ZEKEL FLINT.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 13, Issue 1054, 4 June 1869, Page 3

ZEKEL FLINT.

- ■ "• IN SIX CKAPTEBS.— CHAPTER IV» (From " Chasrbers's JbuVna I ,'* /or February, 1869.) " ; • "Dig ? l Let 'em dig-, and dig, and dig till they're' {Ired,. dtid %in$ f and hungry, and ragged, and their tools air worn out," said .Zekel.; *'ari(f tfren be glad to .come down to old Skinflint'?, store, and buy his~goods, for nuggecs, and cents, and dol- . •lars/ and dust. What do yew want to go up for? • Stop where yew air, my lad, even if yer wound is well, and : six months old, as I told -yew 'it would be.' Ter bread's ' buttered this side, my lad, not t'other side; - ;?o stay where yew air. I'm not going to make a lot of flam about it ; but just shew , me that yew're a business fellow, and yew shall have Ruthy, and go halves in the store. There now I What more c^ri'ye.w want?" . •'.'. Nothing, " I said. ' . ." B.u| how am Ito 1 shew you that lam a business man ?" "Don't know; wait a bit, £ said Zekel; and Ii busied myself in the store, where we used to do a famous trade, especially since I could go down to" the port and buy firsthanded of the captains. whileZekel minded the store. Previously,' he had never cared , s to .leave, on account' of.'nis child, and often, , in.conse.quence,'bought'ata Iqss. But how was I to prove myself a business manl I asked Rutn; butahe could not i, tell me, though masters went; on so plea- ._ santJytliat I felt ho envy on seeing some of > my old companions come into, the store one evening; and seem half idisppsed to laugh at [ me for turning assistant to a 'storekeeper. They had had tolerable luck ; but I knew that their" luck was 1 not' so good as mine, forwhat.man is there that will .say gold is , comparable to a loving, 'true-hearfced girl ; r though, for that matter, : th'eri9 can be no !* objection to gold as well; i \:[. j The store prospered"; ftiifeat last a cloud , came— a cloud of suspicion— for Zekel kept . missing money in a most mysterious way. His custom was to place all . the cash he .. .took in a leather bag, which he always carried about his person ; gold dust and nuggets, on the contrary, were; after weighing, packeted and marked before placing them in the strong box, over whose safety Zekel watched naesfc carefully. .'For undoubtedly he was a prosperous man | and t knew of more, than one valuable consignment of gold sent to- New York for safety; while during the prosperous state of the diggings, Zekel's trade increased rapidly. ■ Ruth mentioned the fact to me first, that .. .her father fel fc sure, that %$ y?aa being robbed^ for money jkept disappearing in a ' - most Unaccountable riiaijheFr ■,'[] , " " Does he lose it fronvhis'boix?" I said, ' ; . , '/No," replied Ruth ; "jflfctfjj^he leather : bag;"_ ::;.-":-. -.;. ■■-. -• "Buthe .never parts. Wittt "it for a moment. , You told me yourself tjiat it was buckled round him when he slept." „ . "Yes ; he never parts 1 from . it night or day," said Ruth; «« but. fof'iall that, the money goes.".. . • - ■ : „' ; '„_". Well," I said, : "It must beieither fancy, ' or else there ia a holfr in : the bottom of the bag.{* ..;. -.':.■. ' ■'■■ '-' '■-'' ■; ■■'-; The conversation 4iopp6d, ; and in the bustle of business I soon Forgot all about it, until the marked coldness with which the old man treated me brought it all before my mind once ; more. " Why, surely the old fellow cannot think that I haveT; robbed him," I said tcrnyself ; arid ne grew so curt and. suspicious at last, that I determined to speak to him upon the subjfecfc^ being full of anxious . thought for the' fifture, especially since of late the old fellow had ; trusted me almost like a- son. . ; I could hot afford to offend him ; so, for. Ruth's sake, I deter- . mined to bear, with all ho said patfently and calmly* . ' ' "But surely, Mr; Flint," I exclaimed somewhat warmly, after rOn. b.ouVs conver- ■ sation, " you cannot think that' I would be se -base, after all your kindness. Do you think my love for your child only "a pretence?"' .. ' . - ::•.