Activate Javascript or update your browser for the full Digital Library experience.
Previous Page
–
Next Page
OCR
. a ater
wep =S (
se seman y
es : + |»
7 P +
July 29, 1882.
530 <be:GOLDEN DAYS:0e=> - Taty 20,2882, 1)
My nf
7 } , : " gearcely larger than ordinary houso-cats. | the hillsides and mountains, interspers-| Again the bear halted, and either a | study-room table?”? asked Dar, in sur-
org The herds, in summer, are much tor- tches of bjork (birch), now | dim recollection of his half-finished sup- | prise. w .
- t “ ' mented by the gadfly, and the Quans | glowing in the yellow tints of the ‘frost | per, or a savory whiff of it borne to him “No,” was the brief answer; and the
Lat : are often obliged to resort to the expe- | fire.” on the night-breeze, caused him to raise | tone was so unlike that ‘in which the
ba] - dient of ‘*smudges,” or fir-bough fires, In the glades, overgrown with golden- | his nose high in air, and, swaying it from | captain generally spoke, that Dar’s heart
« on in the suffocating fumes of which the | rod, the /jeld ryper, or mountain part- | side to side, sniff loud and long. Then | grew heavier still.
wes ay . tortured creatures will hold their heads | ridge, fluttered shyly away as the lads | Peder heard departing footsteps shuf- | Pll explain it all after breakfast,
mead . toescape their merciless stings. Even | approached with too incautious haste. __ | fling off through the dry leaves, and im- | sir,” he said, with a curious glance at
“he the Quans themselves are obliged to The Alten Ely ran sparkling round | mediately the cow-bell tinkled faintly in | Mr. Pyle, who, after swallowing a cup
= smear their faces with tar for the same} many a curve, and far away to the south | the thicket. of cottee, sat playing with his knife an
‘ ’ : purpose. : could be heard its faint roar, #s it tum- Peder’s heart grew light. He was ter- | fork without touching the food before
But these shore-Finlanders do not pay | bled down the Lapland heights, which | ribly cold and cramped, and the deep | him.
their entire attention to the culture of | were now glistening in their first light | lacerations were getting sorely painful. He knew that the suspicions of the
NS: their sterile acres. The care of the crops | coat of snow. Yet he dared not leave his retreat, and | captain, Fred and France must naturally
D is left inostly to their hardy wives and Nils and Peder wandered about till, | lay there shivering, and watching the | be directed toward himself, but he reas-
young sons, while they drag the rough | from the top of Sanfaldat,a high pro-| stars come out in the dark sky. . oned that the absent Miss Jessup, and
seas with net and sein: montory whose base is washed by the| “At last the same shuffling footsteps, | even Dar, would probably fall under the
| The sey, or coal-fish, which is very | Alten Elv, they could see that the sun | only now more sluggish, told ‘Peder of | same suspicion, to a greater or less de-
abundant in the Altentiord, forms an | wason the point of setting behind the | the return of his besieger; but, now | gree.
. extensive article of commerce with the ; great Storvandsfjeld. rged to repletion, he only gave the! As soon as he had learned, on the
oy , Russians, who barter flour in payment, y hastened back and down the | trembling little Quan a big, derisive sniff, | night previous, that the bonds had actu-
giving about one vog (forty pounds) of | mountain toward the valley, where they | and shuttled on over the logs and brush- | ally disappeared, he knew at once that
flour for five vogs of fish. They then | could see the cows and goats now mak- | wood and into the deep forest. * } some One must have cunningly person-
carry their cargoes round tothe White | ing their way home. > -Then the lad quickly and thankfully | ated the miser’s ghost, and, taking ad-
f- Sea in lodjes, or two-masted vessels, As yet nothing had been lost from | crawled out from his place of refuge, | vantage of his own fright, carried cif the
. To the Quan, the sey are worthless as | their flocks, save an old decrepit goat, | and hobbled down the mountain to the | prize for which he had schemed and lied
}: , food, but their livers yield a_ nice oil, | which the lads supposed had either got | gamme, finding Lido and Nils in great.| and plotted-in vain. Yet, who it could
{ : which the Russians’ make quite a busi- | intosome hole and died or had become } trepidation as to his safety. . have been‘was an unsolved mystery in
a . ness of extracting, three hundred good | a victim to some prowling wolf, or a Some time after, as the two: boys were | his troubled mind.
