The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-09-27


about the look In his eyss, and his gen.
aR events, che unfoIded her guiieless
heart and In the course OF half an hour
had told him at least as much OF her his.
tory as the patient reader has learned In
all there painful days. Nellie, after
Studying the young man with the silent
profoundly OF childhood for 10 or 10
minutes, had also decided to like him,
and had presented him with bunch OF
| gorgeous eugar-maple leaves.
I'm not . skeptic, nor an fnddol, Miss
Billop," eaid Mr.. Morford. 81 like to
see the bottom OF things II 1 can and
there are miraolee enough without need
ing to have solid money fall out of the
sky. Have you searched the garret and
s.Searchcd? Well, Jest you ask Nellie.
Ef there's q square foot o. space inside
this house or outside of IT that she amt
| poked that little nose of hers into,
| don't know! An there amt no trace of
nothin', nor nobody, not no where's.
| An then as for the music an the voice,
! don't know how you'd get around
sis what hear In the village true-that
Matthew Billop disappeared mysteriouslyf
| that his manper OF death was never
known?"
"Yes, but he's dead, poor Matt, I
| guess, said Nancy, with a sigh; "ef he
warn't, I'd heard from him before this;
an then again, eff what some thought
| was true-that he'd had foul play from
well, from any one, I'd heard of IL,
| too, from his sperrit, ef no ways else. /
was thinkin' last night, after he'd sent
that money, that ef he'd been murdered,
he'd a said so then. But all he said was,
Pay Corvin, he says, 'an' I'll be at
peace" 30 l guess he died nat raj An
| though Matt was a real good brother to
me, an i al'lays loved him right hearty,
! yet don't mourn after him like would
ef he hadn't been man past his prime,
| as had lived an had his fling, an don't
doubt is happier now than of he were
here with US. But it's different bout
| Tom. never can get used to losin' that
| dear precious boy. He was the cutest,
smartost, best boy ever did live. an
| couldn't have loved him more, not eff he'd
been my En- amt never
| !elt the same woman sence / lost him;
an it may be wickedness, but i do say
amt never been able TO forgive Mr..
| Corvin for the part he took in runnin'
| Tom TO his death. In course he didn't
mean II; but still =. Mr.. Corvin
might a sold me up an don't bear him
| no grudge bout not payin' the money
| he owed Matt, cause the paper that
showed the debt was lost with Matt, and
men o'business naturally don't pay
| more'n they have to; but when think of
| my darlin' Tom drowned jest because
| they found money in his pockets that
he'd never in this earth put there himself
l.. Well, Mr.. Morford, don't
know what you think of an old woman
+, like me 10 be cryin' bout il after these
nine years; but l love my Tom Jest the
same as ef I'd seen him yesterday"
"Then you feel quite sure the boy never
stole the money! said Mr.. Mortord,
| after a. pause, in gentle tone.
"That boy steal? tn be the happiest
| day of my life Mr.. Morford, when / meet
| him in Heaven, and hear all the angels
standin' roun there say, You was right.
| Nancy; there amt none innocenter than
| him here!"
"It ought to make him happy to hear
| you say that wherever he is" said Mr..
Morford, getting up and walking TO the
window. "It would be a good thing IL
| you could find the /. o. U. for the money
| your brother lent Corvin, wouldn't it?'
he added, presently, turning round.
"Nell, I'm thankful enough to be able
| to pay him, without his paying me; and
land sakes!" she observed, with a laugh,
81 guess II 'ud go agin' the poor mans
grain to have to do it..
'Ile'll be here in few minutes" said
Morford. 81 just saw him turn in at
the foot Of the hill. Now, look here, Miss
| Biilop: III were you, when you pay him
the money, / wouldn't tell him anything
about how IL came to you; just let HIM
| guess all he wants to- It's none of his
| business; and may be the spirit of your
| brother may have some other surprises in
store for him, that would be interfered
with IL you were TO say anything now.
! While you're doing your affair with him,
! Ia like Nellie TO show me around the
/ place a bit, outside. Will you do it, Nell
lie? ] saw Jolly cave underneath there
as j came up; I'd like to explore it,
"Cone," said Nellie, with an air OF
| gracious proprietorship, "l'll show you;"
| and they went out at the rear door, hand
| in hand, just as Mr.. Corvin, all unsuspic-
ious of astonishment awaiting him. was
admitted at the front
swell, Nellie, i suppose you don't re.
member mucn about Tom?' said her
companion.
"No; but remember liked him, 4"
said Nellie; "and Nanny has told me
| lots OF things about him. He used to
| play robber in the cave, and monkey in
the big trees. He knew some way to get
up the trees with rope. / have never
| been up.
"But you've played in the cave, / sup
poser"
vYes, little; but don't like il much,
because IT'S dark, and smells dampy. II
I'd had Tom, may be l wouldn't have
minded so much. -
"Are you afraid OF ghosts, Nellie?,
mot when they really come, as they
did last night. | am a little afraid,
sometimes, when Nanny tells stories
about 'em before we 60 to bed. But
W.