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Maps, plates, charts, "ro i«iay be filmed at different reduction ratioL !i .;e ica large to be entirely included in one expo jre ure filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illuctrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre film6s 6 des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est filmd 6 partir de Tangle supdrieur gauche, de gauche 6 droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 I Ai R. tBat»r«4 affir. Kanqaroo. Klondike. / TALES OF he Gold Fields -BY- THAD. W. H. LEAVITT. Author of MThe Witch of Plum Hollow/* Etc. R. H. C. BROW/^E, Publisher, Toronto. iEat»r»4 »eeor4i»C. ^o A«t of F«i9tftinMit of C«aa4s. iH th% jmn iIm, by Th«d. W. H. titfAViu, «t th« D«Fartai«nt •£ Afri«ttlrar«. leGol the Bla Maori fhe Tet Wonc ["he Thi rhe Gai Latcatcl Strati rhe Skc >^inde:x^^< le Golden Casket Pag« 5 fhe Black Cat of Klondike " 25 Maori Iut now that I have become accustomed to il I have no feais m that score." "Is it possible that you are getting the fever ?•' I asked. "The breakfast which I have just eaten should be the ans- wer to such a question, " was his reply. "What is it ?" I queried. "On my word of hor.or I don't know and that is the reason am going to make a clean breast of the whole affair. " "Proceed with the confession. " Then I lit my pipe and leaned back against the tent pole. "First, am I the same man that left Kimberley with you? "Certainly not, you have improved wonderfully, the air of the veldt agrees with you remarkably well and I am con- nnced that your own father would scarcely recognize you. " "Thanks. You agree with me on one point and that proves that I am sane or that we are both insane. "^ "Then you have noticed the change yourself?" "Been cognizant of it from the first." "How do you account for it ?" "It began here," he said, tapping his forehead. Could it be possible that I had been for months the con- stant companion of a lunatic ? The idea was absurd and yet ^hen I come to think of it I had read of such things, but )nly in romance, and life in the interior of Africa if far re- loved from a romance, as we both well knew. "We had not been out three weeks," Curtis continued, I "when I lay down at night I could not sleep and yet I felt [no discomfort, on the contrary, I was perfectly content. I lean only describe my sensations as drifting away from my- self. I saw nothing strange, I heard no voices or sounds and yet there. were hours when I felt that I was not in the tent with you but hundreds and hundreds of miles away up I north beyond where we are at the present time. ' * "You must have been dreaming. " "No, I possessed in a dim way a double consciousness. I [realized that I was in the tent and yet I was not there. " "Nonsense," I exclaimed. "Listen, After a time ideas came to me in flashes. I can [describe it in no other language. I saw things as I had never seen them before as Curtis. All the foolish things in mty life at Oxford stood out in bold relief, but that was sot I all. When t got up the following morning I was chang^ed. i i FIRE INSURANCE A SPECIALTY. !il A large line ol the'atrongcit, British, Can adUn.an d AniTlca n Stock Com«| paniee repr e— nted. _ AI»o A gent lor the Londo n Mu tu al, which Is the largest Farm Ineurance Company In Canada. MUCH depends on the woiding of your Application andl Policy. Thirty years' experience in the Insurance business enables me to carefully guard and protect Tiie| INTERESTS OK MY CUSTOMERS. Remember, it will cost you no more to insure with .in I EXPERIENCED AND RELIABLE AGENT than with one who is not. No matter how small or large your insurance may be, it will receive prompt and careful attention. Your business] respectfully solicited. XHOS. LONG, General Insurance Agent, QUEEN STREET, PORT HOPE. N.B. — Also Agent for the Canadian Pacific Ry. and leading | S. S. Lines. PORT HOPE.. Zk-A Cand Plaster Klorks ^ ESTABLISHED 1858. Write for Quotations in Car Lots. Also dealer in Flour and Apple Barrels, Fresh Ground Water Lime and Cements. Pure Ice in Stock Summer and Winter. \A/. E. BEAMISH, PORT HOPE, ONTARIO. was prepared to grapple with and overcome difficulties ol •hich I could not possibly have had any knowledge as :urtis." "Is it possible that you entertain doubts as to your being turtis ?•' I asked. We will discuss that point a little later on. Let me pro- ceed. The light or the ideas or the knowledge came. The rtry fact that you consented to go forward into the north Country at my suggestion proves that the change had its ^fl'ect upon you, does it not ?" •'Perhaps so, but how was I to know that you were seeing •isions and being led away by some will-o- the- wisp ? " 'Have patience, let us reason the matter out like men and lot like children. I am impelled by an irresistible desire to JO forward. You ask me where and for what purpose ? I po not know and yet I tell you that it is not in the hope of Securing treasure, though that may follow. I am drawn by j)o\ver which is all powerful and which I would not resist,. If I could. If you were to decide to turnback to-morrow, kvhich you will not, I should go forward just the same. The lijjht ot my purpose is not breaking, I am as much in the hark as you and yet I am conscious that it is only a question bf time when all will be revealed and made as plain as the iiin at noonday. Now that I have made it as clear to you . it is to myself, what do you think of the problem ?" "Vou are laboring under an hallucination," I answered. "That is simply nofinswer, but a play on words. " • I certainly do not believe that you are invSane. " That is comforting as far as it goes, but"have you no re- liiotc idea of the cause or the power which is at work upon liie ? " I deny that there is any cause or power. " "Illogical. You are confronted by certain facts and be- cause you cannot account for them you deny their existence. >iw:h a course would answer very well in the middle ages, nit that time has gone by and it will never return For my- -elf I am convinced that the phenomena are capable of ex- )lanation by natural laws and quite in consonance with my |inental make up; the difficulty is that we do not understand the laws. I am poSvSessed of an impression, mind you only Ian impreesion, that it is quite possible and probable that at |.«<()nie pa.st time I lived in the interior of Africa. This will strike you as absurd, it did me when I first thought of it, but I ask is it not a probability ? It may have been only me hundred years ago, it may have been ten thousand, time is no factor in such a problem. For the sake of argument it lO « let us say that I lived for a time in the interior. If so h follow.s that like all other men I must have had my likel ^nd my dislikes, my loves a.nr\ my hates, my ambitions anfl my disappointments. What more natural than that findinJ myself oi this earth once more, and not only on thl earth but in Africa, that there should return to me a dim rei membrance of my past life? Is that remembrance the inl visible cord which is drawing me ? I am pulling yoj along contrary to 5'our preconceived opinions. I have askeJ the question, can you furnish a niore reasonable explanation! If not let it rest there and when the light conies rest assure! you shall at once be taken into my confidence." I Curtis paused and looked me fully in the eyes. My prcJ jj! test, which I had coined, died on my lips and though I would not confess it I knew that I would go forward withl i him to the end. We let the subject drop nor was it referred! j, to again for several weeks. The direction in which we vStartJ i! ed was north-east, the altitude of the country increased andl we found ourselves in a temperate climate similar to that oil the south of France. For days we had been graduallyl climbing, finally we arrived at the height of land andal panorama opened before us which I shall never forget. Bel low and far away stretched an immense valley in which layal beautiful lake out of which ran a river to the north. Tliej country alternated with patches of forest, appearing in tliej distance like green carpets, and plains of open land, brownl and dotted with shrubs and clumps of trees. I "What a beautiful land!" burst from my lips. I turned! to Curtis, he was deadly pale and I saw laboring under in-l tense excitement. i 'I "What is the matter ?" I asked. I i In vain he attempted to reply, but not a word fell from hisl ijlj lips. His gaze swept over the valley and his face looked! ' like that of a man vainly attempting to recall a well-known! !ii but forgotten word. So intense was the effort that the! 1 1 sweat stood out in great beads on his forehead. Immediate-! ly I recalled our conversation on the night when he propound-! ed his remarkable theory of having before lived in Africa,! A full minute must have elapsed and then came a sudden! change, the mists of doubt cleared away and in their place! reigned conviction and steadfast certainty. I "I have it, " he said in a triumphant tone. "I have it at! last and there can be no doubt. I am as certain as that I am! here." "What?" I enquired. "In this valley I once lived, but it was so long, long ago! 'I fiat at first it was like a half forgotten dream. Now it is as ilear as the sun shining over our heads." "You are dreaming," I replied. "Ureaming, yes, and a pleasant dream, one which I .shall lever forget. What a change since my time and yet it is the ;anie save that the city and villages have divSappeared, but the river is the same and the lake, only it has grown much unaller. Where I shot my canoe, as a boy, now is dry land iiid great trees and yet how familiar is each sweep of the hills md the blue tops of the mountains, only hills and nountains have lost a trifle of their .sharp outlines but that is all." The idea was so absiird to my mind that I did not reply. ^Ve descended intr the valley and established our can\p on ilie bank of the lake, but a short distance from the point ,litre the river emerged. "I want a day or two to look about my old home, " Curtis 5aid, "and then I will tell you what couclusions I have ir rived at." I concluded that it was best, under the circumstances, to lumor him and assented to the proposition. For two days I jaw but little of my companion, .save in the evenings when le came in worn out with his explorations. As he did not re- ter to his hallucination I concluded that it was wearing oft md he would be in his normal sense again in a few da3'S. I :new that he was not shamming and that he firmly believed that at .some time in the past he had lived in the valley, but IS he could not offer the slightest proof in support of his theory I could only trust to time to remove the baseless im- )ression. The second evening I was startled out of my complaisant ^nood by Curtis saying: Now that I have carefully gone over the ground every loubt has disappeared. I felt certain from the first, now I Know." * "What do you know ? " "I know that I was born in this valley, that I lived here, jrew to be a man and that here I died. Only one mystery remains to be solved and that is, what is the power which impelled me to return ? On that point my mind is a blank, )ut the power is here and in time all will be made plain, so ilain that even you will be compelled to acknowledge that am right. There is nothing supernatural about the busi- less, its a common every-day occurrence, the mysterious )art consists in our not being familiar with it. This is due to our lack of analysis. When we are confronted with facts 12 GO TO /V\ILLER & SONS Successors to J. Craick & Co., PORT HOPE. Ml For the Latest Novelties in Dry Goods, Millinery, flantles and , Qents' Furnishings, Carpets, Oilcloths and Japanese Mattings. Their stock is always up-to-date* Everything^ new, bright and stylish. We always advertise the truth. Call and Get Our Prices. OVER 40 YEARS IN BUSINESS. 13 ich we do not understand we thrust them to one side in- ul of investigating them. In my case this course will be )ossible, for I must go to the bottom ot it and then you fl be driven to acknowledge that I have been guided by a ,er to which you deny existence. " ?o liumor him I said, "What will be your next step ?" I must wait but in the meantime I want you to come out [h me to-morrow and I will furnish you with proof that I Lst have been here before and that 1 kuow this valley as [urately and thoroughly as you know the place where you born and raised, only you must bear in mind that it is ^bable that thousands of years have gone by since I last foot here, ' ' h was utterly useless to argue w^ith a man who thus ad- fssed you and whom you were convinced was honest. To-morrow, then," I said, "we start out. Now for a pipe tlun we will turn in for the night." ^lie following morning Curtis said, "It will be necessary us to carry a pick and shovel with us to test the truth of statements." Thus provided we sallied forth. Wlien I lived here," my com inion remarked, "there i a stone pier which ran out into the lake opposite that [lit. It is not probable that time has wholly obliterated :h a structure. The lake has filled up lor a long distance Lh the debris which has wa.shed down into the valley and will have to try near the original shore. Before we strike [blow I will state that I well remember that along the )iii<;- stones there was cut in intaglio representations of ;o(liles, for what purpose I do not know but probably the \i\ came originally from Egypt, the mother of civilization [the east. Let us begin at this point." ^'e began work and had not dug in a trench ten minutes leii the pick which I was handling struck a rock, though place was in exceedingly soft ground owing to its low [ng position. Curtis cleared away the dirt, there was in plain flit a rough hewn stoue. Half an hour later we had un- ■cred the stone to its edge and dusted it off. On my ids and knees I traced out the outline of an enormous )C()(lile as Curtis had dCvScribed it. "What have you to say in answer to that ?" he asked, ititing to the stone. "That you must have been here before, but when it was ] [ve no means of knowing. " That is that I may have been here as Curtis and have t'golten it?" he continued. 'Yes. I do not accuse you of attempting to deceive me^ I'ili !ii III! H I bnt that is the only reasonable explanation which I cajl ofter." I •'I assnre you on my honor that I was never out of EngJ land as Curtis until I sailed for the Cape two months beforel I met you in Kimberley." I I am not doubting your honesty, but your sanity, " *I ansJ wered. I "I certainly do not blame you, under the circumstances! but I ask you to wait for further proofs before you amve atl final conclusions. " I "That is but fair? " I "Let us go up on the hillside. " he remErked, shoulderitigj the pick and shovel. I We climbed the hill, which was a gradual slope, until wel were fully half a mile distant from the pier. Curtis came tol a halt and looked about him as if measuring the distaiicej with his eye. I "This is more difficult than the first test, " he said, "but! it is only a question of time when we shall find that fori which I am searching. I was killed in a great battle that! was fought hereabouts. " I The look which spread over my face was a mirror of my I thoughts. Curtis burst into a laugh so hearty and natural! that I too caught the infection and joined. I "It is, I confess, a novelty for a man to be pointing out hisi own grave but novelties are none the less truths. The battle! having been fought here it is only natural that we shouldl look for relics. The dead must have" been buriedl near by, or what is more probable left on the field, fori I distinctly remember that before I was cut down the battle! had gone against us in favor of the blacks, who outnumber-j ed us ten to one. I was one of the few remaining who rallied around the standard of our King." "Then you were not a black man previous to your be- coming Curtis ?" I said, for I was rapidly becoming accus- tomed to the strange circumstances by which I was surround- ed. "We were an olive skinned race, very beautiful, much more so than the present Europeans, to my way of thinking. Probably we were in the same plane of civilization as Cortez found the natives of Mexico. Now for the proof. ' ' He threw o^ "s coat and began digging with a will. I too joined an« » . continued until it was time for tiffin, when we adjourned to the tent. I had recovered my spirits, for I saw, let the outcome be what it may, Curtis was perfectly gane upon every other subject and it must be confessed that sharp over, in a 15 le discovery of the pier had somewhat shaken my faith my own conclusions. It was nearing night when we came upon a great mass of xmian bones, heaped in a pile and entangled in .such a way it it was evident they had died in a hand to hand con- ict. If further proofs were wanting it was given by an )Uii(lance of spear heads made of some metal closely re- inhlitig brass in color but evidently, atone time, capable of uiiig a keen edge. I tooK up one ot the spear heads and l.iccd it in my pocket. "We had a royal time that day," Curtis remarked. "And you were killed?" "Ves, in the hot of it." "How does it feel to die ?" "A big black fellow thrust a spear into my breast, a an.i; which lasted only an instant and then all was have suffered ten fold more with the tooth ache linute. " As we walked back to the tent I turned to my companion nd asked, "How is all this to end ?" "I am yet in the dark but the light will break and then ■e sliall know why I was led back to this place. There is vague something which I cannot explain and that some- hing is the all-compelling motive or force. It transcends liese minor details as the sun overshadows a rush light. I am tanding upon the verge of the crater of an extinct volcano, nto it I will plunge and then all will be as clear to yon as to le. I can only wait. It is aronnd and about me. It is in lie air, in the whisperings of the leaves, in the songs of the irds, in the running water, in the moonbeams as they play ver the lake and yet it is not given me to grasp it. I have ut to put out my hand to touch it and is centuries off. I eel and know it and yet I cannot name it." We rested the next day and the one following we renewed ur explorations. "Now for the city, " Curtis said ag we left the tent. "What city." "The city in which I was born." "We have a long way to travel to find a city in these wilds, " |l answered, Curtis took up the pick and shovel, paying no heed to my remark. We followed the course of the river for a mile and reached a chain of hills which ran at right angles with the stream. There my friend halted, then said, "The blacks must have burned it, for I see not a trace. Time has com- pleted the work of destruction but we shall find the ruins, for Irll 16 ■ If you want a Stylish Suit M\ 5 C. A. MERRIFIELD, M M H M M Fashionable Tailor . ♦ ♦ ^ m\ The leader in Fine Ordered Clothing, w Suitings, Overcoatings, Etc. Quality w 1; t IK and Style Guaranteed. M Prices Always Right. M H M H M M M M ■ M M A Full Line of Gents' Furnishings ALWAYS ON HAND. C. A. MERRIFIELD, store around the corner. PORT HOPE, ONT. ■! m M M H H M M MMMMHMMHMHMHMMMHMMMHM 17 principal buildings were of stone and only one story in light, as I well remember. The temples and the palaces of princes and the kings were the only exceptions. It kiies back to me that it was the law of the land that no man /e prince and king could build a house beyond a certain lijj^ht. You see that even in those days the privileged clung liaciously to some symbol of rank. " 'Where is your buried city ?" I inquired. Here," he answered, striking the pick into ground. Sliall we dig at this point ?" |"No, let us try and find the ruins of the palace or better of temple." We carefully examined the ground as we proceeded and lally came to a place where a great mound covered the lace of half an acre. Grass and shrubs and a few large fes grew upon the spot. Curtis walked slowly around the )und and at last said, "If I am not mistaken we are upon le site of the temple of the single eye. Let us begin. " The [st stroke of the pick revealed the edge of an enormous lock of black marble. We dug around it for it was im- bssible for us to lift it. When the earth had been cleared vay, there in the sunlight was a single eye cut in the mar- ie, as clear and distinct as if the sculptor had bnt yesterday Mnpleted his work. There was no longer room for doubt. blether Curtis had or had not been born in the valley long, \ng ago or was guided by some power unknown to m\' phi- ^sophy, I was compelled to confess that he knew the place id its every peculiarity. It was useless for me to attempt solve the mystery, that remained for men more skilled in le subtleties of the human mind. I was an unwilling con- ;rt but at last I was a convert and nothing which mighr [ibsequently happen could shake my faith. Curtis flung )wn the pick and sat down on the grass opposite to the larble eye, gazing intently at it as one fascinated. Minute ly minute went slowly by, I spoke not a woul. So still was le that I fancied I could hear the man's heart beat. Could it je that he was drinking in some message from the buried last ? Was it possible that the emblem on tlie I lack marble roiild awaken a train of thoughts which would open again lie springs of memorj^ ? Was he to see the past, if it ever [xisted save in imagination, clear and undimmed by the lapse [f years, it might be centuries ? As I waited and watched here came to me a dim consciousness of the infinity of time Ind my utter unfitness to solve the mj-steries which encom- iass the human soul. "Quick! Quick!" he shouted as he suddenly sprang to I ? i8 ,u ilil! ! lii:! his feet and began digging as if his life depended upon hiJ progress. Half an hour before, under the same circunistanc-| es, I should have believed him mad but in that half hour wonderful change had been wrought in me. It may be thatl I too had been hypnotized by the marble eye. It may h\ that my views of life had broadened ar.d deepened and that caught faint glimpses of the possibilities of existence. Curl tis had but to speak and I sprang to his assistance. Thtrel under the hot African sun we dug and delved with the frenzyl of mad men, and I have since thought with the .strength otj more than mortals. We had struck upon a passage whicll ran down into the earth, it was a flight of steps, but blockedl with stones and fallen rubbish. At the foot of the steps wel came to a vaulted passage, dark at the other end as mid-l night. "We must have a light, " Curtis exclaimed. He hurried out, gathered grass and twigs and fallen limbs.l piled them in a heap at the foot of the staircase and set theiiil ablaze. Then we saw, twenty feet distant, a marble slabi which completely blocked the way. That it ha Oents^ Sfttrnisbings and Staple l^y (Boods of all kinds at close cat prices. . . We solicit yoar trade on the basis of up- right dealing, correct values and money hack if desired. h. S. CAMPBELL Walton Street, PORT HOPE, - ONT. 21 (wanting in courage to lift the veil. Curtis sank down on his Iknees and drew it gently back. An involuntary cry of ad- niiration burst from his lips, then I grew silent as the grave. I A light breeze caught the filliament of gold and it floated |a\vay in the sunlight. In the cylinder lay the mOvSt beautiful woman I had ever [looked upon. She was of less than medium height, with Icreamy olive complexion, Her hair was of a golden red Iwliich hung in great masses over a low, broad forehead. The leyes were of liquid blue and half open. Around her firm, Ifull mouth lingered a smile. The lips were cherry red and I [noticed that her small ears were exquisitely shaped and that the sunlight falling upon one of them .shone through it turn- ing it into the pink seen in the sea shell. "Inta ! Inta !" whispered Curtis in a tone so low that it scarce reached me though I was standing by his side. "My Inta." He bent over and kissed her full on the lips. IS he did so there was a swivSh in the air as if cloven by the ving of an eagle, then all was still. I was gazing intently at the vision of loveliness when in- stantly she shivered like an aspen leaf and then dissolved into mere handful of impalpable grey powder. Whether it was Ithe action of the atmosphere upon the body .so long sealed in Ian air tight compartment or the effect of the kiss I do not jknow but so sudden was the change that I doubted my own Senses for an instant. Curtis rose from his knees and carefully gathered the grey |])o\vder which lay scattered over the bottom of the cylinder, jllicking it into a little heap with his handkerchief When jlie had it collected he placed it all in the palm of one hand land said, "Come." We made our way to the river side where he cast the pow- der out upon the water, then turned and went back to the linder. "AH is over now," he said in the most matter of fact way. I" When shall we start on our return trip to the coast ? " "In the morning," I answered, but what are we to do with this ? pointing to the