Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1909-03-02
Matt
A TALE
OF A CARAVAN
Robert Buchanan
-=I~Z
CHAPTER TX.

greensward on the top Of the cliffs, the
Soung man threw himself upon the grass,
and invited Matt to do the same. 1t was
very pleasant there, soothing both to tie
eye and to the mind The cliff was COW
ered-somewhat sparsely, it is true-with
stunted grass; and just below, on their
right. lay the ocean, calm as any mill
pond, but signing softly as the water kiss
ed the rocks and flowed back again with
rhythmic throbs. On their left lay the
sand hills, glittering like dusty gold in
the sun rays, while just before and below
them was the village.
do you see that house standing all by
itself, close to shore?" said Matt. point
ing to the cottage where she lived. That
belongs to William Jc1es. And, look
you now, there is William Jones on the
rocks !"
Looking down, Brinkley beheld figure
moving along the rocks, just where the
water touched the edge.
"Very lazy of William Jonex," he said.
why Isn't he al work."
'At work."
"Yes, filling the fields or fishing. By
the way, l forgot to ask you, is he a
fshermanT
mo, he amt" said Matt. Hes a
wrecker, he is"
"a whatT exclaimed Brinkley.
"a wrecker," continued Matt, as II
wrecking was the most natural occupa-
ton in the world. Brickley looked at
her, imagining that she must be practic-
ing some wild joke. Ee had certainly
h ard Of wreckers, but he had always be-
lieved that they were a species of human
ity which had belonged to past centuries,
and were now as extinct as a mammoth.
But the girl evidently meant what she
said, and thought there was nothing ex-
traordinary in the statement.
THAT sea don't look ugly, does it?''
she continued, pointing at the ocean. But
1t is; there's rocks out there, where the
ships split on then they go all to pieces,
and the things come ashore"
"And what becomes Of all the things,
Matt?"
''Some Of them's stole, and some of
them's took by the coast guards. They
do say" she added, mysteriously, "as
there's lots of things-goh and silver
hid among them sand hills. before the
coast guards come all the folks was wreck
ers like William Jones, and they used to
get what come ashore, and they used to
hide it in the sand hills"
Indeed Then. IL that ;s the case,
wig don't they take the treasure up and
turn II into money!
"Why7 Because the sand hills Is al.
ways changing and shifting about, they
are; though they know well enough the
things Is there. there's no finding OF
them"
Il always thought William Jones was
poorP
80 he is, he says p replied Matt; "be-
cause, though he be always foraging. he
don't find much now on account of the
coast guard chaps"
After they had rested themselves, they
went a little further up the cliff, then
they followed a narrow winding path
which brought them to the shore below.
Here Matt, who seemed to be pretty well
grounded in the history Of the place
pointed him out the wonders of the coast
She showed him the caves, which tradi-
ton said had been formerly used as
wreckers' haunts and treasure stores, but
which were now washed by the sea, and
covered with Shiny weeds; then she
brought him to a promontory where they
told her she herself had been found
This spot Brinkley examined curiousIy,
then he looked at the girl.
81 suppose you had clothes on when
you came ashore, didn't you, Matti'
"Why, Of course had. William Jones
has got them!"
HAS he? Where?"
''In his cave, 1 expect"
"His cave! Where Is thatT asked
Brinkley. becoming very much interested.
Dunno" returned Matt: perhaps it's
somewhere here about. I've seen Will
liam Jones come about here, l have, but
I never could track him.
MATHS information on the subject was
20 vague that 1t seemed useless to in
stltute a search; so, after a regretful look
ut the rocks, Brinkley proposed that they
should saunter back along the shore.
by the way" said he, II want you to
introduce me to William Jones'"
ITO William JonesT'
Eyes. Strange as the fancy may seem
to you. should like for once In my life
TO stand face to face with a real live
wrecker."
They made their way back along the
coast, urti! they reached William Jones
cottage. Here they paused. principally
Cor Brinkley to take a glance at the
quaint dwelling then they crossed the
threshold What sort OF a place he had
got into, Il was utterly impossible for
Brinkley to tell II was so dark he could
see nothing. Having crossed the threshold,
therefore, he paused, but Matt vent fear
lessly forward. struck light. and ignited
the rush light on the table.
William Jones'" said she, here Is the
painter
BY the light of the fickering rush light
Brinkley now looked about him At a
glance be noted sore of the details of the
queer little room: then bis eye fell upon
the occupants whom. from MATHS descrip-
ton, he recognized as William Jones,
and the grizzly author of his being.
The ole man, who. Brinkley perforce
admitted, certainly bore some resemblance
70 the Rembrandtish head which Matt
had recognized, sat dozing 6tfully by the
hearth, while his son was busily employed
In mending an old lantern.
Upon tie entrance OF Brinkley the Ian
tern was quickly thrown aside, and Will
liam Jones assuming q most obseQuious
manner, FASTENED to give a welcome to the
stranger. Rrinkley was amused he &C
cepted William Jones' offer Of a seat, then
he lit up bis brierroot pipe. and, while
smoking lasily. he put q few questions to
his host But II he expected to gain In
formation Of any kind he was soon unds-
celvsd. William Jones was no fool. Com
biaed with excessive avarice, he possessed
all the cunning Of the fox. and the mo-
ment he saw that tie stranger was pump
ing him. he was on ais guard.
Presently, however. his curiosity gain
q the day. CategoEically. in his turn, he
began to question Rrinkley about his do
ings.
IT suppose now, master" said he. you
travel about q deal in that cart o
your'nf"
Brinkley explained that the cart In
nuestion had been In his possession only