The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-07-27

since ne naQ not DOuSnL ally vi MI.
Pontifexs cakes of backing with the
directions inside as to where his
sovereigns might be found inside their
penny pencil cases, it was not for
them that he was hunting. Yet, all
the same, it was treasure belonging
to Mr.. Poptifex which he was looking
for, viz, his daughter. For he and
AIiralel pontifex loved each other,
and Pontifex was a stern parent Of
the good old Surrey side style of
melodrama, and he laughed to scorn
the pretensions of Herbert Gay to an
mex his daughter and his ducats. But
Mirabel loved the young man. and.
consequently, they were reduced to
clandestine meetings, so that they
might have the opportunity of fire.
quently repeating to each other the
state of their feelings, and bewailing
their unhappy fate and the hardness
of Mr.. Pontifex's obdurate and bust,
ness-like heart.
But" Mirabel often said to her low
er, "if you could only show father
that you had some way OF making a
living, of making money, do believe
he would give in. He likes you for
yourself, and it's nothing against you
in his eyes that you have got such
fashionable relations; only he says l
shall never marry man who isn't
sharp enough to make money. If you
could make five hundred pounds, or
even one, and show him that you
made 1t cleverly, shrewdly, believe
he would arrange things all right for
US. But you can't do that by writing
poetry, can you, dear?'
NO" Herbert Gay would reply
gloomily, Il can't. I suppose must
get job somewhere"
But now, as he walked down the
lane in question, he was not bent so
| much on meeting Mirabel as on going
to an old oak tree, which had, as such
things very often conveniently pos
sess-to oblige lovers in novels and
tales-a great hole in it's decayed
trunk. He went toward it because in
this tree in the lane, which was out
side Mr.. Pontifexs domain, it was the
naDit for Mirabei 60 place letter for
Herbert whenever anything happened
to prevent her getting out to him.
He went toward it, therefore, and
was just about to insert Ills hand in
the big hole, and grub about amidst
the rotten touchwood inside, when, to
his establishment, he saw a man some
two or three hundred yards down the
lane, who was upon his knees, thrust
ing something under small heap of
fallen leaves. Watching him further,
he noticed the man trust this some
thing which looked like a small
truncheon, further into the leaves, and
then go on further, until at the turn
of the lane he was out of sight. And
he now saw that in his hand he car
ried another similar object.
''Pll just see,'' murmure6 Herbert
Gay, whether Mirabel has left let
ter or not, and then I'll go and find
out what the gentle joker has showed
under the leaves. l expect it's dead
bird or something. Perhaps he has
kindly heart
Upon which Gay put his hand in
the hollow tree, and when he had
done so he found a letter from the
girl of his heart, saying she could not
meet him today. But he also found
something else.
His hand came into contact first
with one of those truncheon looking
things the other man had been push
| ing under the leaves, then with a Sec
| ond, a third, and so on, until he had
felt eight of them, after which he
pulled out one and inspected it.
"a schoolboy's pencil case" he ex-
| claimed to himself. Let's see what
is in it. l suppose that chaps an
idiot, or playing a game with some
children. Good lord!" he went on, as
he opened the pencil case, what's
this?" For as he did so out came
fifty sovereigns, while further inspec.
ton showed that the other seven
cases contained similar amount.
4 understand" he said. That
mans employed by the newspaper to
hide these things all over the place,
and he has left these here till he has
buried the other two. Well -.rabel
can't see me today, so I'll take them
off and put them away safely; but
first I'll go down and get the other
one he put under the leaves. Fifty
sovereigns are fifty sovereigns, any
| how"
Your young mans genius" Mr..
Pontffex said to Mirabel few days
afterward Then, turning to Herbert
Gay, whom he had invited to dinner,
he continued: However did you man
age to do it? Baggs said he hid them
all carefully way, and swore no treas
ure hunter would ever find them"
my powers of divination," Herbert
replied. tits gift, you know. No
body, but me had a chance of finding
! them"
II should think it was a gift!
can understand your finding one, or
even two, but-all the blessed lot!
| And with you, Baggs," turning to that