Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1889-01-30
CHAPTER VIII.

little canada already green with the
carly winter rains and nestled i'm n thicket
OF the harlequin painted trees that gave IL
name. The young man was little re-
heved to lind that Rosey had gone to the
Postoffice mile away and that he would
probably overtake her OF meet her return
fng-aionc- The ruad-liftlc more than a
traii-wound along the crest of the Hill
looking across the canada to the long.
dark, heavily wooded flank OF Mount Ia
malpais that rose from the valley n dozen
miles away. n cessation of the warm
rain, rift In the sky and tho rare spcctn-
Gle at cloud scenery, combined with GER
tain sense OF freedom, restored that light
hearted gayety that became him most.
AT sudden turn of the road he caught
sight OF Roscy's figure coming toward
him and quickcned his step with the i'm
puisivcncss OF "A boy. But she suddenly
disappeared, and when he ngain saw her
she was on the other side Of the trail ap-
parently picking the leaves Of n man.
zanitn- She had already seen him.
Somehow the frankncss of his greeting
was checked. She locked up ut him with
cheeks that retained enough Of their color
Ia suggest why she had hcsitatetl, and said.
"fou here, Mr.. Rcnshaw, thought YOU
werc In Sacramento"
And thought you were I'm Pc,aluma. ~
he rseorted, Eayly. az have n letter from
Jour father. The fact is, one of those
gentlemen who has been haunting the
ship made an entry last night. Who no
wns and what he came for nobody knows.
Perhaps your father gives you his suspi-
cions-". He could not help looking at her
narrowly rs he handed her the note. Ex-
cspt TINT her pretty eyebrows were
slightly raised In curiosity she seemed I'M
disturbed ~ she opened the letter. Pres
emily she raised her eycs TO his
KS this all father gave your
GAIL"
You're sure you haven't dropped any
th'n9,r
Nothing. have given you all he gave
me-"
And that II NIL II Is" She exhibited
the missivc, perfectly blank sheet of
paper folded like note.
Renshaw felt the angry blood glow In
his cheeks. This is objectionable, I ns-
SIRE you, Miss Mott, there must be some
mistake. lie himself has probably forgot
ten the inclosure," lac continued. vet with
perfectly premcditatcd ON the part Of the
Oil man.
TIE Young girl held out her hand
frankly. Don't think any more of IL.
MT. Renshaw. Father is foryetful mt
times. But tell me about last night"
In few words Mr.. Rcnshaw briefly
hut plainly related the details OF the at
sempt upon the Pontiac, from the moment
that he Ind been awakened by Mott To his
discovery of the unknown trespasscr's
flight by the open door To the loft When
he had finished, he hcsitated, and then
taking Rosey's hand, said impulsively,
lyon Will not be angry with me IL tell
you alli Your father firmly believes that
the attempt was made by the old French
man de fcrricres, with view of carry
Ing You or
a dozen reasons other than the one her
father would have attributed It to might
have called the blood to her face. Bnt
only innocence could have brought the
look of astonished indignation to her eyes
rs she answered quickly:
so that was what YOU were laugh
ing ats"
''Not that, Miss No,t,'' said the young
man eagerly; though wish to God I
could accuse myself OF nothing more dis
loyal Do not speak, beg" he added
imI.atiently, Us Rosey was about TO reply.
II have no right to hear you; have no
right to even stand In your presence until
i have confessed everything. / came to
the Pontiac; ! made your acquaintance
Miss Mott, through fraud rs wicked as
anything your father charges to de Fer
rieres. am not II contractor. I never
was An honest lodger in the Pontac. 1
was simply a spy"
But you didn't mean to bc--it WINS
some mistake, wasn't it''' sn!d Rosey
quite white, but more from sympathy
with the offenders emotion than horror
nj the offcnse.
III am afraid did mean Il. But bear
with me for a few moments longer and
you shall know ali. It's long story.
VIII you walk on. nnd-take my nrm,
You do not shrink from me, Miss Mott
Thank you. scarcely deserve the kind
ness"
Indeed 30 little did Rosey shrink that
he wns conscious Of q slight reassuring
pressure on his arm az they moved for
ward, and for the moment I fear the
young man felt like exnggerating his
orense for the sake of proportionate sym
pathy. do you remember" he contin-
ued, 'onc evening when told you some
sea tales, you said you always thought
there must be some story about the pom.
tiaci There was a story Of the Pontiac.
Miss Nott--a wicked story-n terrible
story-which might have told Won.
which ] ought 70 have told you-which
was the story that brought me there. You
were right, too. In snying that Won
thought had known the Pontiac before
stepped FIRST on her deck that day.
hal"
IIo laid his disengsged hnnd ncrnss
lightly on Rosey's, as II 20 assure himself
that she was listening.
~ was az that time n sailor. had
been fool enough 90 run away from col
lege, thinking IL n fine romantic thing u
ship before the mast for n voyage round
the world. ] wns a little disappointed
perhaps, but made the best 81 IL. and In
two years was the second mate Of n vyholei
lying in little hnrl,or 81 one of the rn
civilized islands ~ tho PnciBe While ~,
were ut anchor there n French tradlu,
vessel put 10, apparently for water. sh,
Ind the dregs II % mixed crew of Iascar
and Portuguese, who said they had los
the rest % their men by dosc1t.on, an,
that Tho rorf~fr "a - -