cylinder. "It is your reward for the faith you had in me." "Share and share alike is the miner's rule, " I answered. "Not in this instance, not for worlds would I take a penny Iderivedfrom the sale of the casket, but it has been given to jyou and by right well won. " As we journeyed back toward the coast I waited for Curtis to ofler some explanation of the strange circum.stances, but he spoke not a word. He was in the best of spirits and en- 22 livened theiourney with song and anecdotes. Mwchlwonde €d from whence they came, forthouj^h disguised it was i»laiJ that they ])rincipally related to his own experieuce in tq past. When we left Kimbcrky I looked upon him .as a callo youth, now I renli/ed that he was a man among great ine and destined to make- his mark. (Jn our return, by a liapp stroke of hisgtuius, we succeeded in disposing of all od trade with a native chief for ivory tusks which loaded d()\\i our wagon to its lull ca])ac ity. We did not return to Kir berley, but struck the coast, where the ivory was sold. AftJ taking out my three hundred })Ounds the balance was diviij ed. The gold in the cylinder realized nearly twelve hundre pounds so that the trip with my strange partner was hi^lill profitable to me. Curtis had engaged passage for l.Cng]an| and the night before he sailed he said : "It is but fair to you that I should oflbr some explanatir of the remarkable circumstances which marked our findinl of the casket. Up to the time of finding the cylinder I \vj in the dark relative to the influence which had drawn me int the wilderness. Not till that moment did I realize why had gone back to the place of my birth and what is .still nioij remarkable is the fact that the one great epoch in my forme life had not been recalled. My mind was a complete blanl npon the supreme passion of my life. Why this .should 1 a\-| been I cannot ofier any explanation, though it appears in com p*-ehensible. We can but accept it as a fact and trust future investigations on this subject, too long neglected, t| elucidate the mystery. "My family had ever been a race of warriors and .stoc high in the confidence of the king. Our tribe was the oiilj one in that part of Africa which wa^ not dark skinned. Then were legends that in the past we had come from a rainlea land but these traditions were lost in the dim past. V centuries we had been the objects oi hatred to our blaci neighbors who never tiled in making war upon us. Owinj to our superior knowledge and braverj- we not only held on own but extended our territory far be3'ond the confines the beautiful valley which you saw. Though I was a truste warrior I was not a noble and it was a law from time ii morial that the princely class could only marry with theij equals in rank. The most powerful noble, ranking next the king, possessed a single child, a daughter, Inta. Wlu I was twenty-five years of age and had rivSen to the rank ofj captain of five hundred men I saw Inta for the first time, fq my lite had been spent on the frontier guarding and defeini ing it. My passion for the girl knew no bounds and it WJ 23 -, fciprocated with equal ardour. We knew that we coul^ t marry, l)ut despite laws and precedents we met in secret <1 fed tlie mutual flame which was consuming us. There )ul(l he but one end and it came in iTiy bribin>( a priest to )in us as n»an and wife. Ten days later I was ordered to ly |)ost to repel an invasion. Our parting was most hitter. Doii after my departure the priest who had ])erformed the ■iciuony took sick and on his dealh-hed confessed all. Inta kas sei/.ed by the ecclesiastics and taken to liie great temple, hr the .sentence was death. An onler w.is i.ssued by the king liat I be seized, and hurried to the city where torture and liy life would pay the f»)rfeit. A friend .sent me the tidings If the edict, but tlie officers never reached me, for a great Iriny of blacks suddenly hurled themselves upon the frontier Ind drove us back to the ca])ital where the decisive battle jias fought which ended in our extermination and my death. >\\)\n the hour Inta was .seized to the moment I fell on the Ipear of the black savage I never heard a word from my wile, Jie woman who loved me as no other woman ever loved. Her [entle spirit drew me to Africa and then back to her last .sting place. Of that I am as certain as that I now exist. It came down to me over the plains and the rivers and the orests aud touched the old cord which had vibrated with such iitensity centuries and centuries ago. In life she h.ad been he one being I had loved and not only loved but worshipped. )nce again she was to be my light and guiding star. When kissed her in her narrow bed where she had lain for all that line, there came from her to me a message which is our .'cret. The message was borne of wings of love from I know lot where. It thrilled my every fibre. It burned into my lonl. It will abide with me so long as atom shall be. It jiasofher, now it is myself. One thing it may tell you. .ove never dies. Men may die, mountains may crumble, World's deca}' and disappear, but love remains. That is the [reat secret of the universe. " Curtis vshook me cordially by the hand. I have never seen lim since. He lives in Kngland to-day and his name is inown wherever the English tongue is spoken. My readers pow him as one of the giants of the day. They have but to link and they can gue.«= his name. One more thought and I have finished. Was his genius kreathed into him when he kissed her lying in the gold cas- ket in the wilds of Africa ? 1* s 24 S. T. HOPPER, THE GRADUATE OPTICIAN. Don't be Foolhardy with your sigh! When you have any trouble \vi( your eyes, whether dimness, weal ness, aching, imperfect vision, sho| sight or oversight — if you wi§h ej and comfort consult us. A thorough scientific examination free i m m Harness and SadiHepy Light and Heavy Harness ot every description. Robes^ Blankets, Wraps, Whips and Sleigh Bells. Workmanship and Material tlie best. Trices the Lowest ^- W, STRAIN, 1 MILLBROOK, ONT. 25 THE BLACK CAT OF KLONDIKE, In the winter of 1896 I was attending the Osgoode Hall ^aw School, Toronto, and drawing wills, deeds and mort- [ages for a firm of barristers on a salary of five dollars per feek. I was young and ambitious and dreamed that it w^s Inly a question of time when I should become, if not a judge, |t leavSt a leading barrister. At a conversat, given by the ,a\v Society, I met my fate and fell in love vith Edith [authaway. The passion was reciprocated and a few weeks iter we were engaged. When the marriage would take place las delightfully nebulous as was my legal status. We had jccided that it was to be and that was all-sufiicient. One jaution we exercised and but one, it was, we kept the engage- pent a secret. Kdith's father was a broker living in a fine rsidence on fasliionable St. George Street, and reputed to be very comfortable circumstances. Possibly he might lijcct to the betrothal of his only child to an impecunious luv .student, who had only passed his first exam, and was by lo means certain of passing the next one. So we drifted jkasaiitly with the tide and cherivShed our vSecret with infinite lalislaction. One Saturday afternoon I received a hurried ](;le from iMith asking me to call that evening. Instinctive- V I felt that our mutual happiness was threatened. I was |usy tngn ssing a mortgage at the time and unconsciously made all the sums payable to Kdith Hauthaway, instead ot .saac Lnzerus. I found Edith in tears. *• We must part, " she cried, '• all over. ' ' No, no, " I said, ' ' it cannot be. ' ' " I was so happy, and now the cruelty of fate." "Calm yourself and tell me all. We shall never part, [ome what may." "We are ruined," she sobbed. "My father, my poor atliLT rivsked everything in Chicago and he has lost. Home, bouey, everything must go and yet there will remain a debt 26 of honor for twenty thousand dollars. This money was eo trusted to him by a widow, it was her all. The shock wa more than he could bear, he has had a paralytic stroke anj the doctors say he will never recover. He may live for yearf but will be helpless. Mother, as you know, is an invalid and, and, she paused and wiped away her tears. How can tell you ? but I must, only yesterday Fred Reingold askc me to be his wife. He knows all and yet he declares that I will consent, the old home shall be saved and the debt honor paid. What am I to do? In one year we shall turned into the street. Mother has a few hundred dollars! we can subsist upon it for a year by discharging all the serl vants and living with the greatest economy. Then will come the poor-house for father and mother, and for me Gc only knows." " Some way will open, " I murmured. "What way?" I was silent. * "I have made up my mind," Edith said, shuddering " There is but one way for escape, we must bury our lov( I must be sacrificed. " " No," I protested. " You do not, you cannot love me." Edith turned deadly pale and gave me one look. Th| cruel words died on my lips. Then we sat and brooded Edith sprang to her feet and exclaimed, " I have it, the on\ chance." There was a ring in her voice from which hope was bred. "Tell me, name it, " I cried, " You will have to consent, " she said slowly, as if weigh ing every word. " Then I consent." " It is an inspiration, " vShe continued, I will tell Fred Reii gold that I will marry him one year from to-morrow, provide the tv.'enty thousand dollars is not paid by that time. Yo^ will have one year in which to make a fortune." " But will he consent to such terms ? " " Yes, if he loves me." My hopes sank to zero, then froze. " I have not finished," Edith said, she had divined m\ thoughts, " they have found great gold fields on the Yukon it is a frightful country on the confines of Alaska. You uiusj go there and find a fortune and be back in time." " But how?" I asked. "That shall be a secret until you come back. I will se Fred Reingold to-morrow and to morrow night you shal| know your fate." 27 • The following evening she met me at the door and smiled. It is all arranged, ' ' she said. ' ' The year has been granted, |ou are to go." "When?" " To-morrow morning on the first train." " But, ''"I never finished the sentence. " I'A'ery hour means success or failure, " Edith exclaimed proach fully. How that evening fled away we only realized. When I kissed her good-bye she slipped three crisp one- lumlred dollar bills into my hand. Then she whispered, reiiieniber this is St. Patrick's day, March the 17th, and the |ine will expire at twelve o'clock at night, one year from Mlav. I must i^ive you something to bring you good luck, i-h It shall it be?" • That which you love the best, next to me." She glanced around the room, at her feet on a white rug IV a small black kitten., " There he is, " she said, pointing tlie kitten, " my second love." I i)icked the kitten up, inspired by a sudden impulse. He shall keep me company. " I put him in my coat pocket lid half an hour later I was packing my scanty wardrobe. |i.\ days later I was standing on tlie quay at Vancouver, akintr inquiries for transportation to the Yukon gold fields. hie man to whom I addressed the question was a rough, kitiy fellow, none too clean, with a heavy beard covering his \ci: up to the eyes. His answer was, " What are you going to the Yukon for?" " To mine gold. " "Ha! ha! ha! Jim, "to another man who was loading )iue packages into a yawl, "Jim, come here, do you see this )indle, " pointing to me. " Here's a new chum who wants go to the Yukon and hunt for gold. Look at him, see leni le;2:s and hands. Ha ! ha ! "Only another tenderfoot gone mad, " was Jim 's reply as walked away. " I'm going to the Yukon," I said decidedly. " Right you are my boy. You may start but you'll never )ine back. I've seen plenty of new chums on Bendigo and [ackendandah, they always talk big on the go-in, and cry \\ the come out. What's that you've got in your pocket ? " " A kitten." " Is the kitten on the rush too?" ' ' He goes with me. ' ' ' Bless my eyes. Jim, this slim has got a kitten going with Imtothe Klondike." 28 R. DEYELLaP Chemist and DruggistJ Telephone 92. PORT HOPE, ONT. Physicians Prescriptions and Family Recipes G>rrectly Dispensed* PURE DRUGS AND CHEMICALS. The followJngf list of remedies will be found unsurpassed : Deyell's Sarsaparilla for the Blood. Dr. Bouell's Kidney and Rheumatic Pills. Crown lyiniment for Sprains, Etc. Champion Baking Powder. Deyell's Hair Grower. Dr. Bouell's Pink Iron Pills. Deyell's Anti Bilious and Stomach Pills. Deyell 's Black Cherry Cough Balsam. Dej'ell's Blackberry Cordial for Diarrhcea, Ktc. Oriental Tooth Powder, lyilly Mist for Complexioj and Skin. Deyell's Compound Santoi| ine Worm Lozenge. Deyell's Pile Ointment. Crown Bitters for DyvSpepsi^ Etc. Deyell's Salt Rheum OintI ment. Perfect Catarrh Cure. Deyell's Carbolic Salve k Wounds, Sores, Etc. Deyell's Condition Powden for Horses, Etc. We also carry a first class line of Brushes, Combs, Perl fumes, Soaps, Sponges, Shoulder Br ices. Trusses, Purses] and everything kept in a well appointed Drug Store. We have in stock at all times Pine Cutlery, Razors. Strops, Etc. Fine Chocoiates and Bon-Bons. - - - TOBACCONIST'S 00005 IMPORTED ClOARS. - ' - Our Prices the Lowest* Our Goods the Best* 29 No fear of them ever getting there, " Jim responded. Boy, take my advice and go home to your mother," the in said in a kind tone. "o be called a boy brought tears of vexation to my eyes. I ked to walk away. [' Hold on, you are determined to go ? " Yes." • ' Have you money to pay for your passage and an outfit?" Certainly." [• It will cost a hundred and fifty." I have it." 'Jim, the new chum has the dust, shall we take him? will bring the party up to an even dozen and reduce the senses." '' You're Captain, do as you please, anyway the tenderfoot ^1 the cat don't weigh more than a pufF ball," Jim >\verecl. My name is Simeon, Simeon of Ballarat and Bendigo and ?ry creek. This way sharp if you mean business. See \\. schooner over there, we sail at four this afternoon. l<'or an hour we were busy securing my outfit and pro- jions. When all were on board we hoisted sail and were I had only fifty dollars left and the kitten. The men Ire all experienced miners, some from Australia, the others jin California, Nevada and Colorado. When I took the jteu out of my pocket and fed him there was a roar of iack for you, but it may not be until Spriii| Here is m3' hand and John Simeon ntver breaks his worJ Cheer up, we will probabl\' have to return for provisions i| a few weeks. Then 3-ou shall go through, even if I have I cany you on 1113' back." He gave me a hearty hand-vShake, turned and was gone, sank back on the moss and cried with a bitterness whichl 31 lall never feel again. Then a great fear came upon me. lor a moment I believe my heart ceased to beat. Could I id my way back ? Every]; other quCvStion vanished, I [niggled to my feet aud turnedi^back"with an energy born of £spair. Every few minutes I stopped and examined the Ut-marks. The vSun had gone down but the night only ists, in that latitude, in summer, for one brief hour. I was [itliout a watch and could only guess the time. At last I )uM proceed no further. I threw off my pack and released Ion (like rrom*the little \Aicker cage I had made to carry lim in, and in ten minutes I was fast asleep. When I awoke le sun was up, but how long I slept I never knew. I built fire, ate a hearty breakfast and started. In half an hour I line to a point where two trails crossed, which to take I did lot know. I went forward on one, then turned back, took |ie otlier and again turned back. I was lost. Cold beads sweat stood out on my body, my brain beat like a trip- iinnier. As I stood thus at the parting of the waj'S my •e caught sight of a fluff of cotton wool on a branch not five lards distant. I had lined Klondike's basket with the ma- ^rial before leaving the camp. "»Savedbj' Klondike !" I cried. jo bewildered vvas I that I .should have passed the cache had not have been for the cat. He began to mew and try to let out of his basket. "Here we are at last," I cried. For )nr weeks I labored at the hut, a miner would have built it four days. After three weeks I began to look for the re- lirn of my companions, but at the end cf six weeks I aban- loned all hopes. The cold gradually increased. I made .er\ thing tight and snug, then I determined to prospect |ie near-by creeks for gold. I found gold on every side but ly best work did not exceed five dollars in a da}'. Klon- ike was my constant companion, he had grown strong and gile and roamed about the camp, at times going into the mst for hours. The cold came down over the mountains lid drove me into the hut. I only ventured out to cut my ui)i>ly of wood. I fell into a despondent mood, but for tndike I believe that I should have gone mad. With in- [nite patience I taught him a variety of tricks and there lere times when I talked to him ofHdith and tlie happy ays when he had nestled in her arms. In such hours I im- Lnned I saw her spirit looking out of his eyes and bidding |ie be of good cheer. At night he crept into the fur-lined in which I slept and comforted me in the solitude with lis ])ur. In January I noticed that every afteraoon he wish- rd to leave the cabin and remain outside for nearly an hour. lS Jiis continued day after day my curiosity was at last 32 R. Dunn & Co., PORT HOPE, ONT. TiqsiRiths, Plumpers ^ Gasfitlers. Eavetrcughing, Roofing and general Jobwork. Furnace work a vSpecialty. Estimates for any of the above at lowest rates. TELEPHONE 39. m 1,. 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Klondike evidently believed that I was )nstructing the road for his convenience for when he daily jturned from his mysterious visit he stopped and rubbed [imself ag&inst my legs as if to encourage me in my good irork. On the fourth day I had reached a point where I )uld see the hole in the snow in which he disappeared, was on the top of a ledge of rock some ten feet wide. To-morrow," I said, " I shall know the reason." fhat night I constructed a short ladder with which to sur- lount the difficulty. The following day I placed it against le ledge and climbed up. The crumbling snow, running [own the bank, prevented me seeing what was before me. I rushed the snow away and looked in. At my very face was skeleton hand holding a small black object in its bony mgers. I screamed with terror, the ladder lost its balance, le next instant I was twenty feet below on my back in the jiiow. I ran to the hut and actually barred the door, so [reat was my fright. What could it mean ? I had read of jenions appearing in the guise of black cats, a thousand [rotesque fancies danced through my brain. Then I called ;ioiKlike. he was at my feet. He could not possibly be in le skeleton hand and also Klondike at the same time. Yet ,'en that I imagined might be possible. You must bear in lind that for months I had lived isolated from human com- [anionship, that my brain had became warped and my louj^hts abnormal. Was the skeleton hand a warning? [hould I abandon the quest and leave the mystery unsolved ? ferhaps it was a portend of my fate. Tlius I reasoned and nnnised, conjured and imagined. INIy one consolation was jiat Klondike had crept into his accustomed place and was |])parently sleeping the sleep of innocence, unmindful of the Kt-leton hand. Wlien the sun came up over the mountains lie next day my courage returned. I determined to probe |ie alTair to the bottom. To prove that there was nothing ni)ernatural about the cat, I took Klondike in my arms and lade my way to the top of the ladder. The hand was there jnd the cat was there. He sprang from me and entered the jpeuing, coming out again with a Done in his mouth, the .34 fore-arm of a man. ••Only the last resting place of some poor| miner who has died in this wilderness, " was my comment. Then, for the first. I noticed that the object in the grasp of I the skeleton hand was a small book. I reached out and tried to remove it from the bony fingers. They held it in a death grasp and I was compelled to pick up the hand, which I carried to my cabin. I pried open the fingers and opened the book. The fly leaf was closely written over in a langu.ige which I was unable to read. The book, printed in a fine, small, black type, was equally unreadable. From the chapters and for other reasons 1 decided that it was a copy of the New Testament. I carefully wiped it and laid it away on a shelf.] "To-morrow," I said, "I will clcse the opening, the strang- er's bones shall rest in peace." The next day, provided withi pick and shovel, I cliuiljcd the ledge and carefully removed the snow. Then I knelt down and look«-d in, the cavern was some three feet in height and eight in length. The small bones were strewn about, but the trunk remained prone upon the centre of the cavern. Suddenly something soft touched me on the face, I sprang back, lost my balance, and for the second time found myself on my back in the trench below. I .scrambled to my feet and ran for the hut. f Then I stopped and turned, Klondike was sitting complac- ently on the top of the ladder. "Now I will be a man, " II said, and I walked back heartily a.shamed of my.self I took my tormentor to the hut, fastened- him in and returned. I resolved to replace all of the scattered bones and seal up the mouth of the cave. To do so I was compelled to crawl in- side. In my task I chanced to move the trunk, the sun | .shot a beam of light within and reflected a dull, yellow glit- ter. There could be no mistake, it was gold. Then I pnused,! should I take it or ]>ury it with the bones ? It had been his in life why not in death ? If Simeon did not return I too would be found some day, my bones bleaching beside my handful of yellow dust. No, I would leave it with its rightful owner. Carefully I gathered the bones, they were sacred to the I meniorv of the unknown. Ivlith's love, hope and avarice, all were but memories, as long pas.scd as if ages had gone! by. Then it came u])on me that a trust had been committed to my chaige. The dying man had left a message, a sacred injunction written in (iod's Book. The handful of gold was to be sent to .some loved one. Instantly all my sympathies were aroused. I had something to live for, to work for. I felt like a new man. I went back to the hut and brought | with me a small tin dish in which to gather the last grain. I picked up the nuggets one by one. So intent w^as I that it I 35 [was not until the pannakin was half full that I noticed that the supply was by no means exhausted. I went for another and larger dish and another and another, and still more re- mained. Night came on and 1 was compelled to relinquish my task. The cabin had been transformed into a treasure house. A demon whispered in my ear, "You are rich. Edith and love and happiness are before you. Fool, you have but to reach out your hand and take the gold. Dead men tell Ino tales.*' A violent trembling seized upon me. My resolution Kvavered, then my eye rested upon the little black book and a ^neat calm fell upon me. "No," I said, "it is not mine, I will not be a thief," From that moment I w. s firm and I never doubted but that providence would rescue me from the Yukon. When I had removed all the treasure I closed the nioutli of the cave, then I fashioned a rude cross and planted it firmly in the ground to mark the burial place. My next ste]) was to make forty small bags out of heavy cloth into which I poured the gold, the bags I buried in the hut beneath ni>- bed. The possession of the treasure brought a new fear, that ot robbers, j^et so far as I knew, there was not a man within one hundred miles of me. I frequently awoke in the night and listened intentU^ believing that I heard footsteps. One night I suddenly sprang to my feet, at the very door were snarling and fighting dvigs, tb en followed a thump on [the vside of the hut. "Hello ! Hello ! are you there !" came in a hoarse voice. "Who are you ?" I asked. "Open the door, new chum." It was Simeon. I gave a shout, rushed out and fairly hugged him with joy [and Jim too, who was unharnessing the dogs. "And here's Klondike, grown as big as a tiger," Simeon [cried, picking up the cat. "Have j'ou any grub ? " "Plenty." "Hoil the billy and make tea. Is any of the brandy left ? " "I never touched it." "The best news 3'et. Knock the neck off a bottle, Jim, Ibrandy. Jim was in the hut in an instant. After justice had been more than done to the meal, Simeon after looking |around said, "Well done for a bo3^ Had a long wait, eh ? " "I al\va3'S thought you would come." "Hear that Jim, no one doubts the old man's word. That's [better than gold. I would have been back in a month, but [we got word from a party wlio came down from this section (th it you had left and that the cache had been robbed. It 36 The only Practical and Up-to-Date Bicycle is the SWALLOW BICYCLE...! For the Season of t899. Combined NNith extra strength, skilled workmanship and bestj material you get the best value for \our money. 