■■•' . " What am Ito think, my In :lf tell me .that % . Yew say, how can I suspect yew? Who am Ito suspect?— iny own child? The money goes ; and it lies between one of us three here in the store. Iknow that \% is not me ; while as to Ruthy, I'd soo-^er - charge mysolf." ' ' ";" /\ c , "So would I, a dozen timWoVtisr'' I aaid-bjuntlyy •.' ' >;: '"' i7 ''['.',' l \\.. l :.* The. old, man chuckled foira ,f^ mo ,. ments, but that cold angry 100k..ca n jie over his face again as he said: : '"T_^'always said as no man living could do. iire, e ; \fifa u y fa e tarnation creation, some qnQ has dftne it this time, ; and slick- too," ' . ' ," " ■ . . " Reg-uiar . busine/rfs.like , way," I, said bitterly. . . ■ ' .- -. • M ■ 'f 'Nation I" said Ze:kel. : "". '/ ' '" ]T"But,' ? saidl imp,atientiy, N '* how: much have you lost ? W/hen did . you lose it ? And when was the , last taken?" " ; "Dunno, dunno, dunno I ,'.' said the old man ; " but thr d money goes more or less every day." "Gold or silver?". " Both, for anything I know :'. but mostly gold.' " Tlien . you must give it away by mis- ! take in change," I said ; " it's top bad to sdspect one whom you ought io trust in everyway." . '*' ,'~ K . ,-".Ohange-^give' away 1" exclaimed the old man angrily. "Doyew thifik Fm a .fool, young man? ISovt, just look. here. We'd best part. It will be. better for I; bpth of us ; and been better still, p'raps, if.wed. never come together;" 'J ' ' •*'" v :' ' '.'". *■ '.' t begged, I prayed, I tumbled my^ in , everyway; but the old man -was in^brable. He evidently suspected tha.t I. was the thief; and the only consolation I had wag the- loving trust of poor Ruth, who was nearly heart-broken when I* left. A few days after, I was with We rest .^ip a creek, handling spade and pannikin, pick and cradle, working up; to my ''Kp^es in water to pick the-bright specks of golCfrpm gravel or washing stuff; Then a monjih passed during which timd^l; had, no communication with those at the store, when one day, just in the height of busin^sp, I felt a hand laid heavily upon my shbuider, and looking sharply up, there stood Old

Zekel, looking "very grim and sallow; but he held out his great broad palm, and upon ihy taking it, made my eyes as wet as my feefc with the gripe he gave me. "I beg yer pardon, Harry," he then said gruffly 1 ; * ' it warn't yew as took the money I " " v Whafcl" I said eagerly, " have you found out the thief ?" ; " Ouss him for a skunk ! No, X ain't," he roared angrily ; " T only wish I hed." "Then how do you know that it ain't me?" I says* " Why, how the tarnation could yew be up here at the digging/ and take the money down there, too, eh I" ' "it still goes then ?" I said. ''. "Goes," he growled: "yes, it goes; and . I've tried every dodge I know to find out how. I've never let the bag go out of my gripe ; I've counted my money of a morning; I've put down every penny I took upon a slate; and then counted up at night, and it's been short." "Made any mistakes?" I said. . "Nary one — not counted a cent out. J There's something wrong somehow." "Any holes in the bottom of the bag ?" I said. "Look yourself;" and then, from beneath his blouse he drew the leather tourist cash-bag strapped over his shoulder, and sraspfciously holding on still by the steel clasp, he let me examine the bottom, which was intact.,; , . " Have you looked in the lining ? " I said. "No," he replied bluntly. , "Then, why don't you? Perhaps a -whole lot of pieces have slipped in between it and the leather." " 'Taint got no limn'," he said. "The bag's right enough, This is the third new un.l'ye hed since yew went away, my lad, and neither Ruthy nor me can't make nothing of it.'*w '** Bow is Buth ?" I said, conjuring up as I spoke her bright face behind the store counter, with half-a-dozen fellows eagerly geeking a smile ; and then feeling half mad with the jealous feeling that came over me. ",'......-. "She's all right," said the old man; "but she can't help me a bit." , "Send me any message ?" I said, turning » bit red, and feeling sheepish. ' " Told /me to give yew her love.