Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 31, Number 352, 27 January 1907 — Page 6

Paqe Six.

The Richmond Palladium. Sunday, January 27, 1907.

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; O 0 ft ...By. Ob JOSEPH C. 0 LINCOLN, Oi,f Author of "Ci'n Em"

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(Continued From Last Sunday.) . "Cargo is; schooner ain't," replied the underwriters' agent. Captain Ezra signaled to Bradley, and they went out on the porch, iv "Brad," whispered the captain, "they C can't call her anything but a total loss. k The underwriters Ml pay the insurance K on that lumber and then dicker with somebody to save what they can of it You and me want to be that somebody. ', Hello, here's Peh-g!" ; The versatile Mr. Myrick had tramp- ' eil over from his hermitage and now, ', -with Bkcezicks shivering at his heels, was deep in conversation with Harney j . Small. "Pcleg says we're goin to have clear ,, weather for quite a spell." remarked Barney. "Let's see; when did you say ".. yon had the next storm scheduled, Pelog?" "Wall." drawled the weather prophet, looking becomingly Important. "J "nigh's I can figger, Cap'n Ez. she'll fair off by afternoon and stay clear niore'n a fortni't. We ain't due to have another reel genu wine blow for more'n a month. I knew last night's gale was coniin. I told Cap'n Knowles so. Says I, 'I don't care what the gov'ment ' folks say. It's rroin' to blow,' says I, Mike time, and them that's afloat wants i to stand ty. I Hays. Now" "That's right, Peleg." broke in the captain. "I'll back you against the : weather bureau eight days in the week and twice, on Sunday. How's clams these days?" "Clams," replied Mr. Myrick, "is Bcurcer'ii all git out. I don't know why, unless 'twas the tumble hard winter. I was afraid of it last fall. Course I knew the hard winter was comin' and I told folks so. Ob, that reminds m?! What's this I hear 'bout Sam Hammond's spendin more'n $4 for cigars last time he was home? Do you cal'late that's so?" They left Barney to relieve Mr. Myriek's anxiety concerning the cigars and walked down to the beach. On the way Captain Titcomb said: "Brad, we've got to git this lumber Job. It's the kind of job we can do with the Lizzie, and, figgerin' on a commission basis, it'll give us pretty nigh money and start enough to warrant our bavin' a new schooner built, one with power and strong enough to handle the real big things. Wait here by the dory till Obed comes out. I'm layiu for him." Mr. Nickerson, accompanied by one of the village boys, was on his way to the catboat, but the captain interfered. "What In the nation are you goin borne la that clam shell for, Obed?" he asked. "Come on aboard the Lizzie with us. Brad and Barney and I w'll j land you at the wharf afore that cat of yours is out of shoal water. Let Dan there take your boat home, and you come with us. I've got a cigar I want you to take out some fire insurance on." So, after some persuasion, the underwriters' agent consented to make his homeward trip In the schooner. The cigars were lighted. Barney Small took the wheel, and the captain, Bradley and Mr. Nickerson made themselves ' comfortable in the little cabin. Then; the conversation was judiciously pi-' loted toward wrecks, and the wreck of the Huth Glnn in particular. Obed admitted that the full insurance would undoubtedly be paid on the cargo, although, of course, the official "three man survey" must come first. Bradley asked what would be done after that. "Oh." answered the agent, "then I guess I'll send word to the Boston Salvage company and make a deal with them to git out what they can of the lumber." "Yes," observed Captain Titcomb, "and they'll charge you 73 per cent of the value. What's the matter with Brad and me doin it?" "You? What with this tub?" "Yup. this tub. If you've got a loose tooth n string and a door'll snake it out as quick as the dentist will, and you don't have to pay for silver plated; pinchers and a gilt name plate. Come, I now, tell you what I'll do. Brad and me'll git that lumber out for CO per' cent on what we save." "How you goin' to do it? You! haven't srnt n tnwlinnt tinr ovnn imttaI In your own schooner." "-" urT-u rui. iuu iuuiuu i siari that wrack with a towboat without yankin the bottom out of her. The only way to fetch her off the shoals is with anchors and cables, and you know j It. We can do that as well as any; Boston comp'ny that ever was. Give us a chance. Obed. You ought to en-! eourasre lining talent Rill smtuio! said to the schoolteacher that found ' Triih v t. vi.. v vt,u uiuj v xnr iuiu uoy to spell cat with a K. What do you ay?" Obed had a good deal to say, and no decision was reached that forenoon. Next day the survey was made, and that evening the captain spent at the borne of Mr. Nickerson. It was after 11 o'clock when he returned to his room at the Traveler's Best, where Bradley was waiting. "Well?" said Bradley anxiously. "Well!" exclaimed bis partner, toss-! ing bis cap on a chair and wiping the, perspiration from his hot forehead "well. Brad, I've tised up jaw power enough to pretty nigh work that wreck off, hr.t the job's ours at 50 per cent of the value of the lumber we save.; There's nigh on to SC..OOO worth aboard. ; and If Peleg's fnrecastin' works have not gtt indigestion we oucrht to clean np close to every stick of It. Brad, shaker And they shook hands. The opportunity they had been waiting for was theirs at last. The partners talked for another hour before they separated. Three extra bands at least, so the captain figured, would be needed on the Lizzie. So the next forenoon Bradley took the train to Harniss. where he found Alvin. oldest of the Bearse "bovs." a

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by A. 5. Barnes Co. gray headed. leather faced youngster of fifty-five, and engaged him for the sum of $3 a day and his keep. He was to report on board at half past 7 the following morning. Then, having accomplished his share of the hiring, the junior partner returned to Oham to Inspect the Lizzie with nervous care and to listen to the remarks of a dozen or more disinterested acquaintances who, having heard of the contract, had come down to the wharf to prophesy and offer advice. Bradley called on Gus that evening.