5ee our Efficient Spokes, Frame and Cones. j^ Try our Rims and Easy Running. We aUo do nickel and silver plating. All styles of sheet metal work in brass, htetl and alumiiunn We have also the best bicycle repair shop wiih latest machinery and good mechanics to do the work which enables us to do our work promptly. Qive US a call. ':i:i Swallow Bicycle & Metal Works.] F. H. COLEMAN, Port Hope. 37 lust have been another camp. Had many visitors looking )r food and stealing what you did not give ?" 'I have not seen a man since we parted in the woods." 'Good heavens ! why hundreds and hundreds have gone lown the river and you did not know enough to make for |ie big stream, get taken on board and find yourself in Daw- )n City in two days." "No." "I told you Jim, that being a new chum he'd sit down as )ng as the grub held out. " "Did you mine any gold ?" "A little." "Show it?" I handed him the buckskin bag which held the gold I had lined. "Twenty ounces, enough to take you home. "Howjdid you succeed?" I asked. "Struck it rich, took out twenty-five thousand dollars |rorlh, Jim twenty thousand, and the rest of the party about le same and we have only scratched over our claims. The just is down at the city." "When shall we make a start ?" I asked. "In the morning." Then we turned in for sleep. • At an early hour Jim was busy loading the sleds with sup- lies. "I'm blessed if you have eaten as much as a canary ird,'* he remarked tome. "The boys will have to run up ul bring down the rest." I had purposelj' said nothing of my wonderful experience, [aiting until I could tell Simeon privately, which I did lowing him the skeleton hand and the black book in confir- lation. "I don't know where you picked up these things," he [id, "but one thing is certain you are off your chump." 'Hut I have the gold." I "Where?" "Buried there." "Take the pick an^l dig it up." I "What do you say to that, " I asked as I pulled out a bag, md that and that and that. ' ' l"Jim, we are a fine lot of duffers, come in, this new chum Id the cat, mind you the cat, have beaten every man on the l>nanza and Eldorado. " fiin came in and stared, he could not speak, then he whis- red, "How many has he got?" "Only forty bags." 38 "But the gold is not mine, " I said. I *'Not yours, then whose is it?" I "The dead man's." , I "And you will not keep it?" ... I "No, it the book contains a will." | "And you are a lawyer's clerk ? " « I "I could not keep it," I repeated firmly, I Simeon turned me around and around and then snid. "ij believe you, if you live you will make a man, you have goJ the timber in you, shake." I The gol ' was carried out and loaded on a sled w^hile I pul jji Klondike in a bag. We reached Dawson City and after soiiiJ weeks delay secured a steamer for St. Michael's, from thai point we sailed to Vancouver. At the latter place I ascerJ tained that the value of the find was one hundred and ninety! ! I five thousand dollars. The dust was deposited in the BanlJ i of Montreal. Then Simeon and I went in quest of a man wliJ could read the writing in the black book. At last an ofilcel from a Russian man-of-war was found. He translated thJ message. Here is the tran.slation : — I "My name is Vospar Plonvi.sky, I was born in Warsaw ol noble. Polish parents. The RUvSsian authorities arrested nil as a member of a vSecret society and banished me to Sibei ial There I remained for twenty years. Again and agnin till black knot (cat in English) cut my flesh to the bone for tryj ing to escape. Finally I made my way to sea in an opil boat and reached Alaska. The accursed Russian was therel I was seized on suspicion and sent into the interior to lool for mines with several ofiicials. Our voyage was up a greJ river. One night: I vStole the boat, which was well snppliel with provisions and firearms, and sailed away up the rivel After several weeks I came to the rapids, where I abandonJ the boat, then I packed my p/ovisions into the interior, kee]! ing to the wCvSt. My intenti(m was to make my way to CaJ ada, when I reached a small stream, near this vSpot I found! small stream the bed of which was yellow with gold. I rJ solved to gather a vast store, hide it and then proceed on ml way. After I had collected the gold t hid it in the caJ where my bones rest. Then my lavSt sickness came upon ml I grew weaker day by day. I realize that I am dying, ml last act is to write this and creep into the cave I make! solemn vow, it is: "If a Russian should find me and touch tJ or my gold, I swear by the memory of the black knout (cai that I will return and curse him and his children and n children's children. To the man f any other nation ti gold is a free gift. » » • 39 • I sold the gold to the bank and handed a cheque for five thousand dollars to Simeon. "Not a cent, " he said, "I have enough and to spare." Then I gave him five hundred to hand to Jim. One week later I was in Toronto. It was Saturday night when I u rived. When the cab drew up at Edith's home I saw that the drawing room was a blaze of light. Then my heart ;aiik, I had not had a word from her since Heft on the quest. felt that she had broken her promise to me and married Kred Keingold. With a trembling hand I rang the bell. I ,jj;nored the servant and walked in with Klondike in my irms. The next instant Edith was in my arms. Her first rords were : 'Did you get any of the letters or telegrams ?" "Not one. " "Did you see the notices in the newspapers ? " "No, what notices ? " "Notices for you to come back. Father did not lose his )rtune. It was a mistake in the telegram from Chicago, le margin was on the right side and all was explained when liie broker wrote. Father nearly recovered and is very rell." "What of Fred Reingold ?" I stammerec "Married six months ago to Bessie lyoudon, " "I have got the gold," I said. "And we don't want it," Edith answered. In our library, under a glass case, stands the skeleton hand )lding the Greek Testament. . Now and then I point out lis hand to the new baby whose name is Simeon. 40 Ccmral Boot and $boe $tor< Queen's Hotel Block, Walton Street, PORT HOPE, ONT. GEORGE HANSMAN^ Boots and Shoes are a necessity to all. To get the best and cheap should be our aim. We do that for you, call and be convinced. We wuulj like you to take the bother to look at them, bother us early and often, J like to be bothered, feeling confident when you buy we will be the chosa shoe people. Trunks, Valises, Gloves and Overgaiters of high quality aw low prices. We make a specialty of hand-made boots and shoes. Mj Johnson Jordan having charge of that department ensures a good article make, material and wearing qualities. Every pair guaranteed. ParenJ who want their boys well booted call and get a pair of hand-made hooti it will save you money. Repairing done neatly, promptly and at low price Alex. Ferguson, MILLBROOK, ONT. Manufacturer and Dealer in ~— ♦ Waggons^ Buggies^ Sleighs, Gutters, Etc* Repairing: oi all kinds promptly attended toJ* Repainting: carefully done. Work Guaranteed. ^ Charg^es Moderate. 41 A MAORI LEGEND. A NEW ZEALAND STORY. 1 1 spent a week in a pah down in Ihe hot lake country, the ling's land, New Zealand, a short time before the destnic- lon of the Pink and White Terraces. One night as I lay in ly thatched hut, with the boiling water singing and simmer- \g on every side, an old Maori wise-nian paid me a visit and )ld me the following story. "A thousand moons ago my people came over the sea in reat canoes from the islands. Then the Maori was like the ^hite man of to-day, restless as the wind, ever roving to and ro frcm land to land. The canoes came ashore down at the )ast and it was beside these lakes that the pahs were built icause the fern root grew here in the warm, damp earth and le (rreat Spirit made the water boil, in which to cook it. [hen our wise men said, 'Here is our home and this land ras made for the Maori. Here shall be found that which we lonj]^ have sought.' All would have been well if our peo- le had listened to these words. After a time there spread from IT to ear the story of a wonderful lake, hid away up in the fountains. No man could tell where the story came from, tr no man could be found who had ever seen the lake. The piintains. or the lakes, or the boiling springs, or the pink ills, may have whispered'it at night into some ear. It may ive been a dream, but it came and at last that no man doubted Many a Maori set out to find the wonderful lake and [andered among the mountains, which grew blacker and ]acker and higher and higher as he went on, but one and 1 came back telling of great streams, of jagged rocks, ot irk caverns, but never catching a glimpse of the lake. " "Then our wise men held a council in the great pah, and by day they studied and thought. At last it was scided that a venerable old man, who had never liten of human flesh, should go forth alone into the [ountains in quest of the lake. Much we wondered as he ^parted, for with him he took only a staff and no fern root anything to eat. We bade him good bye with sorrow in D ... -. «Aa 42 our hearts, for we felt that we should never look upon hiJ face again, and that his bones would bleach upon the mounj tain side, with no pah to covert them, but there they woul( lie for all time to come, a warning to men who went id search of the wonderful lake. Days went by and Im wise man was given up for lost, when he came down tha mountain side and all of our people went out to meet himj When they asked him if he had found the lake he bowed hi head upon his breast and smiled, and the people, young an| old, gathered about him with many questions, but answere he never a word. One and all saw that a great change ha^ come over him. A mild light beamed in his eyes audi smile ever played about his lips. Kindness and sympathjj covered him as with a mantle of sweet fern and all felt tha he was good to look upon. From him there went outi power for good never felt in Maori land before, and the peoplj knew that to him had been given a sign which would lea theni^to happiness. Yet some there were who scoffed an| said it was a trick of the wise men, that he had been hidde in the hills and no good would come of it. From that daj the wise man went about doing good and to all he said, theij be three things : "Eat not of human flesh. " "Help cne another. " ' 'Be content with your lot. " A few followed his counsel and found peace,, but the nianj went on their way, blind in their own conceit. The quiet ( the valley and its simple fare were to them as bitter herb They wandered away to other islands and over the land 1 the north and south. They fought and ate each other, an the message of the wise man became to them and to the children but a dream. Once a year, at spring tide, when tlj moon was full, the wise man left the pah with two youa men and went into the mountains and to the lake. Kaa time they returned on the seventh day and from that day( the day of their deaths their faces shone as did the face of 1 wise man, and they went about saying ; "Eat not of human flesh. •• "Help one another. " "Be content with j'our lot. " What they saw, what they heard at the lake, nomanknej Year after year only three went out and returned. At laf the hour came when the old wise man fell sick and death by his side. Then he sent for my father's father, who an old man, and to him confided the task of leading ea year the young men into the mountains, telling him also! 43 |e first visit and what would come of it. This is the story licli he told to my father's father : "I went into the mountains, trusting, that was all. If for to see the lake would be good for my people then I knew [at the way would be pointed out, so I journied on and on »d though without food for the whole day, I felt no hunger. night came near I descended into a valley in which plenty fei ns were growing and the water boiling in a small spring. fathered my fern roots and cooked them in the spring. The txt day I faced the mountains again. I had gone but a [tie way when I saw before me an immense bird pluming self on a shelving rock. I had seen the skeletons of such jrds many times, but never a live bird before. Its plumage IS dazzling white and its arched neck shone like the ittle in the sunshine. Its tufted head was more than twfce le height of a man's head from the ground and although le bird was a long way off I felt that its eyes were soft and 111 of tenderness. As I approached the white bird walked ray, stopping each minute to pick some green morsel, for stride was enormous and in the twinkling of an eye it lid have mounted into the clouds, hanging over the moun- ins. All day long I followed the bird, turning and twist- going forward and coming back again until I lost all :koning of the pah, but something whispered in my ear lat it was to be. At night I alwa5'S found ferns for food |d a hot spring so my wants were provided for. On the ird day out, as night drew near, I came very close to the rd. almost close enough to touch it, when it stepped rough .some great ferns with leaves of silvery whiteness, h as I had never seen before, and when I had followed it bird had disappeared. I raivSed my ej-es and there at uiy ^t was a circular lake, girt about by immense mountains, |th c.ills rising from the water higher than twenty Kouri Its. Looking behind me, the way I had come, I saw the ;er ferns but in the background a wall of rock through lich no opening was visible. Much I wondered, but being |ed and hungry I gathered some of the ferns, but no hot ring was at hand as before. I stepped to the lake, iched it with my hand, it was almost boiling. That night flcpt ht neath the silver ferns. The next morning when I ke there was no sign of the white bird but a little boat on the sand before me containing three seats and three kldles. After eating some fern root I stepped into the boat piddled out. Then, for the first, I saw that the lake itained a single island, lying in its centre, but this island not like any other island. It had three equal sides, on 44 11 F* H* Brown. GROCER. Headquarters for Fancy Groceries^ Fresh and Dried Fruits ^ j^ j^ j^ Confectionery jl jt jt j* j» j* j* A call will convince you that our goods and prices are right. Port Hope, Ont* .HELLO 48.. €€€€€€€€€i5€€^€€€€€€ Pure Drugs ^ * WATSO|<'S DRUG STORE CP.R. Telepraph Offfce. Telephone 76. 45 iras neither tree nor shrub. I soon made my way to its )re. There was only one landing place, a narrow ledge, m which I drew up the boat. By some natural steps I It up and found on the top a circular, shallow basin full Doiling water. The basin was formed of a dazzling white >ne with alternate bands ot a soft yellow, which I had i^er seen before, but which I now know the white man calls Id. From the centre to the outside these bands ran round round and it was only a question of time when they luld cover the whole island. A great attraction had the )1 for me. I sat down by its side and watched the blue Iter run over the rim and splash its way down to the lake, Iving behind little bands of white and yellow, and as I sat )re the steam coming up in the centre sang a song in the lori tongue. The song was: I Eat not, eat not, eat not of human flesh. " ' Help one, help one, help one another. " I' Be content, be content, be content with your lot." ; knew that I was to tell these things to my people and I m forgot them. Then I lay down and fell asleep, how long I slept I know When I awoke the sun was gone and the great cross iing in the sky and yet the pool sang the same song and water ran over the rim and down into the lake.^ , Once \\n I looked into the basin and then my heart grew still. I looked down I saw away and away a group of islands |h a blue sea all around them running into little bays and \g arms, and under a part of one island was a great fire [ning and sending up boiling water. Away out in the jan I saw another ivsland, with an opening in the centre, pugli which rushed flame and smoke. This island was the Jnney for the fires burning below me, on which our pahs k' built. On our islands I saw many Maoris, some good, liy bad with fierce fires burning in their hearts. And the :e of the spring said, " Behold your brothers, but the day ^ear at hand when great canoes will come over the waters h white wings and a white man will come in the canoes in his heart burns still fiercer fires and he will make war ^n you. not with spears but with things which vomit fire carry death a long way off". He will kill the Maoris and the land and in a few years your people will be no more, to you is given a trUvSt. In the full moon, once in the bring hither two wise Maoris and let their ears hear my Then vShall they go to their brothers and speak the th. If your people listen, one island shall be preserved them and the black men shall not all die. ' ' 46 Returning to the shore, I found the moa standing by bunch of ferns and following it for two days I was on more in sight of the pah. There I told the story of mysterious lake and the pool to the wise men and when ' full moon came the next year three Maoris went forth in qi of the lake. They were guided by the white moa and tlij too heard the pool sing and saw into its depths. Seas after season three men went and came and repeated the soJ of the pool. The scoffers avsked, •' Where are the white n] with fire in their hearts, and where are the big canoes white wings?" And the ferns grew and faded into broJ and rotted on the damp earth. But at last the white ml came and the wise men knew that the day was at hai[ With the white man came also wise men, who, while tl pointed to the sky above and told us of the Great Spii] stole the land from under our feet. And we saw that a gn fire burned in their hearts, but it was not the fire of war a yellow flame, which could only be quenched by a treasij they called ' gold. * These wise white men heard of the 1^ in the mountains and the pool with its yellow bands much they searched the mountains but found it Then they heard of the journey of the three Maoris rainy season, led by the white moa. They watched when the Maoris s»;t out they followed and thus it wavS t!j they found the lake. Three white men had followed three Maoris. While the Maoris were standing beside lake the white men seized the boat and paddled as fasti they could to the island. The moa stood on the shore nodded its head up and down as much as to say, 'You st see. ' Two white men clambered on shore, the other rema ing in the boat. Once beside the pool the white men not its beauty, they heard not the song, for their eyes filled with the yellow metal and their hearts with grej They were blind to the blue waters, the purple mountaij blind and deaf to all but gold. Then they set to work dug up the yellow rim and the little channels over wi the water ran, and, where once all was beauty and song. the whisper of the Great Spirit, only desolation was left. day long they toiled and carried the gold and loaded it the boat and so blind were they that they did not see the boat grew no deeper in the water. All day the nodded its head, all day long the Maoris wondered. Thel great sleep fell upon them. The water in the lake was sif ing down, down, down, carrying with it the little boat, sank away as silently as a bird in the air, without a gui or a splash. The fountain S3*v^ and flowed and the yel 47 ' }ands ran out and down and over the two men binding them fast to the rock. When they awoke they were pinned fast. 'hey writhed and twisted and screamed for their companion In the boat but he was a thousand feet below, paddling, jaddling, not to the island not to the shore, but around and iround. Then through the jagged rocks, away below came a rreat roar as of a mighty river lashing itself into fury on fhe black stones. When this sound fell on their ears they set up a pitiful cry which came over the lake to the Maoris ind made their hearts sad. Then the fire died out of the Mte men's hearts and the green leaves of the ferns, where the Maoris stood grew into wondrous beauty, in their tyes and the plumage of the moa shone like burnished sil- ver. Their cries for help died away in the rushing waters )elow. The fountain stopped, the blue water sank down to ^he black river, leaving only a jagged hole, crusted as far IS they could see with gold, but now they loathed the yel- low metal and blamed it, instead of their own hearts, for all \he evil which had come upon them. Out of the pool then :ame a faint blue wreath, spreading about them, embracing ^hem and creeping like a cloud over the island. Then the lot vSteam gushed forth. Madly they writhed and gasped for breath but hotter and hotter grew the steam. The sun rent down and night came on. Under the green ferns the Maoris lay down and slept. When the sun came up the Dool had ceased to vomit steam. Two skeletons on the island rere bleached as white as snow on the mountain tops. A skeleton in the boat, with a skeleton paddle in his hands was )addling in a never ending circle around and around. The moa nodded his head and led the way back to the )ah and from that day to this never a moa has been seen in Tew Zealand. Amid the mountains lies the wonderful lake )ut it will never be found until the yellow fires have burned )ut of the hearts of the white men. " 48 JAiV\ES HUNTER, ' PORX HOPE, For what you require in... Liquors, Wines, Etc. Nothing but the purest and best quality kept on hand. All liquors bought in bond. Reinhard's celebrated Lagers and all leading Ales kept constantly. Special line of Cigars. Telephone 451 Dr. C. R. Patterso i Demist Honor Graduate. Specialties: Best Plates - - - $9.00 Silver Fillings - - - ,50 White Fillings - - .50 Extracting (by freezing) - .25 nil mork f ir$t'C;id$$. Walton St., Port Hope, Nearly Opposite Guide Office. 49 THE TENOR SINGER^ A STORY OF WESTSTRALIA. 'he mellow notes ot a rich tenor voice floated out on the rht air from a tent in Kalgoure. As the chorus died away miners and prospectors gathered around the tent and tenet! . There was sweetness and pathos in the voice, licli stirred to their depths the hearts of the wanderers. |e air was stifling hot and as John Beelscroft wiped away perspiration there were traces of tears in his great, brown ■s. Beelscioft was well known from Perth to the most kant station on the overland telegraph line. He had been kiember of every exploring expedition fitted out at Adel- |e during the last twenty years. He could manage a nei train better than any man in the country, not except- the Afghans, imported by the government. When gold is iirst discovered in Weststralia, Beelscroft had led the jnetr band of prospectors and half a hundred men in Kal- iu ie were prepared to take their afiidavits that there would ,e been no Coolgardie or Kalgourie, Great Boulder orany- |n,i!: ^Ise worth mention of on the great sand plains but for m Beelscroft. As Beelscroft turned away with a suspicious be of his eyes with the sleeve of his tattered shirt, two ^ fell from his lips. I'Toov Molly !" )Iolly was only a little baby when, twenty years since, he 11 kit his old New Zealand home, where his wife had I<1. A kind neighbor had taken the child while Beelscroft drifted, finst to the gold fields of New South Wales, then ictoria, followed by Tasmania and last of all to West- lia. Drink, drink," he muttered as he walked awaj- into the [kncHs beyond the line of lights streaming from the tents huts. Drink, drink, and poor Molly forgotten." |eelscroft turned and braced himself as a strong man face face with death. He walked back to the tent and entered. If a dozen men were sitting on the same number of up- 50 turned soap boxes, whilst the seventh box occupied th« plac of honor in the centre, with a bottle of three star brandy and some pannakins upon it. "Have a nip, Beelscroft ?" one of the men asked. Beelscroft's answer was to kick the box into the furtlie end of the tent. •'What do you mean cried the man springing to his feet. •'No more drink for nie, not a drop, " Beelscroft answered •'The devil take the stuff, it's the devil's broth and no mis take, I'll have no more to do with it and there's my han^ on it." "Sworn off, " queried the man. "Who was singing?" Beelscroft asked. ••Lee." "Which man is Lee ? " "The new chum in the corner, " pointing to a paleface young fellow. •'What are you doing here?" Beelscroft inquired of Lee. "Looking for gold." "Found any?" ~ "Not a grain." "And never will, left to yourself." "Right you are." "See here, I'm John Beelscroft, any miner will tell yoJ who I am and what I am. I heard you sing a song a bi| ago. I want you for a partner. You're a chicken-livere city chap, no good as a miner, no better than a native bea but all the same I want you as a pard. All I ask is that yo^ will sing one song every night. I'll do the work. What you say ?" "Lee hesitated. Everyman present said, "Take hir quick, Beelscroft has found more gold claims than any doz man on the rush." "It's a bargain," Lee said. "Shake." Beelscroft's great, rough hand clasped the thin hand of tl singer with a force which made the new chum wince wit pain. "Four months later a camel and two men were slow! crawling over the desert two hundred miles north of Nei| Siberia. The drouth was on and every other prospector ha long since been driven in. There was not a drop of water sight on the ground for one hundred miles in any directio from the spot where the men were and yet they were headii into the desert. Their course was zig zag and appeared lead nowhere. For a month they had been traversing 51 country in which no other man but John Beelscroft could live at that season. Even the camel was discounted by tl'.e veteran in discovering "soaks," where water could be found by digjjing. Night after night they lay down on the sand with their tongues hot and blistered, but Beelscroft had dug a hole in the "soak" and Lee and the camel knew that by morning it would have sucked in the precious water and that they would be for another day. Lee reeled w .i the heat and staggered like a drunken man. Beelscroft flung him on the back of the c.iniel, where he rocked and swayed but managed to retain his seat. "Brace up, Lee," he said. "In half an hour we pitch our tent atid you shall have a rest for a few days, I intend ro look about in this quarter for a time. " "We shall never find any gold in this desert," Lee moan- ed. "That's what every new chum says. " Long since I^ee had made up his mind that his companion was stark mad and bitterly did he regret that he had ever set out on such a wild goose expedition. His prospects and ex- postulations cornted not a feather's weight with Beels- croft, who was for gold and determined it find it. They campec' • a "soak" where the veteran began digg- ing while Lee thiew himself on the sand and was soon fa.st asleep. When he awoke a pannakin of water was st his side with a plate of bacon and a piece of hot damper. Refreshed with the meal he looked out of the tent and saw Beelscroft ii.