~And now, my lad, you'll come back again, and ' help me, won't yew f " . ; "Comeback!" I said angrily. "No, I 1 wdn't. You turned me' out like a dog, and caUed me a thief." . "Nary once, nary once, my lad 1" he •xclaimed. - ; , ; ••':; !<* "Well, you looked upon me as a thief, at all events/ I said, as I recalled the earnest tfay in which I had protested my innocence ; and for the moment I felt that I meant it, when I declared that I wouldn't come back to please him after such treatment. " I: thjought yew wouldn't," hesaiddrily, "knowing how pesky, yew young cocks air teheri yew're putt out; but Ruthy said she'd be much obliged if. yew'd come back and fcelpher old father." I began to melt a little. ,' " " ( "Trade wants yew to brush it up a bit, my lad; and Euthy's looked 'nation dull Bince yewvve b.een gone." I thawed a little ,more, and I'm nearly sure theojld rascal winked, to himself as he said : "Yew're wanted. there, too, 'mazingly, for theresa couple o' long down-south chaps »g bother. Euthy a deal too much ; and she don't like it, yew know." Of course that last hit did it ; but I was too'politic to give way yet. "So you want me to come down and help, you," I said, "to try and find out how this money goes ?" ,'y That's iWthat's it ; for I'm down-beat sdthifc r mylad." . ""^He'd be a'sharpish chap to find it out," ' I said. •. . ' "Reg'lar razor-blade, my boy, fresh . itrappedj" '" Businesslike enough chap to make Euth a husband, eh V I said. r . •'« Yew're a nice un, yew air, now, ain't ' ! yew V' said the old man, grinning all over his face, as he gave me- a back-handed thump in the ohest that took away my breath. "There: I tell yew what, my lad," he continued, "if yew'll putt salt on the tail of the bird as does this job, I'll give yew a hundred dollars.* Now then!" '■'"' "1 don't want your dollars," I said; "I want something else. Now, is it a bar- .' gain I,lf I find this out, will you give your ' consent to you know, what?" Old Zekel, hitched and screwed about; gritihe^, groaned, shuffled in body and speech ; but that a favourable arrangement had been, arrived at, may be judged from the fact that I was back that night at the store, with Euth looking more bright and charming than ever, as she welcomed me as Warmly as I could wish. CHAPTE3 V. Before I had been back a week, I found that X had my task to do before I could riieet wijih my rewrard ; for, in spite of all bur vigHance, tie, money still went — mysteriously, unaccountably ; and I was '- fain to declare myself as yet quite at fault ; when, at ' supper one night, the old man again/asked me what I thought of it. : ; ".' "It's a'pailer, ain't it?" he said, almost looking pleased at my discomfiture; but •- ' then 1 there was Euth to cheer me on, and I, . watched, and thought/ and turned it over ' and over for another week without result, when, at supper, the old man declared his intention of pulling up stakes, and going ■ elsewhere. - - 1 ■ " I shail be ruined else," he said gloomily. " I'm sure I'm losing hundreds of dollars, and I can't stand it any longer. Why the ' very idea of me— Old Raw—being done like ; this is eating my heart away, ray lad, let 'alone the loss , of the. money. I'll make tracks." • ■ " Wait a little longer,." I said ; and that night, while I lay awake, seeming to see Ruth fading away from me, and my chances grow jess, I resplved upon a plan, and get- - ting out of bed in the compartment next to '"•'' the old man'Br-rfor, since my return, I had ;.:;: slept rtti the, ,; store— l. began to call him n ' Hgently, not. daring to go near him, in case of '■■ -a salutation from his revolver. "Mr. Flint! I say, sir," I cried, till I Yoke him ; and as soon as he knew that it was something aboutthe money, he roused up, and over a couple of nis best cigars we i; - ; ' talked over my plan. ' ; - . '"Let yew carry the bag, and be moneytaker/'he said. ''Well; is that all?" a.