Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1909-03-02


about him with the stupid expression
which up till now his face had worn, his
face expressed all the keenness of fox
hound well on the scent There was also
another curious thing which the young
man noticed; that the word wreck" SEEM
ed TO act like magic on the other member
OF the Jones household. At the first men
ton of it the old man started from his
sleep; and he now sat staring wildly be-
fore him, evidently imagining he was
standing on headland, gazing out to sea-
Wreck )" he murmured lay, there 1t
De- driftin' in wi the wind aud the tide,
William-driftin' in WI the tide"
Shut up, old man." said William, Civ
Ing his father a nudge then turning
again to Brinkley, he said: BE them
tales true, master?"
Ehf Oh, yes; perfectly true" said
Brinkley, being in lively humor, and
determined to give his host treat.
The expression in the eyes Of William
Jones became even more greedy.
"Praps," he said, you've seen some
Of them wrecks?"
Dear me, yes" answered Brinkley. de-
termined to give the reins to his mag
nation. I've seen any number of them.
Huge ships broken up like match boxes,
and every soul on board them drowned !:
then afterward-"
"Ah, yes. mister" said William Jones,
eagerly as the other paused; "arter-"
We'll, afterward, my friend, I've seen
treasures come ashore that would have
made you and me, and a dozen others
such, rich for life.'
Dear. dear! and what become of it,
mister-tell me that!''
What became Of it?" repeated Brink
ley, whose imagination was beginning to
give way; why, it was appropriated, Of
course, by the population
And didn't you take your share, mis-
teri"
"I?' repeated Brinkley, who was get
ting muddled well, no-frstly, because
l didn't wish to- have a superstitious
horror OF wearing dead mems things; and
secondly, because could not have done
so had | wished. The people are clan
nish; they wanted it all for themselves,
and would have killed any interfering
stranger"
1 suppose, mister, there be no coast
guard chaps there?" said William Jones.
oh, dear, no. No coast guards"
All J" sighed the old man, coming out
OF his trance. at warnt so long ago
when there warn't no coast guard chaps
here neither. Then times was better for
honest men. On dark night twas easy
to put a light on the headland, and some
times we got a prize or two that way,
diIntf L.
"You shut up" roared William, giving
his parent very forcible dig in the ribs.
You don't know what you're talkin'
about, you don't. The old 'un is a bit
queer In the head, MASTER" he explained !;
land he's allus a-dreamin', he is. There
amt no prizes here, the Lord knows: it's
Almost as much as we can do to git a bit
o. bread. Matt knows that; don't ee',
Matt7"
But whatever Matt knew she evidently
meant to keep to herself, for she gave no
reply. Presently. after a little more gen
eral conversation, Brinkley rose to go.
lie offered two-shilling piece to William
Jones; and, somewhat TO his amazement.
that worthy accepted it gratefully.
"Good-by, Matt" said Brinkley. But
in trice Matt was beside him.
"I'm going to show you the way" she
explained as she went out with him into
the air.
"wheww said Brinkley when they
were fairly clear of the cabin "the open
air is better than that den; but then
William Jones is very poor, isn't he,
Matt 2"
HE says he isl
"But don't you believe it?"
Perhaps l do, and perhaps I don't !;
II don't matter to you, does it?"
Not the least in the world"
They went on for while in silence ;
then Matt, who had been furtively watch
ing his face all the while, spoke again:
You amt angry, are you. master?" she
asked.
II angry ?-what for?"
Because l said that just now"
Dear me. no; whatever you might say,
Matt, wouldn't offend me-"
II he expected to please her by this he
was mistaken.
That's because you don't care. Well,
l don't care neither, If you don't"
She ran a little ahead of him, and con-
tinued to precede him until she gained the
last sand hill, and caught a glimpse of
the Caravan. Then she paused.
you don't want me to go no further.
do you"
"No."
"All right-good-
She gave a bound, like a young deer,
and prepared to start for a swift run
back, but the young man called her.
Matt, come here 70
She came up to him. He put his arm
about her shoulders, bent over her upturn-
ed face, and kissed her. In her impulsive
way, Matt returned the kiss ardently
then, to her amazement. che gave one
strange look into his syes-blushed VIC
lently, and hung her head.
Come, give me another, Matt" he
said.
But Matt would not comply. With one
jerk she freed herself from him; then,
swift as lightning she ran back across
the hills toward the sea.
CHAPTER Y.
That night the vounC man of the earn