OONAH: Or, The Story of a Grime.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 217, 14 September 1888, Page 3

OONAH: Or, The Story of a Grime.

•'[ ■' BY GEORGE -PAYNE.. '. . , CHAPTER IV. • '■■■■>;■:■■ ' (Continued). *■ At last everything was re&dy, arid the, waggon lumbeied dub of the sandy earth, anc} began descending a hard, dark roa'dr With her mind flying on; before,-and,' coming back, over and over again, to her present situation, the time.seemed long tod fche road endless,,until a new.burn was giye^i. to her thoughts I?y a question, asked by bhe driver, who seemed to have been discussing^ the matter with his companion. ' I ' Was thar anything of Valoo" in her bag.?'. he asked ';■■'■ the bag she; had loft, atidy^liich had been stolen by her .companion'?' '■ '. No—-well, yes;' - There were things she! should be dreadfully sorryto'lose.-' There' were her fathers letters to her whilsc she was-in the convent, and: the letter of bhe Superioress^ to herjusb jafter she left, and before her stepmother had moved away, from the neighbourhood where they used to live. She would nob lose those letters'fpr anythingj' if she could Kelp it. They could" be of no value to anyon.e bub herself, and, she conldn'b be]ieve {Liz meant; to 'keep j them. Besides the letters, there were only a few things pf; no; use jxt anyone, apd:She ; ; hoped Liz would send her bag, only for the sake of the letters. ; ■ The drivers exchanged looks. 'Did ye ever -see any b f the folks ■ to r Centerville?'" ons. of them asked. '-D'ye know Jedge Mix?' •' '•-■ ! • • No ; she had never sderi any of them; she knew nobody. - ~ ' ~ 'Wall,' said the driver,' eye see, ef yer a-goin' to apply for that'ere money, and if: yer the young lady as Jedge Mix's been alookin'and a-advertisin'for, who's to 'deritify ye ? How's Jedge Mix ; to know as yer the right person?', .. . , . ;. .' Me ? Ohj 1 doh'b know; 1 doa't know anything about it. 1 didn't knpw why we were going to Centerville, till I saw, by accident, the advertisement. Liz had the papers and never told me. I know, now ; the very day she and.Synthie saw the advertisement first. Synthie found it in the paper and came running in witb.it in her hand. 'JLook here,':she said; to Liz, 'ainb this meanb for someone we .kn0w,?'..'..;.. Tljen;;l heard her motheri'iSynthie's' mother, say,i ' You keep dark about 'this,' and; Synthiei said' she thought ib was a shame, and that, she'd a 1 great mind to w'ribe. But Liz was; fiu'ious,,and said "she/cl brain herif she said anything about it, and to just mind "her own: business; Then Synthie went back the nexjj day to San Francisco^ wheVis she, lives/aiid I heard nothing more abouttjbe matter till a few days-after -Liz told me; she had/heard that my^ 'fathw was'in 04^4Counby, and she was going fo look for him, and that if I'd a mind to, Inaight go along.• She knew I,wouldvgo if I walked every step.{. Bub: I was surprised fafc her leaving her house and /boarders, and^ going in search of my-father,-for she was most uri-; kind bo him before he wenbaway. 'ISKiegpt everything.ready, ; and hired a beam to take her to Abbyville ; then another to take us to Black Rancbe,'; and then you;know what tiappiened... there, andho* 1 heard that my fa.tperv had;found a. big lode, and that he had been looking for me. ; You sfcej Liz ch%nfi;ejd! pouhbies ;twice'.:after 'father-went away,; and as; she ,had' takefi < me from-fche convent, and he didn't know^where'Liz had gone to, he didn't know wh.ere;bo find'us.' What do you, think will fop.p^n"'when'vve get to CehberYiile ?' shb; asked,, when she had finished telling her little story. .' '-W§U, I duntxp \yhat moighfeft hiippeuQd e'r yqii'd yer 'father'sletters with ye, but I cfon't' see'how Jedge Mix's to know,who;you be without them.? .i. ■:.