-p:el. All's well that ends well," Bonspiel answered. 'II \vill vsoon be daylight." Yes," looking up at the perpendicular cliffs, "but how we to ;4et ashore?" I' Sinij)le enough by daylight but dangerous at night, I would IviM you to turn in for a couple of hours." I'i lliink I will trj|and climb the rocks and have a look lit the island." -■ No, you are too valuable a man for me to lose now, it has Yen me nearly a month to get you here and I must take i( iuus good care of you. ' * When Bonspiel came on deck he saw that the crew had ?n K in forced by a dozen Kanakas. At the stem of the vsel the rocks, on each side, had been quarried away so as |fnrm two narrow grooves into which the men were fitting !vy limbers. George explained that this was done so as v-Uct the sloop from the action of the waves when the "; was in that quarter as the island possessed no other oi At the bow ol the vessel foot holes had been cut in r cks by means of which one climbed from shelf to shelf ;.; ining the vSummit. The captain went first and care- |iv;< lilted out the way. When the top was reached the '< island was visible. The scene was inexpressibly ;.u ind gloomy. The eye only rested upon vast masse* rock thrown up and tumbled about in indescribable con- < n anl upon which only grew a green moss. f'Xu wonder you required a well in such a place," Bons- aid to his companion. For a moment he doubted the n>\ ot the man. ^\ hy any sane man should select suck 6o R. H. EDMUNDS Stoves^ Tinware^ Furnaces^ Etc* Plumbing, Gas-Fitting and Eavetroughing. Lamps, Lamp Goods and Coal Oil. Repairing promptly executed. Best Goods. Lowest Prices. MILLBROOK, ONT PlQ;f Lir^S « « B.IJ11M1 Opposite Fast Office, PORT HOPE, Livery, Boarding and Sale Stables, First-class Horses and Cairiages, * Clipping a Specialty. Telephone 56. Managel JAMES ROBERTSO/\, ggATjiggi Sole Leather, Harness Leather, Lace Leather, Cut Leather, Cut Soles, Shoe Tools, Shoe Nails, Rivets, Harness Repairers, Knives, Leather Belting. A Shoe Repair Outfit for 75-. Shoe and Harness Repair $J. — The Best Goods — At Wholesale Prices. 6i in island for his home he could not understand. He hearti- wislied himself safely back in Auckland. "Wait a few minutes," said George and you may have ;as()ii to change your mind. Follow me. " They advanced lloni; a rude path which gradually descended. Quite unex- clcdiy they came out from behind a great boulder. George t()]iia(l and pointed below. At their verj' feet opened a nar- )\\ valley five hundred feet wide and half a mile long. Its ides wtre a mass of fern trees of emerald green. "Jlow beautiful," Bonspiel exclaimed. "Not a bad place to dream away one's life. " remarked feorge. "But come, I see they have kindled the fire, I sent ie of my men on an hour ago. A cup of coffee and a baked iro will be waiting for us with a rasher of bacon and a fresh ;u:." They climbed down into the valley and soon came upon a luster of grass thatched huts. Under three palm trees just ?yond stood a comfortable cottage of corrugated iron but rei <,^ro\vn with creepers bearing bright red blovssoms. "How did you get the cottage here ?" Bonspied asked. "I had it made in sections in Sydney, brought it over on le .sloop and the niggers set it up. Will you have a bath, )u will find everything in there, " pointing to a wing of the ntai^e. When Bonspiel ent'^red the cottage after his bath he was irj)rised to find George dressed in a neat fitting suit ot Ihite flannel standing beside a table covered with books id magazines. A glance at the breakfast table told him kat the china was of the choicest make, the coffee service of |lid silver and the napkins of the finest linen. The living lorn bore the ear-marks of bachelor's quarters, but upon }ery hand were evidences of wealth, refinement and culture. le Kanaka servants were thoroughly trained and glided bout the room noiselessly. On ship-board George had ftn a man of few words, at the head of his table he was fable and entertaining. He avSked Bonspiel how long it mid take to set up the drilling machinery, how many men [r)uld be required to operate it and the progress he was likely make per day, judging from the nature of the rock which had seen. [During the dav the drilling machinery was hoisted out ot le sloop by means of a derrick. George was a man of |erpy and under his direction the work went rapidh^ tor- mi. The following morning George said, "Come with me lid I will show you the place where I wish you to sink the ell." 62 . They set out up the valley, through the centre of whicll ran a small stream. As they proceeded they came frequenij ly to stone dams thrown across the stream. "But for th« dams," George remarked, "the precious water would ru away and be lost. From these ponds I draw off the water tJ my taro patches and to the roots of the banana trees, whicl you see I have planted. My vegetable and flower gaij den is also supplied in the same manner. " "The valley is so small that I do not see how you will able to make the experiment pay," Bonspiel remarked. Bonspiel noticed that the paths around the cottage and uj the valley were formed of a peculiar white sand which froj use had been solidified into a concrete mass. "Where do you obtain such beautiful sand," he inquired "Up at the curiosity, " was the answer. At the upper extermity of the valley they came upon a gantic boulder, from the rock beneath issued a tiny streaii of water finding an outlet through an iron pipe which lial been cemented into the crevice. At the end of the pipe thj narrow gorge had been bridged over with eucalyptus ijlanlj two inches in thickness, the plank were firnilj' bolted heavy timbers beneath. The lower extermity ol this co\ ere way was closed bj^ a massive door secured by two locksl Bonspiel surveyed the structure wiih amazement. "What does it mean ?" he asked. "A precaution on my part. Dip your hand into ttl water. " "It is very cold, " Bonspiel said. "You \yin be surprised when I tell you that there are tiiiiej when it is boiling hot. " "Wonderful." "Yes, very remarkable. I can only account for it on tl hypothesis that the island being of volcanic origin it yet rel tains beneath it a slumbering fire. At times the heat is coinf municated to the reservoir of water below. It would not doi permit the hot water to descend the valley as it would deJ troy every green thing. On the other hand one mu.st ahvai have a supply of water on hand at the head of the vail ejf There is a stone dam on the inside at the end of the covere way. When it is full of hot water it is turned off at the pip thus furnishing a reserve. " "But wh}^ do you cover the place up so securely?" "My men are all from the ivSlands of the South Pacifid they are passionately fond of bathing in hot water, in fact found it impossible to keep them out of it. They would ga up in the night and spend hours in the pool. The resui| and into ttl here are tiiiiq ; must alwai 63 iras that they were not able to work the next day and many Jf thoiu fell sick in consequence. At Sydney I procured the |>lank, brought them over in the sloop, and covered the )00l." "IIow often does the spring flow hot water?" "Sometimes every thrid day and sometimes not for a ^eek." "How long does the flow continue ?" its flow is intermittent, alternating trom hot to cold, but have never known the hot water to last more than sks lours continuously. There are times when the hot water is Ejected with great force bringing with it a quantity of fine, ,'liite sand, from which I make my walks. It has happened ipon several occasions that the spring has ceased to flow. :o doubt the sand has choked up the passage. It is for that [easou that I brought you here to drill a well hoping to jtrike the reservoir and ensure a constant supply. "Wliere will you bore ?" Bonspiel asked. "Here, " pointing to the rock a few feet from the boulder. I'l fori^ot to tell you that when the spring ceases to flow it las a peculiarity, it sucks in the air with great force, so l^reat that were you to place your hand at the end of the pipe would be mangled. " "Iain anxious to see this wonderful spring at its hot ^•ater turn," Bonspiel said. "It may begin tonight, I understand that it is over- me." That evening they sat late on the verandah enjoying their ipes. At eleven o'clock a man came running up and in- )rnied George that the spring was breathing hard. 'Come, " said George, "this fellow tells me that the spirit ^as be(;un to breathe." "What spirit ?" "Oh, the fellow down below whom the natives believe is le origin of the phenomena. I will explain when we go fP-" \\ hen they reached the spring not a drop of water was ssuiusf from the pipe. On the contrary the air was being wckcd in with immense force. Now the spirit is only in a |layful mood, but like all spirits is not to be depended [poti, he may suddenly change his mind." "You refer to the Kanaka spirit." "Yes, they have invented a theory which accounts for the fhole thing. It is that down below lies an immense giant, ?hose stomach consists of an enormous pot which is filled ?ith burning coals, which possesses the remarkable quality 64 W. O. NUGENT. General Blacksmith ^^1 MILLBROOK, ONT. Horse-Shoeing and General Rej^airinjr. Wood Work of all kinds Repaired. All work done well, j^romptly and at Moderate Chari;es| Satisfaction Guaranteed. Port Hope Representative of First- Class Fire Insurance Companies: Royal Insurance Co. of London^ Engf. And Norwich Union and British American* N. Reynoldsl {Late of A, W\ Fr ingles) -^^JEWELER o.t Gardiner c^' Mulligan's, Millhrooh. Fine Watch Repairing a. Specialty. Orde\ left for Engravijig proinptlij attended to. 65 )f never being consumed. The intense heat makes the giant thirsty, he tiuaffs the cold water of which there is an un- limited supply. This he continues to do for daj^s until his 5t<)inac]i is lull. The fire goes on burning, the water grows lotler and hotter, not being able to take any more water he Resorts to the expedient of sucking in the cold air to give lim relief. That is what he is doing now. When the water t'^Mijs to boil he can endure the agony no longer, then he Ipews it out." "Ouite as plausible as some of the scientific theories," re- marked Bonspiel. "I aii^ree with you." vSiiddenly the suction of air ceased. "He is turning sick, " George remarked. Then followed a choking sound, as if some obstacle had blocked up the passage. It was not unlike a cough. Alter- nately the air was sucked in and then exhaled. Suddenly [lit gushed the water hissing and steaming, as if directly roni the infernal regions. A cloud of steam rose up and ittled over the end ol the valley. The Kanakas came rush- ig down to the spring but were ordered back to their huts |y their master. "I will venture a bottle of champagne that we will not be l>ed half an hour before they will all be back here practic- ig some incantations. I cannot keep them away from the lace. The gentleman down below fascinates them. " •Not unlike some of their white relatives," was Bonspiel )mnient. The day following work was commenced on the well. On le surface the rock was found to be exceedingly hard, but the depth of twenty feet it was honey-combed, the sand imp bringing up quantities of pumice stone. At forty feet ^e drill entered a quartz formation. "We may find that this quartz is gold bearing," BoUvSpiel hnarked. 'I think not, ' ge's answer. "I have examined le island ^v('i ,Ci no indications of the precious (etal on . u . " "Vet it iks lil^ Queensland quartz, " Bonspiel replied. "I am searchin ^ for water." Bf)nspiel subsequently remembered that from that day the kbris from the well was thrown ito the covered way. At ie hundred and ten feet depth t y struck a plentiful sup- ly of cold water. Operations re suspended for several |ys, but the supply was eviu. ly unlimited. Bonspiel 66 was surprised when he found that George was not satis- fied. "You mUvSt bear in mind that it is directly after the rainy season, he said. "Now that I have you here I must take every precaution, put in the drill and proceed with the work." At one hundred and fifty feet a new reservoir '.vas reached, the hot watci came out with immense force and the original spring ceased to flow. George was satisfied. "We must devivSe some way for shutting off the supply elsej everything will be ruined, " he said. Bonspiel proved equal to the task and had the flow under | control m a week's time. The new well retained the peculi- arities of the original spring, in that it alternately emitted j cold and hot water, but the volume was enormously increas- ed. The day after BoUvSpiel noticed that the covered way must have been opened for a quantity of white sand had been I thrown oiit on the bank. The work must have been done at night. Why? He could not ascertain whether the work had been done by the Kanakas as they did not speak a word of English. From the first there had been a mystery about the place. Now it came upon him with redoul^led force. The I massiveness of the covered way, with its iron bars and pad. locks were out of keeping with everything else on the island, The impression was intensified by the reticence of Geor<;e,[ who, as a host and employer, was most urbane, but other- wise as silent as an oyster, W^hat had led him to take iip| his residence upon such an island ? Evidently not poverty, During the voyage from Auckland Bonsj^iel had noticed iiial locker in the cabin, a small iron-boinul keg, fitted with anl appliance which prevented the hoops from being removed, At that time he supposed that it was filled with spirits, 1 utj when they were unloading the sloop he saw it tossed froiiil one man to another in a wa}^ which proved that it was emj.ly. For .some unexplained reason he mentally decided that lliisi ke^ was in son:e way connected with the m}\stery. Hi.";! curiosity was thoroughly aroused and he determined to prohel the matter to the bottom. When he went to bed that night he could not sleep, lusl doubts and conjectures had grown into a certainty that lliel covered way hid the mystery. Finding sleep inijjo.'^sible hel got up and went out on the verandah. The night was c'llmj and the moon lit up the valley with almost the clearness ofj day. Then he strolled up to the well. As he approached tlierel fell upon his ear a dull, grating sound, he paused and livSttiif cd. lie could not discover where the sound came from. Nol not satis- : the rainy must take with the dS reached, ;he original | supply else j ; flow under | I the peculi- ely emitted] isly increas- covered way tid had been 1 3een done at er the work peak a word ^,•^^tery about d force. The] ars and p'ad- [ the island, of Geor^^e,| but otlier- to take up I not poverty, noticed in al ted with an| ng removed. spirits, 1 uti tossed froral wasemi'.ty. led that llnsi stery. llisj ;ied to probel It sleep, liisl ity that thel iipo.'^sible liel lit was c'lnil Iclearncss ofl )ached therel and listtiif from. No| 67 one was in sight and he finally concluded that the noise was made by the water. He looked down upon the covered way and his eye caught the gleam of a faint light through the in- terstices of the planks. He listened and from his proximity heard a shovel oeing thrust into the wet sand, and its con- tents thrown into some receptacle. "Some one at work below, '■' was his mental conclusion. Tlie shovelling continued for a few minutes and then ceas- ed. It was followed by a swishing noise, familiar to every miner. A cradle was at work. "This means gold," almost fell from Bonspiel's lips, so great was his surprise. He scarcely drew his breath lest he should be discovered. He felt certain that the man below was George, but since his arrival on the island this was the first instance in which he knew of his performing any manual labor. Silently Bonspiel withdrew to a safe di.stance and then retraced his way to the cottage, which he entered and took a seat hear the window which commanded a view of the path leading to the well. His patience was at last rewarded. George came slowly up the ])ath as if worn out with fatigue. Bonspiel soon decided u]A>n his course of action. When daylight broke he proceed- ed to the well and carefully examined the locks on the gate at the end of the covered way. He made a note of their con- strue tion and then went into the temporary blacksmith shop used in sharpening the drills, and vSet to work with a will. As he was a skilled mechanic he turned out two skeleton keys before he was called to breakfast. The following night Bonspiel kept watch; after he was supposed to be asleep Gi(-iire proceeded to the well and remained there until three I o'clock in the morniniz. So the game of double purpose [went on night after night for a week. He must be a man of iron will and great perseverence, [was Bonepiel's conclusion. If he were to discover me in the covered way, I believe he would lock me in and leave me there to rot. He should be labelled "dangerous," Bonspiel was a judge of men and with George his caution bid him pause but the knowledge that a gold mine lay concealed be- neatli the planks, which its owner only worktd at night, for some mysterious reason, urged him forward with irresi.stible jforce and this feeling was intensified by the knowledge that Jin a ffw days he would leave the island, i)robably never to [return, as he doubted very much his ability to find it again, JHis theory was that George had discovered in the bed of the i^reek a rich alluvial deposit from which he dug the white Band. He had built over the place so as to effectually con- 68 the Bott'Con Bdhery oN« Port Rope. High Cla.ss Pastry, Wedding Cakes with Almond Icing a Specialty. Pure Confectionery of highe.st class. Pure Ice Cream supplied by quart or gallon for private parties (any flavor). Candies, Creams, Chocolates, Almonds, Cocoanut Candy. Ice Cream Soda, Soda Water, Orange, Lemon and Cherry Phos- phate. First class Lunch Room, Hot Tea and Coffee. Remember all the very best at Just South of Queen's Hotels John Street^ PORT HOPE. Curratfs t3v<^S3 ^^^sag^^'SSS^SStS^^E! MILLBROOK AND CAVAN ROLLER FLOUR MILLS. George Needler^e^ Cash Paid for Wheat* Manitoba and Ontario Wheat Roller Flours, }}^ Table Meals and Mill Feed of all kinds always on H' m hand. ^ i Chopping: promptly done 5c. per bag. 69 :eal it from any person who by chance might vivSit the isl- «i(l At a later date he had conceived the idea of having well sunk so as to be certain of a supply of water with ^vhich to wash the gold and also to render the place inhabit- ible. as the original spring was liable to become choked up It any time. On the sixth night George went to bed and remained there. in hour later Bonspiel was kneeling before the locks. One skeleton key had done its work, the other was a lailure. The cey only turned part way and then stuck. He drew a small ile from his pocket and .set to work on the key. An hour of ,'ahiable time was thus lost but at last he had the satisfac- tion of hearing the bolt turn. With trembling hands he jpened the door, stepped inside and closed it behind him, (eavinf^ only a small crack. To prevent it being shut and [ockfcd upon him he gathered a number of small stones and )lace(l them in a row at the bottom. The sweat poured from lis forehead and dropped from his hands. With each rustle )flhe fern-fronds, bordering upon the gully, he pau.sed and listened. He imagined that he heard (luorge's footstejxs on Ihe verandah and along the walk. Under ordinary circura- jtances he was a brave man, that night he was an abject loward. Inside was total darkness, he cursed himself for lavin;^^ neglected lo bring a candle with him. Fortunately le moon was vShining and a few faint ra3'S crept through the ides of the covering. He could, in a dim way, discern the ides of the place, but that was all. He was standing in a xd of water, for the well was shut down. By the faint Iglit lie carefully groped his way forward and soon stumbled ,er something, which on feeling of he recognized as a liner's cradle. One of his suppositions was thus verified. ^1 his groping his hand came in contact with a brass candle- ick holding a very short piece of candle. His heart g> ve a uniip, now he would solve the mj^stery. He lit the candle. its faint light he saw that a series of stone daius had been nit aeross the ravine some ten feet apart and two feet in -i;';ht. So lar as he could see these dams were full of water, [t his feet lay a.vShovel. He took it up and thrust it into le water in the dam before him. It came up filled with ex- bedingly fine vSand. This sand he placed in the cradle with jveral other shovelfuls, then he began to wash off. As he |oiktd the cradle it flashed upon him that the sand u.ust ue been brought up by the water in the well for from its tliileness and exceeding fineness it did not divscolorthe w; ter. [ow blind he had been not to see this from the beginning, there was gold it must come with the sand. In the midst ^ 70 of his speculations the candle spluttered and went out. He could not proceed with the work in the darkness. He would go to the cottage and get a candle. As he turned to go and as a proof of his visit, should anything prevent iiis returning, he thrust his hand in the cradle and took out a few hands full of the sand in the bottom, placing them in his pockets, then he made his way to the door which he swung open. Before him stood George, a revolver in hand. • 'Halt, ' ' he cried, ' 'So you are a thief. ' ' For a moment Bonspiel could not speak. He realized that his life hung in a balance and that a false move would mean death. "No," he said at last with a violent effort to appear calm. "I am not a thief, my curiosity was aroused and I decided to gratify it. I had no right to come here, and in doing .so I did wrong. If the candle had not gone out I should have] probed the matter to the bottom. " "No, " said George. "You would have been buried iu there. "Very well, the candle went out. On my honor all that 1 1 know is that you have built a series of dams accross the ravine, you have a miner's cradle in there. I tried to wash some of the sand but before I had finished the candle went out. I was on my way to the cottage to obtain a candle wJien| I met you here. " "You give me your word that you have not been in therei before to-night. " "I do, and for the ver}'' good reason that from the night ll discovered you working in here up to to-night you have been| there yourself." "You were playing the spy then." •Yes." George raised the revolver and pointed full at Bonspiel'sl breast. Bonspiel 's heart stood vStill, but he did not flitKh.I For a full minute George was undecided, then he lowered the! pistol and said, '-Give me the false keys." Bon,spiel handedj them to him. George locked the door, then they proceedei, o the cottage,! not a word being spoken. At the door George said, "after! you have changed your clothes, I wish to transact some bus- iness with you." [ When Bonspiel entered the sitting room he found Georgej aeated before a desk. "What is the value of your plant? " he asked. "I paid nearly one hundred pounds for it in Brisbane andl there is the freight to Auckland, but it has been used tor sorael time," )een in there )und Georgel 71 "Would you sell it? '• "Oladly." Opening a drawer, George drew out a small bag and counted out two hundred sovereigns. "Is that enough ? '* he inquired. ^ "More than enough." "Vini were to receive ten shillings per day ? " "Yes." "Il is now six weeks since we left Auckland, we shall sail for 111 at place afltr Ijreakfast. Call the time thrfee months. Will that be satislactory ? " 'Yes, it is more than my due." r.Lcrice paid the amount and then called a servant, who |bi( i;:.'ht a bctlle ol champagne. "I drink your good health," he said, filling the glasses. You have done your work well, to my satisfaction, your |hc;i!ili." • And the .