. sey-tish yielding about thirty gallons of | glutton. But as they came up with the | searching the mountain for their stray- ‘e@ was positive that it could have been
iy i oil. cows they immediately perceived that | ing flocks, they came upon the thicket | no member of the family, fora few mo-
pace : The manner of netting them is simple | one was missing. . into which Peder had made his sudden | ments before the occurrence, he had
Ie and very expeditious, eight or ten men “Where is Grizzle?” exclaimed Nils,} and unlucky leap. They peered cau- | seen, with the captain’s glass, that the
by . working together for greater advantage | at once alarmed at the absence of the fa-| tiously into its depth. A broken, twist- | cutter was becalmed outside, the Bees-
t and sharing the protits. vorite cow. . ed rehn-thong, with its blood-stained | wing.was nowhere in sight, while Fred
For this purpose, four boats are neces- “Where, but in the mountains, the | bell, wasall that remained of Old Grizzle. | and France's boat lay at Coverton wharf.
| ' sary, and a large squau-net. The pre- | lazy old idiot!” shouted Peder, angry at Then, too, the windows and doors
, sence of a shoal of sey is usually discov- | being obliged, weary as he was, to again . - were secure. How had the “ ghost” en-
i ered by flocks of gulls and cormorants | ascend the heights. ‘Take you the . D A R C Y 5 tered? That he had left by the front
ipl. , ~ hovering over the wriggling black mass, | kors to the yard; I will bring down old s . door was probable, else Captain Arnold
: screaming and pecking at their packs as Grizzle,” he continue a Nil ————— could not have gained admittance.
they rise to the surface. Then the men nd, giving the gun and game to Nils, 'rance, who had evidently cried her-
: note the direction in which they are | he turned, and began climbing the as- BY FRANK H. CONVERSE. | seit to sleep the night betbre, did not
t tending, and work their boats cautiously | cent. eo" speak at all, and the remembrance that
| . around therm, so as to get in their path, tn Trarriedly he made his way through CHAPTER XXVIII. iv was the morning of ; er sixteenth
‘wo of the boats then let drop one ne low, tanglin jork and aspen thick- sscri "3 feel irthda: rought no easure to her
fl : side of the net, to which is attached long | ets, and dales OF sjatlbar, for Might was ain deseribe Dare Seelings, as the most mind, While this gloomyeloud overhung
i ropes, sufficiently for the fish to pass | gathering fast over the mountain, and | G!sent search Taille: Show the slight- | the family. Fred was the only one who ;
over it. The other boats go on, and also | all below him lay shrouded in dusk, | €St trace of the lost bonds, would be im-| made any attempt at conversation, and ,
‘ drop their side, and all lie quietly, to | save where a belt of yellow light still | possible. Bit by bit, Mrs. Ayliss drew | it was rather forced and spasmodic at
await the approach of the shoal. lingered on the smooth bosom of the} from him the story of how he came to | that.
{ t he surface is fairly blackened, and as | Altenfiord. . bring them to Whitecap. “Will you all come up to the study-
they enter the net, heads and tails stand Peder ran from one opening to an- “Some one came here and took them | 70m?” said Dar, pushing back his’
| above water, from the pressure of the | other, where he knew the cows were * . + | chair, And with one consent the captain, ©
| great numbers below. wont’ to graze, but no Grizzle nor other | Way while you were ashore, of course, France, Fred and - Pyle obeyed.
