THE TREASURE-TROVE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIII, Issue 29, 15 November 1895, Page 4

THE TREASURE-TROVE.

(Edinburgh Catholic Herald.)

(Concluded.)

And so the weeks rolled by until 8t Anthony's Day ; and our prayers seemed as little likely to obtain fulfilment as they bad done nearly three monthß before. It was the thirteenth of June, as I have said : Phil was out with Callaghan on business connected with the estate ; Denis and Egbert had gone done to the tront stream whither I bad promised presently to follow them, and I was alone in the library.

With hands clasped behind my head I reclined in grandpa's easy chair and lovingly noted every detail in the pleasant room. The great open window facing westward showed green elopes and waving woods beyoud ; the qumnt carving?, the rows upon rowß of books» how familiar they were, and how dear to me who bad known them frcm earliest childhood. Sood, very soon, I said to myself, strangers would stand at rose- mbowered lattice ; strange hands would touch those ancient volumes over which Denis and I had been wont to pore in raptures of silent sympathy ; Btrange forms would occupy th Q curious old chairs ; strange feet would tread the wide, shallow stair. case. ; strange voices waken the slumbering echoes in high roofed hall t.nd silent corridor.

Yes, it was too true ; in a few days the home we loved so passionately would know us no more ; and with tear-dimmed eyes and bursting hearts we Bhould have bidden an eternal farewell to wood and stream and distant hill.

Only those I think, who have been through a life experience can fully underetind bow acutely painful this sense of up-rooting — this fi al severance of tender associations can be Truly such a parting is bitterness of death.

All at once a sudden remembrance flashed across my idle musing I bethought me of a book I had promised to find for my favourit c brother. Denis, despite, or perhaps because of his excessive cleverness was aa keen about play as he was about work. When he studied, he studied hard, but lessons he cordially detested. And, therefore, it was my pleasure as well aa my privilege to look up any subject he specially required, and make notes for my own amusement and his futura use. As I lay back in the deep cushioned chair, a volume upon one of the upper shelves on the wah opposite caught my eye and recalled the promise I had made that same morning.

Hastily crossing the room I ascended the library steps on studious thoughts intaot. The book not happening to be the one I wanted, I was preparing to put it back, when a piece of parchment attracted my attention. I stretched out my hand to draw it from its dusty hidiag place, but to my unbounded astonishment a portion ot the ledge on which my fingers rested began to slide slowly forward ! All unknowingly I must have touched some secret spring, and this was the result. Hardly daring to breathe 1 leant eagerly over and peered into the depths below.

A somewhat disappointing spectacle met my anxious gaze.

The hiding-place was apparently rilled with nothing more interesting than musty old papers — documents yellow with age and packets of what at first eight looked lika letters. " All utterly value. less 1 " I decided, with the contemptuous and rapid decisiveness of youth and inexperience. Nevertheless I felt impel ed to tase one of the little bund es into my hands just to prova the truth of my verdict. I had scarcely done so, however, when a low cry escaped me. Excited, trembling and almost afraid to believe the evidence of my own Bensep, I unfastened the tape which held them loosely together and found— not letters, as I bad foolishly imagined, but notes I £10 notes I How many I waited not to coont ; this parcel was only oae amongst numerous others, and the possibilities opening out before me were surely enough to have confused a steadier head than mine. To re' urn the packet to its former reßting-p'ace, to push back th

panel and reitora the volume lying on top of the ladder to its accustomed position was the work of a few seconds. I would move nothing—examine nothing till Philip had been told and the darling boys. How could I enjoy this unheard of discovery unless they were present to share my wonder and delight,

With Bteps that might have rivalled Atalanta's for swiftness I darted into the hall, snatched up a Btraw hat— whether my own or one of the boys I did not wait to see and took my way across the lawn. Egbert and Denis would be expecting me at the trout-stream, but bow little guessed the news I was hastening to bring.

"What an age you've been ! they both cried in aggrieved toneß as I emerged from the wood.

" Do hurry up ; the afternoon is almost gone."

"Your displeasure is highly complimentary," I replied, sitting down on a prostrate beech trunk ; "but I could not come sooner, I've been bnsy."

" Bußy, indeed," quoth Egbert scornfully ; " I wonder where tbe business came in ; you went to sleep more likely, while we've bad tea ready and the kettle boiling for hours."

"lam very sorry," I answered meekly, " especially at I have only come to ask you both to go back with me at once. Ob, boys boys, such an extraordinary tbirjg has happened 1 "

I proceeded to give a hurried description of my adventure in the library, and when I had finished Egbert threw his cap into the air.

" Hurrah," he cried in the wildest excitement, " hurrah, St Anthony has not forgotten us after all."

" St Anthony," I echoed remorsefully, and then stopped abruptly. How could 1, in the face of what bad just occurred, confess that Bince the morning I had never once remembered my holy patron 1

The sharp pangs of well-merited self-reproach wruDg my heart and dimmed the brightness of my joy. I felt humiliated, convicted of supreme ingratitude, and entirely unworthy of the happiness which teemed within my grasp. Surely it was nothing short of contemptible to rejoice as I had done in my own unaided discovery, when perhaps all the tim 6my hand had been guided in the search. I scarcely heard what the boys said to me aa I eagerly pursued the

train of thought Egberts words suggested, and I registered an inward tow that, from that day forward, heartfelt love and humble confidence should prove the sincerity of my devotion to my saint.

Philip joined us on our way back to t^e house, and ere half an bonr had passed the hiding-place had been thoroughly searched. The notes that seemed so valuable in my eves were not by any means the moßt important part of the treasure-trove. Tnere were bonds also, and securities — dingy-looking papers which represented no inconsiderable amount of wealth, as Phil presently proceeded to explain, while I listened like one in a dream.

It was of this secret impromptu bank tlat grandpa had doubtless wished to speak. And in truth it seemed hardly pcH-sible even now to believe in such good fortune. But nevertheless the happy fact remained. Oar dear old home was saved. No need now to leave the roof we loved so well, and wander forth into a world whose kindness we certainly had no desire to put to the test — no need to separate ; no need to picture a contemptuous stranger reigning in Phil's stead-

" 8t Anthony's hiding-place, as Egbert culled it, contained, if not untold gold, at least amply sufficient to ensure absolute freedom from all pecuniary cares.

For »he future we have no anxiety either for ourselves or for the estate. We possessed not only the ■• moderate competency "of wnich a well-known spiritual writer speaks, but something over and above wherewith we hoped to brighten tbe lives and lessen tbe poverty of those around us. And I think four happier or more grateful hearts never beat that ours on that memorable June day when, as Egbert itoutly affirms, St Anthony found ns our treasure-trove I