«ame to j'ou, " said Bonspiel, but " (korge held up his finger. ?) nsi iel never c(mpleLed the sentence. • You 1 ad bcvvt pack your box and have all ready," George [said, rising. Two liours later tbey were on their way to the sloop and as llu ^un c.'init up, with all sails stt, vshe was rapidly leaving 11. <. i.'-land bchii.d. Bcn.-piel determined to profit by his ex- xriti ce on ti^e lormer voyage and ktep a log of the journey. :k- cart fully noted the course each day, the rate of vSpeed as /ell as he could estimate it. Before going to bed he also )la] the direction of the wind and several times during the lij^lit ^ct up and asceitained whether the course of the vessel lad heen changed. He found that as soon as it was supposed [hat lie was asleep the CDurse was invariably changed only jo be c! anged a.uain at daylight. Fortunately for his calcu- lations the wind I kw constantly from the same quarter. As lay by day wtnt by Bon:piel became more and more puzzled. [le had start*. d with the hypothesis that the ivSland lay in lie neii hberluxd o! one hundred miles west of the New Zea- d CO St. A'.i^ kh nd should theiefore lie south and east. i(c( uiing t<> his iOg book the course had been nearly due ic-t f ( r several rays, then they ran south. Either his cal- il. tons wt re all wrong or they would never reach Auck- iiul Two weeks passed when he ventured to ask George |o\v much longer the voyage was likely to last. i cannot say, " was the answer, "I am a very poor naviga- )r and sadly out of practice, no doubt we shall pull up in port mie of these days, " and he smiled significantly. Twenty- 72 one days out they sighted the light-house. Bonspiel shook! his head. There must certainly have been an upheaval of the New Zealand coast, the light had gone up at least one| bundled feet. A moment after he burst into a hearty laugh, "Clever, very clever, if my eyes serve me that is the light! at the Heads at Sydney, and here I have been looking fori Auckland. A little out of practice, yes but not so much scj but that he hit Jackson Harbour, a bull's eye." He wenti forward to the captain and said, "You have missed Auckland! and struck Sydney, only an error of some twelve hundred] miles." "Then you recognize the place? " "Yes, and for my part I am glad you made the mistake, I| prefer Sydney." "I am glad to hear it, I must certainly be growingj stupid." • They ran up to Woolooniooloo Bay. As Bonspiel was! getting into the yawl to go a.sliore, George, in bidding liiml good bye, slipped a twenty pound note into his hand. The following morning the sloop had disappeared, nor has| it been seen since either at Sydney or at Auckland. When Bonspiel reached a hotel he secured a room, tlieil went out and i)urchased a till wash dish. He had had nj opportunity to examine the sand up to that time. Now ha , delerniincd to put his tlieor)' to the test. The moment hel poured out Ihe sand he saw that it was full of exceeding!; fine gold. When he washed it off he took it to a jeweller's and had it weighed. The result was two pounds, thre ounces, four pennyweights and ten grains. Only think oj it, he exclaimed. There must be twenty thousand pound| worth of gold in that flume and it probably ran in then while I was on the island. I see it all now. The origim spring was too small to suit him. He also feared tliatij would clog up. When I struck the cold water he was no| satisfied ; he had discovered that the gold was only force up in the hot water and that accounts for my not discovering that I was opening the most wonderful gold mine in thi world, the steam prevented me from seeing it. What a fori tune it would be to stake out a claim there and sink anothej well. At last accounts Bonspiel was organizing an expedition ij Auckland, which will set out in search of the island. It w| be provided with all the latest machinery for sinking artesia wells but whether the mysterious island will be found or ncj remains to be seen. 73 ^ THE THREE GREAT PEARLS. A NEW GUINEA STORY. At the Qiieensland National Club, Brisbane, I made the iciiuointance of an Englishman, Leonard Chapman, who fas- cinated me, I can describe -the charm of his manner, his fund of intormation, and the originality of his conversation^ In no other terms. He had travelled extensively and )ossessed a thorough knowledge ot the South Pacific. Chap- nan was not over thirty -five years of age, he spent his money R-ith a lavish hand, even for that lavish country, and I [earned from some of his acquaintances that he paid Brisbane in annual visit, and that he was engaged in pearl fishing in Pones vStraits, off the north coast ot Queensland. No one pptared to know the precise locality. His appearance was ktrikint; in the extreme. No taint of the beach-comber hung iil)ont the man. On the contrary, he reminded me of a )llt,t]:e professor out for a holiday. His fund of anecdotes ,'as unlimited, yet he was as mode.st and unassuming as he ,'as undoubtedly brilliant. From the tenor of his conversa- lion I gathered that he took a special interest in scientific liscoveries and inventions, and I soon learned that he had lot only read of the nineteenth century marvels, but [)ossessed a thorough knowledge of the means by which they fere wrought. I inclined to the opinion that he had devoted kiany j^ears to the study of chemistry, but he was equally jonversant with the principles of electricity and of molecular Jesearch. So varied were his gifts and so accurate his knovv- ^dge, combined with originality, that I marvelled he should ^ury himself on an island in a half-known sea, for I gathered lat his was an island home. So startling were his views lelative to changes to come in the near future that there were imes when I sat spell-bound. He held that science would [xtract nitrogen from the air by a simple and inexpensive 74 S. T. HOPPER, Gold Medallist, CoIleg:e of Pharmacy,; Save Money BY BUYING OUR POPULAR 25c, Hopper the Gradu.-te Optician ARTICLES Biichu Kidney Pills as good as the bes| anil only 25c. R(.'' and I gart myself up lor lost. Night was coming on, the haze ani spray prevented my seeing a dozen yards in advance. knew that I was rapidly approaching the coast of New Guin ea and the reputation which the cannibals of that island eu joyed in the southern hemisphere did not add to my i^eaa of mind. I heard the breakers roaring and caught sight the white crCvSts of foam. I was powerless to change \\{ course of the boat by a single point. I threw off my coa and boots and determined to make a fight for my life. Sui denly the boat struck, broached bioadside and rolled ovf I was seized by the waters for a brief moment and then flunp upon the beach. The warmth of the sand was comforting and worn out as \ was, I soon fell asleep, nor did I awaki imtil the sun was high in the heavens. I was in a snia bay where the woods came down to the very shore and noti was visible which would indicate that a white man had ev visited that part of the coast. Fortunately I was provida with a water tight match safe and I determined to secuil some shell fish on the beach and cook them for break fasll I w.ided into the surf and soon had a supply of pearl oyste which I cooked. They were extremely tough and unjjalaj able but they satisfied my hunger. The boat had be( washed ashore and was a comjjlete wreck and I was conii;e| ed to abandon all hopes of using it again. I made my wi into the thicket and had proceeded but a few yards, when came upon a small, square building made of rough log There was no window and ihe massive door was secured two large padlocks. I knew that the structure was tU work of a white man but for what purpose it had be built I could not determine. It might be a place used!| storing provisions by peorl fishers, if so, I would not from starv'ation. I tried the door and then attempted topej between the logs, but as the interior was pitch dark all my efiorts were fruitless. By climbing an adjacent tree] reached the roof and after an hour's hard work succeeded j removing two logs. I saw that the hut only contained macj inery. I clambered down inside ; there was a small naptha( gine and a network of wires wuth several other devices, use of which I did not know. Then I made my way out i and as I was replacing the roof I heard a whizzing sou which was followed by a stinging sensation in the leg which stuck a long bamboo arrow. Instantly I dit through the opening into the hut. There at least I woq safe for a time. tiajj^c which I liiiiiiiijr of feet 77 Immediately I heard voices in a Ian- did not understand, followed by the ^ ... -^^v. 1 was surrounded and it was but a iLslion of time when I should not only 1)e cai)tured but jrobahly eaten. I seized an iron bar and delerniined to .sell y life for its full worth. Thtn came a lull. Were the sav- jLS building a fire for the ])ur|)ose ol ro.isting me out or of dilating me for their next nieil ? Half an hour of dieid n.-jjcnse went by, followed by a knorking at the door and a ice asked in English, "Hello ! who are ycu and what are u doing in there?" "I am a shipwrecked man. I have been shot in tlhe leg • the natives and I am hiding in here to save my life. '* The key turned in the locks, the door opened and I was ,ce to face with Leonard Chajmian. For a moment lite did t recognize me, .so woe-begone was I without coat or boots d the blood oozing from the wound in my leg. "Cha])ni n " I excla:m.^d. Then lie recognized me and reached out his hand, but not th the cordiality which I had expected. I noticed that a k of vexation, if not of distrust, was written on his face. • Mow did it happen, " he a.sked. In a few liurried words I told him the story. " It is fortunate that the arrow was not poisoned," he said r yoii \\ ould have been booked with a through ticket. Can 11 hol)b e for half a mile or shall I send the natives for a Jjit?" I" I lliink I can manage it, " I answeiel. little wa}' ofFstood a number of natives with great bushy ids and holding in their hands immense bows and spears ^de of bamboo. Your retainers gave me a warm reception," I remark- -hapinan smiled. "They are not my retainers, they are lives who protect my property along the coast and to jom I give a few pounds of tobacco and occasionally a bot- [of square gin." Talf a mile brought us to a deep bay. A yawl lay near shore manned by four as villainous looking Malays ever set eyes on. At a signal from Chapman they [uj^'^ht the boat along side, we stepped in and they pulled ly. The water was shallow and the bottom muddy. A rdofa mile from shore we came to Chapman's home, [ge bamboo poles had been planted in the mud and at a lance of twenty feet above the water other poles had been n i i/? 78 Probabilities For 1899 !| Are that the people of Millbro >k and surrounding district will Buy their BOOTS and SHOES. From M. E. Hutchinson. Why? We handle only solid le.ilher goods. Larger Stc and I'eterboro' Trices. We invitr vour trade. We niakei Specialty of rei)airitig. IJe.st equi])ped Repair Shop in th district. Call and see us. GEO. A. DUNCAN, .;* MILLBROOK, Palace Barber Shop^ Hair Cn'tinii:, Sliaviuij:. Shampooing. Full assortment of Cigars. Agent for the celebrated Williams' Pianos ; also Cresce^ Bicycle and McBurney and Btatlic- Bicycle. Bicycles fra $35 oo up. Call and see our Pianos and Bicycles. All kinds Musical Instrument! First-Class. Fully Guaranteed NEW BAKERY & ^UNCH ROOi The undersigned having opened a Bakery and Lunj Room on IMill St , three doors north of tht^ Royal Hotel, be^ to intorni the public that they will ketp constantly on ha:j a full line of Bread, Cakes, Pastry and Confectioner}' of kinds. T 4irtr\^^Qi served at all hours at moderate J^UIlCllCo prices to farmers and others. MUTTON PIES. HOME-MADE CANDII Special Attention given to orders for Parties and Socials. WELLS & BEST, Port Hope, 79 lashed in a horizontal position, thus forming the foundation )f the floor of the hut. The floor was also of bamboo poles ind over it was built a substantial camp thirty feet long and twenty feet wide. When we arrived a ladder was let down ind up it we scrambled. "Tliis is most extraordinary," I said. " Not for New Guinea, " Chapman answered. "Let me 5ee the wound?" "Fortunately only a flesh wound, it will be troublesome for a couple of weeks, the only danger is inflam- iiation in this hot climate. I have a medicine chest and a lotion which will remove the soreness." Wlien the bandage and the lotion had been applied I felt lore comfortable. " Wliy did you build your house on stilts ?" I asked. " To ^uard against attacks by the natives." "Then they are not to be trusted ?" " No, I have been attacked three times since I took up my luartcrs here. On the shore one would certainly be murder- The jungle is so thick that they creep up to the door ind make a rush, then all is over. Out here they must mie in canoes, I keep a watch day and night, if they are ten approaching we are prepared. By this windlass we draw ipthe cutter, we have an ample supply of ammunition, point- ig to a heap of stones on the floor. They can only climb ip by means of a ladder and before they can accomplish that ;e simjjly drop a vStone through the bottom of their canoes, [lien there is trouble down below. A few shots from a Win- Ihciter and the battle is won. The natives in the immediate ficinity have learned that I p.m not to be trifled \ i h and rith them I am now at peace. The danger lies with the fel- )\vs down the coast, who come up on expeditions against [ther tribes and incidentally take in the white man." " Prospecting for gold is sufficiently hazardous forme and shall leave the pearl fishing to others, " I remarked. When a substantial meal had been served I asked, "Why |o you employ Malays ? " " They are good fighters and the best pearl fishers. " " What did you build the hut in the woods for ? " I in- luired. When I first came to the coast I hai the hut built Dr the purpose of conducting a series of scientific experi- lents." For several days my leg was so stiff that I could not get Jut. Each morning Chapman, with tour cf the six Malays, n B 80 1 i Customers will find our Stock complete, CDinpris'mg many articles it is impossible here t. ^numerate, and all sold at lUoderate prices. Strictly Cash and Trade. H Full line of TURKISH DYKS always in stock. 1 THOS. 5TANT0N, Dealer In... PONTYPOOL, ONT. [J Dry-Goods, Groceries and Hardware, Medicines. i i Hats, Caps, Boots, Shoes and Rubbers, Ready- made Clothing, Etc., and a full line of Goods |(| usually kepL in a General vStore. its k M I ^^ Jt^'^© ^^^^ '^^99 9W 9W99^^^ M T. McCULLOUGH, PONTYPOOL, ONT. Dry-Goods, Boots & Shoes, Ready-Made Clothing, Hardware, Paints and Oils, Teai atui Orcjct ries a Specialty. Lumber and Shingles. ill l^s p S©©''S!S@^S©^'©C##ftfi'©®©€ i YPOOL, ONT. W, 8i rent off iii the cutter and did not return till noon. I noticed llhat only a few pearl oyster shells had been stored in the hut. saw no signs of a diver's apparatus or of the small nets isecl by the divers to bring up the shells. There was an air )f constraint upon Chapman out of harmony with the man I ladknown in Brisbane. Tilt Malays did not speak English, and even if they had, doubt whether I should have been able to extract any in- orniation from them. They were devoted to Chapman and Evidently coiild be relied upon in an emergency. Daily when Chapman returned I looked in the bottom ot he ontter but saw no pearl oysters. " The fishing must be poor, " I said one day. " Months are frequently spent in searching for new beds," ^hapnian answered. Do you bring the oysters here when you find them ?" I iquirtd. No, the stench would be unbearable, we have to let them Ifccav before we can search for t\>' pearls." WIkii my leg improved I wondered that I was not invited accompany my host in his daily trips, but he gave no |gn. A week slipped by and I was beginning to discuss )\v I \\ as to get away from the perch, as I had grown to ill it, wlien the natives came down to the shore, late in the Iternoou and made signs, which immediately threw the Iala\s and Chapman into a violent state of excitement. iflfcs were loaded and a plentiful supply of ammunition kvered into the cutter. When all was ready Cliapman turned me and said: "Don't be alarmed, one of my stations is in [nq-er of being looted. I must teach these savages the rights privtile property." jl ini mediately volunteered my service. I" No, no," was the answer. "A wounded man would only in the way, you have ahead)- paid dearh- enough for j-our iiit without getting another taste of bamboo. " |As the c'ltter drew away '^ noticed that all the Malays had :on:',)anied Chapman, leaving me to guard the house. At |e end of the platform, on which the house was built, rest- a medium sized canoe, made from a single U;g. The cut- s()(m swept around the point and was lost to vie\\ , I Iteiied attentively for half an hour, then there fioated acioss )u ad-hind a faint echo of firearms, the battle had eviclert- l)t,<;rin. i'ainter and fainter grew the sounds and after five liiutes they died away in the distance. I watched for the luni of the victors but they never came. That night I did not 82 >^^^^^^^w^^^< Purest and Freshest Drugs* — Prices that arc Just Rfg-ht. — You g et what you ask for. I DR. H. A. TURNER I DR. H. A. TURNER Chemist and Druggist* ♦ * MILLBROOK, - - ONTARIO, Latest Supplies in Stationery, School Books and School Supplies. C.P.R. Ticket and Telejrraph Office. Monej' Orders issued here and payable any- where on earth. Agent for Allan, Beaver and Dominion Steamship Lines. Private Telephone Office in Cavanville, Cavanville Station, Ida, INIount Pleasant, Bensford, vSouth Monaghan, Wedlocks, Bailie- boro', Bewdlev, Caniiibellcroft, Garden Hill, PHizabethville, Kendall & Osaca. < < < < < < < < /N/< ^ < ;R$ < < < < >. < = < Books ^ [ < any- ^ ion ^ > iville, ^ asant, ^ laiiie- ^ Hill, C 83 close my eyes but sat peering out upon the sea. The following day was full of dread and anxiety. Every instant I expect- ed to see the canoes of the savages sweep aroind the point an ad Malay remained, the sail md the oars of the cutler were gone. I paddled to the cutter ind listened, not a .sound smote my eais sue the ripple of the water on the beach. Finally I decided to visit the small liouse where I had taken refuge from the natives. I crept :auti()usly through the underbush : the house was .standing 3ut the door had been battered down, the fragmetits of the ?n^iiie and other a])pliances were scattered over tlie ground. When 1 retraced nu- steps to the beach I noticed on the sand nmnber of fine copper wires in a tangled mass, mechani- cally I stooped down and took one of the wires in my hand, pien I saw that it ran into the ba} . " All that remains ofChnpman's wonderful dreams, " I 5aid to my. self. The spirit of curiosity, which had been so keen in the past, ivas arou.sed, I would ascertain what was at the end of the R'ire. I brought the canoe around to that point, and keep- Injx the wire in one hand, gently paddled out. When I reach- ed a point where the water was about four fathoms in depth 84 I came to a bamboo pole which had beeu driven into the bottom ot the bay the top of the pole was only a few inches under the vSurface of the water and the wire ran up to and over the top. Putting my hand down and grasping the end of the pole I was surprised to find that a small pulley had been fitted into the top of the pole, through which the wire ran and then dropj^ed perpendicularly, I carefully drew up the wire'and imagine my astonishment when I saw attached to its eiul an immense pearl oyster. I landed the o3'ster and broke off the wire atid then returned to the .shore. I was very curious to avScertain what the oyster contained and j^ro- ceeded to open it, a feat I accomplished with the greatest difficulty. Carefullj^ removing the meat of the oyster. I saw at a little distance from where the wire entered the shell a faint blue circle and in the circle, one enormous pearl and three sn-aM ones. My heart nearly ceased to beat. The great pearl w is pear shaped and in beauty of tint and exquisite coloiin^, far exceeded any pearl which I had ever seen. I knew that it was worth a very large sum, but its size was .so great that I was unable to estimate its market value. The I three small pearls were very fine, but were completely oAer- shadowed by their magnificent sister. In my exultation 1 1 forgot the fate of Cha])u-.a!i and my own immediate danger, i I hurriedly went ashore and fr^^m the tangle of wire tra> td| another wire, which ran into LwC water. This wire I folhnv- ed with the same result, it terminated in an oy.ster. In Ibel second oyster was the same blue ring, in which lay a great black pearl with two small pearls of the same color. These! pearls diflered frcn those first found in that they were jjer- fectly round Again I went ashore and once more I was re- warded with one immeUwSe pearl and two small ones, tliel largest being the most beautiful in my collection. A carelull searcii proved that all of the remaining wires had beenl broken and I was rot able to make any ot?ier finds. Then a great fear fell upon me. I had intended to retnrnj to the perch and wait for a few drys, but possessed of lliel treasures of the deep, I resolved to nmkt my escape. I lioist-f ed the sail and steered south. Five hours out I sigJitetl al steamer and half an hour later I was on board one oi thej British India line bound for Brisbane. On my arrival at tliati port I immediately communicated with the authorities and! the Colonial Secretary despatched a full account of thetragedyj to the High Commissioner at Thursday Island. Six months later I read in the Melbourne A^-gus that tiiej murder of Captain Chai:maa hs^d been avenged by sendiugl 85 H.M.S. Tiger to New Guinea, where she shelled several na- tive villages, and drove the savages into the interior. I kept the finding of the pearls a secret as the ends of justice would not be aided by making my discovery public. Alter reflecting upon the facts I decided that Chapman had discovered a process by which, with the aid of electricity, he had been able to stimulate the growth of pearls to an ab- normal size and also to develop them with greater rapidity than under normal conditions. I recalled his statement at I the Queensland Club and no doubt remained in my mind |th;'tlie had selected the New Guinea coast as the place where he was least liable to be disturbed by white men, o\vini»- to the hostile chara'^ter of the natives. I also found {that the scientists had concluded that pearls were formed by Uome extraneous substance getting inside of the 03'ster, thus jsettin.o: up an irritation and giving rise to the term, " The [tears of the oyster. " Tlicr-^ was but one market in the world where my three rrcat pearls would iind purchasers at their full value and that was London. I therefore took passage a f-^w months later on the Orient steamer, Orizaba, and a jeweler in Regent street ])aid me a very handsome sum for mj' find, but he iu- Ifornied nie that he would willingly have given double the inioutit if I had been able to produce two that would latch. An old friend, whom I had not seen for years, invited me lown to his box in the country for a weeks' shooting. One lay as we were stajiding before the Crown Arms, a carriage rolled uj) to the door. I gave a great start. Leonard Chap- an hurriedly alighted and u-ent inside, " Who is that man ?" I asked the moment I recovered my ?oice. llie 5'oung P^arl." He only came into the estate a few kicnths since. His life has been quite a romance. The lack Earl, his father, quarreled with him some ten years bnceand turned him out of the Hall. The trouble arose over |it Vicar's daughter, whom the young man wished to marry. for nine years not a word was heard from the son. The ilack Earl had lived a fast life, but after the quarrel he re- k)uMt(l his pace and when he died everything was mortgag- il to its full value. After his death the Jews swarmed down jkfc the plagues of Egypt. Three n\onths later the heir pldenly appeared. The debts were paid and what is still ?tter, he married the girl, though it is said he never wrote :r a line during his abvSence. 