The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1891-02-27
CHAPTER XVII.
A CHRISTMAS FLIGHT.

uD 10 noun"
Long did old Gilbert sit that evening
in deep dependency over Miss Whites
report of Nicholas condition; but re-
Numbering, at last, the money he had
received for his mats and broOms, he
drew from his pocket an old leathern
purse, clinking the coins and chuckling
at the sound. "Dis po' old no count
niger kin mex money yit," he said, ex-
ultingly. Slowly he counted over the
sum, and tied the money in a rag. This
performance having restored his appe
tite in some measure, he raked from the
ashes roasted potato that had been COW
cred up there to keep warm, and with a
bit of fried bacon, set away in the broken
skillet, he made a satisfying supper.
With the glimmer of the dawn next
morning he rose, threw a blanket over
his shoulders, took his staff in his hand
and went out before any one else was
stirring; for Gilbert had now to visit the
hollow in the wood, in order to deposit
the money he had recently gained by the
sale of his wares.
The more his treasure grew the greater
grew old Gilbert's dread of discovery,
the sharper his lookout for any sign of
intrusion upon his hiding place. Even
now, in the dim light that struggled
through the trees, the old fellows prac-
ticed vision perceived indications that
made him uneasy. Somebody been
a-huntin' in ow woods" he muttered.
'Drat dat Jesse Furnival en- his yaller
dog! Laws-a massy, jes' ter tink dem is
Mawse Nick's KIM"
A mora careful scrutiny, however, soon
satisfied him that the spot where his
money was buried remained intact.
''But de amt no telin' how long dis
gwan stay safe," he moralized. ''De mo-
l studies, pears lax de mo- l doan know
what de bes' ter do. Money what you
amt a-spendin' is a power o trouble,
tubbe shot,
Col. Thorne had offered to take care of
his money for him. but Gilbert distrust-
ed, not his master, but his masters prac-
tice of depositing in banks, for banks
had way of dustin den whey yo'
money!"
"Gwan ketch roomatiz, wuss Sort" he
grumbled, "out-cher TO sun up. Use got
ter put some O dat money out ter intrust
in muel, dat's what"
He covered over the iron pot with
studied carelessness in the disposition of
the rubbish, and rose stiffiy to take his
homeward way.
"Ef Mawse Nick wuz jes' home
Laws-a-massy! 1 been studyin' bout
Mawse Nick cawntinual. 'Spect gwan
spen' mos O. my time studyin' bout him."
The immediate effect of all his ''study-
in" was that old Gilbert found it impos-
sible to settle to any work. He strolled
about his little domain, investigating his
peach trees, his bean arbor, his pig sly and
his hen house, moralizing as he went:
"Us po' worldly critturs o. dust en-
ashes do git nightly welded ter yethly
possessions, tubbe sho; when any day
ait mought be pleasin' ter de Lawd ter
call us away. En- l doan know but de
bebenly mawster is a calm me now, I
doan know. Pears lax somethin' been
a-callin' me ever sence Missy made me
promuss dat wow. En- yit l amt so
ole, nuther. Pears lax l mought live a
lonB tiiuc yit. L III bWdu tcI uo BIcI
house, talk wild mawster bout de purchase
O dat ole white muel Zip; he's a fair
muel, en- with money-some."
Col. Th0rIss was in the office, as the
separate small building was called in
which he transacted all matters Of bust
ness; but apparently he was unoccupied
when old Gilbert entered, for he sat in
his leather covered arm chair, stroking
his beard and staring at the fire. His
thoughts were busy about Miss Roxanna
Whites appeal--not that it moved him
in the least; it had served but to empha-
size his conviction that he was a deeply
injured man; his pride, his affection, his
dignity had been wounded, not merely
by his sons folly, but by his duplicity in
concealing his marriage, leaving the mo-
mentous secret to be discovered through
a child's inability to keep silence. And
yet, after this lapse of time, Nicholas
was not willing to make overtures. The
colonel, forgetting that he had refused
20 allow Nicholas to say word in his
own defense, was resolved that he would
not take the initiative toward reconcilia-
ton; yet his thoughts turned necessarily
to his son. But he thrust his painful
musings aside when he heard old Gilberts