‘ When about midway of the net, the | creature greeted his sight. she said, “and the only question is4/|] have a very unpleasant story to
headman gtvesthe signal, and they all @ was about to return to the gamgne, | who could it be?” j .| tell,” began Dar, who remained stand-
: pull up on the ropes, bringing the great- | when a slight rustle of the dry leaves in “Tt must ha’ b’en some ’un who | ing, while the others seated ,themselves
2? er part of the writhing, struggling shoal | a djork thicket near him, and the faint | Knowed what was in the box,” remarked | in different parts of the room, “and the
tothe surface, and soon their boats are | tinkle of her bell, told him of the near} youn who wasa shrewd old Yorkshi worst of it is, I only have my own word
~ overflowing, as many as two hundred | presence of Grizzle. an . > or . Mre- | for its truth.” . :
vogs being often taken atasingle net-| “Ha!thou laggard! T’ll teach thee!” | Man, “else why wouldn’t they ha’ took | «7 don’t. want any more than that,
- ting. And Peder dashed into the midst of | Some’ut of to’ther things layin’ open | Dar!” exclaimed impetuous Fred. ,
‘ It sometimes happens, however, that | the dusky thicket. - aboot t’ hoose ?”” And though France said nothing, the
: , the shoal becomes alarmed at the mo- Grizzle was indeed there, and so, too, “Very true,” returned Mrs. Ayliss, | look in her dark eyes was as expressive
f ment of entering the net, and takes off | was another creature, whose acquaint-| thoughtfully, ‘for Darcy tells me that | as words.
i in another direction, which is at once | ance Peder was not anxious to cultivate— | th ox was padlocked, and Captain Cheered by this, notwithstanding Cap-
- recognized by the clearness of the water, | alean and hungry black bear, who had | Arnold has the key in his pocket.” tain Arnold’s gloomy silence, Dar com-
! : then the men must haul up the net and | now begun to store up the necessary fat “Well,” said Dar, with a great sigh, | menced his narration of the facts with
‘ 5 ! follow them, letting down in another | and muscle for winter. “it is gone, and oh, how I dread the | which our readers are acquainted,
i . place. - There was a sudden harsh growl, and | home-going! Mr. Pyle will, of course, “Tt isalie—an infernal lie!’ shouted
. In this fishery, Amund Smoe was en- | gleaming, angry eyes flashed into Pe-| deny everything, and I, who now can | Mr. Pyle, starting to his feet, pale with
: gaged, and with seven of his Quan neigh- | der’s own, as he retreated, with the bear | prove nothing, will be made outa liar, | anger and something else, as, to the al-
. bors owned four boats and aseine. Ile | almost grappling his koften. and perhaps a thief.” most incredulous amazement of his
: also owned a gumme at Elvebakken, “Oh, father! Nils — Nils! IWelp— “Don’t ’e fret, my Jad,’ said Mar-| hearers, Dar narrated the scene in the
‘ ‘with some cows and a few goats, which, | help!” cried Peder, as he stumbled tor-| garet, soothingly, as she followed Dar, | study-room, and scarcely able to restrain
: together with the land, were care ward, over the trailing bjork. who, having badé Mrs. Ayliss a sorrow- | a smile at the recollection, described
by his two sons, Nils and Peder, now Ifis father was yet in his boat on the | ful good-night, approached the door. | Mr. Pyle’s precipitate retreat at the sight
twelve and fourteen years of age. Wis | Altenfiord, and Nils, placidly milking an | “ Him that’s to Tok out for t’ sparrers, | of the supposed apparition.
. daughter Lido took care of the gamme, | old goatin the fold, all unconscious of | be’ant a-goin’ to let t? innercent suffer “Ele must have pretty c’nsiderable of
ot for the wifeof Amund had died while | Peder’s il. for ’t guilty. Where was thee born?” | aimagination to make “up a yarn like .
‘ ? Nils was yet in his cradle. eder scrainbled on, with the savage | she asked, in a lower tone, as she care- that,” drily responded the captain, in
AS soon asthe summer sun began to | creatureat his very heels, when suddenly fully closed the door. whose bosom hope had: begun to rise.
