The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1886-01-20
XIV.

A ssroAL PARTY AND A LITTLE SURPRISE.
A week passed away. Tho shadow Of the
caravan no longer fell on the green meadow
by the lake, and tho struggling population Of
Aberglyn, ~unsrspic;ous Of foul play, had
already forgotten both the caravan and the
owner.
And if facts were to be taken into con-
alteration In estimating the extent Of her
memory, Matt, too, had forgotten. It was
common talk now that she, the ~grammarless
castaway, tho neglected protegee Of William
Jones, was to be married to the muster Of
the great bousei Nay, tho very day was
fixed; and that very day was only two sun
rises distant, and Monk, of Monkhurst, had
in his pocket a special license, which he had
procured, at an expenditure OF five pounds,
from London.
Doubtless, In any other moro populous 10
cality the affair would a V occasioned no
Little scandal and many onlinous shakings OF
the head; but the inhabitants were few and
far between, and had little or no time for
idle gossiping. The coast-guardsmen and
their wives were tho only individuals who
exhibited any interest, and oven their excite
ment was faint and evanescent, like the
movements Of q fish In q shallow and I'M
wholesome pool
But the really extraordinary part OF the
whole affair was the conduct OF Matt herself.
Apparently quito curedof her former repug-
nance to a union with Monk, she made no OBJ
lection whatever TO the performance OF the
ceremony, and laughed merrily when she was
informed thai the day was fixed Monk, in
his grim, t~aciturn way, was jubilant. He
came to and fro constantly, and assumed thu
manners of a lover. Had he been less bent
on one particular object two things might
have struck him as curious: a. That Matt,
though she had consented to marry him,
steadfastly refused to wear his ring or accept
any other present; and O. that she still
shrunk with persistent and W~-disguised dis
like from his caresses.
1t was now late In the month Of August,
and tho weather was broken by troublous
winds and a fretful moon. For several weeks
William Jones, In his mortal terror, had re-
Trained from visiting the cave; be had never
set his foot therein, indeed, since tie night Of
the assassination. At Last he could bear the
suspense no longer.
So late one windy and rainy night he stole
forth with his unlit lantern, and fought his
way In the teeth Of half . gale to the familiar
place, which he found, however, with some
little difficulty. He was neithet superstitious
nor imaginative, but throughout the Journey
be was prey to nameless terror Every gust
Of wind went through his heart like a knife;
every sound of wind or sea made that same
heart stop and hsten- Only supreme greed
and misery anxiety led him on. But at last
he gained the cave, within which there was o
sound as Of clashing legions, Cartons shrisk-
ing. drums beating, all the storm and stress
of the awful waters clashing on the cIhs
without, and boiling with unusual screams
through the black lit between the cave and
the Devils Caldron.
Trembling, with perspiration standing in
great beads on his face, he searched the cave
for the corpse Of tie murdered man, expect
ing to find it well advanced in decomposition.
Strange to say, however, it had disappeared.
william Jones was at once relieved and
alarmed; relieved because he was spared q
horrible experience; alarmed because he
could not account for the disappearance. A
Of those tidal waves 50 common on the coast
might have risen well up into the cavern,
washed away the body from it's place ON the
shingle, and carried it away In the direction
Of the Caldron. "In which cas-" hersaectsd,
chem c~oastguard chaps would find it some
day among the rocks or on the shore, and
think it had been drownded in tho way Of
natur'."
Satisfied that everything elss was undis-
turbed, he retired q hastily Is possible, scaled
up the entrance to the cavern, and ran hastily
home.
The morning Of the marriage came-a fine
sunny morning. An open dogcart belonging
to Monk, and driven by n OF his servants,
stood 1T William Jones' door, and close to- 1t
q light country cart, borrowed by William
Jones himself from . n~eighboring farmer.
The population, consulting Of an aged coast
guardmen, two coastguardmen's wives and
half = dozen detected children, crowded in
front of the cottaga
The bridegroom, Attired In decent black,
with flower In his buttonhole, stood waiting
impatiently In the garden. Despite tho festive
occasion, bs had = gloomy and hAngdog
appearance. Presently there emerged from
the door William Jones, attired in . drowned
seaman's suit several sizes too largo for him,
and wearing . chimnsy-pot hat and q white
r~osette. Leaning ON his arm was Matt,
100000 a. -c~ - HI,,~ ~;I6x voxrIu xnoIo