The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-05-21
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man dubbed "the Squire" because,
though he Jared like the rest of Us,
toiIed, lived and dressed just as We
did, yet there was that in him which
stamped him as OF quite different
breed. Swells out of luck are to be
found by the bushel in Australia still,
never came upon his double before
or since. Rumor went that he was a
haronet at home in England, but had
been forced to cut and run $50 hetried
New South Wales and the gold dig.
gins, bent on succeeding.
He did not live alone; his daughter
vas 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 a
small shanty in the midst of many
pines, poor, rough place, far apart
from the other huts; queer frame
for such stately picture Of a woman
"a lady, with the same superior bear
ing visible in her father. I'd walked
that way with thu Squire once, and she
ran out to meet him. The sight Of
her struck me all ofa heap, so une1-
pected in the lonely spot, where there
was no 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
aashy ornaments that women such as
We take up with cra@ on; her hair,
coiled smooth about her head, shone
ike 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. I
fetched water, got in sticks, cleaned
boots, or did such odd jobs which
were not 6t for her, and said no word !;
but she found me out in brace of
shakes, and grew used to and was
thankful for such help as I could give,
knowing that meant no harm, though
lstartled her at frst-a great Orson
Of a chap in my rough gear.
One evening I 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; G deluge was in the
black clouds sweeping across the sky.
81 am anxious about my father, I"
she said, looking like 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, I 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, ]
think"
ssWhy, yes, Miss; make your mind
eesy on that score; 'twould be done
with will. But what harm is like to
come, that you need furry?"
A-sNedl' she cried, stopping sud.
denly, (her father always called me
so);s'I had such curious dream last
night. = I dreamed that I went down
into the little valley beyond the wood,
and there I saw my father lying on
the grass sound asleep-so sound that
q could not wake him; while the clus.
ters of wild flowers sprang up so high
that they hid him and I heard the
pines in the distance chanting SOL
emn kind of litany. y 7 was crying
yben woke."s
@'eYou are too much alonee Miss, and
grow nervous"
'hy iather has been very fortunate
Safely, has he not?" she asked,
''He las had some good finds, miss;
and to-day he got hold Of two Jolly big
auggets." :"
81 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 behind
her. |Dearest father!" she cried, els
it tyou?" But she broke off, alarm in
her voice: 'tNed Ned" for no father
was there, but two Of the worst of our
iot-scanps for whom hemp was grow
ing; the one blackguard sailor; the
other 8 smsrtish, slimp chap, thin,
dark, lying. His name was Phil
Dawlish.
I remembered now, as T saw him bv
ihe flash of the light, that he as we'll
as I, had been near when ''the Squire"
held up the two great nuggets; and ik
struck me-Im quick at conclusions
that both scoundrels had not intended
to come up to the house, but were just
lurking round-What for?
Miss Helen-I only knew her by her
Christian name then-faced them
steadily, though she had called me to
her, and asked what they wanted.
hammered Dawlish, lifting his ragged
straw hat with swellmob politeness and
leer which made me tingle to kicl
him; "on'y, is the old Boss at home!
AImean your pa, miss, he translated
sNo," she replied, nodding her head
nigh, to show she was not frightened;
but I, being close to her, could heal
her heart thudding like hammer,
while the blood famed to her brows
nnder the foul gaze rowing over her.
~Why do you ask?'
s'Just this, mum. Will you be a.
good as tell him that me and my pals
of to Hulton's Ranch for ashort spell,
and if he'd like to tramp over-why,
uis q mighty 'andsome part Q tbs