Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-11-14
..Heaven only knows. | don't.u


we were, we looked at each other and
burst out laughing. l still in the glitter
of Aunt Cadgetts jewels. Jack warm
ing his chilled hands ut the kitchen
fire.
And then he explained TO me his
plans for the future, and promised to
wait for his fortune to be made, even
IL it were seven tirNi seven years.
And the rain drove j sheets against
the side OF the house, and the thunder
of the rising tide filed the silence
like the constant discharge OF ar
tillery.
"You Gun never go away from here
in this storm at this time OF night,
jack" said |. "It's all one can do to
keep out OF the quicksands by daylight,
Owen says"
"Will the old lady keep meP"
shook my head.
"She has a horror of strangers"
said |. "But | won't ask her, Jack.
I'll make you up bed of blankets
and soft pillows on this kitchen settee.
You'll be very comfortable, and you
must be off before daylight, lest Owen
Ringgan should discover you. And,
Jack, there's plenty of bread and meat
and new milk in the cupboard, and"
you arc darling" said Jack.
There's Aunt Cadgett's cane
humping on the floor" cried |. Her
signal. She wants me-"
Aunt Cadgett was unusually exact
ing that night. l thought l never
should get her settled to her satisfac-
ton, and in the midst OF it / remem-
bered that had left the jewel casket
downstairs. Suppose that she should
happen to take II fancy to inspect it, as
she often did 1T night. | trembed at
the idea.
Fortunately, however, she did not,
and l crept quietly down stairs after
she was asleep.
Jack was asleep, too, lying in an un-
consciously graceful attitude, with his
cheek pillowed against his arm, and
there where | had left it, after we had
both admired the antique ornaments,
was the leather case on the dresser
shelf.
Thank goodnessr' / said to myself,
as | put it back into the chiffonier
drawer and noiselessly turned the key.
sat beside Aunt Cadgett's bed that
night catching what scraps and frag-
ments of sleep | could, for her rheuma-
tism racked her fiercely, and she was
to take her medicine every two hours.
And when | woke iE the early morn
ing she was sweetly sleeping, the sun
shine streaming cheerily across the
floor and Jack was gone.
Dora" said Mrs. Cadgett TO me
the next day, bring me my jewel
box
obeyed, thinking but little OF the
order.
open it," said the old lady.
| opened it. There was only the
faded lining with its worn compart-
ments. Not trinket remained. l gave
a great start.
OH l cried, where are the
jewels?"
Il suppose you haven't stolen 'em?"
said Mrs. Cadgett.
"I?"
Nor old Owen?"
"Of course not"
mo one else has been in tho house?"
looked at Mrs. Cadgett She look
ed at me with eyes that glittered like
piercing dagger points. 1 fell, sobbing,
on my knees, and buried my face in
the bedclothes.
Jack has been here" said /. "He
slept in the kitchen that rainy night.
He saw the jewels. was trying them
on. Oh! Aunt Cadgett, it was very
wrong and wicked of me, but meant
no harm! Oh! I'm quite, quite sure of
that! And if any one has stolen your
jewels"
mo one has stolen them, child, :"
said Mrs. Cadgett, with sort of low,
chuckling laugh. They're safe here,
under my pillow, where | put them
that night after you brought them up
here. | managed somehow to take the
key out Of your dress pocket and hobble
to the chiffonier after you were asleep.
| knew there was u man down stairs,
had heard his voice, and thought my
treasures would be safest under my
own hand. Besides, | couldn't bear
the idea OF having u sly traitor in the
house. You haven't been sly, Dora;
you have been confessing it all. Don't
cry, little girl; forgive you"
''But | don't deserve TO be forgivenm
/ sobbed out. al have been sly. Give
your jewels to Jcmima Cadgett, please
give her everythingn'
Mrs Cadgett smiled and shook her
head.
"Now," said she, tell me all about
this Jack"
And l told her. and she ccmforted
me with words of sympathy and kindly
caresses, such as never had expected
to receive from her.
That was last year. Jack and were
married "a month ago, and Aunt Cad
gets wedding gift to me was the
leathern case of jewels. Jack is to be
overseer of the great Cadgett orange
orchards down in Florida, and Miss
Jemima says she don't care straw
VINO wears the jewelled dagger and the
amethyst necklace, so long as Aunt
Cadgett is suited. She is so good
about it. And as soon as Aunt Cadgett
is able to be moved we are all going to
Florida together.
And am so happy But Jack an
Aunt Cadgett both say l deserve it
Shirley Browne, in the Fireside Com
panion.
Satisfaction Guaranteed.