Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-05-20

clothes the girls stiffness seemed to have dis
appeared also, and she became again YER
liable child of nature. She looked like a
shaggy young pony fresh from race on the
mountain-side, as she threw herself on the
ground in an attitude which was all pictur-
esqueness and beauty. Then, with her plump
sun-burned hand she began to carelessly pull
up the grass, while her black eyes searched
alternately the prospect and the painters
face.
Presently she spoke:
"He says you're a pryin' scoundrel," she
said
Brinkley looked up and smiled
''Who is he, Mattg'
Mr.. Monk, she replied, and gave a Jerk
with her head in the direction of Monkshurst
"Oh, indeed said Brinkley at is nv
emiable equestrian friend, is it? I'm sure Tn
much Obliged to him. And when, may ask,
did he bore you with his opinion CT mer'
Last night, when he come to see William
Jones. He said l wasn't to be took no more.
cause you was scoundrel, pokin' and
pryin'n
Brinkley began to whistle, and went ON for
while vigorously touching up his work.
Then he looked up and regarded the girl
curiously.
Mr.. Monk seems to be very much inter
ested in you, Mattq'
The girl nodded her head vigorously; then,
remembering the odious caress to which Mr..
Monk had subjected her, she began to VIC
leatly rub her cheek again.
why is Mr.. Monk so interested in YOU?
Do You knowF'
''P'raps it's cause he found me when come
ashore"
''oh, he found you, did he9 Then why
doesn't he keep your
He do, only l live along o William
JONES'
Again Brinkley began whistling lightly
and working away vigorously with his
brush. Presently the conversation began
again.
ing'
~ dunnor'
"You have never heard whether ANYTHING
was found with you which might lead to
your finding your relations9'
mo; no more has William Jones. He
says maybe they'll find me some day and re-
ward him, but MIR. Monk says they were all
drownded, and l amt got no friends 'cept
him and William Jones"
well, since he found you, suppose he
ought to know; and since you have no rela-
tons, 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.
wen, continued Brinkley, as he went ON
lightly touching up his work, stperhaps have
done my equestrian friend wrong. Perhaps
his unamiable exterior bellies his real nature
perhaps he is good and kind, generous to the
poor, willing to help the helpless-like you,
for instance"
SIS it himr' exclaimed Matt; sMonk, of
Monkshursti 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 no
solution. She said no more, but Brinkley,
while he continued his painting, silently
ruminated thus:
ut strikes me this puzzle would be worth
unraveling If l could only find the KEY.
Query, is the young person the key, if l but
knew how to use her? Perhaps, since the
amiable Monk evidently dislikes my coming
into communication with her But it would
be useless to lay the case before her, since. if
she is the key, she is quite unconscious of it
HERSELF
He threw down his brush, rose and stretched
himself, and said:
Look here, Matt, I'm tired of work. The
sun shining on those sandhills and on the far
OF sea IS too tempting. | shall go for walk,
and you, if you are in the mood, shall be nv
guide.
She evidently was in the mood, for she was
on her feet in an instant
"A1 right, MASTER she said s'T'll con
Every well. Tim, bring forth some re-
freshment. 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 a small flask of brandy, a 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 i'll use as a seat, served as q table.
BrinlSley poured out two glasses of milk. then.
looking at Matt, he held the little flask on high.
Brandy, Mattg
She shook her head.
Very well, child; | think you are wise.
Here, take the milk and drink confusion to
your enemiesln
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 were not, especially ON day when the
sun was Scorching the roads and making the
sea like mill-pond-but because by crossing
the sandhills one came, on the other side,
upon footpath which led, by various wind.
ings, gradually to the top of breezy cliffs.
To the sandhills, therefore, they wended
their way Having gained them, they fol
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 had followed the footpath for
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. 1t was very pleasant there, sooth.
ing both to the eye and to the mind. The
cliff was Notwithstanding sparsely, it is
true-with stunted grass; aud just below, on
their right, lay the ocean, calm as any mill
pond, but signing softly as the water kissed
rhythmic throbs. On their left lay the sand
hills, glittering 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 shorega said Matt, pointing to the
cottage where she lived. ssThat belongs ia
William Jones. And, look ye now, there be
William Jones ON the rocks!n
Looking down, Brinkley beheld a figure
moving along the rocks, just where the water
touched the edge.
Every lazy of William JONES'" he said.
"Why isn'5 he ct work'''
CAT worlx?n
Eyes, tilling the fields or fishing. By the
way, forgot to ask you, is he a fishermanY'
mo, he amt, said Matt. ''He's awrecker.
he is!'
"a what?' exclaimed Brinkley.
"a wrecker," continued Matt, as if wreck
ing was the most natural occupation in the
world. Brinkley looked at her, imagining
that she must be practicing some wild joke.
He had certainly heard of wreckers, but he
had always believed that they were a species of
humanity which had belonged to past centu-
ries, and were now as extinct as 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," she con-
tinued, 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.o
Sand what becomes of all the things, MattT'