The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-21
DANDY JACKS GUARDIAN.
CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER L
ooh, uncle, how lovely! Is it really gold?''
YES my dear, there is no doubt about
that: and it seems to be pretty thick, too!''
Pretty Mary Everest clapped her hands
delightedly.
The hands in question were small and
nicely shaped but rough with the work Of the
South African farmhouse
On! then you will pe able TO go back to the
old country, as you have always wished tor
Uncle paused before replying, and a
pensive, saddened took appeared in his hon.
est, genial blue eyes.
Yes; if the rock is only half as rich in
gold as 1 fancy it is, we shall be rich, too,
Mary; but now it is too late!'
''Ah, if poor auntie had only lived!"
Unshed tears welled into the girls eyes as
she slipped her arm round the old farmers
neck, and, with almost chld-like attempt
at consolation, pressed a kiss on his bronzed
and rudy cheek
Yes, it's hard that my poor girl isn't here
to enjoy it, he said, with a break in his
voice.
Farmer Joyce's wife, Mary, had been sixty
when she, died two years previously; but, to
him; she had always been Ibis girl .~s,agI
Well we must make the best of things,
my dear he added, moment later, gently
returning the caress of sympathy bestomted
upon him by the girl who, for many years,
had been known as his niece.
AS matter of fact, she was no relation at
all, but his adopted daughter.
Eighteen years previously; Mr. Joyce and
his wife, unable to make farming pay in their
native county of Suffolk, had emigrated to
the Cape.
On the same steamer with them were the
Reverend Mr. Everest, his wife, and their
baby, daughter; the first being a poverty
stricken young clergyman going out to a GU
racv at Natal.
Mary Joyce, the farmers wife, had no
children of her own. and had at once become
devoted to little Mary Everest, and in the
short time they were together had struck up
a great friendship with the babys young
mother.
This was, unfortunately, but of very short
duration, however, for both Mrs. Everest and
her husband died on board the steamer from
some insidous disease.
None of their relations had, later on, ap-
peared anxious to take charge of the or
phaned child and, Notwithstanding the diff
ficulties of their life in a new country, the
farmer and his wife had joyfully adopted
little Mary Everest as their own.
Having been too young to remember her
parents, the girl had grown up to regard her
uncle and aunt-as she had been taught to
call Mr.. and Mrs. Joyce-almost in the same
light, and, indeed. with good reason.
Although their farm situated in lonely
part of the veldt, and miles away from any
town, the Joyces had given Mary the best
education the country afforded sending her
adopted mother had died, two years before
had she insisted coming home for good
and taking the cares of the house on her
hands.
Fancy living here all this time and
never discovering the gold before!" exclaimed
Mary, as she gazed wonderingly at the gilt
tering seams in some Jumps of quartz which
her uncle held in his hands.
Yes; and, if 1 hadn't thought of rigging
up little arbor for you here under the
rocks, it might never have been discovered
at ALL" replied the farmer glancing at the
huge pick with which he had a short time
previously broken off portion of one of the
rocks at the extremity of a well-kept and
luxIriant garden.
Facing the small, but substantial. farm
house, with its extensive outbuildings the
vedt stretched far IS the eye could reach,
studded here and there with the cattle be-
longing to the farmer.
He had been fairly prosperous but a few
bad seasons, coupled with the expense of
Marys education, had hitherto prevented him
from saving much money.
At the back of the house, and sheltering it
from the not very frequent storms, rose a
long range of rocks, covered in most places
with verdure, and over which trickled the
stream supplying the farm with water
1t was in the rocks bounding the garden
which formed Mary's especial care that there
had appeared the veins of gold, which, even