86 Furniture ! I am offering the following Parlor Suites, Bedrooml Suites, Fancy Talvcsnnd Rockers at greatly reduced prices for next 60 days to make room for New goods. Have a lew carriages left for sale at rost.j All kinds of repairing neatly and promptly done. J. W. SMITH, PORTJOPE GO TO L. B. RANDALL, Port Hope, For Fine Fancy Goods, Stationery,] Books and Novelties. Wall Paper and Picture Frames| \-"^=^ Our Specialty. THE PEOPf.nS POPULAR BOOKSTORE. FO D U ' I ^^'^'^ ^^^^' ONTARl . U. rnilp, General Agent iemperance and General Life Assurance Co., of North America. Accident, Fire and Life Insurance. BEST RATES. BEST COMPANIES. The Temperance and General Life Insurance Co. hav| r.ot owned a dollar's worth of Real Estate for the past years. No Company can be more careful in the inveslmeij oi Its funds. 87 I entered the Anns and found the Earl speaking to a game keeper. As he turned to leave the room, I said: "Permit me to congratulate you, Mr. Chapman, I felt certain that the nativevS had turned you over to the great majority. " He raised his eye-glass and gave me a well-bred stare. " Chapman you say ? I am the Earl of Ibster, " " So I am informed, but in New Guinea you were Mr. [Leonard Chapman." " How many cases of mistaken identity are constantly oc- Icurring, " he said, "the Tichborne case being one in point. Excuse me, sir, I trust that you will yet be able to find your New Guinea friend, Mr. Chapman." He raised his hat, bowed, entered the carriage and was driven leisurely away. 88 QUEE/N STREET SMAVI/NG PARLOR.] For a First-class Shave or H'-iir Cut call there. \V .rk p^uaranteed st , un: to none. Ladies and Gents Hair Cutting, Sinjjfeinj,^ and Shampooiuj;, Ladies' Hair. .Switches, Han^s, Etc. Gents' Toquet and Wi^s made to order. Prof. Williams, Prop., Port Hope.! TOBACCOS, CIGARS, ETC. R. J\. Kirkpatrick. . Under Queen's Hotel, PORT HOPE.. A Full and First-Class Assortment of PIPES, lledOats, Rolled ^Vhe-it, .Spin I'r-d Buckwhcit and Graham Flour. Ail kinds Chop, Cannel, Bran, .Shoits. ett| manufacturer of jlgricultural Tmpientents, mill eastiuds 6tc. GEO* BOND GUILDER & CONTRACTOJ 76 GEORGE STREET, COBOURG, ONT. Ag^ent for the celebrated Finish Wood Preservative ."*'-^.| Planks, Posts, Joists. Shin.Efles or any wood treated with this Preservative will never lot or decay. TRY IT! ■» >< 4- Fully ;?uarante( The Royal Hotels* PORT HOPE. C. R. NIXON, Proprietof. Telephone 20. P.O. Box 291. Superior accommodatioj For Farmers. Finest Wines, Liquors Cigfars. Fnest stabling In Port Hope.j Attentive Hostler. 89 THE GARDEN GULLY^ MINE PORT HOPE! h\\\y guarants "Vou ken Bendigo, " .said my companion, looking out of the coiner of his eye at the bottie sitting on the table before I us. •Right well," I answered. We had dropped in at the i Criterion, Swanson street, Melbourne, for an evening. "Wcel," continued Sandy McLeod, "it's a longtime lagone but I'll never forget it." " I'orget what?" " The Garden Gully, did you ever hear the story ? " " No, I'm a new chum, as you know." I poured out a glass of Falon's sparkling, at the sight ISaiuly smacked his lips. Sandj' was a colonial solicitor and jajjparently an unprofitable mine to work for a story, so I |bi(ied my time. The glass of wine began to mellow his leart, for he abruptly exclaimed, " Men on gold fields are jcra/ed with greed, but a good-looking woman sends them stark mad. Even I, Sandy McLeod, was once mad." " It was only a passing craze," I suggested. "Not a bit of it, mad for months, mad when awake and loul)ly mad when a.sleep." " What cured you.'*" " A nip of the same dog, " and then he burst into a laugh. " One more glass and then I will tell 5-ou the story. " Settling back in his chair, he began in a voice, mellower ^lian I dreamed that he possessed : "Teddy O'Flynn, yes O'Flynn with a big O, as he used fo say, had a little cabin on the Bendigo field, and behind ^he cabin was a little garden in the gully. It was th,e only Cardtn on Bendigo at that time and we all knew it to a man. Ko deep shafts then, only a spade, a pick, and a tin dish, and Ihirlv thousand miners on the field. That garden grew roses ind English roses too, at that. I can see them now and it's near on fifty years ago. They whispered to every man Jack ^f us of home, dear home. When we went up theie and G -^ 90 leaned on the palings of a Sunday, back we were in our native villages. Teddy O'Flynn was not the man to cultivate roses, save the ones which blossomed on his nose and llity were always in full bloom. Teddy had a foster dauj;lilt.r, the queen rose of Bendigo, and as the roses bloomed so bloomed Rosa, for that was her name. While the roses \vi;e in bloom on Satnrday afternoon Rosa made a round of tiie camp. She never sold the roses but .she made each miinr a present of one, and the miners not to l)e outdone, made her a pre.sent of a pinch of jj:old. She had to pinch it herself he- tween her rosy little finger and thumb. Rosa took up Ihei camp in a regular waj- so that in time we all got a rose and were satisfied. " " Teddy O'l'lynn had never studied books and yet he was a bit of a jjhilosopher, and an Irish philosoi)her at that. Teddy never worked and yet he ate and drank of the best on Bendigo I'erhajJS the i)inches which Rosa made had some- thing to do with Teddie's good fortune. The miner.s wcrel content, Teddy was happy, and Rosa — well the whole camp was in love with her." "And you fell in love with her too," I ventured to remark. " I never denied it." "At that time there were but two lawyers on the field, Phalin vShea and Sandy McLeod, that's myself. Part of the I time we dug on the lead, for we both held claims, but wlun a dispute arose Phalin was retained by one client, audi McLeod by the other, then we fought it out before the ( .oldl Commissioner and honors were generally equally dividal, The Shamrock and the Scotch Thistle, they used to call iis. The best of friends we were, though we often nearly came to| blows. Rosa distinguished us from the other miners by call- ing us gentlemen. Phalin and I were regarded as the favoredl suitors but that did not prevent the other men from striving to secure such a valuable claim. One evening I was at Q'Flynn's cabin and the next night Phalin was at the samel place and basking in the same smiles. To all of our vows | Rosa returned the same answer. *'What would become of Teddy O'Flynn if I married?"! We each promised to allow Teddy a pension for life. Rosaj well knew that Phalin and I could not scrape up a hundredl pounds, but like all miners, we were willing to bank on tlie| future for any number of thousands. Rosa was most im{ partial and fed each on the same manna. Our infatuationj increased month by month and when the rainy season camel on and no roses remained Teddy proved equal to the occasionj rere in our Lo cultivate ie and tlity ■ (laughkr, jloonitd so i roses \\\;e oiind of Uie| ,cli niiiur a made Iki a herself he- ook \\\) the I t a rose and I yet lie was ler at tliat, the best onl le had some- miners were I whole cainp ventured to' on the field, rnrt of llie| s, but wlan client, and tore the CH)ldj lly divi< /^ «'V^ 7 Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 ? lA m 92 n. w. joHixsTon, rifllbrook^ OivK -DEALERS IN- SKelf aivd t^eavy Hardware, Iron and Barbed Wire, Plated Ware, Cutlery, Glass, PaintsJ Oils, Puttv and Coal Oil. A large stock of Wall Paper anf House Decorations always on hand. OUR TERMS CASl I. E NEEDHAM, MILLBROOK, ONT. General Auctioneer and Valuator J Satisfaction Guaranteed^ T. W. NATTRASS, Tonsorial ArtistJ MILLBROOK, ONT. Shaving, Halrcutting and Shampooini Everything Pirst-class and Up-to-Dat« Agent for first-class Laundry. 93 ailinjr away to the blessed shores of St. Patrick that Teddy I'Flynn will be, with a mighty big O. " •' Come with me this blessed minute '• We hurried down to the gully. Once on the spot we saw that Teddy was original in his mining. He had cut a series )f short trenches which grew deeper and finally terminated in ID irregular hole, into which we all crowded, though unable stand upright, so low was the pit. Teddy lit a candle and )inting to the pick said to Phalin, "dig, dig, " then he rave me the shovel. The ground was verj^ hard, of a dull fellow color and interspersed with small grey, broken quartz rystals. We filled a wash-tub which Teddy deftly lifted to kis head and balanced with his hands, then marched out and ip to the cabin. In the kitchen we began to pan out the i&ntents of the tub with the aid ot some water and a tin [ash dish. Teddy stood aloof leaving Phalin and McLeod do the work. The earth was literally full of coarse gold. all of our experience at Ballarat and Bendigo we had never m its equal. "I want ■)-^z gintlemen to float a Company," said I'Flynn. ' What shall wfc . .11 ic?" The Saint Patrick." ' No," said Rosa, " I dreamed it out and I must name 'What shall it be?" ' Call it the Garden Gully." Then and there it was christened and baptised in the wash- lb. How much shall we float it for?" inquired Phalin. ' Fifty thousand pounds at a pound a share. Give all the hys a chance." [The following morning the notice was on the door of the Wmissioner's oflSce and within two hours every rod of land r half a mile on each side of the cabin had been staked out. le camp went mad, hundreds of good claims were abandon- 1 and as promptly jumped by the unlucky. Before the sun ent down Phalin and I had more cases than had ever fallen I us before in our lives. When questioned about the Garden iiUy we related the story of the wash-tub. That day every [are was sold and half a crown paid down. For two days it lis almost impossible to get near the cabin. The earth jarmed with miners but not a spec of gold \\&=y found. lOn the morning of the third day Phalin and I found our Vs besieged by an angry mob. During the excitement 4dy had been transformed into Teddy O'Flynn, Esq., a v4 personage who held high carnival at the Golden Fleece aol I who, during that time, had ordered and helped drink one hundred bottles of champagne at twenty dollars a bottle. The situation was serious. Phalin and I were marched up to the Golden Fleece where O'Flynn was secured and the trio, followed by thousands, proceeded to the Garden Gully wheiel Rosa was mounting guard over the entrance to the mintl She was armed with an antiquated musket and resoluteljl kept the men at bay. A fierce light burned in her bine eyei[ which enhanced her beauty a thousand fold. At our sug.' gestion two miners were let into the pit to secure some wash-, dirt. Our lives hung upon the issue. If the miners did not! find gold our fate was sealed. Phalin, McLeod and Teddyl would dangle from the limb of the nearest gum tree withial ten minutes. The dirt was brought out and panned off iaj the presence of the mob. I shall never forget the sikncel which fell upon the men till my dying day. When the[ miner turned and flashed the gold in the pan in our laces a| cheer for O'Flynn broke forth, and such cheers as Bendij had never heard before. The very hills rang again and againj Rosa was the heroine of the hour. Dirty .' nd greasy mine clasped her in their arms and kissed her with frantic joy.l O'Flynn and his vSolicitors were escorted in a triuniphalj march back to the Golden Fleece where Teddy made a speechi and ' shouted ' for all who cared to drink. In the confiisioul Phalin and I made our escape. The next day vshares in the| Garden Gully advanced to two pounds each. A ve^^k kite the mine was turned ove) to the .share holders and worii commenced. Teddy O'Flynn was entertained that night; a banquet at which it was declared that he was the gold kin|l of the land of the »Southern Cross. At midnight Teddy sani a limp mass under the table and was carried to bed with th^ honors of a dead Pharoah. For a few hours the Garden Gully realized the wilde dreams and then just as suddenly stopped. Not even th colour could be found. Shares dropped to a shilling and o^ takers. The gold Commissioner ordered an investigation During the inquiry it was clearly shown that the mine haj been salted. The plan had been to first dig the hole an! then charg'i a gun with powder and coarse gold and fireijj into the earth. Rosa, who was innocent of the fraud, testr fied that at night she had heard many shots and that O'Flyi had explained, that he had been shooting at kangarc which came to gnaw the rose bushes. When confronted! the evidence, O'Flynn refused to confess maintninit^j dogged silence. Szvt that if tb* tcint was salted Rosa and 95 solicitors were innocent. The money received was returned to the share holdent, except a few hundred pounds which 'Fly nn had squandered. O'FIynn was committed to stand his trial. The following^ night Phalin and I repaired to the little cabin where, much to our surprise, we found Rosa, apparent- ly in the best of spirits. When we asked her for an explan«!^ tion she said: " I tell you there is plenty of gold in the Garden Gully and it was not put there by Teddy O 'Flynn. I saw it again last night in my dreams. It is down deeper and runs away out there, " pointing toward the range. "Will you dig for it or shall I do the work myself. " We suggested hiring two miners. " No, " she said, with a toss of her pretty head, "it must be found without any outside help and Teddy set free. " Instantly we both agreed with her. We would have agreed to any proposition falling from the same lips. With- out a moment's delay she produced two miner's caps, into the peaks of which she thru.st two candles, then marched us out to the pit. The candles were lighted. Rosa took a seat on the tub, we seized the pick and shovel and began to dig. Rosa chatted and laughed, the hours flew by, at midnight she brought us a lunch and two bottles of ale, but it was not until near dawn that our taskmaster called a halt. Rosa ex- plained that during the day^ she would wash some of the dirt and report the result the next night. Worn out and completely exhausted Phalin and I staggered to our huts. Not a word was exchanged as we stumbled down the path. Our hands were covered with blisters, our clothes dedaubed with yellow clay, our faces streaked and seared wnth soot and grease from the dripping candles. Two such melancholly objects could not be found in all Bendigo. Each was deter- mined not to yield. It was a contest of Scotch grit and Iri.sh . pluck. All day long we slept or nursed our lascerated hands, each recuperating for the second struggle. We were animat- ed by no hope that gold would be found, a more powerful in- fluence was at work and bade us continue the struggle. At night we were again at the cabin. Rosa reported "No gold. " Then we renewed our labors, with the same hardships and the same results. For eight nights in succession the struggle went on. Our legal business went by the board, rumor said we were drinking ourselves to death^nd appearances confirm- ed the rumor. On the ninth nijjht imagine our surprise when Rosa informed uS that we had struck the lead and in proof exhibited fully an ounce of the yellow metal. No 9« a W. H. ANDERSON, MILLBROOK, OIMT. B«tebll«taed over 30 years. NUBIAN KENNELS. Cocker Spaniel Puppies for Sale FROM 1ST PRIZE STOCK. ^ j^ j^ Address Drawer 562^ Port Hope^ Ont Wm. McLean, ^t^?g Dealer in Pianos^ Or^ns^ Sewingf Machines, Needles* Repairs of aU tindS* OHice over Times Printing Office Victoria Housed MILLBROOK, ONT. First Class Accommodation. Large Comfortable Rooms. _• Table Unsurpassed. Meals 25c. Rates $1.00 per day* I^arge Yard and Good Stabling. Attentive Hostler in attendance. ALONZO fee, Proprietor 97 miner ever gazed upon a great nugget which he had found, with joy equal to ours. It was a drawn battle. When will it end ? was the query in our minds. Rosa gave no sign bat served an excellent supper, prepared to celebrate our success. It was then arranged that Rosa was to pay the gold Commis- sioner a visit the following morning and inform liim that the I lead had again been found in the Garden Gully and that consequently Teddy O'Flynn had committed no fraud and should be released. Our offices was opened that day, but no attention was paid to our reformation so great was the excite- ment. An investigation of the mine proved the truth of Rosa's statement. Once more the tide turned in tavorof JTeddy O'Flynn and for the second time he became the gold Iking of Bendigo. Teddy had sold the Garden Gully for a Irich mine and it was rich. The shareholders demanded the Ireturn of their stock, paid in their money and gave Teddy a [second banquet at the Golden Fleece, with the same results, Isave that Teddy went under the table at ten thirty instead )fat twelve, a weakness attributed to his confinement in le caboose and consequently condoned by his friends. Three days later Phalin and Sandy McLeod each received note from Rosa requesting them to be present at the cabin it eight p.m., and also stating, in post script, that it was an important occasion, therefore we were to be dressed in our est. Phalin inferred from the word 'important' that he was le lucky man, while I drew the same inference from the same word. Walking on the air, for our happiness made us oblivious of Bendigo, its dust and its wretchedness, we ap- proached the cabin at the same time, punctual to a minute. h passed compliments of the day and then surveyed each bther. Phalin was dressed in a pair of black trousers, a white pirt and a collar, a yellow vest, but no coat. Sandy boast- an antideluvian dress coat, blue trousers and a red shirt. Te were met at the door by Rosa, clad in a white muslin bwn, with a great bunch of roses at her belt. I had never feen her look lovelier. So great was my happiness at secur- ing the prize that the words died on my lips. Phalin was luilly overcome and for precisely the same reasons. Teddy ceived us with genuine Irish hospitality and a glass of fhiskey. Entering the cabin we were face to face with a [oung English curate who had been sent up from Melbourne a missionary. It was evident that the hour had come, we ^ere confronted by our destiny. The curate remarked in a iguid drawl, "This is a happy occasion. " Rosa smiled sweetest. Then she went out to the kitchen and came 98 back blushing and leaning on the arm of Dennis McCarthy, a young Irish miner. "My dear friends, " she said, ••! have bid you to my wed- ding, Dennis is the lucky man, we pledged our troth in dear old Kerry." The ceremony proceeded and each kissed the bride. It was the first and last time. How we spent the next hour I shall never know and Phalin can furnish you with no fuller j particulars. I have a confused recollection of Rosa, the cur* ate, Teddy, a bunch or roses and McCarthy, that is all. At last we got away, heaven only knows what we said. Once out on the path we stalked along in moody silence. When we came to the Golden Fleece we both turned in, entered the private parlor and ordered whiskey, straight. Two hours later we were sent home by the landlord in barrows. "When I awoke the next morning I found myself in Phalin 's hut and in Phalin 's bed. Phalin found himself in my hut and in my bed. How the thing happened we have never been able to explain. The following day when we met we concluded to enter into partnership and the s'ign reads to this day, Shea& j McLeod, solicitors. *• No, we have never married." " What about the Garden Gully?" The mine is runninj^' j-et and has paid the shareholders j many handsome dividends." "Rosa?" The day following the wedding, the bride, McCarthy and I Teddy took a special stage for Melbourne en route for the! old sod. A week later my partner and I each n ct^ived a let- ter, precisely the same, written in Rosa's best hand, contain- ing a certified cheque on the Bank of Australia, drawn in| our favor, for five hundred pounds. 99 M shareholders RATCATCHER^S CAMR A NEW ZEALAND STORY. Ratcatcher's camp was not a place of beauty, but there was life in Ratcatcher's gulch in those days. When night set in and the men struck work, Queen street, half a mile of straggling tents, huts and dug-outs, was a blaze of light. Alhambra, once used as a travelling tent by a circus, was the especial pride of Ratcatcher's Camp. There the bottles flashed, the band played and Madge sang. Madge was a yellow-haired girl, who at night was dressed in a white gown covered with spangles, said by Tom King, the owner of the Alhambra, to be diamonds. Owners of other lesser hells muttered under their breath, "glass," but they only mutter- ed, they had excellent reasons for not disputing that or any other statement made by Tom King. Tom was an ex- champion pugilist, and his temper inclined to be brittle I where Madge was concerned. Madge was a blond with big blue eyes, in whose night- ] depths lurked a regiment of twin devils. As the night grew the devils changed into triplets and took on additional horns» tails and hoofs. It was only at night that Madge would sing, not as you guess some music hall patter, but songs of home and dear old England. The charm lay in the unex- pected, the surprise, the contrast. She never looked it. She drank her champagne with an abandon startling even to Rate itcher's gully. She lured and enticed lucky miners to the gambling tables and laughed in their faces when they had lost their last ounce of dust. No man ever turned to her for sympathy, there was something in her eye which forbade that, but when Madge sang not a glass clinked, not a poker chip rattled, the oaths and coarse jests of five hundred miners died out, there was only the wild cheer at the end ot [the song. Her voice was sweet, pathetic, as full of melody as a lark's notes. It thrilled every fibre, touched every heart- string and sank down, down into the soul. It awoke mem- lOO J. H. GARDINER, Port Hope. Aaetioneer, Valuator and Beal Estate Agent. I J. KERR, D, D. S., (Tor.) jDcntal Surgeon* COBOURG, J» ONTARIO Hi. Ward, BARRISTER, ETC. Telephone 77— Walton Street, Port Hope. The Bennett Telephone 43. Ontario Street, ...PORT HOPE.! Headquarters for Horsemen. W IT I A lary:e stock of Liquors and Cigars. I | f^ ij ^C Rates, $1.00 per day. L. O. Bennett. Prop. *^ * Vr V« ^i^^ w | JAAVeS HAAV. PORT HOPE. T^ T^ J to Rent. Boats for Sale. Boats repaired* CHARGES MODERATE. H. R. ARMSTRONG, Pianos, Organs, Sewing Machines,| Farm Implements. MILLBROOK, - - - ONTJ lOI ones shimberinpf for long years and vibrated forgotten cords^ corroded by absence, drink and despair. Madge was a mine of gold for the Alhambra, good for one hundred sovereigns a night, if a penny. By day she was only a bar maid, by night, a queen. At the nod of her head anian'slife was not worth a tanner. If she ever had a woman's heart there remained no sign, save the song. Lured by her, hundreds had been ruined, but amid all the fleecings and ])lundering Madge had never been known to take even a pinch of gold. Her victims hated and cursed her by day, but when the first note of a song fell from her lips the curses I died away and there stole into the hearts of all the convic- jtion that at some time Madge had suffered a great wrong. One evening as the sun was slipping over the hills Madge I stood by the faro bank where Aleck Bowie dealt the game. She had brought up a new victim with a heavy bag of gold. JHer eyes gleamed as ounce by ounce the dust was swept in jby the bank. Suddenly the man sprang to his feet, "Yon |are cheating," he said to the dealer in a hoarse whisper. "It is a lie," was Bowie's answer. "No," whispered Madge with her sweetest smile. "I will take the pile, " cried the miner, reaching out and irawing a heap of soverings across the table. Bowie drew lis revolver. There was a flash, a sharp repoit, and Bowie |ay dead beside the table, with a bullet through his heart. The miner deliberately placed the sovereigns in his pocket, ^urned on his heel and walked away. Madge shouted, "He's a liar and a thief. Give me a gun, jon cowards. ' ' At that moment the stage rolled up to the tent door and a Imall, plain woman alighted. Not the class of woman that launted the Alhambra, every man knew that instantly. Seeing Madge the stranger said, "Can you tell me where can find Alexander Bowie ? I am his wife. Madge answered not a word, her blue eyes dilated wider Ind wider and the miners of Ratcatcher's camp saw her turn )ale and falter for the first time. ^< !,♦■ The woman brushed by Madge and entered the tent. A [iercing shriek, a dull thud, told the story. She had almost turn Died over the dead body of her husband. Most of the liners fled to their cabins. The man who had fired the (ital shot walked away and was never seen in the camp rain. Madge picked up the woman as if she were a child 1(1 carried her into the annex of the tent. That night the inie went on again, but in a listless, half-hearted way. [adge sang no songs. There was laughter and shouts and i n 102 •aths, but a dread somethicg haunted the flapping curtain I and lurked in the dark comers. Long before the usual hour the miners went back to their tents with graver faces thaal ever before seen in Ratcatcher's gully. The next morning the wail of the new-born babe came outl of the Alhambra annex. With its life, death came to thtl mother. The wife had gone to seek her husband where mI Ratcatcaer's camp and no Alhambra will ever be found. The! wail, so faint, so feeble did not die on the morning air, bull went up the gulch, crept into every miner's cabin and soft[ cned every miner's heart. The next day the gambler an<| his wife were