The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1893-12-13
He sat up and spoke with appealing
gestures in the clear starlight.
"No speak Spanish; American"

1
arrived2 But why do you lie on tho
| ground2 It's not good. You'll have
fever. You're not acclimatcd."
| Cory was on his feet.
"This is providential, " he cried. '1i
you knew sir, how terrible it is to be
dumb-unable to ask for anything. I've
| just come up from the port walked up
from the end of the railroad line"
"a pretty long walk. don't wonder
you feel it. And it's good five miles on
TO the city. I've only this ono little
horse, you see. 1t won't carry double
or I'd take you along. Who are you, by
the way2,'
| "My name is Dickinson" said Cory.
Il suppose Two como down here on a
foll's erraud. Had quarrel with my
relatives and left in n hurry. Brought
no money. Just dollar left in tho
world" Unconsoiously he adopted the
short phrases OF the Others, as il thus to
be more easily comprehendod.
"Wcll, you are not the first" said his
new acquaintance. "Somc succeed,
some don't II you only knew a
little Spanish, you see. However, by
the way. this Is an old hacienda OF mine
There's house and you can sleep in it
under shelter, you know. There's the
plank of bed, that used to he scrv-
ants. You'll be safer inside Come,
I'll take you in. To morrow come into
town and inquire for Julio Vargas Vcrea
spelt with in English and pronounced
like All II, remember.
Cory had followed him in with feel
ing of unrcality. Julio struck match
and showed him the boards on trcstlcs
that should be his bed. "By Jovol
there's bit OF CANDLE" he said "Put
your blanket double on the boards and
creep into it, Wrap it well around you
You'll be safe from insects, alacranos
and the like. I'm off row. Lock the
door carefully in the morning and como
to town as early as possible. You can
take coffee with me if you're In before
eight. Good night"
Cory locked the door after him and
heard him ride away in the calm night
then went back and crept between his
blanket folds and blew out tho candle.
AS no driftcd into first dozc he sud
denly remembered that this was Thurs
day-thc last Thursday Of the month
and therefore it was Thanksgiving Day
at home.
He W ondercd IL Lydia had thought of
him. He hardly believed that she had
gone to take Thanksgiving Ginner with
his aunt, as sho had formerly done She
loved him littlc-perhaps good deal
Ill only as sister. She was too loyal
for that. Thus he fell asleep and slept
steadily, despite his uncomfortable couch
and the chill temperature.
Julio Vergas Vcrea was pretty well
known in town. a lawyer by profes.
sion. with hardly any practice, because
he had neglected it; formerly Legation
attache abroad-thc husband of n pretty
woman and father Of several pretty chill.
drcn--a thoroughly honorable fellow
with one dcplorable passion for gambling
Mt the exciting country cock fights
Who did not know Julio Vergas Vcrea
Cory found his way to his new friend
house without trouble and had coffee
with him as agreed. And Julio Vcrgas
Ncrea babe him consider himself II wei.
come guest Mt his house until he should
find work. For Cory was pcnnlcss.
lie would accept any situation, he said
anything, however humble Shame and
humiliation were his, to find himself
helpless, n fellow of twenty. nine. lie
had supposed strong young fellow oi
that age could find work in any part oi
the globe. lie had forgotten the diff
Guilty OF different language.
And 80 for weeks he had blue time
OF it. He wanted to go back to the port
where some English was spoken, bu,
Vargas Vorca objected. He wanted &c
seek employment on the primitive little
railway, but Vargas Vcrca objected
Vargas Verea was the kindcst fellow on
Garth, but over proud. An Cory chafcd
under his objections. Night after night
Inc lay awake suppressing groans at hi,
helplessncss and his tormenting mem
ories. Oh, to have come TO this land o
eternal sunshine under different circum
stances oh, to have come to this land
OF eternal sunshine under different cir
cumstanccs! Oh, not to have had I,
run away from home and friends! Blu
could he have remained there after IN,
accusation OF thcft7 And who had beer
the thief? Who had taken his uncle,
thousand dollars from tho open safe OF
that fatal afternoon when he had sa
reading in the next room and had hardl,
noticed his uncle passing out into tn,
kitchen for a moment? lIe had sat il
tho sitting room; the safe was in th,
sitting room bedroom; one could onl,
enter the bedroom from the sitting room
| TVS uncic Hhu gone INTO tnc Kitchen
and hud left the safe unlocked. Han
nah, tho servant girl, had let kettle o
soap grease boil over, and for brio
time tho kitchen was almost on fire
Cory, little lazy, had hoarc
tho vi roar, and had gone to see wha
the trouble was. His uncle, In a fury a
the servants carelessness, called him /
stupid fool and ordered him angrily not I,
stand gaping there. Aud Cory, angry il
turn, had quickly come back, seized his ba
from the sitting room table and left tn,
house. lie had not returned very soon
His uncle had seemed to hate him OF late
And he had gone Oft with some young
friends Of his to neigbboring town, NO
yenturing back until the next afternoon
Then he had found his uncle in a state
OF cxcitemen; bordering on insanity.
The thousand dollars that had bcrn des
tined for the payment of mortgage wa,
gone from the safe. Ii had been takcT
whilo Cory's uncle was in the kitchen
helping cztinguish the fire. No one oould
have entered the house Ia that brici
space, and no one but Cory, his uncle an
his invalid aunt was aware OF the pres
once OF the money in the safe. NOTHING
else had been disturbei l. IL had been but