The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-11-25
He sat up and spoke with appealing
gestures in the clear starlight.
"No sneak SDanish. / American.

American, are your" He spoke will
hardly any accent, tall, tine-lookint
fellow, not quite middle-aged. ''Jus
arrivedl But why do you lie on th'
ground? It's not good. You'll have
fever. You're not acclimated."
Cory was on his feet.
"This is provdential, y he cried. 'li
you knew sir, how terrible it is TO be
dumb-unable TO ask for anything. Pve
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. Pve only this one 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.
II suppose I've come down here on a
foll's errand Had n quarrel with my
relatives and left in a hurry. Brought
no money Just dollar left in the
world" Unconsciousy he adopted the
short phrases Of the others, rs if thus to
be more easily comprehended.
"Well, you are not the first. said his
new acquaintance. "Some succeed,
some don't. If you only knew "A
little Spanish, you see. However, by
the way, this Is an old hacienda Of mine.
There's q house and you can sleep in it
under shelter, you know. There's the
plank of bed, that used to be a serv-
ants. You'll be safer inside. Come,
I'll take you in. Tomorrow come into
town and inquire for Julio Vargas Vcrea I;
spelt with a in English and pronounced
like an II, remember
Cory had followed him in with feel
ing of unreality. Julio struck match
and showed him the boards on trestles
that should be his bed. ''By Jove!
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, alacranes
and the like. I'm off now. Lock the
door carefully in the morning and come
To town as early as possible. You can
take coffee with me if you're in before
eight. Good might"
Cory locked the door after him and
hoard him ride away in the calm night
then went back and crept between his
blanket folds and blew out the candle.
As he drifted into first doze he sud
denly remembered that this was Thurs
day--thc last Thursday of the month
and therefore it was Thanksgiving Day
Mt home.
lie wondered il Lydia had thought OF
him. lie hardly believed that she had
gone to take Thanksgiving dinner with
his aunt, as she had formerly done. She
loved him little--perhaps good deal
If only as IA sister. She was too loyal
for that. Thus he fell asleep and slept
steadily, despite his uncomfortable couch
and the chill temperature.
Julio Vergas Verea was pretty well
known in town. A lawyer by profes-
sion. with hardly any practice, because
he had neglected it; formerly Legation
atN,che abroad-the husband of Il pretty
woman and father Of several pretty chill
dren--a thoroughly honorable fellow
with one deplorable passion for gambling
at the exciting country cook fights.
Who did not know Julio Vergas Verea2
Cory found his way to his new friends
house without trouble and had coffee
with him as agreed. And Julio Vergas
Verea bade him consider himself wei
come guest at his house until he should
find work. For Cory was pennicss.
He would accept any situation, he said,
anything, however humble. Shame and
were his, to find himself
helpless, fellow of twenty nine. lie
had supposed n strong young fellow of
that age could find work in any part of
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, but
Vargas Verea objected. He wanted to
seek employment on the primitive little
railway, but Vargas Vcrea objected.
Vargas Verea was the kindest fellow on
earth. but over proud. An 4 Cory chafed
under his objections. Night after night
he lay awake suppressing groans Mt his
helplessness and his tormcnting mem
ories. oh, to have come To this land of
eternal sunshine under different circum-
stances oh, TO have come to this land
of eternal sunshine under different cir
Oh, not to have had To
run away from home and friends! But
could he have remained there after the
accusation Of thcftl And who had been
the thief? Who had taken his uuce's
dollars from the open safe on
that fatal afternoon when he had sat
reading in the next room and had hardly
noticed his uncle passing out into the
kitchen for moment? lie had sat in
the sitting groom; the safe was in the
sitting room bedroom; one could only
enter the bedroom from the sitting room.
His uncle had gone into the kitchen
and hud left the safe unlocked. Han.
nah, the servant girl, had len kettle of
soap grease boil over, and for IA brief
time the kitchen was almost on fire
Cory, n little lazy, had heard
the NJ roar, and had gone To- see what
the trouble was. His uncle, in fury at
the servants carclessncss. called him
stupid fool and ordered him ungrily not 20
stand gaping there. Aud Cory, angry in
turn, had quickly come back, seized his hat
from the sitting room table and left the
house. He had not returned very soon.
His uncle had seemed To hate him of late
nd ha hoA .,nnn ,,H y,,,k o,,,,., , o,,,,.