«- - ■ ;; I ' How, he?Sitp;know/who \'% am ? }Whyj, I know who 1 ami Surely, I' can' say 'l am myseli' '. ''~: ". '; ~ ~ . *•■ 5 \ Well,; yei 'sco,; miss, there's a heap *of cooriosity 'boutthese law folks. They ain'b satisfied to hear fellet-^I. bear jjardpri,;!'; mean, a "yioung lady-—say she's herself, and hand aver three, millibri1 oii the strengthbf Her asserbibn; Theylallus,requires proofs of her identity, t and. you can't thinlff how, b!ard it? is !sbnietime3 to prove yer yerseli. I wish ye'd book, yer bag 'long wibh ye, I do ; "ef yelied theselfettef s it'd be all right.' , : 'But they can go to the convefnt at San sJose, cSiin't they, and find out thab;l'm myself, arid)that my father iefb;me there?' /said the girl quickly*; :; , ■ -. - vHYall, yes, Itlipughb on that., ..Bub.a.e Joe here says, ' How kin ye prove that yer; [father, as left yer there was Josh Murphy<?' 'That's;the hitch.'-.. . ..■.;■. ;.;' ' The party remained silent, for^some moments, as if t}ie lasb argument wag conr elusive, and then; seeing, bho: girl :pre-, obciipied, one of the men saidy to comfprb ■h'er-rr,, ,'..;,v;';V ,:;,,,•,'.:.;.;, .'■.»;.(. ~,•;,):,;■'■>■:'•■'..■ ii.ilu ,/,;;, iV{. 'Don'b you fret, missY, We'll soon. ..be, there now, and jb'lljall bg,explained.' ..• ' Bufc'some sudden tnought"bad seized her.v Shei flushed scarlet^; and ; then 'became, as pale as death, and then leanb .her^ Kjead vp f qn hqv hand, and the tears fell dowp her 'checks.";'•;' ' "., •' - ■'■}) :":;, "l";;- 'r-, '1 say,' s^iid the man who ,had,;/lasb spoken, looking- angrily abthe ,pther, .who had -been Buggesbing bhe diffipultie^^of identification, .'I. say, ypu,are a brignb to .frighten the poor gal like that.';V Then, turning iV ; her (|ddedi f Don't you take on, miss ; : it'll sdre' to be fight when we get to Genterville. Jedge Miy,he's r a sdiuarft jman, 'ilcißi. ia, and' la'll. -seev. you straigKb; |:bhrough.' : , ; ■ , ■- ,:', - .■- . ■ ! ' Oh," the girl said, sobbing, 'it is nob I that, .bub .something" the poor jdying man I .gave me. Sbmetliing I promised hini tpdg; fVyith some papers and- a? little bookvf Thdyi were," in trie bag, and it's gpne. Oh,. I never : shbuld have left iti Bub I- was so 1 I frightened,-1 didn't: think of anything but getting away from—from her. \t don't" know; what she r wan bed -my libble bag. jb.wascruel of her to take it. ' " -; ■ f She took:;it to git theha 'ere letters^ ,that's,hergame,isaid the driver ;? but: you; keep\still,, miss, till we get to.the Jedge. Ef : lie 'don't' Wlievb' you Josh r'Murphj''s darted why,; ho'll see you ; be honest, and he'll help ye and.kinder 'advise ye likeQeb ispV he shouted to the mules, and as if tb givje>'\ent to:the ire that the subject ha<l aroused, applied the whip freely/ arid' as the ,road\ had improved the animals in--treased theiiv speed, and the; waggon rolled along at a good pace. .v ; The mbcrning was = so' far advanced that the sun had appeared above the highest of the peaks \vhich bounded Centerville on the east,;befpre the travellers entered tho settle-, 'mend "" ' '../■,' :' :-; ■•, '.. /;; The inhabitants ■ called it»a town, and would have been, indignant to hear it called anyttiing else: ! But^Getitefville' at this period'of its was' only a struggling, vjllage of about forty houses and as many shantiee, Jlhe only road Or street was made on r&*». hillside,; and the principal buildings were strung on this Jt-r the distance of. half a mile, \vhilsb -othev*3 ofl less importance seeroed; to have brokekt ofFiand rolled down the hill till stopped; )jy : some bbstfucting ,br;ee or rock. ' iAs the travellers emefcged from the woods ■through which they Werte driving, they saw straight - before them this broad, irregular road, lying.";white. and dwsbyin the early sunlight,- and ; ttiefbeginbi^bg; of ■ the'Villagfe was a,few, acres aheqd ofVthem. A few shanties.first, arid then an "aapbe house, and then moreshantieV^som'etinaeaiheseloiiminga kind of groups with1 sheds lariq outstanding T'4dditibns.:,, Then-"caEfe thVttiarii building— ,a, j largg' :t b,>T,p|Storied-, :y*ooden ;,i^ouse, with . two rows of windows now glibto^ing in the sunlight. Then beyond this on Either sido again" shanties, adobe houses, ..and aheds, until the road began to desicendV the hill, and the view was lost*. \

