The Globe-republican., 1894-02-02
CHAPTER XV.-Coy-INUEp.

CHAPTER Xv.-CoyTINUED
Doubtless. in any more populous 10
cality the affair would have occasione,
no little scandal, and many ominou
shakings of the head, but the inhab
itants were few and far between, an,
had little or no time for idle gossiping
The coast guardsmen and their wive
were the only individuals who exhib
tied. any interest, and even their ex
element was faint and 1yanescent
like the movements of a fish in a shall
low and unwholesome pool.
But the really extra ordinary part o.
the whole affair was the conduct o.
Matt herself. Apparently quite cured
OF her former repugnance to a unio1
with Monk, she made no objection
whatever to the performance of the
ceremony, and laughed merrily when
she was informed that the day was
fixed. Monk, in his grim, taciturn
way, was jubilant. He came to and
fro constantly. and assumed the man.
ners of lover. Had he been less bent
on one particular object, two things
might have struck him as curious:
~ That Matt, though she had con-
sented to marry him, steadfastly re-
fused to wear his ring or accept any
other presents; and (2) that she still
shrank, with persistent and ill-dis-
guised dislike, from his caresses.
1t was now late in the month of
August, and the weather was broken
by troublous winds and a fretful
moon. For several weeks William
Jones, in his mortal terror, had re-
Trained from visiting the cave; he had
never set his foot therein, indeed,
since the night Of the assassination.
At last he could bear the suspense no
longer. Suppose some one else had
discovered this treasure, and robbed
him? Suppose some subterranean
change had obliterated the landmarks
or submerged the cavern! Suppose a
thousand dreadful things! Tired of
superstition, William de-
termined. despite his terror, to make
sure.
So late one windy and rainy night
he stole forth with his unlit lantern
and fought his way in the teeth OF
half a gale to the familiar place, which
he found, however, with some little
difficulty. He was neither supersti-
tious nor imaginative, but throughout
the journey he was a prey to nameless
terrors. Every gust of wind went
through his heart like knife: every
sound of wind or sea made the same
heart stop and listen. Only supreme
greed and miserly anxiety led him on.
But ut last he gained the cave, within
which there was a sound as of clashing
legions, clarions shrieking, drums
beating. all the storm and stress of the
awful waters clashing on the cliffs
without. and boiling with unusual
through the black slit be-
tween the cave and the Devils Cal
dron.
Trembling, with perspiration stand
ing in great beads on his face, he
the cave for the corpse of the
murdered man, expecting to find it
well advanced in decomposition.
Strange to say, however, it had dis
appeared.
William Jones was at once relieved
and manufactured because he was
spared q horrible experiences; alarmed
because he could not account for the
disappearance. A little reflection,
however, suggested that one of those
tidal waves so common on the coast
might have risen well up into the
cavern. washed away the body from
its place on the single and carried it
I'm which case" he reflected, them
coast guard chaps would find it some
day among the rocks or on the shore
and think it had been drowned in the
way of natur'."
Satisfied that everything else was
undisturbed, he retired as hastily as
possible, sealed up the entrance to tie
cavern and ran hastily home.
The morning of the marriage came
. fine sunny morning. An open dog
cart belonging to Monk, and driven by
one of his servants, stood at William
Jones' door, and close to it a light
country cart. borrowed by William
SOAACS AAOA q uClS
farmer. The population. consisting of
an aged coast guardsman, two coast
guardsmens' wives and half a dozen
detected children. crowded in front of
the cottage.
The bridegroom, attired in decent
black, with q flower in his buttonhole,
stood waiting impatiently in the gar
den. Despite the festive occasion he
had gloomy and hang-dog appear
snce. Presently there emerged from
the door William Jones, attired in a
drowned sesman's suit several sizes
too large for him, and wearing = CHM
ney-pot hat and white rosette. Lean
ing on his arm was Matt. dressed
In dress of blue silk, newly made for
her, out of damaged materials supplied
~ Jones, by one of the coast-guard
women, q light straw hat with blue
ribbons to match. and light lace