The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1890-10-31
CHAPTER XXXvIII.
SNUFF OUT OF A Ola MoNp BOX.

Another week rolled on. They were all
sitting over their dessert attheir last dinner
1t Escondilo. for they were I'LL going to
le;v. old Clinker in the morning.
"Clinkcr. sud Piron, you told me yes.
terlav that YOU had note from Colonel
Lawton, SAYING he would not take passage
in the brig with us to New Orleans. MS his
business obliged him to leave before we
We conld sail?"
| Clinkcr choked out something like ayes, !"
Is if it were the last sound a body could
sigh with three or four hundred tons on
his back.
/ I'm glad to hear it. Piron; for your mil
itary friend didn't enlist my fancy ut all,
and don't believe any more of his patriot
service than do i'll C:inkcr's earthquake.
That colonel is haste; and if my words
prove true. I'll lave thousand pounds to
Did Clinkrr there"
Paddy Burnss words didprove true; and
Did Clinkor was with him when he gave n
quake the earth had nothing to do with, it
being entirely of Nh apoplectic nature; but
he got the thousand pounds nevertheless.
with YOU: and if TINT military man went to
shoot grouse with me i'll the Highlands I'd
tramp behind him, and keep both barrels
Of me gun cooked. Tho take his black
wig and his green cyes!-and lie passing
himself off for - Scot, too! Tut. mon!'
by the way. Clinker, said Piron, dur
ing pause i'll the conversation. IF the
colonel is not going with us must take
him back his magnificent snutf-box which
he forgot when he left us so suddenly the
,ther morning. Hereit is, with the letters
Of his name on it in brilliants. thought
it too valuable to send by one of the blacks
and kept it to carry myself.
I How singular it was that the colonel
should have forgotten his royal treasure!
Keep your wits about You, Captain Brand,
or one of these days you will be forgetting
your pistols.
Given to him by connection of his
far,ily. was it. Paddy? Weel, mon. let S
AXE Il peench for the honor of Sackvcel
Street, and then push it along to Meester
Darcantel."
The doctor was sitting in his calm. grave
way, listening to their disjointed words
like dried nuts dropping on the ground
from the shrivelcd lins of Clnker; but rs
he abstractedly puts his fingers in the box
and turned his eyes langnidlyas he pushed
Down the lid, he gave ~ bound from his
.hnir-with the box ciutched in his left
hand-with jar of the room and table that
earthquake had come before its time.
Standing there with his tall, majestic
figure, like n statue of bronze, his right.
arm poised with clench armaloft ina threat
anel attitude; his dark, grizzled locks
bristling above his head: the black eyes
flaming with inhuman light. as if prepared
to crush, with the power of god, the pig
mics around him. he said in deep, low
voice. which made the glasses ring and
shudder-
"Who owns this bauble?"
1T belongs toa Colonel Lawton, who
has been staying here" exclaimed Piron
quickly and hurriedly,
what sort of MANI" came ngain from
those terrible lungs, without relaxing {
muscle OF his frame.
"a square built, tallish fellow, Of nbou
feefty, with greenish blue eyes, blacl
wig, anda glorious sapphire ring ON tho
only finger of his left hand!" roared Burn.
and Stewart together.
Again came the jar of the earthquake t.
make the building. table. glasses and nj
shnke. as Paul Darcntei strobe with his
heels of atlamant out of the snla. and to the
veranda; then q bound. which was heard
in the room; and after five minutes stupid
silence Banou appeared.
The buckra gentleman had torn ratherth thar
led his masters barb from the stable, and
scarcely waiting for saddle, hnd thrown
himself like IN Indian across his bnck
There!-his master might hear the clatter.
ing of the hoofs up the steep.
"The mons daft-clean daft mon! BE me
scowl, it's the only pair of eyes I lvel
wouldn't like TO look ut over me saw han
died friend, Joe Manton! He's taken tn,
box with him!" cracked Clinkcr.
But that was the last that Paddy Burn
or Stewart or Clinker ever saw of man o
box. Piron rose and listened to the sount
of the receding hoofs from the verantla
and when he resumed his place, his lip
were scaled for the night. He saw, how
ever, and the rest of them heard n grea
deal about the man and the box in the tim
to come.
Paul Darcantel urged the noble horse OH
the animal seemed to understand what va
expected IF him, and dashed on like til
wind, never a shy nor q snort. The gre
streaks OF dawn were disappearing in tn
east, when the tall man put up his hors
and strobe on toward the port.
In the meantime dull, heavy. sailin
brigantine might been seen slowly saggin
past Gallows Point and the Apostles bal
terry, when, creeping on by the frownin
forts of Port Royal, she held her course
sea.
Very different sort of craft from Ii
counterfeit brigantine with clean lean bow
slipping out from the Tigers Trup OF
sultry evening before hurricane, whie
went careering, with a sea hound after he
J. down to the Garrote Gorge. Different kir
q Of crew. too, and Captain Brand mu
i have remarked the contrast, with his keel
!. critical. nautical cye-that is, it he chance
q to sail in both bri.antines, Us there is mut
: reason for believing he did-with great di
> gust, on board the dirty, dumpy old ball
, hoo now just clear Of Drunkenman's Ke
and heading along shore for Hclshi
Point, bound for St. Jago de Cuba.
CHAPTER xxx.
LILIES AND SEA WEED.
By day and night, under sun or moo
in breeze or calmly the resounding sho
|, ON the ripping water-in saloon Of
grove, picknicking and boating-under VII
prnwning-all around in the whirling wal,