Evening journal., 1892-09-27

such q humiliating avowai. he would
say he had found the gold piece acct
dontally.
Toward noon he clambered up the
steep pathway leading to the hotel on
the cliff. He trembled with nervous
uess as he neared the great white build
ing, with its flying flags making spots Of
vivid color against the pine groves be-
yond lie glanced eagerly about among
the groups Of people who were seated on
the veranda, but he could not distin-
guish any one resembling the little boy
Then be went inside and, hardly able to
control his voice. put a few tiinid ques-
tons to the clerk. who eyed him suspi-
siously "A little boy with eyes col.
bred like tie sea, and bright hair that
Heated on his shouldcrs-whorew was hey
"Ilis name the clerk inquired in
usinesslike way
III don't know his name. but want 20
md him 1t ia--it Is something impor.
ant
The clerk reflected n moment, then
hook his head Yes there had been
Gle boy answering to that description
the hotel, but he had gone away with
lis parents the day before Where tor
Ah, that he did not know
Tears sprang into Lame Caspar's eyes
Horribly disappointed. he moved away
,nd mechanically descended the sunlii
lifts TO the shore What should he do
low2 The gold piece carried with it
urse--a curse from which he would
ever free himself His conscience tor
lred him His luck had changed He
aught hardly any fish nowadays, and
Is companions were estranged frcm
i'm. They looked upon him with dis
rust and suspicion. and all the while
lat hideous word Thief" rang in his
ars and seemed branded upon his soul
Weelss passed de never went near
he cupboard where the gold piece lay
Inning al the bottom Of the cup He
gas afraid to look ut it Nobody spoke
him and he spoke TO no one. He shut
himself up IN his cabin and his one
hought night and day was how to get
rid Of the curse that oyershadowed him
lis superstiiions nature grew morbidly
ensitive. Often he fancied he was go
lg mad.
The winter came-the severe winter
Z the north The angry sea ashed it
slf into glittcring spray. The great
Inf was carpeted with snow and the
KS was gray. Lame Caspar became a
ennit When he did 90 out it was
irly. so TINT no one could see him, ana
@ returned only when night had fallen
he gold piece haunted him as might
lme frightful spector 1t was MS though
lc cupboard concerted grim presence
bat he dared not face In the village
ae people tapped their foreheads sig
iiicanly
He is crazy" they said Better not
60 near him or he may do harm So
hey let him alone
Gradually the situation became so in
olcrahle that Lame Caspar concluded
ie must end it or else put an end to him
elf, he began TO devise ways and
aeans. BY and by he thought Of plan
ma resolved TO curry it ont.
One bleak December night. with a
rrible sinking Of the heart he I'M
lcked the cupboard. took the gold piece
d his hand, and stealing quietly from
Il
lifts The moon had burst from be-
ind a cloud and epangled the sea and
he snow covered bluffs Caspar had a
mife IN his pocket; bat he had not quite
decided touse It,
he wasn't sure whether it would be
etter TO dig hole and bury the gold
lece. or t0 fling IL into the sea and him
Elf after il Life had no longer any
harm or interest for him he had be-
ONE coward and an outcast he
would rather die than live However
be could do nothing while the moon
hone SO brightly He must wait awhile
until IL hid itself behind another cloud
Ie paced impatieptly 10 and fro in the
rosty night. Then all at once came a
aud jingle Of sleigh bells and the sound
# merry laughter Lame Caspar start
"a and stood stili as q large sleigh drew
40 almost in front Of him and q mar
Jumping ont ran 10 the horses TO arrang,
! displaced plume Voices tioated to
ward the solitary figure on the cliff, ano
,moug them was ono that caused Cas-
1ar's heart almost 10 stand still, while O
great sob rose in his throat
1T was Just here, said a clear, child
ISL treble. "that | lost my gold piece
INST below there on the shore. Such {
nice. kind fisherman came and helpe,
me to look for it-and"- The boy
topped speaking, Then continued il
an altered tone; "Why. SEQ that man
yonderi What can he be doing there
something is the matter with him."
In another moment the boy ha,
prang from the sleigh and had ad
vanced toward Lame Caspar, who stoo.
with ouutre,ched arms in the pal
moonlight like one TRANSPORTED. Tear
were rolling down his weather beatei
checks and spashea heavily upon Tn
ragged peaiacket he wore
"Ohr cried the child joyfully to hi
companions This is the very man
Inc nice. kind man who helped me &
search for my lost gold piecel But.
he added. "you are in trouble, Lam
Caspar, you are crying! What is TIA
matter? Why are you acting so strange
Is ont here on the cliffs;"
The ohild's companions. attracted b
| mo tvaoneff,- If tho fouoq apnrnachn