buried side by sside. A simple wooden cro marks their resting place and Madge planted the cross willi herj own hands. Madge went back to the Alhambra annex but offer made by Tom King could induce her to set foot withii the great tent. With the babe in her anus she smiled at bii offers and then said, "The Alhambra is not a fit place fa even a foster-mother." The following day, at noon time, Madge went down amon the claims and told the miners she wanted them to buildi cabin for her aud the child. Saturday was chosen forth work. Five hundred miners worked, and that night saw first cottage in the gulch, with a neat plot in front, a garde patch at the back, a stone wall of boulders and an Englii five-barred gate. "Home" was written all over the litt place and many a heart was filled with memories of otha cottages hidden away in merry old England. A pinch of golj from each man sat Madge and the child up in housekeeping Madge named the child Maud Elsmere I3owie. From tb time on, of a Sunday, the miners came, at first by ones twos and then by tens and scores, to see the babe, and as^ grew, to hold it in their great, rough arms while Madge sa? the same songs their mothers had crooned into their when they too were babes. The men saw that a great clianij had come over Madge, but a still greater change was wrought in themselves. The fierce light gradually died out of Madge's eyes, cro ing and singing to the child, her voice took on mellov notes. She grew younger day by day, smiles crept over 1 lips and laughter rang out from the cottage. If a miner i sick Madge was at his cabin, cooking bits of delicac cheering with gentle, hopeful words, brewing simple he and brightening up the hut as only a woman can, Insensib there stole over Ratcatcher's gully a new influence, anj discribable something, intangible but doubly potent for ' «(a8on. ing curtaimi i usual howl r faces thai ibe came ontl came to the! ind where noL ; found. The! rning air, bull ibin and soft-l gambler and! wooden croal cross wiUi h«| annex but wT et foot vi\im i smiled at bid a fit place ftf it down ainon, hem to build I chosen for th t night saw tl front, a garde iiid an Euglis over thelittl lories ofotha \ pinch of goi| housekeeping ie. From tb' •St by ones a jabe, and asi file Madge saa ^nto their ea a great chan| mge was ^' i'seyes, cr( [kon mellow crept over If a miner of delicac* simple lw„ fan, Insensii afluence, an [potent for ' 103 Madge never preached, her knowledge of camp life was too accurate for that. How she accomplished her ends no man coulii tell, but trade at the Alhambra begarj to fall away. The lesser hells struggled for a time and one by one closed tht'ir doors, \fter Madge had talked with a miner about his wife and little ones the man began to save and count the months when he could get away from Ratcatcher's camp. nvcn Tom King was compelled to acknowledge that he was fairly beaten and the Alhambra folded its tents and stole laway to another camp, followed by a few who declared "that [the gulch was too goody, goody for any white man with hair on his lace and sand in his boots." During the winter the miners built a dam across the gulch jabove the camp so as to turn the water in the spring freshet litito another ravine, for the pits were growing deep and the jfloods might wash out the timbers. In tne spring the stream ran a hanker, night after night a watch was set at the dam, mt the watch was finally abandoned. One night at mid- light, part of the dam gave way, a torrent ot water burst through sweeping down upon the hillside cabins. A few len were drowned, but nearly all made their e.scape. A few iiinutes later the whole structure tumbled into the stream, the great body of water set free, became a mighty torrent, iearing down Ratcatcher's gulch. Madge's cottage was a [uarter of a mile below the camp. What happened there no lan knew. The next morning the cottage had disappeared. More than a mile below the searchers found, in the top of a [ree, Madge, battered and bruised. She lay half submerged, ret still alive, clinging with one hand to the branches and liih the other holding the babe above the water. They car- [ied her to the camp, but she never spoke. Three days after ley laid her away under a great tree. On her neck was mnd a plain, gold locket attached to a little chain. The )cket contained the miniature of a venerable old man, le reverse side bore the inscription, **To Maud Elsmere, riven by her father. " By universal consent the chain was flaced around the child's neck. A woman was brought up rom the coast to nurse the waif, the child of Ratcatcher's dch. Three months later the camp experienced a new ex- iteraent. A detective, all the way from Scotland Yard, ived searching for Maud Elsmere, whose photograph he )ssessed. She had been traced from Liverpool to Brisbane, lence to Charter Towers, then to New Zealand. Every miner he gulch knew that Maud and Madge were one, but not a ford was said as to her death. They felt if there was ought hide for Madge's sake it would be hidden. When they I04 learned that she had simply run away from home, that her father was dead and that she was the only heir to Elsmere Manor, Dorset, by inspiration they formed a' plan. The de- tective was told of the flood, the death of Maud and the re- covery of her child. The marriage certificate of Bo«^ where o„e ^n the fourthli^- J^"^ '-'.traces ""d soonlis^ove J^"=fh^f"' ^ removed to'".h?i-f-,„^- in Melboui':; a^/d^^ ^ ■ral breaking- un nfti.^ ''^^^^ was no d sease K»f « ■l«rlythatfhe^3w?!r"^'" ^^''■<^'^ indicated 1"^^^"" na^ifesfpr^ o ^^ ^ drawing- near T« '-'*«-ea, but too •aiiin 'p^ ^^'"''"^ ^^esire to he left J{ "" ^y surprise he S; ^^^y spent ui^ny hour, n t-'*"^ ''''^^ ^^^"I ^n the ^hen he summoned me to his If 1 ""l^ "'^^ ^^^ very W JieoM man said "I have "'f? ^"^ ^^^' ^^^"t outside ' ^ft It IS I cannot tel vo.f jf^ ^ wonderful discoverv 'fethesamediscoveA-'lcannnV' r^'^^^Ie that you m?' 'ot made it long- sine*, '/cannot understand whv vm, i,^^ ?at sl,ould you^make' the'd""' ^'^" '« P^«'"'^^e aL^n^^'J' ■ool^ardie that you win ^^f ^^^^y before you ret,fr„ f ---I an BniZj:!!.^r^'^^' yourself JZ H^^Zu. - ^^^ "nie gSf^^^r '"^^ ^^^^^ ^^^ o^^^ -- breathed I have a secret, ■• v«, «.'j^:V^h<5? °"'- -turn trip' ' ^*»»cii 11 you can unravel ii no may result in the betterment of our fortunes. The old inanj strove in vain to solve it and his life paid the forfeit. It was I for that he came into this colony and not for gold. " I have given the old man my word of honor that I will notj profit by the discovery if I should make it," I answered. An embarra.ssed look spread over my companion's face and] and to my surprise his eyes filled with tears. •• Bear in mind, " I continued, "If it will benefit you, any! thing in my power will be freely done and you can rely upott] me to the last. " '• I know it, I know it," Vail answered, " fortunately your| pledge in no way applies to the subject to which I refer." " Do not deceive me, " I said hotly, for a moment I doubt- ed him. "a man's honor is not to be bartered for gold." " I pledge you mj'^ word, " was the answer, "and I valuel your honor as highly as you do yourself." I grasped him by the hand and we were friends again.i What could it all mean ? I was gravitating from mystery tol mystery and not a ray of light to guide me. I have thel riddle in my pocket. Vail continued, "perhaps you can readi it. " He drew out a piece of paper yellow with age on whichl had been traced with a pen some rough outlines. Vaill spread the paper out with a careful hand and said, "Tliisisj supposed to be a map of this part of the country'. The white] l)aper represents the flat or sand country, that is the plain,! the small crosses the hills, this circle a marsh, lagoon orj pond in the rainy season and the square an island of dry land! in the centre of the marsh, the*three small dots on the island,! three gum trees growing only a few feet from each other andl what is to l)e remembered is that the gum trees all lean to-l ward a common centre. If you can find the island and th^ gum trees there is every reason to believe that our fortune made. Years since a convict buiied under the gum trees magnificent band of Queensland opals." I started and exclaimed, "some of the opal of which yoi^ found a small piece. ' ' "Yes." ** And the old man came here to look for it. " ••He did." •• And confided the secret to you?" ••Yes." ••We must find it." ••Certainly." •• And begin the search to-morrow." *• I am dgreed." I was consumed with curiosity but did not attempt to pj; Ill (into the mystery as Vail did not volunteer any further inlbr- Iination. My experience in the back blocks had tiiught me Ithat to succeed we must proceed in a methodical manner. I Istudied the map carefully and concluded from the crosses re- Ipresetiting the hills that the marsh could not be inland from jthe plain more than five miles and that all that was necessary las to j;o in that distance, using the compass, then move over lalf a mile at right angles and come out to the plain. This system repeated over and over again would cover the whole irea ami must in the end prove successful. Vail agreed with ly conclusion and that night we went to bed confident that the prize was ours. The following morning we set out, tak- ing the mule with us to carry two days' provisions, and inci- kntally to to give Vale a lift when he grew weary, for I balized that his strength would soon give out on such a larcti, though I refrained from mentioning that part of the program to him, for he was exceedingly sensitive on that point. Day after day we toiled over the hills but caught ^ight of no lagoon. It was the height of the hot season and great drought was upon the land, I had learned enough pfthis strange country to know that we were confronted with jreat difliculties as the rainy season would transform the ^ntire country. Where now were only barren stretches could be great sheets of water or broad and fertile plains Covered with waving grass. A week passed and at heart I ras utterly discouraged, but Vail never grew despondent. Jut for him I should have abandoned the quest. His courage jjever faltered, it was only a question of time and we would lucceed. In two weeks nature drove us from the field, every [tream and lagoon in the hills dried up and at our camp the rater was running very low. I felt that it was dangerous for us remain any longer and urged the necessity of our depar- ire upon my companion. He pleaded for delay but could irnish no reasons of any weight. To my surprise I found lat under his gentleness was a firmness much greater than ly own. In those trying days I used the word 'stuWjorn.' )ne Sunday Vail reluctantly consented that we should take [p our march to the south on the following day. My spirits 3se at the prospect, but Vail was depressed and wandered imlessly along the first range of foot-hills. I was up bright id early making up the packs when Vail went down to the ^ater hole for a supply with which to cook the breakfast. He ime back with astonishment written all over his face. " Come down here, " he cried, seizing me by the arm. I hurried down. Imagine my surprise when I saw oozing Jom the parched ground, which, owing to the intense heat. 112 I 6. 1\. Paftpfsnn, Port Hope. Wood, Lumber, Shingles, Lime and Cements. Hard and Soft Wood. ALL KINDS BUILDING MATERIALS. A. R. SMITH, B. a niLLBROOK, ONT. Barrister, Solicitor, Notary Public, Conveyancer, &c. MONEY TO LOAN. Private and Company funds to loan at lowest current rates,! Branch office at Bethany, open on 2nd and 4th Monday ofj each month. Telephone Cor. wnunlcation. C. H. Winslow & Co.^ niLLBROOK, ONT. GRAIN DEALERS. Highest Market Price paid for all k'inch] of Grain at their Elevator at Station. K. AR/^STROKG, Millbrook. Tin and Stove Emporium. A large stock of Tinware on hand and made of first-class material and best workmanship. All Jobbing and Repairing done promptly and at lowest prices. Eave troughing a Specialty. T 113 had cracked in a thousand places, opening to a depth of five or six feet in some spots, the water, clear and s, a kling. " What does it mean ? " he asked in a whisper. •' It has rained on the higher ground, " I answered. •' Rained ! Who ever heard of it raining at this season in West Australia?" I was compelled to acknowledge that I never had. " You may as well unpack," Vail said, "there can be no danger on the score of water." I had no answer to this and grumbling I untied the packs and ate my breakfast in moody silence. I could see that Vail was watching m*» and that while he regretted my disappointment he was equally deter- mined to have his own way. That day we walked up among the hills and found the water bursting out of the ground in nuniberlevSs places. ! We knew that it had not rained. The coming of the water was so strange and unaccountable that I was compelled to confess that I was unable to find any reasonable explanation. On the other hand Vail regaided the outflow as an intervention of providence on our behalf. We waited for several days until the low-lying places were filled with water and then began our search again. Not three miles from the camp we came upon a low plain which we had repeatedly crossed in the dry time but never for a moment had we associated it with the hidden opals. Simul- taneously we stopped and Vail pointed to the higher ground in the centre, now surrounded by a sheet of water only about a foot deep, but constantly rising. We waded across and in half an hour had located the blue gum trees which answered the description laid down on the map. Then we hurried to the camp and returned with picks and shovels and began dig:ji^ing. The ground was very hard and our progress slow. ravening was coming on but such was our impatience that we resolved to continue the work. The moon c^inie up and by its dim light we toiled steadily, at last we struck g^round that was not so compact, this encourajjed us and wc sank our pick at that point perpendicular. At the depth of five feet we unearthed a small wooden box, we bur.m off the cover and in the pale moonlight saw five bands of opal more beau- tiful than anything we had ever dreamed of. Each band was fully four inches in breadth and about eighteen inches long. "Hurrah ! shouted Vail trembling with excitement. We started for the camp, crossed the lagoon and entered a I thick piece ot scrub to take a short cut. I heard not the slightest sound, suddenly something vStung me in the calf of the leg, the pain was intense and 1 cried out, "I have been 114 TWICE A WEEK. Si.OO PER ANNUM. THE PORT HOPE TIMES STEAM PRINTI/NC^*- ESTABLIShME/NT. The office is supplied with every requiste for 1 first-class Job Printing. Prices very low. An assortment of Cuts unequalled in Ontario. All work warranted First-Class. The TiMKS has a large circulation — is bright ^ and up-to date. Merchants find it a unique medium ^ for advertising. Issued Wednesday and Saturday. W. F. TRAYES. Editor and Proprietor, PORT HOPE, ONT. g»u>»v4i^"i»>^'^'i :- "5 bitten by a snake." I put my hand down and found instead [that a small spear was sticking in my leg. My presence of mind returned inf-tantly and I whispered, 'down on the ground, quick and crawl into the bush to the Irijjht." I could feel the blood tiickling from the wound and hurriedly boimd it up with my hnntlkerchief. \'ail crouched by niy side and was tremblinjjf vio'enlly. I'oitunately our revolvers were in our belts and we drew them and waited and listened. The silence was o])ptessive and eveiy minute seemed a half hour. All that could be heard was the btating I of our hearts. My loss of blood must have been great for I whispered to jVail, "I am growing faint." He put his arm abotit me and asked, "vShall we venture it?" "No we are in an ambush land shall be speared if we move.' The next instant half a Idozen spears sped through the air over our heads and Icrashed through the brush wood. We flung ourselves prone Ion the ground and waited, all was silent again. Then I [fainted from loss of blood. Ere I lost consciousnes:- I had a Ifaint impression that tears were dropping on my face. When |l reg:ained consciousness, I found that another handkerf'hief lad been bound around my leg above the wound and a small stick passed beneath it and then twisted until the handker- chief had been pressed into th^ flesh, thus stopping the flow )f blood and probably saving my life. There we lay hour ifter hour till at last the welcome dawn came creeping in throu<;h the haze. I was too weak to sit up and remembering 'ail's fright when the attack was made, gave up all hope. With the daylight our position would become known to the latives and in a few minutes all would be over. \Vh«n I looked around Vail uas no where to be seen. I cursed him jfor a coward and half struggled to my feet. Then there rang )ut the sharp report of a revolver followed by shot after shot [n rapid succession. The boy was making it exceedingly lot for them, I put ray hand to my belt, my revolver was fone; this accounted for the number of shots which had been ired. Then followed a pause and another volley of shots, he lad reloaded and reopened the battle. A little later he dash- H up the path to my side, a revolver in each hand, and cried 'all that are not dead have run away, we must get to the pmp. ' He helped me to my feet, but I could not touch the rounded foot to the ground. Leaning on his .shoulder and liobbling forward we at last reached the open, there my ^trenj^th gave out. Vail propped me up with my back to a )ulder and bathed my forehead with some water and gave ae a drink. ii6 Smith M% stylish Turnouts, Good Horses, Commodious Rigs, Comfortable Hacks, Neat Kquipments, Careful Drivers if required. Meet all Boats and Trains. Civery Celepbotie lo, Port Rope, Oitt EAST END J. F. HONOR, ™f Dealer in Fine Groceries^ Fruits and| Vegetables of all kinds* A FINE LINE OF CONFECTIONERY. PORT HOPE GO TO Chalk's Carriage Worksj Oavan Street, Port Hope, For Honest, Reliable Work.! Repairs of all kinds done on shortest notice and at] aioderate charges. All work warranted. 117 •• Good luck, " he cried, "there is the nuile, '* which we had hobbled and left in the vicinity of the camp. A few minutes later I was on its back and soon reached the tent. It was impossible for me to go forward, but the natives had paid too dearly for their attack to return and undoubtedly left that part of the country for we saw no more of them. Vail explained that when he saw that daylight was coming on lie decided that the only way to save our lives was to creep out and make a rear attack upon the savages, thus creating the impression that they had lecn attacked by a rescuing party. The ruse had proved successful and resulted in the death of three natives and the wounding of several others. Ikyond a doubt I owe my life to the skill and fore- thought of my companion. The wound in my leg healed [slowly and was txceedingh' painful, two weeks passed before I was able to set out for Coolgardie, which we reached with- lout further incident. From Coolgardie we journeyed to Perth. At the capital we met a French expert who paid us four thousand pounds for the box of opals, which J. have since learned was much less than the market value of the gems. The money was ecjually divided and I was preparing to return to Kngland when Vail made a request which I felt I could not refuvse, it was that I should remain in Perth for lone month during his abvSence, he would meet me at the Im- |pen;il hotel, on the first day of the following month at eight ip.ni. I opined that the recjuest was connected with the jroniise which I had given to the old man at the camp and inxiously awaited the denouement. So anxious was I that there should be no delay that I took up my residence at the "lotel a week previous to the termination of the time. The last day I carefully scrutinized all new comers, but saw aothinjr of my friend. When eight struck I abandoned all lope and grew anxious lest some accident had befallen him. )n the stroke of the clock a bell boy came down the stairs md informed me that a lady wished to see me in private par- |or " A. " So far as I was aware I was not acciuainted with a |ady in Australia and I concluded that a mistake had been lade. The parlor was dimly lighted, when I entered a ^oung lady advanced from the window and said, "Mr. Det- lold, I believe." I answered in the afl&rmative. "Be seated, please." The voice -vas exceedingly sweet and musical and awaken- memoriet., but in vain did I attempt to recall when or rhere I had heard it. There could be no doubt but that iiS England was the place and 1 awaited impatiently a clue to the explanation. •' I have learned, " the lady continued, " that you made a trip into the interior with a very dear friend of mitie, George Vail, and that you both returned to Perth, where a handhoiu sum wa.s received for the sale of a large package of opals. You will pardon me for my frankness but I am deeply interested in Mr. Vail." I heard an audible sigh and mentally rt^^is- tered the conviction that Vail was a deuced lucky feliOw. lor the woman was exceedingly attractive if not beautiful, and so far as I could see possessed a figure of exquisite proportions. "Your statement in reference to Vail and myself is true," I answered, " and any information which 1 possess will be freely furnished." "Thanks, will you kindly furnivSh me with Mr. Vails address ? ' ' "Unfortunately I am unable to do so. He left nieim Perth one month ago to day and was to meet me at this liolel| at eight o'clock this evening, in fact I was waiting for liiuij when I received the message from you." " A remarkable coincidence, " she murmured, with a per ceptible .shade of doubt in the tone which irritated me. " Another question, where did Mr. Vail go to from Perth? " I have not the slightest idea. " "He mentioned no place, merely stated that he wouli meet you in one month ? " < "Yes." "Who beside Mr. Vail and the purchaser was cognizant the fact that you had sold the opals and received a hand.so sum for them?" . •• "No person, the purchaser requested that no mentii should be made of the transaction, alleging that if it btca known that such a large quantity of opals had been thro on the market it would depreciate the value of the gems." " What became of the purchaser, may I ask ? " " He lett the following day for Albany and informed that it was his intention to proceed to Sydney and take first Messargeries steamer for BYance. ' ' " Then it follows that you were the only person remainii in the colony who was aware that Vail had been paid a la sum of money ? ' ' • ' The only person. ' * • . '• May I ask what was the sum ? " " Two thousand pounds. •' *' And you received ? '• II OUI], oil r ade r hci ot rocec eaiiK 8" go 119 "An equal amount." "One more inquiry and I have finivShed. I have never henrd that opals were found in West Australia. Did you discover an opal mine?". I'or the first time I hesitated, I could feel that I was being closely watched by my fair questioner and an uneavSy feeling crejit over me. Was I free to explain the circumstances uiiikr which the opals came into our possession? I was well awiire of the old superstition that opals were unlucky and it was ]jossil>le that our gems ];ossessed this peculiarity. "You have not answered my question Mr. Detmold." " No, I was considering ; the opals came into our hands in a vei\- remarkable manner and I do not know whether I phould l)e justified in divulging the facts without Vail's con- sent, as it was through him that they were discovered. " " I may be frank with j'ou. Mr. Detmold, and thus remove your doubts. From my infancy I have been the constant coin]»ainon of Mr. Vail, he is my dearest friend and I feel a fliLpcr interest in him than in any other person. I am con- vinced that were George present he would, under the circum- st;niccs, ask you to .speak unreservedly." What more could a lady say ? She referred to him as Gtor;re, quite unconsciou.sly, there could no longer be any doubt as to their relations and as I glanced at her I forgot my momentary irritation and envied the lucky fellow. Then I told her the story of the finding of the box, of Vail's tact and bravery, and my admiration for the man. As I proceeded her face flushed and a new light came into her eyes. She ipaused a little time to recover her composure and then said : 'What you have told me is very wonderful. Have j'-ou |the map of the ground where the opals were found ? " " No, Vail took it with him. " "All of your statements have been direct but unfortunately, ^nr vou there is not the slightest evidence to corroborate them." " Xo, only my word. " " Permit me to point out the facts, " she continued. You 1:0 into the interior with ^Ir. Vail, 5'ou find four thousand pounds worth of opals under very peculiar circumstances, pou return and dispose of them and on the day the sale is lade Vail disappears and since that day he has not been seen \t heard from. I may tell you that it is known that he did lot leave Perth by any of the coast