-\ "Yes," I said, "that's all; but I feel t-M certain of detecting the theft if you let me carry the bag." . "Youi^inan," he said solemnly, don't ■'/■-yew raake sure of anything ; there's some- , thing of. wh,at the Scotchmen call "no -'<^nnyj/ 'Jjttbbjlt ibis job ; but/ howsoever, ■- yew' shall be big-bearer if yew like." r I felfc half-sorry ; ; afterwards that Ihacl disturbed him for such a, little thing ; but £ feeling more satisfied in my mind, I dropped ' : off to sleep; and. the next morning— &st V thing— Zekel sliing the strap over my shoul- ';' f der,: saying.: *< There's twenty dollars in >■ ifr'j Boi now, 1 see how yew get on." . ' ,One.dayr~two days— -three dayti — I took 1:i the inMey j a good deal toor-enough to ~ v pikk' m -$9: heavy; the old man - ; qm6tlrnpn)|g,ey«7 transaction down upon h tyaim) ,'as'.||ook v ßilver, gold ana copper, tp his custom^ gold and Bilyjeim^ne^yH 0^ of the bag, |hejbjaaer ! rnp&)n'th^qth§r^but every night,^hen. '' tfe tt^meio Reckon up, ; there was evidently r: a Iftrge' deficiency, so that at last I was almost in despair, and offered to give up the 'charge of ' the.bag, .for I. had been as particular as was possible in the -hurry of the evening business, especially both in taking ' •■ms^««sgi^'.change^' : ' ■■"-''■'■ "'■■ : '--r'

But "ETo," said the old man; "yew may just as well go on as me; fov I Lust yew, my lad, I trust yew." The old roan seemed so down-hearted at last, that one evening I quite felt for him, as he sat with hie head resting upon his hand, while Euth was weeping silently as she tried to whisper comfort. The day's business was over, and, quietly shut in together, we had been going over the money, counting it into little piles, and entering the amount in a book the old man always kept; while I felt as despondent almost as the old man, for all my sanguine hopes had been dashed, and what to do I could not tell. I sat quite still for some time, gazing mournfully at the couple before me, and then began, almost unconsciously, to pile up and spread about upon the table some dozens halfdollars, when a light flashed across my brain, and just as poor old Zekel exclaimed sadly : " Yes, my little lass, we'll make tracks, or I shall be ruined," I started up, gave a regular Indian whoop, as I shouted ; " Not this time, dad ; I've treed him !" when, hugging Euth furiously for a minute, I proceed to perform a triumphal war-dance round the place, to the intense astonishment of the old man. " He's mad !" exclaimed Zekel angrily. "Yes," I said, "for joy. I've treed himl" "Who? who?" cried Zekel. "The thief!" I cried. "I know him well. But stop a bit : be ready to morrow, and we'll have him safe." "But, what? howl" began the old man. "Never mind," I said sturdily, as I strode about the place. " How did yew find out ?" he said again. " Wait till to-morrow I" I shouted. "But tell me how." "Wait till to-morrow 1" " He is mad," cried Zekel angrily. " Wait till to-morrow I" I cried again. "But" "Wait till to-morrow!" I cried once rriore, almost beside myself with joy ; and then, for fear of being talked out of my secret, which might get wind, I ran into my own sleeping-place, which that night turned out to be misnamed. The next morning, I laid my revolver upon a little shelf just beneath the counter, and fleeing my motions, old Zekel did the same, and then an anxious day passed during which I could plainly see that the old ! man was in anything but a good humour, and had but very little faith in my declaration. Euth looked heavy-eyed and reproachful, and she did not speak, though I do not think that the look of encouragement I gave her was without its effect. The day went on, and all through the morning I eagerly scanned each piece of money I took till my heart began to sink for want of confirmation of my suspicions ; but at last a customer or two came in, and when they were served and went away, my heart gave a great jump, for I was now sure, and could hardly contain my exultation. Night came without anything eventful taking place ; old Zekel was savage as a grizzly; for at every hint he dropped, I only said: "Wait a little." Euth, too, looked hopeless and disappointed, while, when night came, and I had nothing to shew, the old man's fury was fierce, as