The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1915-09-04

said. II had hoped, Mr.. Franklin, to
hear that things were all smooth and
pleasant again between you and Miss
Rachel. If you must have your own
way, sir" he continued after a mo-
ment's reflection. there is no need to
go to F~rizinghaIl tonight for a bed. It's
to be had nearer than that. There's
Hotherstone's farm, barely two miles
from here. You can hardly object to
that on Miss Rachels account" the old
man added slyly. "Hotherstone lives,
Mr.. Franklin, ON his own freehold"
IF it's no secret, sir" said Better
edge suddenly, I'm burning to know
what brought you down here, If you
please, in this sudden way"
What brought me here before?" I
asked.
"The moonstone, Mr.. Franklin. But
what brings you now, sir?"
"The moonstone again, Betteredge."
"If / am doing wrong to help you. Mr..
franklin" said Betteredge, "all l can
say Is l am as innocent of seeing it as
the babe unborn. I can put you on the
road to discovery If you can only go
on by yourself. You remember that
poor girl of ours, Rosanna Spearman?
Rosanna Spearman left a sealed letter
behind her-a letter addressed to you"
where is it?''
'In the possession Of a friend Of hers
at Cobb's Hole. You must have heard
tell when you were here last, sir, of
Limping Lucy, a lame girl with a
crutch."
"Why wasn't the letter forwarded to
me?"
"Limping Lucy has a will Of her own,
sir. She wouldn't give 1t into any hands
but yours. And you had left England
before l could write to you"
Lets go back, Betteredge and get it
at once"
TOO late. sir, tonight. They're great
saver of candles along our coast, and
they go to bed early at Cobb's Hole"
"You will go with me to the fisher
mans cottage?"
"Yes, SIR"
"Early?"
"As early, Mr.. Franklin, as you like
We descended the path that led to
the farm.
nave only the most indistinct recol-
lection of what happened at Hother-
stones farm.
1t had been arranged overnight with
Betteredge that l was to call for him
on our way to Cobb's Hole as early as
1 liked, which, interpreted by my i'm.
patience to get possession of the letter
meant as early as I could. / found
him ready and waiting for me, with
his stick in his hand.
Early as it was, we found the fisher
mans wife astir in her kitchen. On
my presentation by Betteredge a wan,
wild, haggard girl with remarkably
beautiful hair and with a fierce keen.
ness in her eyes came limping up on a
crutch to the table at which l was sit.
ting and looked at me as if l were an
object of mingled interest and horror
which it quite fascinated her to see.
Thump, thump up the wooden stairs
thump, thump across the room above
our heads thump, thump down the
stairs again, and there stood the ap
partition at the open door, with a lettel
in its hand, reckoning me out.
She led me down the beach behind
some boats, out Of sight and hearing
Of the few people in the fishing village
and then stopped and faced me for the
first time.
II think you have got a letter t.
give me-" l began. 'Is it the Letter
there in your hand?
She abruptly thrust the letter, as the
phrase is, into my face.
Take it, she exclaimed furiously
Il set eyes Oh you before. Goo
forbid l shall ever set eyes on yor
again."
With those parting words she limp
ed away from me at the top Of hel
speed. The address was written al
follows: For Franklin Blake, Esq. Tt
be given into his own hands, and no
to be trusted to any one else, by Lucy
Yolland."
1 broke the seal. The envelope con
tanned a letter, and this, in its turn
contained a slip of paper. / read the
letter first:
Sir-If you are curious to know the
meaning of my behavior TO you while yor
were staying in the house of my mistress
Lady Verinder, do what you are told Il
do in the memorandum inclosed with this
and do 1t without any person being pres
ent to overlook you. Your humble serv,
ant. ROSANNA SPEARMAN.
1 turned to the slip of paper. Her
is the literal copy of it, word for word
Memorandum-To go to the Shiverins
and at the turn of the tide. To wall
out on the South spit until 1 get tn,
South spit beacon and the Flagstaff at tn,
coast guard station above Cobb's hole II
a line together. To lay down on the rocks
IA stick or any straight thing to guide m,
hand. exactly in the line of the beacon
and the Flagstaff. To take care in doins
this hat one end of the stick shall be a
the edge of the rocks. on the side of then
which overlooks the ~quicksand. To fee
along the stick among the sea weed. be
ginning from the end of the stick which