Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-05-27
derfully benevolent DISPOSITION which INV

intention To marrying tho WalI he lad rescued
from the sea, committed to tho care Of said
Jones, and brought up in ragged ignorance,
Innocent of grace or grammar, on that lonely
shore. Query again, and again, end yet
again: What the deuce hal put the idea into
Monks head; and was there at tho bottom of
it any deeper and more conceivable motive
than the one of ordinary affection for prot
ty, if uncultivated, childa
The more Charles Brinkley pondercd over
all these questions the moro hopelcisly pilz-
zlcd he became. But his curiosity, once
reused, could not rest He determined, il
possible, to GoS to the midriff OF the mystery.
So intent was he on TINS subject, which fibtet,
in beautifully with his natural Incidence, that
be ct one knocked Off painting for the day,
and aftcr breakf2sting on the fare with which
Tin had by this time appeared, be strolled
away toward tho seashore
Hc had no. gone faewhen hesaw approach-
ing Ein a tail figure which he seemed to rec
ognize. It came closer, end he saw that it
was Mr. Monk, Of Monkshurst.
This time Monk was on foot. Tie wore a
dark d-cas, with knickerbocEefs and heavy
/ shooting boots, and carried g,.n. A large
dog, of tho species lurcher, followed as lis
heels.
B.inlloy was passing by without any salll-
tatio-, yhc1, to his surprise, the other paused
and lied lis hat.
81 beg yoar pardon, he said. "We have
met once before; and think havo TO apo,o-
| gize to you for unintentional incivility. The
fact is hunt mistook you for a-vagrantl
did not know you were gentleman"
Sostaggered was the artist with this greet
ing that he could only borrow the vocabulary
of Mr.. Toots:
sob, it's of no consequence he said, att
| tempting to pass on.
| But the other pcrsevered.
81 assure you, Mr., Mr. G have not
tho pleasure of knowing your Nance, that
had no desire Of offending you; and if / did
SO beg to apologize"
| Brinkley looked keenly at the speaker His
words and manner We're greatly at variance
with his looks--even with the tone of his
voice. Though he smiled and showed his
| teeth, a dark frown still disfigured his brow,
and his mouth twitched nervously, as if he
were i'll ct case.
| Regarding him thus closely, Brinkley saw
| that he had been somewhat mistaken as to his
age. He was considerably under fifty years
OF age, but his hair was mixed with gray and
his features strongly marked as with these
of old passions. A handsome man, certainly;
an arniabe one, certainly not! Yet he had a
| peculiar air of power and breeding, as of one
accustomed to command.
Curiosity overcarne dislike, and the young
man determined to receive Mr.. Monks over
ture as amiably aspossible.
| 81 dare say it was q mistalze,n he said.
''Gentlemen don't usually travel about in
caravans
''You are an artist, am informed" re-
turned Monk
/
Something of that Sort" was the reply.
II paint a little for pleasure"
"And do you find this neghborhood suit
your purpose? It is somewhat fiat and UNI
picturesque"
II rather like it, answered Brinlley. ssIt
Is pretty in summer; it must be splendid in
winter, when the storms begin, and tho I'M
eventful career of our friend William Jones
is varied by the excitement of wrecks
How Monks forehead darkenedl But his
face smiled still as he said.
''It is not often that shpwrecks occur now,
I am glad TO say"
''No9' said Brinkley, dryly. "They used to
DO common enough fifteen years agog'
Their eyes met, and tho eyes of Monk were
full of fierce suspicion.
why fifteen years ago especiallyY
The young man shrugged his shoulders.
II was told only to-day OF the loss Of one
great ship at that time. Matt told me, the
little founding. You know Matt, Of course?n
81 know whom you mean. Excuse me,
but you seem to be very familiar with her
naIneF
81 suppose L am" replied the young man.
ssMatt and 1 are excellent friends.''
Monk did not smile now; all his efforts to
do SO were Intellectual With an expression
of savage dislike he looked in Briniley face,
and his voice, though his words were still
civil, trembled and grew harsh ''as scrannel
pipes Of straw"
May ask if you purpose remaining long
in the neighborhood?n
Il don't know" answered the artist "My
time is my own, and I shall stay as long as
the place amuses me"
''If | can assist in making it do so, shall
be happy, sir
"Thank YOU"
'Do you care for rabbit shooting? If so
there is some sport to be had among the sand
hills"
II never shoot anything . was the reply,
'except, suppose, folly as it fiies;' though
with what species of firearm that interesting
sport is pursued, he added, as il to himself,
II haven't the slightest dear
"Well, good-day," said Monk, with an I'M
easy sccwl. "Is / can be of any service to
you, command mel"
And, raising his hatagain, he stalked away.
CHOW, what in the name of all that is
wonderful, does Mr.. Monk, of Monl1shurst,
mean by becoming so civil?'
This was tho question the young man asked
himself as he strolled away seward. He
could not persuade himself that he had
wronged Monk, who was in reality an ami
able person, instead of domineering bully:
no, that suggestion was contradicted by
every expression of tho mans baleful and
suspicious face What, then, could DO the
explanation of his sudden attack of courtesy?
An ideal an inspirationl As it flashed
into his mind the young man gave vent to a
prolonged whistle. Possibly, Monk was
iealousl
Tho idea was preposterous one and almost
amusing. It was not to be conceived, on the
first blush of it, that jealousy would mako
surly man civil, a savage man gentle; it
would rather have tho contrary effect, I'M
less-here Brinkley grew thoughtful unless
his gloomy rival had some sinister design
which he wished to cloak with pohtenesss
But jealous of little Matti Brinkley laughed
heartily when he fully realized the absurdity
of the notion.
EIe crossed the sandhills and came again to
the path which he and Matt had followed the
previous day. A smart breeze was coming in
from the sou'west, and the air was fresh
and cool, though sunny; but clouds were
gathering to windward, and tho weather
was evidently broken. Reaching tho cliffs.
he descended them, and canle down on the
rocks beneath. A long Jagged point ran out
from the spot where he stood, cia tho water
to leeward of Tho same vas quite calia, though
rising and falling in strong troubled swcfls.
So bright nnd tempting did it look in that
sheltered place that he determined to have
swim.
tic stripped loisurely, and, placing his
clothes in q safe place, tool; header OF the
rocls. 1t was clear ct once that he was
powerful swimmer. Brea9;iHg the smooth
swell, he struck out from shore, cEd when lie
had gone about a hundred yards foated
lazily on his back and surveyed tho shore
The cliffs We're not very high, hut their
forms were finely picturesque. Hero md
there were still green creeks, fringed with
purple weed; and largo shadowy caves.
hewcd roughly in the side of tho clag3; and
rocky islcts, covered with Shiny weed and
sTash with the tapping wctc-. Il lttle to
the right of tho spot from which Lo lad
tieod, Tho cliff seemed Eolloweil cut, fo--ai1g
q Nidc passage, sThicllthe sea entered with a
tramp and d rush and q rca-.
Toward this passage Brinlloy SVEN. lie
know the danger of such places, for he had
often explo@'cd them bosh in Cornwcll end
.he west of Ireland; but he he'd confidence IL
bis own natatory skill. Approaching The
y L u. 4