I tried to pacify him in vain. The next day I was hopeful still, for the same two customers came; and at night, when my heart was sinking, and I could not look Zekel in the face, up it came right to my throat with a bob, and then set to beating furiously, for the man I had spotted down in my own mind slowly sauntered into the store, called for an " eye-opener," swallowed it ; asked for a cigar — one of the | best — which was handed to him in a box, carefully chosen, rolled upon his tongue, and then placed ready for smoking ; while the customer rattled a five-dollar gold piece down upon the counter. "Change here, Harry," said Zekel, after assuring himself of the genuineness of the coin ; and then, with trembling hands, I counted out the amount upon the rough counter. . " Give me a light, young man," said the customer, leisurely picking up, coin by coin, the money I had laid upon the counter, and rejecting, as I had known him do before, two or three pieces which were worn and thin, for a reason which I could now perfectly understand. I changed the pieces, and then, as he was picking them up, I gave Zekel a fierce kick in the leg, to call his attention, as exclaiming loudly; "Did you ask for a light, 1 sir i" I leaned over the counter, clutched him tightly by the collar with one hand, while with the other I presented the barrel of my revolver containing a lighted match. What followed seemed to occupy only a few seconds, when my pistol was dashed up, sending a bullet through the shingle roof, as the man bounded to the door ; but the next instant, there was another sharp ringing report; the man leaped from the ground, and fell just outside, shot through the leg ; while, with more activity than I could have given him credit for, Old Zekei followed his shot, and presented his revolver at the groaning man's head. CHAPTEB VI. Grin, laugh, and pucker up his face — a walnut was nothing to it — when I told Old Zekel of the trick. "Have her, my boy?— Yes, of course yew shall : when yew like, when yew like." "So, I won't," I said. " Yew won't V he said blankly. "No; not when I like, but when she likes," I said. And the reply I had told me that I should not have very long to wait, as the sequel proved. " But tell me again, lad," cried the old man; "I could hear it for a hundred times ; and there, I should never have found it out, I naw." "Well," I said, telling him once more, "it struck me all at once that night as I was turning over those half-dollars, and saw that they had a strange, bright, unnatural look for old money. Gold has, you know, a strange affinity for mercury, so much so, that, at the diggings, they mix quicksilver with the broken quartz, when it takes up all the gold, and they come away mixed together. Now, if you take some quicksilver, and put it in a bag with some sovereigns, in a short time it will all have disappeared; and your sovereigns, or five-dollar pieces, will all be plated over with it, and look like so many shillings, or twenty cents. So their dodge has been to rub silver money with quicksilver, knowing you kept gold and silver together, come and spend it with you in the morning ; while our friend there with the shot-hole in his leg, would come and get change of a night, getting with it, most likely, one, two, or three five-dollar gold pieces given him for twenty cents, which they would just look like in the evening, after lying in that bag side by side with the quicksilvered pieces. And now, I don't think you'll mix them again, will you ?7-0h 1 Your hand isn't light, though, upon one's back." "But he got his change this time, eh? my lad, eh?" and once more the walnut face was puckered up. "He won't want any more, will he ? Nary cent. But there, lad, I could listen to it a hundred timed :\. quicksilvered pieces— gold— affinity—turned white ; and did me 1 Old Raw^ftnib* thoroughly. But there, lad, tell me agssi. Yew're a lad of mettle J" ''Well, thank you," I said ;" but "suppose we change the subject now to some-.' thing for which I have a great affinity." And we proceeded at once to talk about dear Ruth*