Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1891-12-11

''Listenl" she whispered. "How
much money have you2"
'Twenty dollars of my own" Dor
othy answered, "and forty that Ralph
left to pay the agent our rent. That's
sixty. And there's fifteen that Aunt
Rhoda sent me to match her old broc-
AIDED silk with
"Seventy-fve!' said Mrs. Dixon, ex-
ultingly. dorothy, you shall have
your diamonds"
SITS impossible!" breathed Dorothy.
'But it is possible, and I'll tell you
how. Come closer, dear; not a soul
must know of this. Dixon has helped
a shipping merchant on the docks to get
his cargo in-Dixon knows a man in the
custom house, you see-and he has given
US point. There was a Brazil
schooner came in last night, laden with
bananas. The captain has friends in the
diamond mines up among the noun
tains."
'EYou don't mean"
Mrs. Dixon laughed-a shrill, excited
laugh.
Its really quite interesting to visit
those odd little foreign vessels" said
she. ''I'll take you there, dear, if you d
like2"
''Is that the way you got your dia-
monds, Luella2"
'tAsk me no questions, and I'll tell
you no lies, "merrily retorted Mrs. Dixon.
"You have the same chance that l did.
It's the duties on these luxuries that
makes the cost. Captain Sazeda is in a
hurry to get back to Rio Janerio If we
go at all we'll have to go tonight"
"But it's Ralph's late night at the
bankr hesitated Dorothy.
"All the better. He mustn't know a
such things. never would have, breathed
a word to you if I had supposed you
would betray mel"
AZ won't! I won't!" cried Dorothy,
her cheeks flushed, her dark eyes spar
king. "Oh, Luella, do you think my
poor little seventy-tive dollars will buy
anything fit TO look at?
''Great bargains are sometimes OBJ
tanned in that way" nodded Mrs. Dixon.
"But, good gracious, is that eleven
striking9 And me due at my dressmak-
er's at half-past ten. must go, Dor
othy. Remember I'll call for you at
seven. Not minute before dark, you
know. Sazeda will send up the cabin
boy to show you the way. Put on your
waterproof, and wear your oldest hat and
veil, and make some excuse to Bridget.
Mind, sharp seven"
All day Dorothy Imray went about
her occupations like one in a dream.
The strange, fantastic nature of the ad
venture appealed to the romantic side of
her being.
She longed for diamonds as desert
wanderer longs for cooling fountains.
She could tell Ralph that she had hired
them, that some of their relations up in
Canada had bequeathed them-she could
make up any sort of story to pacify
him. The rent must wait. Aunt
Rhoda would surely be in no haste about
her black brocaded gown!
And Dorothy fell to thinking in what
shape the stones-precious sparklers
from far Southern mines-should be set.
Seven o'clock came-a raw, smoky
twilight, filled with fine, drizzling rain
and Dorothy and Mrs. Dixon were
picking their way along the narrow,
half-lighted streets on the edge of the
wharves, where the wind was full of
saline odors, and the crowded masts and
stacks seemed to OF rshadow
them like some outlandish sort of forest.
A stunted lad in tattered garments
trotted along in front of them, whistling
as he went, and now and then casting a
backwack glance to make sure that they
had not lost their way.
Presently he plunged into crazy old
house which seemed to balance itself on
the black tides below.
Mrs. Dixon followed-so did Dorothy
Imray, after one startled glance around.
They descended a flight of ruinous
stairs, crossed rude gangplank, and
found themselves on a stupenduously
dirty vessel, smelling of tar and onions,
and rocking back and forth with the
swell produced by the ferry-boats that
came and went at intervals.
A humpbacked little man in furnished
velveteen sat on a bucket turned upside
down, holding lantern which he swung
toward cabin door beyond.
"Ha, GIacome!" he uttered, ''Ze sig
nora she come to see re parrot an re
cockatool She is welcome. Walk Eat
way, please"
And Dorothy and her friend descend
ed into a low-ceiled, dirty place lined
with cages of numberless shrleking
foreign birds, and a jocund-looking
young man with mandolin slung around
his neck was leisurely picking out tune
by the light of smoke blackened lamp.