melt the snow from the mountain-side, | he fell and found himself down between “ London, ma’am,” replied Dar, | “Sit down, Mr. Pyle. “Drive ahead,
f : . Peder and Nils torned the cows and two decaying trees, fallen partly upon | wonderingly. ar.?? , . ,
gouts loose from their stalls to browse | each other, ~ “A? could ha’ swored to it!’ Margaret Wi F 3": or
{ the starting buttercup, the cranesbill, 'h over a slight hollow, and | replied, triumphantly. “A knew thee fixed on his face, Dar, without soplgine
. and the tofven, or mountain hair-grass, | Peder quickly availed himself of this ad- | was no ’Merican chap, wi’—” to Mr. Pyle’s excited speech vent ow
. 4 and this, with the bjork twigs, was un | vantage by working himself down be- But the voice of Mrs, Ayliss, calling, | and as hé told how he had carried away
oo. . : agreeable change from the sharp diet of | neath the trunks, in partial security | cut short her intended communication, | the bonds for safe keeping, Captain Are
-, . the long winter. from the piercing nails, which tore with | and she hurried away, while Dar, with a | nold uttered an exclanvation of trium hy
But when the short, bright summer | sounding rents into his skin-trowsers | heavy heart, returned to his boat, got | but Dar held up his hand, ps
oy _had passed, and autumn had come, with | and deeper yet into the shrinking flesh. | under way, and about 1 o’clock A. M. “Wait till you hear the rest, sir,” he
’ : its dull mists and sharp frosts, the lads “Oh, save me from the eruel beast!” | reached the Arnold house, but found. to said, gravely; and, as with f: Ite ing ac-
4 . were obliged to look closely after the | groaned poor Peder, in earnest supplica- | his surprise, that the doors were all fast: cent, he final came to the sud len “and
ot : goats and cows, for with the coming on | tion, as the creature, seeming to forget } for it will be remembered that the note unaécountable disc . th ti .
i reg t of cold weather, the bears in the forests | all else save the nearer victim, clawed | which Dar had placed on the study-table | trunk from the entry of Mi ‘. Ayl 3
Peye ant fo about the Altentiord made great havoc | deep into the decaying trunk, and sent | the evening betore, in which, after brief- | cottage, the ca tain’s & fell nh ile M
\ of among them, seemingly to fortify them- | clouds of rotten wood rattling upon the | ly explaining that he should not be Pyles’ features gr correspo adi r iy
| selves against the coming winter. . dry leaves, threatening momentarily to | home till late, he had requested the ca; exultant. Brew correspondingly
1g 4 . One day—the tirst of September—Nils | demolish the unstable barrier between | tain to leave the door unfastene OA charming little fabri , ti ri
= i : 4 and Peder, armed with an old pea-rifle, | them. lay unseen and unread where Dar had | man, and learned b. he: rth Oa
ay ' started off up the mountains in search of | For a moment there was a sudden | left it, concealed by the cover of Fred’ eeri Yoluded his story’
ia . : anak saees, . red’s | sneeringly, as Dar concluded his story,
} tchaders, or coq-de-bois (cock of the | ceasing of hostilities, and Peder could | lexicon. “but one which, fort ly.
a ' ' woods), and ptarmigan, which were | hear, above his wild heart-beats, the| So he was obliged to euter the house a | with a rain of oo nmon sega wi ink
p quite plenty in the little glades and | short, quick panting of the bear as he| second time in the past twenty-four | of believing There 18 too m salvar th
b ’ +] |° among the bjork thickets, and to bring | sat back to rest, hours by the underground passage to | dime novel-about it. 18 too mu! vote ©
: j down the cows and goats at night. __ But, at a slight stir from the lad, the | the cellar, and wearily stole up to bed. | tempt to fix the sin As for the ase ae
! | i The morning sun was bright, sending | creature once more dashed at the tree-| A silent company met at the breakfast- qi n me,” sai Me Bots, with Sook
+ : ‘ 8 its beams into the mist which | trunk, and now it seemed that he must | table onthe following morning. Cap-| of great solémmits Er Pyle, with a look
i ™~ rose above the still, glassy surface of the | break through at every stroke of his | tain Arnold’s face wore a gloomy, per- mark that the om pave only toh
i Altentiord, giving it a beautifal aspect | powerful paws, plexed look. , is without the aettrous charge, which
é j as it rolled away in rosy masses. - Peder could creep no further. He “What made you so late last night, | is too utterly absu nlf shadow of prow
3 . Beyond, the weird, craggy shores stood | drew up his legs as far as possible from | Dar?’’ he inquired, after the customary other than 4 a for me to notice,
out black in contrast. dark green ; the ex ected Opening, and miserably | blessing had been asked, Darcy, freely, y An, 5 a pie omy
p . i 7 i fate. “ Didn’ ” + 1» as
of the Scotch fir and the pine covered | awaited his fate. Didn’t you get the note I left on the forgiveness,” he continued, aner alittle < L
L_— |
mF — |-
, ”
' ° 7