Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1891-01-23

IoON' "" tel me presently what you
fhink."
B"uce, rearing up his tall, straight
figure, peeped silently over the slant
ing corner Of the ruined cottage roof,
and saw dark haired, dark eyed,
splendiily handsome girl setting down
pitcher, which was much too heavy
for her and with the effort flushing
her checks with becomming crimson.
Having placed her pitcher by the
cottage wall she was about to resume
her burien and 80 her way, when hoI
eye caught Bruce's helmet, and blush
ing and confused, she glanced at him
inquiripgly. The young man hesitated
whether to retire or go forward; but
the latter impulse prevailed, and in
voluntarily lifting mis- head covering
he asked her about the welfare of q
Mrs. Jollitfc, who mad years ago lived
at Keen.
"Shc is dead, Sir" the girl answered
simply 'but her husband is alive, and
live with him"
"Over in that directionr" Bruce
asked, pointing away to the right.
"Yes, sir; just there. He's now old
and weak, and come to the brook
every morning for water, and save
him carrying it up"
She did not wait for further con-
verse, but declining the aid he Of
fered her, poised her pitcher grace
fully upon her strong young shoulder
and walked away by the back of the
Yuined hut.
Dormcrs started forward as she did
so, but was restrained by his friend.
"Well, cali this COOL the young
Englishman said, vcxcdly. "You
monopoIize all the talk. By Jove, I'll
go after her and let her know that |
have kept my promise"
Bruce, instead Of answering, quietly
linked the speakers arm within his
own
"You shall see her presently" he
said; ''l.ut meanwhile / have some
thing sG.ious enough to talk to you
about. Seventeen years ago my
mother "a widow died, leaving me to
take ch.rge of little -year-old
girl--a1 s,6ter's child, whom she had
adopted was Il lad, without much
ballast or money. An advertisement
about a fishery tempted me to this
part of Ireland. and being charmed
with Achill (though the fishery turned
out mytm, | stopped on here with
/ the little one at the house of farmer
name Jollific, his good wife being
/ particularly taken with the child.
Wei, one day fell in with some men
who were making up a party to tempt
fortune in California. 1t didn't take
much to persuade me to join them. |
gave the Joliffes what cash | could
spare to care for my little cousin, and
away started, promising to be back
in five years.
''The fellows | went with were hon
est enough, but we met with no good
luck for long while, and when the
five years were up | had scarcely
enough money TO keep body and soul
together where was, and not a cent
1 had to send home. I'm ashamed TO
tell you that things went on so for
another five years-fOr | was a bad
manager, an idler when | ought to have
worked-and by 1flat time the world
had so hardened my heart that almost
forgot the Jolliffes and my obligations
to them, and if | thought at all of the
child had left behind, it was only to
/ think and hope that she might be dead.
AT length, rs | have told you, turned
up gold. In time | grew pretty rich,
came home to the old country, met
you shortly after, and determined to
break old ground again, and f posi-
Bile do justice to these good people of
Keen.
"Jolliffe is not common name in
this place. The man, have learned,
is alive, his wife is dead, and the girl
whom we saw here at the well is
Winfred Morton, my dead mother S
4 niece. have been everything that
was wrong, know, but may yet re-
| pair matters; and as you have been
good enough to restrain Yourself from
intcrrupting me or knocking me down
will you please go straight to Mr..
JoIlifle's cottage aud tell him and
Winfred that when Ivan Bruce shall
| have pulled himself together a
bit (for am really upset, old chap
he will come right up and ask their
pardon, and that they will let him
shake them once more by the hand"
Two hours after a merry, laughing
trio-two men and 9irl--were climb
ing up the great shelving shoulder of
Sieve Croughan, by the smooth moor
land ascent; Winfred, or "Wisha," as
they found she was called, neatly and
prcttily dressed, and quite as delight
ed with her new cousin as she was coy
and timid with his friend. They
climbed on further, to the very edges
of the grand sea cliffs, and peeped
down them into the green valleys far