Williamp re-
turned tho old man, pe"ring out into the
darkness.
"Ycs, father, Look ye now, you was
attacking again in your sleep, you was. A
good thing no ono hccrd you but your son
William Some o these days you'll be letting
summat cut, You will, if you 20 on like this I"
The old man shook his head feebly, then
claSpin. his hands together in kind of rap
ture he looked at bis son and said
"Yes, William, / was a-dreaming. Oh, it
was such Lcavingly dream! | was a-stand-
Ing on tho shore, William, and it was a-blow-
ing hard from the east, and all at once | see
q ship as big as an Indiaman come in wi all
sail set, md 20 ashore; and | looked round
William dear, and there was no one nigh but
YOU and me; and when she broke up | see
gold and silver and jewels come washing
ashore Just like floating weeds, and the
drownded, every one Of 'em, had rings on
Their fingers and gold watches and cheens
and, moren that, that their hands was full
Of shining gold; and one on 'en-a lady,
William-had bright diamond ring, as big
as walnut; but when tried to pull it of it
wouldn't come; and just as pulled out my
lcetle knife to cut the finger off, and put it in
my pocket, you shook me- William, and woke
me up. Oh, it was heavingly dream!'
William Jones had listened with ill-dis-
guised interest to the early part of this
speech, but, on its conclusion, he gave an
other grunt Of undissembled disgust
"Well, you're awake now, cid un; SO jump
M. I've brought summat home. Look
sharp, and get Light"
Thereupon the old man, who was fully
dressed in pair of old WOODEN trousers and a
guernsey, slipped from the bed and began
fumblng about the room. He soon found
what he wanted-a box of matches and a
rude, homemade candle, fashioned of long,
coarse reed dipped in Sleeps tallow; but,
owing TO the fact that he was exceedingly
feeble and tremulous, he was SO long in light
ing up that his gentle son grew inpatient.
Here give 'un to mel" said William
hon ntnb how,
cost nowt. A precious father You are, and
no mistake"
The candle being lighted and burning with
feeble flame, he informed the old man Of
what he had found. In moment the latter
was down on his knees, opening the box
and greedily examining its contents. But
William pushed him impatiently away and
closed the lid with bang.
''Theer, enough o that, old uni You hold
the light while carry the box in and put it
away"
'All right, William dear-all right" re,
turned the old man, obeying glecfully. 81
knowd we should have luck, by that beauti-
full dream"
The two men-one holding the light and
the other carrying the trunk-passed through
door at the back of tho kitchen and entered
an inner chamber. This chamber, too, con-
tanned window, which was SO blocked up,
however, by lumber Of all kinds that little
or no daylight entered. Piled up in great
confusion We're old sacks, some partly full,
some empty; coils of rope, broken oars,
bI oxen fragments of ships planks, rotten and
barnacled; a small boats rudder, dirty sails,
several oilskn coats, bits of iron ballast and
other tlotsnm and ietsam: So that tina cham
Der had a salt and iish-like smell, suggesting
the hold of some vessel. But in enc corner
Of the room was u small wooden bed, with
mattress and coarse bcd-clothing, and hang
ing on nail close to it was certain feminine
attire which the owner of tho caravan would
have recognized as the garb worn by Matt
on the morning Of her first appearance.
Placing the box down, William Jones care
fully covered it with portion Of an old sail.
"1ts summat, but it amt much, no NUT
tered, discontentedly. Lucky them coast
guards didn't see me come ashore If they
did, though, it wouldn't signify; for what's
floating on the sea belongs to him as finds it"
A sound startled him as he spoke, and,
looking round suspiciously, no saw Matt en-
tering the room, loaded with broken wood.
But Shp \yaS NOT alone. standing habipd hpr