The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-09-11
LNc0GNITO.
CHAPTER 1.

nvnanse of Darlington Mere which lay be-
fore him. fringed with the bright and varied
Greens of early summer, and sparkling IN
+ha CAV light OF an ideal May afternoon. IL
was a view TO throw poet or painter INTO
ace+asies. but John Matthieson was neither
met nor painter; be was nothing more nor
less than Squire Verschoyle's sharp-eyed.
p shrewdheaded, somewhat suspicious-mlnd-
al head keeper, and he had lived so long IN the
nrettv lodge on the banks of Dollmgton Mere
that he never gave a thought TO its beauty,
nor rould any one suspect him OF gazing
aeross if Tor solid hour fer the sake OF the
artistic pleasure it afforded him. Germany
his wife did not: she had come 10 the door
more than once. but being wise 10 her gen.
Grafton. she left his meditations undlsturDeu'
she euessed what course they were taxing;
re knew his worries, between the game
e which the Squire preserved so religlousiy'
. tbe noacbers from the neighborIEg Black
Country who infested the big woods. the nn-
der keepers who played into theihahds oil
the enemy. and the confusion which arose
from having two masters-an old squire
who was AN autocrat. and young squire
who was much worse-who each tried To
have the last word in every order that was
given.
But when the stroke of and the rattle OF
teaeups had alike failed TO rouse John mat
thieson from his reverie, she made an olner
sallv. and cried out: Come, master, be ST
com To sit IN that brown study TIL theket-
lies boiled itself drys Pye been wonderin'
this hour or more what you've got on your
mind to-day"
well, lass" replied the keeper, slowly
rising and following her into the house, Il
for It,,a- Ia
bothered about II, and I'd rather you knew.
lis about our new under keeper"
About Roger CherrngtoIw exclaimed
his wife. why, l thought he was goin' on
so well, and such good ledger as he is. too.
Surely you don't fancy he's GettiR' up to
any tricks wi them scamps o pOachers?"
''0h, no; he's right enough as far as con-
sarns his work; WI that I'm satisfied and
SOS the ovid squire. but" and here ohm
Matthieson shook his head. there's SOM
mat about the chap as | can't make out.
ana when l can't make a man out ii worrits
me-"
We'll, if ever / heerd such rubbish
Il ere's 4 young man lodging in our house.
dom his work so as to give satisfaction, SIS
Study as old Time to my mind, and you go
and Worrit yourself about him.
1T amt rubbish. Jenny" persisted the
KEEPER, though it amt to do with his work
and though l can't sZaekly Rut a name to il.
Il worrits me to think he amt told us a
word about himself all the two months he's
been here. We know no more about him
now than we did the first day."
NV ell. and if he is biz close" rejoined
the keepers better half, hes none the
worse for that. He amt grumpy or can
tanker0us with it, He's as pleasant spoken
as YOU could wish and as willing as posi-
bic 10 wait O me-"
That's just It," interrupted her husband.
IF lie was grumpy | could stand il, but
chatty chap like him don't hold his tongue
on ore pertickler subject without meann'
it,"
For shame O. yourself, John Matthie-
son." cried his wife Indignantly, 'blamin'
man because he doesn't send round the
t0wu-crier 10 tell the whole country his
bsness. ! see how il is it's all along of MIR.
Arthur bein' so down on him that you must
20 and see fault where 10 fault is.
"Mr. Arthur's bein' down on MIN has
n0thin' to do with my feelRs," responded
the keeper; "and it's no business o yours
either"
Isn't it?" remarked Mrs. MatthiesOu. 81
can tell you it is If l choose TO make il So
Tom Evans has told me all about it, and he
says, and so do the other keepers. that Mr..
Arthur doesn't like to see Roger such a
good shot and so handy with his fishing
. rod, when he's such a poor hand himself !;
and then that story of Rogers dog Jem, and
how Mr.. Arthur threatened to have it shot
He'd ought to be ashamed of shown such
a hhStN lCutpcl. Q4l tUE OuLS OQuiic.
And yOa'd ought to be ashamed t. speak
o the young Squire like that; the dog
snapped and SnaTled at him ever so.
Serve him right" persisted Mrs Mat
:thiesOn; ''the dog didn't like to hear his
master rated at for nothing"
Lass" said the keeper, firmly, "what-
ever cur young Squire is, your remarks
=: WON'T better him. We was talking of Cher
- rington, and l haven't finished my say.
Look You here. Pl have no nonsense be-
tween him and our Agnes"
"Our Agnes" repeated the wife
Yes, our Agnes. You needn't try to
look so innocent; any one can see with half
IN eye how the land lies, and that you're as
willin' as possible to help it on. and to marry
the girl TO a chap as comes from the Lord
knows where"
Now. come. John Matthieson," argued
the under keepers champion, I'VE know
quite we'll where he comes from. He comes
from Norfolk, and be had frst-rate char
ie6r from titled gentleman there"
The head keeper laughed derisivey.
''N0rfoIk's a longish way from Shrop-
shire mills" he said; land what about the
titled gentleman as gave him the cbaricter
He's no great shakes. if all that what was
IN the papers - true"
"He hadn't done nothin' wrong, had hep
quered Mrs. MatthiesOn.
"Well, he'd held title as didn't rightly
belong to him. and thereby, of course, he'd
received money as wasn't his; and what's
TO hinder man ike that givin' good char
icier where it amt deserved. You try and
get Cherrington on about Lord Caryll and
see how much he'll tell you. Now, one
word for all. 1 amt goin to give my darter
10 man / knows 30 little about"
Meanwhile the object OF John Matthie-
sons surmises and suspicious, tall, well
set-up man Of about 30, was walking along
one of the numerous paths which threaded
the woods round D0llington Mere, ostensi-
bly, occupied by the duty Of having look
around at the young birds; but he did not
seem 10 be doing it very energeiically. He
was walking slowly. his hands clasped be-
hind him, bis eyes bent on the ground.
while an uneOmmOnly smart-looking fox
terrier trotted sedately at his heels, appar-
emily doing its best TO show proper sympa-
thy with its masters preoccupied frame of
mind.
"Well, Jem." said Roger Cherrington
presently (be had fallen into the habit of
speaking to his terrier as if ii we're human
being; well, Jem, I'm sadly afraid our
experiment cannot be called 4 complete sue
cess. / almost think | was fool to make
- 1t. II seemed so different in theory to what
il is in practice, and we did so detest the
thought Of exile TO colony, which would
have been The alternative. What made US
cling to the old country. Jem, espec ally
under such conditions? And now, my dog,
the question is-Shall we stick to the evils
we know, or shall we cut ourselves
work to begin life on the lowest step
Of the ladder in British Columbia or
New Zealand; but will it be worse than
stopping here to be bulIed by an ILL
mauDered rustic like Arthur Versehoyle-
who would like TO shoot you through the
head, Jem. because you won't hear your
master sworn at-and 10 be watched like a
thief By old Matthieson, not to mention
the difficulties which are threatened us
from another quarter and which are too
delicate for plain speechp No. Jem, lite
isn't worth having at the price. and l am
sure you will wag your tail in joyful assent
when | make my resolve known to say
good-by to Dollington for ever. II must be
soon. Jem, and let US hope that the fair
Agnes viii find consolation from more
susceptible successor to my place"
Here the woodland path emerged on 10
the edge OF the mere and Roger CHEERING