San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-02-23
M Is a l. - = 7. !:
A TALE OF 4 CARAVAN.
BY ROBERT BUCHANAN.
CHAPTER IN.
4 DISCOVERY.

The Young man Of the caravan was
now thoroughly convinced that one Of
two things must be true; either that
William Jones had been instructed to
keep watch upon him; or that he. Will
liam Jones, had a secret of some sort
which he was anxious not to have re-
vealed. After both suggestions had
beer duly weighed the second was ac-
cepted as the most likely; and it forth
with received the young mans cousid-
Grafton.
If there was secret, he argued, it
was III some way OmPctpd-tirStly,
with William Jones worldly prosperity;
secondly, with the reports current of
treasure hidden in times past among
the sand-hills or the dangerous cav
erns of the sea. Was ii possible, after
all, that those reports were true and
that in some mysterious manner Jones
had become acquainted with the hid
ing-plaCe? 1t seemed very improbable
for many reasons. 0nrOf the chief beng
the man ) extreme poverty. winch ap-
peared to touch the very edge Of sheer
starvation.
y little inquiry in the neighborhood,
however. elected the information that
Jones, despite his abiect penury. was
certainly well-tO-dO. and had money in
the bank of the nCi~hbOring market
town: that the ruined village of Abpr-
glyn belonged almost entirely to him:
and that. in short, he was hynaturp and
habit misery person. who would pre-
fer boarding up whatever he possessed
to purchasing with it the commnuost
neceSsaries Of life.
An Old CoaSt-guard, whom BInhIry
found next day on the station. was his
chief informant.
Don't you believe him. sir" said this
old salt, "it he tells YOU hes poor. Hes
a shark. William Jones is. and couldn t
own up even to his own father. It's my
belief he's got gold hidden somewhere
among them Samd-hiIlS. let alone what
he's got i'll the SavimLS-bank. Nh. he's
a artful one. is William JONES'"
Brinkley had said nothing of his own
private suspicious, but had merely in
troduced in general way the subject
of Jones' worldly position. Further
conversation with Tim who lad made
a few Struggling acquaintance in the
district, cOrrOborated the other t1sti-
mOny. The young man became more
and more convinced that William Jones
was worth studying.
Matt had not turned up that morn
ing. Instead of looking after her,
Brinkley took another stroll toward the
vicinity of the Devils CaldrOn. lie had
not gone far before he discovered that
he was watched again. The figure of
William Jones followed in the distance,
but keeping him well in view.
1t was certainly curious.
He walked over to the cliffs and look
ed down at the scene of yesterday 5
bathing adventure. \ strong wind was
blowing, and the waves were surging
up the rocks with deafening roar and
fOamy spume. The place looked very
ugly, particularly near the Caldron. All
the passage was chuned to milky white,
and the sound from beneath was, TO
quote an old smile, like the roar of in
Vulnerable chariOtS.
lie glanced over his shoulder and saw
the head of William Jones eagerly
watching, the body being hidden be-
hind an intervening rock.
Strange" he reflected. my preda-
tory friend can't keep his treasure. if
he possesses any, down in that watery
gulf. Yet whenever come near it his
manner tells me that am warm. as
they say in the game of hide md-sPpk.
To test the matter little further. he
set off on brisk walk along the cliffs,
leaving the Caldron behind. He found.
as he had suspected, that he was no
longer followed. Returning as he came,
and resumimg his old position. he saw
William Jones Immediately reappear.
That day he discovered no clew to
the mystery, nor the next. nor the next
again, though on each day he went
through asimilarperformance, Strange
to say, Matt had not put in an appear
ance, and for reasons of his own he had
thought 1t better not to seek her.
On the morning of the third day-a
dark, chilly morning, after night of
rain-Tim put his head into the cara
van, wherehis master was seated at his
easel, and grinned delightedly.
"Mr. Charlesl She's come, sor!"
who the deuce has Gomez" cried
Brinkley.