Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-02-03
approach in an attitude Of attention.

approach in an attitude Of attention.
He was big fellow. poorly clad. in
the ordinary dress Of the Irish peasant,
and when the Duke had come within .
few yards of the spot where he stood
he stepped forward. pulling at his SEM
blance of hat.
beg yer honour.s pardon. sor." he
said, with marked brogue, "but be
yez the gintleman 20 see her ladyship
Teddy Anne O'Nale?"
What makes you think that?" Quer-
led Maynard.
"Shure, she STINT me to luke afther
gintleman, an tould me the sort was
to expict- II yer the wan, sor, here's
a letter for yez."
'tAll right assented Maynard, salts
fed at last. II reckon l am the one
you want. You may give the note to
me-
The fellow handed out a bit of fold
ed paper. 1t was a mere half-sheet,
This man will take you straight to
the Silver Burches," was scrowled
across. Don't worry if / am a little
delayed"
Jack put the scrap in his pocket to
keep company with yesterdays letter,
which, according to Anne's request,
he had kept about his person-for he
would burn nothing that her hand had
| touched
is it far to the Silver Birches?" he
| asked, as the oddly assorted pair step
| ped on together. Colin, the dog, suspic-
iously snuffing at the strangers mud
| dy heels.
| Och, goodish bit, yer honor Shure
the Kildaragh estates a big wan. The
| Silver Birches is just wood, this side
| the castle, an the whole of two miles
| away. All the county knows the Sill
yer Birches, sor. Did yer honor niver
hear tell o them?" He spoke with
! sly glance into the Dukes face, as
| though depending with some anxiety
| upon the answer, which speedily came
J in the negative.
''Och, but yez won't be soon forget
tin the place, vance we've set foot on
| it, thin" and the fellow chuckled.
cts rare pictur, that it is, an foine
spot for pair o friends to hev chat.
| 'Tisnt in a month O. Sundays that
anywan's passin' by"
1t struck Jack that there was some
thing strained and affected about the
mans way of speaking: and under the
shock Of sandy hair there was freck-
led crafty face. He was not a pic
turesQue peasant, nor an attractive
messenger, and therefore Jack dropped
| a civil word to him from time to time
as they walked.
They climbed stile, went through
wood, and at last came out upon a
| stretch of moorland. They were then
on hill which sloped gradually down
wards to the west, and hundred yards
away, rising out of a species of dell,
could be seen clump of delicate grey
| trees.
"rThim's the Silver Birches, yer hon
our" said the guide. "Shure, yez can't
miss them now we've but to strike
| straight across the moor, as the crow
| flies from this spct, and somewhere
among thin trees yen find her Teddy
ship. I'll go on wild yez, eff ye loike,
| but mebbe her leddyship wud be jist
as pleased eff l TUX meself off t'other
way"
Il shan't need you any further"
said Maynard. Here's something for
your trouble" He took a sovereign
and tossed it to the fellow, who caught
it, with a queer look on his face
Maynard turned away and began
striding over the moorland, going
| down the hill. 1t was a quarter u
five. and he was impatient to meet
| Anne and hear the story of her myste-
rious trouble.
Net a cottage. not so much as a
| wreath Of peat smoke from chimney
! was in sight. The world might have
been empty here, save for Maynard AMI
his dog. and the gulls flying inland
from the ocean which made its first
| pause since America on the rocks a
mile away
Jack looked over his shoulder once
| or twice. but his guide had disappear
ed. The collie ran on ahead, but sud-