The village was yofc asleep; not a curl of smoke issued from the chimneys ; not a living thing win to be seen. As the vncrgoa lumbered on, an OQ-fiP| casionaldog w&a awakened from his elum.v .^ bers, and howled_ a kind of protest to the intrusion. .Nothmjgelse was heard to indicate that the village was inhabited. Not a: v-!^ word was exchanged by the occupants of - the waggon until, as if by previous arrangement, the mules were drawn up ob the door of the big clapboard house. ' ' This is Jedge. Ali s ' B ,> the driver repliod, in a low voice, as if afraid to awaken the inhabitants. ' Are we going here first ? Can't wo go somewhere just for a little while?' tho ?n Unl Pf 1 afd\iu ft frißl»tenod tone. Don t let us stop hero mow !' Her lips quivered and a lock of fear came to the blue eyes. She spo ke in tniablinewhispers, and us she spoke she seized the arm of the driver. , ' Why ?' said he, looking perplexod. 'I. guess we'd better step l lcro fc rst< 1 dunn(J j whar else to take you ; and I thought ye', wanted ter get hero as quick as ye c^tf» Yes, she had wanted to pet hera Every moment had seemed an a^e to her. But - now they were here, and dreadful certainty ' would take tho place tif hope, could shi bear the news, tho dreadful news, bliq felb sure awaited her ?V " "■ ""- '•":'-"^^-s. •■•;/);■ lOh !' sho said or whispered to the man, ' I can't bear to htar ■ thU— • that my father's — not here! I know,' she sobbed, 'he isn't, \ f^ thabi but all along I have had a kind of hope that it. would bo all light. Id6fr>|f§|i care (for this money ; I don't care tor any; \i\ thing if he's gone ; and 1 can't buar to hett&jjjfgsiS it for certain. I've got nobody—nobods3|j| in the whole world— left !'■ She sat down again on the buffalo skin . and buried her face in tho big capo ol her Buii-bonnet arid sobbed. ; The men exchanged glances. What w*s to be done ? There were tears in their eyea,:' and the driver's voice trembled iw he replied, speaking for both: • Now, don't ye take on, miss ; don't ye ; say you aint got no friends. 1£ everything aint square here, you needn't to bo afraid, we'll take yejback to the Gulch; and ye v needn't to think ye ain'fc got no frWl&fcU-'aiH Here's Eill's mother's alivin'at the Gulch, . ■ and I board thar, and you kin jest go back 'long of us when this 'ere matter's squared, . * an' we'll take care on ye. Won t ,we, 'You bet,' said Bill, looking 'straight ■.' ■, |t, r "L," ■■•■■!■.■ *" ° * i >i* ' Thar now. You set right still thar, und ,' . M I'll get these 'ore folks up. ffc'a 'bout'time , | some on 'em was stirrin'. H;iy, thar !' ho called, and as he did go he struck the loo^W ■ jvifch his whip handle. ; < ' ' , ijy? Tho girl started and shivered, and the/<".! 'Jj other man gut down and went to the mules 1 ■ 'Hay!' again called the driver, and' when the echo of his voice had ceased to i vibrate a rattling ami unbolting of tho ' door was heard, and in n few second? Ib opened, and a Chinaman appearedI *— dressed, and spick and fipaii, as if ho had: been hours over his toilet 'Is the Jcdgo/to home?' 'ftsked fchei;-;J driver.... ; : ~,„. - ::l _ .';■,; •Me dunno,' said the Celestial, looking • • placidly at the waggon. ' Course ye don't,' said tho ,^m^Hn '/P'raps' yell go and W,; an' hay !' he shouted, as the Chinamat| turned ahdi.-wMjjp&j shutting the door behind him. .'flay! ". d'ye hear? Jest *ye|3eavu that 'ore'door open, and tell the JtdgcthatMitsMurphy'a .';, here. D'ye hear?' The Chinaman looked at the young girl, ' as if to, sa+Uf-y b&uuuiAi ■ -of the-'^^^^w| Leaving the door open, and then, HB^K|;|jwi;assured by her presence that all was rkb^!j|||| he disappeared, • , '—old crock,'. mattered the: driver; ' f couldn't see thar was a lady. Guess h^llf|6;| catch it for gcttin' up so late.' ■' . \ ' Both men were now on the road, fussing about the muies, and by every means evad: .. ing the tearful gill in iho waggon ; ft ;ij; seemed an age to them before iho Chinaman roappeared ; and this tiuie opened Wid^^iie,,;!, door and camo out to the waggon. (To be. Continued.)