The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-05-08

ing Joan danced on deck to the music
of the concertina-dances which had
their origin largely with herself, fan
tastic, touched off with some unex.
pected sleight of foot. enveloped by an
atmosphere which itself created, al
most uncanny at times to Bissonnette
| whose temperament could hardly &C
her distance when her mood was as
this. Tarboe looked on with lseener
eve and understanding, for was she
not bone of his bone and flesh of his
flesh? And who was he that he should
fail to know her? He saw the moon.
light play on her face and hair. lie
watched her feet glide here, sweep
there. He waved his head with the
swaying of her body and he smacked
his lips in thought of the fortune
which, smuggling days over, would
carry thcln up to st. Louis street,
Quebec, there to dwell as in a garden
of good things. But, after many days
had passed, Joan tired of the con.
certina, tired of her own dancing, tired
of her fathers tales and became in
quisitive. Her father was looking for
ward to something, had some interest
in this waiting. She was sure of that.
Why should she be deprived of the rel,
ish of expectation? So at last she said
| Father, what's all this for?"
Tarboe did not answer her at once,
but, turning to Bissonnette, asked him
to play THE Little Sword That
Danced" 1t was riotous little sword
according to Bissonnette, and through
the creal1ing, windy gayety Tarboe and
his daughter could talk without being
heard by the musician. Tarboe lit
another cigar-that badge of greatness
in the eyes of his fellow habitants-
| and said:
"Whats all this for, Joan? Why
we're here for our health" His teeth
bit on the cigar with an enjoyable en-
phasis.
eff you don't tell me what's in the
wind you'll be sorry. Come, what's the
good! have got as much head as you
have, father, and"-
"Mon Dieu; much more! That's not
the question. 1t was to be a surprise
to you"
"Pshaw! You can have only one min
ute of surprise, and you can have
months of fun looking out for thing.
1 don't want surprises; want what
you've got-the thing that's kept you
good-tempered while we lie here like
snails on the rocks"
"Well, my cricket, if that's the way
you feel, allons 1t is long story, but
| will make it short. Once there was a
pirate called Brigond, and he brought
into bay on the coast of Labrador a
fortune in some kegs-gold, gold! He
hid it in cave, wrapping aroundi it the
dead bodies of two men. 1t is thought
that one can never find it so. He hid it
and sailed away. He was captured, and
sent to prison in France for twenty
| years. Then he came back with a
crew and another ship, and sailed into
the bay, but his ship went down within
sight of the place. And so the end of
him and all. But wait. There was one
man, the mate on the first voyage. He
had been put in prison also. He did
not get away as soon as Brigond.
When he was free he came to the cap
tain of a ship that know. the Fair and
Easy, that sails to Havre, and told him
the story, asking for passage to Que
bee. The captain-Gobal-di not be-
lieve it, but said he would bring him
over on the next voyage. Gobal came
to me and told me all there was to tell.
| said that it was true story, for
Pretty Pierre-you know Pierre-told
me once he saw Brigond's ship go down
in the bay; but he would not say how
or why or where. Pierre would not lie
in thing like that, and''-
"Why didn't he get the gold him
self?"
"What is money to him? He is as a
gypsy. To him the money is cursed.
He said so. Eh bien! Some wise men
are fools, one way or another.
Well, I told Gobal l would give the
man the Ninety-nine for the cruise and
search, and that we then should divide
the gold between us, if il was found,
taking out first enough .. make a dot
for you and fine handful for Bison
nette. Mais! No? Shake not your
head, CONNIE ca. 1t shall be so. Away
went Gobal four months ago, and got
letter from him weeks past, just
after Whitsunday, to say he would be
here some time in the first of July,
with the man. Well, it is great game.
The man is pirate, but it does not
matter-he has paid for that. thought
you would be glad of fine adventure
like that, SO said to you: Come"
but, father"
"Mais, if you do not like you can go
on with Gobal in the Fair and Easy,
and you shall be landed at the Isle of
Days. That's all We're waiting here
for Gobal. He promised to stop just
outside this bay and land our man on
US. Then, blood of my heart, away we
go to the bay after the treasure"
Joan's eyes flashed. Adventure was
in her as deep as life itself. She had
been cradled in it, reared in it, lived
with it, and here was no law-breaking.
Whose money was it? No ones, for
who should say what ship it was or
what people were robbed by Brigond
and those others? Gold-that was a
better game than wine and brandy,
and for once her father would be on a
cruise which would not be, as it were,
sailing in forbidden waters.
"When do you expect Gobal?" she
asked, eagerly.
''He ought to have been here a week
ago. Maybe he has had bad voyage
or something"
Hes sure to Gomez"
'Of course. l found out about that.
She's got big consignment to people
~ Ii l.,