steamers, he did not roceed to Albany and take passage on one of the European learners which call at that port, th»^re is no trace of his hav- ig gone to Coolgardie or to any other point in the interior. ! I20 James Stone, MILL STREET, PORT HOPE. TENT AND AWNING ■ MAKER. Sails and Flags of all kinds. Water- proof Clothing. Waterproof Horse and Wagon Covers. — Best Goods. Lowest Prices. ROBERT RUDDY, Barrister, Solicitor, notary Pttblic, $c > Money to Loan at Lowest Rates of Interest. Telephone. MILLBROOK, ONT In m Jos. Brundrett & SonJ PORT HOPE, ONT. Stoves, Ranges, Furnaces, Copperware, Tin, Etc* Eave-Troughing a Specialty. Plumbins^, Stear Jobwork promptly executed. and Gas Fitting. Headquarters for waterworks supplies. Interest. >0K, ONT Son. [cest »ing, Steal las Fitting 121 \Vhat has become of him ? " "I would give my share of the money gladly to know, *' I answered, now thoroughly alarmed. "If I am compelled to apply to the police they will un- doubtedly ask your assistance." Then it dawned upon me that in stating the facts I had woven a net of suspicion around myself. Could it be possible that I was already in the hands of a female detective ? My blood ran cold. But a few weeks previous, Deeming, the murderer, had been arrested in the interior and taken to Mel- bourne, public feeling ran high in the colony and Justice ran a swift race. Conscious of my innocence my courage rose and rising I Isaid, " My advice is that you at once report the matter to [the police. ' ' And my advice is, " said the lady also rising, " that yon JHenry Detmold, are a great goose. ' ' I stared in amazement. What could it all mean. " It may be so, " I answered stifly. " You came here to meet George Vail ? " " I most certainly did. " "And you don't know him when you see him ?" Was my brain failing ? I advanced to my persecutor and Instantly it flashed upon me. I threw my arms around the rirl and carried her up to the light, there was no mistake, it ras George Vail, he struggled to get free but I held him [ast. "You humbug," I cried, " Even uow when I know you, fou look pretty enough to kiss. " ' Do you think so ? " "Yes," and remembering that he had kissed me when I ly in a half faint, I stooped down and kissed him on the leek blushing as I did so, but George's blushes were cama- ion compared with mine, and I set him down on his leet. " What a stupid, " he said. " I quite agree with you. " "And you don't understand yet?" "Understand what?" " That— that I am a girl. " "A girl!" ' *^ "Yes." "And always have been, ?" I blundered out In my blunt fay- # The only answer was a merry, ringing laugh. "Yes and [ways have been." "Then I am doubly glad I kissed you." 122 Joseph J Jewison, ""^'birr^j Uivcry Stables First Class Horses and Carriages. " J'M Spccdf Safety and Comfort combined. j^j^j^ Charges Moderate* S. E. MERIOT, General tSlachsmitb BAILIEBORO, ONT. Agent for Agricultural Implements, Buggies and Cutters. Machine Repairs a speciahy. Look out for our Annual Clearing Sale, commencing Feb. 1st. Ryle & Son, GENERAL MERCHANTS Dry-Goods, Boots & Shoes, Oils, Crockery, Glassware, Patent Medicin^ BETHANY, ON T. 123 'Vouheldme." " No matter. Tell me, I am dying of impatience." "You made a promise to the old man, did you not ? " "Yes, and I think I understand. He must have known the secret. How did he discover it ? " "He knew immediatelj- and accused me and I confessed." " And I was a stupid." " You did not find me out. " " Who are von?" "Helen Vail." " I am glad that I have only lost one half of my old part- ner, you are at least Vail. " Then Helen told me her storj'. Her father had been an English half-pay officer, who on his retirement from the army had emigrated to Sydney in the hope of bettering his condition. His wife having died the first year after his re- moval to the colony, his health had failed, and as Helen was the only child her life had been devoted to his care. They had no surviving relatives, so far as vShe was aware and when her father died a few months previous to my meeting her at Coolgardie, his sudden death had thrown her pennyless ion the world, as his pension ceased with his life. After the small debt.* and the funeral expenses had been paid [there only remained some fifty pounds with which to face the world. She had proceeded to Melbourne and in vain [attempted to secure employment as a governess, but her I youth and inexperience had proved an insuperable stumbling block and as a final resort she had resolved to go to the gold fields of West Australia and to facilitate her project and chances of success she had donned a man's dress and made her way to Coolgardie, Her timidity and the roughness bt the miners had prevented her from engaging in any enter- prise and but for my arrival and friendship she would have been compelled to acknowledge her sex and obtain menial [employment. When she had concluded I said, "The natives found you |an excellent shot, even if you are a girl." "Yes, my poor father taught me the use of the revolver Iwhen I was a little girl and that gave me confidence and Itaught me the tactics, for I had frequently heard him give Ihis experience of adventures among the hill tribes in India, [where he was stationed for many years. " After we came to Perth, why did you retire for a month md why did you lead me through such a maze before you lade yourself known ? " " I had to secure a wardrobe and to remove the tan from T 124 my face and then I wished to ascertain whether you would recognize me in my new apparel." •« Where did you hide ? " *♦ I went to the Convent and the good sisters took me in I and were very kind to me, though the Lady Superioress read me many lectures on the enormity of my sin and extracted from me a solemn promise that I would never again commit | the offence." ♦•There is one more mystery which I should like to havel cleared up. It is, how did the old man become possessed ofl the secret that a box of opals had been buried on the island f in the lagoon ?" "For many, many years he was a squatter in Queensland, so long ago that the penal system was in vogue in that aiidl the other colonies. He had on his station at onetime a tick-f et-of-leave man, by the name of Vigor, whom he treated veiyj kindly. Vigor had been transported for forgery and wa intelligent and had been educated as a mining engineer. Hd was a lifer and the one object of his life was to return to| England, where he had a wife and family. The old ma won his gratitude by attempting to secure a pardon for bin from the authorities at Sydney, but his efforts were fruitles Vigor, who acted as a shepherd on the run, found the opal mine but kept the secret to himself. He dug out the opal^ found by us and made his escape to Sydney where he hope to obtain passage to England but failed. He was finaHil captured and sent to Norfolk Island from which place was transferred to West Australia. The opals he had bu ied in Sydney. On his return to Sydney he dug them and carried them with him to the west coast. At Perth, a ticket of leave man he went into the service of a squatte He wrote a letter to his old master in Queensland tellin him that he possessed the treasure and that if he did cj succeed in getting away from the colony he would bequea^ it to him on his death, sending at the same time the samp which I found. Vigor kept an accurate account of journey into the interior in search of pasture and madd map of the route as well as of the spot where he ultimata buried the opals. Vigor and his companions made thij way to the coast but he was so enfeebled in consequen of the hardships he had undergone that he died in a f^ months after his return. Previous to his death he sent his old employer the map by which we located the treast The old man had no faith that he would be able to find opals and years passed by. The great drought in Queensla mined- him and as a last resort he came to Fe "5 Old set out on his search, encouraged by the fact that the gold miners were pouring into the interior. You know the rest and his unfortunate death at our camp. When he I ascertained that I was a girl and had heard my story his heart went out to me and he gave me the treasure, provided llcouldfindit." "And you divided it with me." "That was only fair. " "Yes, if you had been a man, but as you are not you [mast take take my part less the few pounds which I have »nt. •Never, " exclaimed Helen the tears coming to her eyes. I had loved Vail as a boy, as a girl I worshipped ray old tner and the result was that within one week we were irried and are now on our way to the Illawarra district rhere I purpose buying a small station and settling down 3r life. Some time in the future my partner and I will go Queensland and on the run of the old man, which is on le Barcoo, attempt to locate the original opal mine. ' ' Eighteen months later I was not surprised when I read in le Sydney Morning Herald that a very rich deposit of jals had been discovered on the Barcoo by a man named lold. 126 Our Work and Prices will bare comparison. Suppose you try us with your next order. Jno. Qiliott & Son Furniture, Undertakers & Embalmers. "D -^^^^^^1^^^ we have the largest display of Caskrts M\CiiiCllWCT in BLACK, WHITE, BROWN or any other color desired to be found outside the largest Funeral Supply house in, Canada. Our Hearse is i up-to-date and one of the | best. —Open Day and Niffht. —Prices Right and Tloderatc. { Furniture ! ' Parlor Suites from $10.00 up Bedroom " " 7.00 " Sideboards ** * 5.00 ** Extension Tables 3.00 " King Street, Are you taking advantage of our| lines. If not, why not ? • MillbrookJ M. Millward, PLUMBER, GAS ANI STEAM FITTER. Stoves, Ranges and Furnaces. Special attention given to heating by warm air, steam and hot water. Repres- entations and estimates promptly and cheerfully fur- nished on any of the above. Sole Agent Buck's Happy Thought Range. Telephone 7t. John St., Port Hop 127 ^ Son I 'THE SKELETON MINE A TALE OF SOUTH AFRICA. I was one of the first prospectors in the'Transval to search for pold and a precious dance it lead me. At that time but few Ivnglishmen had ventured into the Boer country and such was the jealousy with which they were regarded that it was iniDossible to secure any information which would assist in the search. Footsore and weary I tramped from farm to farm, content to obtain a supper of mealies and the toughest of tougli vSouth African mutton. There were rumors on every hand that gold existed but to locate it was quite another matter. It has since transpired that in my wanderings I passed over some of the richest gold bearing deposits in the world but so unlike the gold bearing fields of California and Australia is the Rand that the most experienced miner would never )iave dreamed of the richness of the claims. I was not searching for (juartz but the poor man's field, placer mines. To add to my perplexities my money ran short and I could only replen- ish my purse at Cape Town. I sank so low that I was com- pelled to sell my horse and from that hour I was on a level with a KafTir in the estimation of the Boers. The white man wlio approaches a farmhouse in the Transval on foot musUbe prepared for abject humiliation. Fortunately I had acquired some knowledge of sheep in Australia else I believe that I should have .starved. When all el.se failed I became a sheep doctor and vended a compound whose virtues would have done credit to the most widely advertised patent medicine nostrum. One long to be remembered evening I arrived at a Boer's house situated twenty miles from any other Iiabitation. When I asked for supper and a night's lodging the door was slammed in my face and in the worst of German I vvrs ordered to begone. Physicially I was incapable of complying with the ccmimand and mentally I had not the .slightest intention of departing. In an outhouse, devoted to .storing mealies^ sheep skins and harness, an old man was sitting on the door- step compounding a mixture, which I recognized as a sheep remedy. I approached him and gave him to understand that 128 ^t^KKI^I^IIPKIIt^l^llFIIFIKtwt Dffltistry 16 LJ^.S. S^ W^ Qarke, DENTIST. Office over Leach's Drug Store^ Millbrook. specialties: ' tht Preservation of tbe natural Ceetb* Also tbe Care or ebiiaren^s Ceetb. In order to prevent irregularities the Deciduous or milk teeth should be preserved until forced out by the permanent ones. Irregularities and deformities treated and attend- ed to scientifically. Artificial teeth and appliances inserted satisfac- torily. All operations guaranteed. Local anaesthe- tics for painless extraction administered when desired or judicious. P.S. — I want it perfectly understood that every case of artificial teeth made by me, I guaraniee to give satisfaction as to quality of work, appearance and use in mastication. i 3 In Bethany the 2nd and 4th Mondays in every month. ;4444444444444444444< id attend- lays m ;444i 129 I was possessed of a remedy which would work wonders in such cases. He was all attention instantly and the result was that in a few minutes an excellent meal was spread in the house, to which I was invited. Then I proceeded to mix atiuuiber of simples, which the man possessed, and finally I poured into the simmering mass, with the greatest care and ostentation, a few grains of borasic acid, which I fortunate- ly possessed. The following day I was the most surprised man in South Africa when I learned that my preparation was working a marvellous cure. I was invited to remain with the Boer the balance of the season as an honored guest. Day after day I tramped the hills, returning at night as wise and as rich as when I set out. There were unmistakable indications that gold should be found in the vicinity but the stubborn fact remained that I could not find it. I had given up all hopes and only remained to recruit my strength previous to setting out on my long journey to the coast when the following re- markable circumstances transpired. I slept in a great four poster bed ol proportions ample for a I race of giants, and as I was deposited between two feather ticks in the old German fashion, the weather being the re- Iverse of cold, my dreams were not the most pleasant and my rest not untroubled. But for offending the good housewife I [would have asked for a sheepskin on the floor. One sultry night, after a long day's walk, I found myself Itossing and restless and unable to get even a forty wink nap. JFor hours I thus lay lamenting my fate and regretting hav- [ing abandoned the land of the Golden Fleece for the land of King Solomon's mines. At a late hour I fell into a disturbed Bleep. I awoke with a start and listened attentively. All Fas quiet in the house and yet I felt certain that soue one Fas preparing to leave the place. How long this impression Remained I am unable to say. I am by no means certain that again fell asleep, and yet I am compelled by that which [ollowed to acknowledge that it is probable that such was the lact. Whether dreaming or waking, I saw a venerable old lan, dressed as a German peasant, walk quietly out of the ront door, cast a suspicious glance around, as if to ascertain fhether he had been observed and then slip out into the [arkness, where he disappeared. So realistic was the scene that the following morning I in- luired whether a friend of the family had paid them a visit ter I had retired. The answer was, "No." Two nights later I saw precisely the same thing happen I30 Eo C 5c HyTClKE, LLoPo Barrister^ Solicitor^ Notary^ Etc* Office — First door cast Town Hall^ Telephone 78. «^ King: Street West^ G>bourgf^ Ont CHAS. HUTcnmss. 164 JOHN ST., ww,mF99^^m^^w WW PORT HOPE. Fish and all kinds fresh and Salt Meats. Poultry and Sausage in season. Competition Defied. 'PHONE loi. J. HflRGOURT, - ■ Port flOD6. A ^^t^^' Canadian and American FIxprcss Co's. Grand Trunk! ai.^CliL*««* Railway. G. N. W. Telegraph Co. Allan, Dominion and Heaver Steamship Co's. North King Tickets. United States Dcputyl and Vice. MONEY ORDERS. Telephone 72. s^iii 6eo* Sootkrattt CLERK, TOWNSHIP OF CAVAN. I Conveyancer, eommissioner for taking ntmms. Insurance, Loan and Real Estate Agfent. Money to Loan at Lowest Rates. Over 100 choice Farms for sale. OFFICE IN TOWN HALL, MILLBROOK, ONT. Juatec pnear ray I 131 again but as on the fonner occasion I could not decide whether I had been dreaming or not. The appearance of the vener- able old man was indellibly stamped upon my brain. I saw distinctly that he was very old, that his beard was ^s white as a lamb's fleece and that he was dressed in an antiquated garb, seen only in the most secluded parts of (ierniany, in which country I had spent several months attending: a school in my boyhood days. The next night I determined to remain awake but was not successful and again I saw the old man depart. His constant re appearance had at last a powerful effect upon me. I decided that the next time, whotlier asleep or awake, I would follow him. With this resolve upon my mind I retired the next night and r.oon fell into a heavy sleep, due, no doubt, to my former wakefulness. Once more I awoke, or imagined that I awoke, with the well-defined conviction that some person was preparing lo leave the house. Cautiously I crept out of bed and as the old man left by the front door I slipped out by a side entrance. I remem- ber distinctly saying to myself : "This is certainly not a dream ; there is the man walking slowly over the veldt find here I am watching and ready to follow where he may lead. " Follow him I did. My strange guide never once looked behind him after he had left the house but proceeded direct' ly to the Ir.lls, which ran along the north of the farm and jweredistrnt some two miles. He gradually cpiickened his pace and finally I was compelled to run to keep him in .sight. After he entered the hills he turned and doubled on his track in the most provoking manner and frequently I not only lost sipht of him but barely escaped meeting him face to face, so Lsudden were his turns and .so unexpected his le appearances. IWliy I was ollowing him I could not tel\ In fact I was Ipossessed of but a single impul.se and that was to follow. iThe old man never halted or hesitated but finally entered a |narrow valley, at the end of which rosea precipitous cliff. At ^hat point he suddenly disappeared. When I reached the sp)t I found that beneath an overhanging rock an excava- tion had be' n made at some time in the past, as there were 10 sis^ns of re ent work. The pit was thickly strewn with illen kaves, and as it was but a few feet in depth, I let my- elf down into it in the hope of discovering some passage by ^hicli the old man had disappeared. My foot struck some- 'linjr which was evidently metal. It proved to be an anti- luated shovel with a short handle. The night was a bright |ttie and at the time the moonbeams streamed directly into le place. I could discover no means of retreat save by the fay I had enterepl and it was impossible for my strange 132 R. A. MULHOLLAND, DEALER IN' SHELF AND HEAVY POBT HOPE. H M ■ m m n m n m M M u m u M m m m m HARDWARE Standard Drain Pipes and Fittings, Portland and Thorold Cements, Plaster of Paris, Mixed Paints, Oils, Lead, Varnishes, Glass, Etc. Large Stock always on hand. Specialties : LAMPS — Newest and latest patterns, large and varied stock. Fine Table and Pocket Cutlery. Carvers in Cases. Plated spoons and forks, best quality. Sporting 6oo(ls : Cleveland Bicycles, Arms and Ammunition, Fishing Tackle, Etc., Etc. ■ Orders ProitiDtly Htmm Co m ■MHH LND. PORT HOPE. E gs, dements, iss, Etc. 1. large and : Cutlery, orks, best lunition, ■MMM S^?ei:^uZsfe"preste^ -^e and pa.ed . JS'irresp'^ndrr s^^ ^--^di«^l^^^^^^^^ ' nT"^^"^^ earth and then cH«fh?H^^°^; ^ threw out severe? I.""^ ^^^ i«d I worked asTmf- ,?^'* ^^ver of grSd TeLn^*'" ^ ''«« " OTenth time I W?^ i'/* •'^Pended on th. ."P"" ™e ihovel brought ifcj'S?'''^ b"t the fi^*t ^1f""; '^''« S bee°/S. •^•' "■''^""b!blerr?om 'If ^""p'^*' «e wl'm^'frl-^y.^'-^ «-d^ wire atTy' tet'h, T"' 'wn was shinina- ea,„i ^V ^'"^'-ged from tZ t^f,'^' =° »l>t ,„e to m/sen"'y r""",,*^ •'^^"••'e of peace a J '^ '""^ Wch was in siJ},t i -^ ^aikea rapidly to t?,?/^ f^P^se tehousewifeonli;^ "'""o™ asleep «or rt?^T*^"'S ""«« Wle„ I d&^ter^X^'"^'^?^'- '"*'"'' """' membered distiriH^J- *as dressed I „-!.« , Hit that fl H^?11 ^ discover and finallv M "" ^° t»'ace '^ a doubt e^^isted in my S^J ^,«f compelled to ^^^^^^ -^ °° as to whether the 7 — 134 M i ESTABLISHED 1868. Pru^gist and Stationer* * * Railway and Ocean Steamship Ticket Agent. Canadian Exprc-s M»)ney Orders issued to all points. Great North Western Telegraph Office. MILLBEOOIC OA^TJEIO, PARLOR SHOE STORI WALKER BRO S. PORT HOPE. Lowest Prices, Higfhest Quality In. . I Boots ai Shoese^ Sole Agents for celebrated Slater Shoes*. 135 gold had been found by me or had been placed in my pocket by some kind fairy. To have found and lost such an exceedingly rich deposit was exasperating in itself but the uncertainty which en- shrouded the whole business made me doubt uiy own sanity. One evening as I was sitting in the house brooding over the problem the Boer's wife opened a great clothes' press, removed several articles of wearing apparel and laid them on the floor. My attention was immediately attracted to an old coat. "Who owns the suit of clothes ? " I inquired. They belonged to grandfather, " was the answer. "Is he dead ?" I queried. "Dead more than twenty years, in fact before I was married and came to live here, for he was my husband's father." "Did you know him ?" "Yes, but I was only a little girl at the time. " "Why have the clothes been kept ? " "Before he died he gave orders that they were not to be j used and his wishes have been respected. My husband has [ told me that he was a man of many peculiarities and as it was due to him that we have the farm we cherish his name [and respect his wishes. " "What were his peculiarities ?" "One was that he paid several visits to the Cape and when Ihe returned he always brought v^ith him a bag of money, but to the day of his death even his son, my husband, did not know how he came to have it. With this money he [bought land and cattle and sheep and thus became rich. Had he lived he would have been the richest Boer in this [part of the country. Then his death was a mystery and a mys- tery which has never been cleared up. He had grown to be [)ld and feeble and he did no more work, but nothing could Iteep him out of the hills. If anyone followed him he flew Into a great passion and cursed him roundly. My husband [eared that some accident would befall him in his wander- ings and the fear was at last realized. These clothes were lis best and he prized them very much, for he said that they liad brought him 'good luck.' It was for that reason he ianted them kept, no doubt. One day he went away to the ^ills and he never came back. The whole country joined the search but no trace was ever found. He was not able walk a long way and could not have wandered any dis- ince and that was what made his disappearance the more range. Some were of the opinion that he was carried oflf i$6 hy the Kaffirs, somefhat he had been murdered, for it was well known that he always had gold in his pocket. What- ever befel him no one knows." I took np the coat and hat and conld have sworn that the man I had ioUowed to the hills was dressed in -precisely the same garments. Could it be possible that after all these years I had found his grave ? Had it been his ghost which I had seen night after night issuning from the house and and making its way to the lonely grave in the hills ? Had his wealth been derived from the sale of the gold which he liad dug out of the pit ? Admitting these facts, why had I been chosen to solve the mystery ? Was it possible that a svmpathy existed between the dead and gone Boer miner and the needy prospector, myself ? These questions I was unable to answer. My common sense revolted at such conclusions and yet, argue as I would, the gold was in my pocket to prove their truth. There remained another explanation, it was that I had not been awake during the periods in which I saw the old man. I had developed into a somnambulist and had got up in the night, imagining that I was following an old man and while in that state picked up the gold found in my pocket in the morning. Unfortunatety this theory did not account for the previous existence of my ghostly guide. I realized the use- iessness of attempting to explain to my Boer friends the pe- culiar circumstances of the case and in consequence kept silcnit. From that hour I abandoned my search for a mine, which was alike a mine and a^rave, the location being only known to ghosts or somnambulists. H. ■> OONLV, SIMeeK, ONT. for it was ket. What. »m that the irecisely the er all these ^host which i house and hills? Had d which he why had I sible that a oer miner and I was unable 1 conclusions ly pocket to that I had not the old man. got up in the nan and while pocket in the iccount for the ilized the use- friends the pe- «quence kept] :h for a mine ion being only]