Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1894-01-27

man, now reduced under the clamor and |
haddering to complete imbecility, could |
only gasp that he had surely seen the |
casket safely on little table beside Sandy's |
inRle-penk.
The next morning Hugh questioned old |
Sandy and his wife mercilessly. They knew
nothing of the casket; but he could not
understand their extreme perturbation
solely on the ground of the general disturb
ance, which brought only mirth and smiles
to every face but his and theirs. The auld
wife simply rocked and moaned, and was
voicelsss. Sandy, standing with his back
against little corner cupboard of the in
gle, glowered at him defsntly with, IT ha'
ma ain kist here" ha' ma ain kist herel" |
but the conviction came powerfully npon
him that old Sandy Nichols not only knew
the whereabouts of the casket, but of
much more of the greatest concern to the
few principals of the strange little drama
set in action by the loss of Lady Mac
Tavitt's wig.
Discouraged but still determined, he left
the couple. Joan Joined him at her own
door, in q little time the two were at the
falls of Eas-na-conn. Above these the
stone highwsy bridge crosses the tumbling
waters which descend melodiously from
the shadowy burn above.
"Josn, you take one side, and I will
search the other. The coachmsn tells me
Lady Mac Tavitt left the carriage at the
bridge q moment and wandered up the
burn"
They seerched along the lovely banks,
pesred into leafy ooverts. broke down the
tender ferns, even CROPPED upon their
hands and knees and sharply scanned
every hollow and quivering shallow of the
stream. Suddenly Joan gave an exclama-
ton of delight, as her hand elutched some
flashing object In the water. With their
| splendid strength both hands went at 1t
| then, and in another instant she had sent
| spinning to the opposite bank, not Lady
Mac Tavitt's easket but small mud-cov-
| cred image of stone.
"The corp creadhl-the corp creadhl she
screamed a. she recoiled from the hideous
object.
"By Jupiterl so it lie; and turned to stone.
Quick, now, Joanl run home. Find Davy.
Have him and yourself ready at call; but
say no word of this to any one. I'll Just
give this queer highlander bath, and then
| take him with me for an interview with
Sandy. Run nowI Do as I bid, and I'll
make this body worth to us-to you and
I, Joan-its weight in goldl'
Without q word Joan sped down the hill
side, while Hugh, in q sort of ruminative
glee, addressed the image as he soused It in
aren't youa Must have been in the water
long time. Turned to stone, didn't youa
Upon my honor, you look like Dsvy, too.
What a clever old wretch your maker was.
to be sure" and much more of this CHEEKY
sort; until the image was bright and clean,
and wiped dry with ferns, when he wrapped
1t lovingly beneath mis- coat with, "Warm
up bit, auld beikiel" in . few moments
more had passed Jeans door with a finger
pressed meaninaly to his lips, and entering
Sandy Nichols cottage without . knock,
had left them.
'sSandy" he began sternly, ST wish Lady
Mac Tavitt's cssket Immediately"
The auldwife moaned and rocked in
greater emotion than before, but Sandy
merely glsred and doggsdly answered back
II ha' ma ain kist here!'
''Sandy, this old friend of yours who has
come with me says he knows you havel"
With this the imperturbsble artist held
the image equsrely before the old wretch's
eyes. For a moment they seemed starting
from their sockets, and he put his shriv-
elled hands futterinsiy before them to
shut the unearthly challenger from view.
Then he cid limp down the cupboard
frame, as its door few open, and fell in
pitiabls heap upon the floor; while the
poor auldwife, screaming "Guid Lairdl
Guild Lsirdl If ye'd madden mair Screep-
tongue, thees awsome curse would niver
he coeml" tottered across the room, STUN
bled over her horror stricken husband, and
brought to Hugh Rltchie-not one but two
baskets of curious ornamental design.
Quick, quick, Joanl" She was at the
door in an instant. ''Ssnd Davy to the
back door. Let no one pas in or out.
Take these, Joan; and If You love Hugh
Richie, never let them out of your hands.
Tavitt has got another wisl" And with
this he ran like greyhound to the lodge.
The terror of the couple pierced Joan's
heart woefully; and her little vigil shere
was % an age in which her own and Hugh's
| fate seemed hid in what her honest hands
| Loyalty clenched. Her heart beat wildly
| as she heard q trap from the lodge come
laundering across the bridge of Fasnakyle
and up to the cottage door.
'Thers she is, your ladyship. There she
| is; the finest woman in the north But
| for Joan, there, We never could have found
iii" exclaimed the artist radiently, as the
| headplaited and bonneted Lady Mao Tavitt,
| reaching the ground at bound. grabbed
| the first casket che saw In Joan's hands.
| snapped the spring viciously, tossed her
plaid and bonnet from her. and, clutching
| the precious wig-As big as lord chancel-
lor's, with curls that fell to her waist, and
| red % the most gorgeous sunset dyes
| clappsd 1t upon her glistening pate. This
done she sank back In q chair with groan
of liberation and relief, at once vigorously
set about taking snuff. At last with closed
eyes she murmured:
"Gie her . shselIn', Hugh. Gle her a
sheelin'I"
In amusement he took the other casket
from the flushed girls hands. 1t required
but moment to learn It's history from the
dodderipg auldwife now; Its theft by Sam
dy at night from the basket containing the
mite OF babe left at Davy Saunders cot.
tags twenty years before; the fear of using
the Bank Of England notes of large dsnom-
nation which 1t still contained intact;
Sandy's deadly hatred of those he had
wronged and his sfrighted yesterdays
theft Of the casket's mate in sudden super
stitious fear Lest the arat had been be-