Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1895-10-05

spent all I got out OF the Vaal River
in restoring the house, and in doing a
bit of improvement about The place,
building seawall here and putting up
some decent houses for the croftert
there. The place comes to you, as il
must; all my money has gone into 1t,
but there Is still drain of debt and
charges on it. You had better have
married an heiress."
81 love the old place where our peo
pie have lived so long, but l love Nellie
a thousand times more" replied
George.
81 don't blame you, though /
would like to have thought that there
was little money to go on the prop
erty," said Daniel.
Just then the door was opened, and
girl of about twenty came in, whose
blue eyes and dark eyebrows bore wit
ness to the strain of Irish blood in her
veins, while her bright radiant beauty
was out of keeping with the story that
had Just been told.
"What lot OF business you must
have talked over" she said, with a
blush, as she remembered what the
business would be. "Iea is ready,
and, dear, there is man waiting at
the gate who wants to see you"
"What is he like?" asked lane.
81 have never seen him before on
this island. He is tallish man, with
a red beard"
"He is the man I talked to you
about" Lane said to his nephew. 81
will see him here. | would like you
to be present. Don't wait tea for us,
Nelly, but go and have yours.
Walking to the window, which
opened to the ground, he went out,
and soon came back followed by tall
man whose shaved face was set off by
red chin beard. He had rather a
colored nose, and pair of little eyes
that wandered restlessly about the
room, though after some time they
fixed themselves on the picture OF
Nelly's mother.
"Well, what do You want?" said
Daniel Lane. 81 suppose you have
come to see about something"
eyer right, but think it would be
best Tor me to say what I've got to say
alone meaning no offense to this
young gentleman, only we knew each
other out yonder where they find
diamonds"
81 have no secrets from this gentle
man. II You have anything to say,
you can say it before him. Who are
you and what do you want?"
"You know who | am, mister--Sam
Dredge, who was run in along with
Dick johnson, and who has done his
seven years, md amt ashamed to talk
of it. Now, I say, hadn't you better
listen to what | have to say without
any gent being present?'
"You can talk before this gentle
man, or you can hold your tongue"
answered Lane. "What have you
come about?"
q have come to have little talk,
about my mate, poor Dick Johnson,
which amt very pleasant subject,
and what | have to say relates to that. /"
And he pointed with his thumb at the
picture on the wall.
"Say what you have to shy, or clear
out without saying it," said Daniel
Lane, as he faced round at the other,
looking-for all his sixty years-very
big and powerful.
you're going to carry it off with a
bounce, but say now it's ard. l
comes out of doing my seven year,
and what do I hhar? Why, that
month or two after Dick johnson WAS
run in, you goes to the river and finds
ELS, 900 worth of stuff in the bed of
the river. Amt that treat? Other
poor beggars down the river live on
mealy meal, and don't find nothing,
but you get 'em all. Amt l II right
to something? Don't you think that
if l was to open my mouth there'd be
a deal of talk all over these blessed
hilands where you go in for being
such a toff? Come! you know what
l know, and if l hold my tongue I
want it made up to me-"
"Now, listen to me, Sam Dredge. l
know what you know, and if you
think you can do any good by talking
and letting Dick Johnson's daughter
know what you know, and if you think
you can do any good by talking and
letting Dick Johnson's daughter know
of the shameful end of her father, you
make great mistake. | won't pay
you blackmail, and this gentleman,
who is going to marry her, never will.
But if you ever do talk, | shall most
likely hear of it before you have left
the islands. If so, will hammer you
till you wish I would kill you out
right and if you have left these ISL
ands, we will find you out, wherever
you are, and thrash you. Ayl won't
we, George, my lad?"
"Our friend here can depend on q
thrashing from me-" said George.
SIN fact, perhaps it would be as well
if l gave him something on account"
There was no doubt that these
speeches had a considerable effect on
the respectable Mr.. Sam Dredge, but
they seemed rather to puzzle than to
brighten him.
He stared into Daniel Lanes face
as if he were trying to read its ex-
preston.
81 want to tell Dick Johnson s
daughter about her fathers shameful
end? Well, 1 never! Yes, of course !;
perhaps it would 'ardly be the thing.
Well, yes, 1 will say good evening.
The days lengthen out wonderful for
the time of year in these hilauds,
don't they, Mr.. Daniel Lane? Oh, /
am your way of thinking, only have
been misunderstood.
And Sam Dredge, with his wander.
ing eye again and again coming to an
anchor on the picture, bowed himself
out of the room to the window.
When he got outside he walked very
slowly, and kept taking furtive glances
at the open window.
The steamer left that evening for
Kirkwall, but Dredge did not leave
L n.,.., L. IL, L, =, IL