The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-09-28


Corvin, he must have gone up there to
get the deed for the ten thousand dol
lars; but he died while he was up there,
whether by apoplexy, or how, OF course
we shall never know. All we do know
is that Old Corvin didn't murder him.
'From some of the indications there l
should Judge that this secret place was
known to the Billops for maybe genera
tions back; they made IL and used 1t to
keep valuables in, or for whatever pur-
pose might arise. The knowledge OF 1t
may have been handed down from father
to son; but Uncle Matt having no son,
the secret would have died with him, but
for the accident of my finding II out.
''Now, when / was ready to come back
here, under the name or Morford, and
clean things up i was rather bothered
how to go TO work. | visited the tree
again, and found everything just as be-
fore; and noticed, among the things up
there, an old broken-down accordion,
and sort OF speaking trumpet, that
puzzled me at first, until | concluded
they must have been used by Uncle Matt
to make his ghost manifestations with,
by way, / suppose, of additional Sc
curity against having his hiding place
disturbed. That gave me an idea, and l
bought new accordion. / had learned
that Corvin was going TO .oreclose his
mortgage; OF course / might have come
out in my own colors at once and paid 1t
of, but i had reasons for waiting to do
things in another way. So the night the
money Vas due, took the accordion,
and climbed up in the tree. took enough
money out OF the box, put 1t in strong
paper bag, and made IL fast by string
to the end of long jointed fishing pole
i had brought along. Then after playing
on the accordion until / knew / had
caught your attention climbed out of
IN In ha ton of hn n hat has nd
got ont on a branch and dropped the bag
down the chimney. A ter that said a
few words through the old speaking
trumpet to settle any scruples OF con-
science you might feel stuck the deed
where Nellie might find IT when j took
her up there next day and went home.
You know the rest.
'Then there were no fairiesl' said Nell
lie with q sigh.
"Not that time perhaps; but that doesn't
prove there may not be plenty OF them
when they are needed. ~
you've not told about Peter' said
Nancy.
'.Oh, to be sure! ran across poor Pet
er in New YoIk; he was dying OF con-
sumption and hadn't cent in his pocket.
got him good bed in a hospital and
used to 20 and see him. One day he told
ms the truth about that robbery. He
had put up the job on me, as he express
ed IT., whether with or without his
fathers connivance, he didn't say. he
had put my knife where ii was found,
having first stolen ii from me, and had
put the money and things in my pocket
while we had been in bathing. He not
only told me this, but he insisted on hav-
ing lawyer up there, to take down his
statement In legal form, so that 1t would
be evidence to clear me in court. He was
very penitent, and of course / couldn't
help being very forgiving. But l still
had q crow to pick with old Corvin him
self, and as you know did 1t only too
thoroughly"
'Poor mani Pm Jest downright sorry
for him, F" said Nancy, with tears on her
cheeks, "pm glad | never believed he
killed poor Matt But whatever did
possess him to be so hard after me, and
to want to take away the very roof over
my head? ! never did him no harm
that know Of"
That's very easy to explain, Aunt
Nancy" said Tom. "He was never easy
in his mind about Uncle Matt. At first
be thought he might come back, and get
the lsnd away from him; and then he
thought tnat he must have hidden the !
deed somewhere about the place, and J
that you might find il any day. So he |
never could get moments peace until |
the touse and all ABOUT ii was his, and |
you were driven out of the way. But we |
were too rouch for himl'
but then what under the canopy did |
he ask me tc marry him for?" demanded |
Nancy, perplexedly.
"N no wouldn't want to marry you, II |
they could, you blessed old crearure?' |
said Tom, leaning over and kissing her. |
And he would have knocked any man |
down who should have ventured to sug- |
gest any other Interpretation of that |
enigma.
(THE END.)