The Opelousas courier., 1894-01-06

tIIIAA1NN Ii the worlds ket-
'lli:}142L tie had been set on
the boil we'd have
come to the top as prime scum--truth,
and no lie, mate. But among us was
q man dubbed 1.-THE Squire" because,
though he Jared like the rest of us,
toiled, lived and dressed just as we
did, yet there was that in him which
stamped him q Of quite a different
breed. Swells out of luck are to be
found by the bushel in Australia still,
/ never came upon his double before
or since. Ra.nor went that he was a
baronet at home in England, but had
been forced to cut and run $50 he tried
New South Wales and the gold Dig
gins, bent on succeeding.
He did not live alone; his daughter
was with him, though how and when
she reached him none knew; she had
reached him, and bore her strange life
as best she might. They dwelt in &
small shanty in the midst of many
pines, a poor, rough place, far apart
from the other hurs; a queer frame
for such a stately picture of a woman
"a lady, with the same superior bear.
ing visible in her father. I'd walked
that way with the Squire once, and she
ran out to meet him. The sight of
her struck me all ola heap, SO mex
pected in the lonely spot, where there
was nc other company than the bright
winged birds, no other sound than the
stir of the windy trees. She was tall,
the color of wild roses in her cheeks,
heavens blue in her eyes. Her dress,
dark and close-ftting, had none Of the
fashy ornaments that women such as
we take up with cram on her hair,
coiled smooth about her head, shone
like black satin.
"This is one of my--chums, my
dear" said "the Squire" with his soft
voice and his hard smile.
Since then, I had hung about the
log house often, labor ended. ]
fetched water, got in sticks, cleaned
boots, Or did such odd jobs which
were not fit for her, and said no word;
but she found me out in a brace of
ehake5, and grew used to and was
thankful for such help as I could give,
knowing that / meant no harm, though
l startled her at frst-a great Orson
Of a chap in my rough gear.
One evening l came on her watch
ing in the cleaning. How eerie it
was underneath the trees; the wind
soughed through the branches, bring
ing a dash Of rain a deluge was in the
black clouds sweeping across the sky.
Il I'm anxious about my father"
she said, looking like a tall white lily
that somehow had been showed into
the wrong pot, and touching my big
earth-stained fingers with her fine,
slim hand. 81 am always anxious
about him; though, since knowing
you, l have not felt SO absolutely dis
tressed, for I am glad to recollect that
you are within his call. You would
stand between him and harm, I
think"
"Why, yes, Miss; make your mind
easy on that score; 'twould be done
with a will. But what harm is like to
come, that you need furry?"
"Ned!' she cried, stopping sud-
denly, (her father always called me
so), Il had such q curious dream last
night. l dreamed that I went down
into the little valley beyond the wood,
and there l saw, my father lying on
the grass sound asleep-so sound that
! conld not wake him; while the clus-
ters of wild flowers sprang up so high
that they hid him and I beard the
pines in the distance chanting a SOL
emn kind of lltany. I was crying
when [ woke"
''You are too much alone, Miss, and
grow nervous"
"My father has been very fortunate
has he not?" she asked,
"He has had some good finds, miss;
and to-day he got hold OF two jolly big
nuggets"
II am glad. VIII he bring them
home this evening?-What's that?"
and she sprang to the door, finging it
open, the shine of the lamp ebehind
her. dearest father! she cried, sis
you?" But she broke off, alarm in
her voice: "Ned! Ned!" for no father
was there, but two of the worst of our
lot-scamps for whom hemp was grow
the n q blackguard sailor the
other a smartish. slimp chap, thin,
dark, lying. His name was Phil
l remembered now, as I saw him by
the flash OF the light, that he as we'll
as |, had been near when stthe Squire,
held up the two great nuggets; and it
me-Im quick at conclusions
that both scoundrels had not intended
to come up to the house, but were just
round-What for?
Miss Helen-I only knew her BY her
name then-faced them
steadily, though she had called me to
her, and asked what they wanted.
"Why, nothin' in special, MISS"
Dawlish, lifting his ragged
straw hat with swellmob p~oliteness and
leer which made me Jingle to kick
him; "on'y, is the old Boss at home?
l-lmean your pa, miss, he translated.
NO." she replied, nodding her head
high, to show she was not frightened
but J, being close to her, could hear
aer heart thudding like q hammer,
while the blood famed to her brows
lndef the foul gaze rowing over her.
do you ask?"
Just this, mum. Will you be as
rood as tell him that me and my pals
If to Hulton's Ranch for ashort spell,
md if he'd like to tramp over-why,
tbs q mighty 'andsome part o the