He had been so busy with Captain j before. They bad stopped at the Point Titcomb, planning and working for the; to pick up Peleg Myrick and Bill Taynew contract, that he had seen her but , ior the new bands, whose services the once and then only for a momet since j captain had secured without much the night of the ball. But now, full of trouble. hope and the triumph of having so- Barney ran the little wrecking cured the chance be had longed for, he schooner under the tilted stern of the looked forward to telling her the good j uutn Ginn, and Bradley sprang from

news ana receiving ner congratulations. The windows of the Baker "best parlor" were liprbted up a most unusual occurrence and he vaguely wondered if they had 1 might be. company' and who It Gus herself opened the door In re sponse to Lis knock. "Why. hello!" she said. "I wondered if you had forgotten me entirely, Mr. Contractor, - now that you really are a business man and the talk of the town." "Then you knew?" he exclaimed in surprise. "Why, of course I knew! I haven't heard anything else all day. And, to make it certain. Melissa called on grandmother this afternoon, just after she had been at your house." Bradley smiled ruefully. "You must have heard an encouraging yarn from her." he said. "Have you got company?" "Oh, only a friend of ours that you know. Come right into the parlor." He walked across the threshold of that sacred apartment to find Sam Hammond seated in the haircloth rocker and looking very much at home. Neither of the young men appeared particularly happy at meeting the other, but, truth to tell, Hammond was the more self possessed. "Hello. Brad!" he said easily. "I've heard nothing but you and Cap'n Ez since breakfast. I'm glad for you; it's a nice little job, if you can carry It out." The contract had seemed anything but a little one to Bradley, and this i nonchalant way of referring to it took him down a bit. Hammond continued in the same condescending way. "I don't believe I should know how to handle a job like that." he observed, "without pawer or towboats or things of that sort. It would be like working with your hands tied. Our people have everything to do with, and they'd have that lumber off in no time. Did I ever tell you how we raised the Margrave for the Barclay line folks, Gus? That was a Job there was some fun In! She was a big Iron steamer that ran Sam did most tf the talking. on the ledge at the mouth of Boston harbor and went down. We got the contract right in the face of the salvage company in their own town." Sam did most of the talking. Gus listened, and Bradley brooded. Perhaps, he thought, he had made a mistake in leaving the big city; perhaps, after all, he was destined to become nothing but the "longshoreman" Gus had intimated might be his fate. Captain Titcomb didn't think so, but he might be mistaken. He grew more downcast every minute. "I tell you. honest. Brad," said Sam, Wittl apparent earnestness, "I how you and the cap'n are don't see you and the cap n are going to make much out of this business or get to be anything more than just anchor draggers. Speaking as a man with some experience in wrecking, your chances against the big chaps, like our crowd, look small to me. Y'ou may win out, but" He shook his head doubtfully. Gus. at Hammond's request, seated herself before the squeaky old parlor organ and played while she and Sam sang. Bradley, who didn't sing, sat on the sofa and watched them gloomily. All day he had been in that excited nervous state where criticism or encouragement affected his spirits as the weather does a barometer. The doleful prophecies at the wharf although at another time he would have laxighed at them had depressed him in spite of himself. The whole hearted joy and confidence of the old maids had cheered him up again, bnt now he was realizing that, after all. it was Gus encouragement and congratulation that he wanted, and she had not congratulated him. At length be rose to go. giving as an excuse the fact of his being tired and having to be up early next morning. Gus apologized to Sam and accompanied him to the door. She came out on tu sten: it was a oeauurui nicuu

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clear -and calm, wltft every star shining. ' Bradley put on his hat. "Well, good night." he said shortly. Tin f:rfi l.iiil her hand on bis coat

sleeve. j "Couldn't you see? Sam envies you. j and that is why lia talks s big about.: New York. And he knows you're go-! ing to succeed too. Oh, Brad, your opportunity is here! You ought to be as proud and confident of yourself as I j am proud and confident of you." j "Gus." he whispered, looking straight Into her eyes, "do you believe in me as much as that?" i She did not shun his look. "Yes," she answered simply, "I do." j Goodness knows what might have j happened then. Perhaps Gus was afraid to wait and see. At all events, she snatched her hands from his. whis- ! pered "good night." and ran Into the house. CHAPTER XL T was the morning of the second day following the securing of the wrecking contract. The Lizzie, with Bradley, the captain and Alvin Bearse ilonrd. had left the Orham wharf an hour or mors the shrouds to the rail of the stranded craft. Then, one by one, all but Barney, who stayed behind to look after the Lizzie, they clainbered aboard the wreck. Most of the hard pine boards that formed the deck load were in place, having been lashed well and being out of the reach of the heaviest seas, which had spent their force on the stern and after portion of the vessel. . The patent windlass was in good condition, and so also, to their delight, was the donkey engine. Peleg, working manfully at the pump, reported that she had some water in her, but that it didn't "seem to be gainin' none." Bradley got steam up in the donkey engine, and the big anchor of the Ruth Ginn, attached to a heavy cable, was lowered carefully until its shank rested across the stern of the dory. To this main cable, near its middle, were spliced two others just as heavy; to each of these another auchor was made fast. The dories were rowed out almost at a right angle from the wreck into the deep water. Then the anchors were thrown overboard and a three fingered Iron hand, with its spread talons deep in the sand, held the lumber schooner fast. "Now, Brad," commanded the captain, "haul that line taut." , Bradley started his engine, the windlass turned, and the cable, that had hung loose from the bow of the wreck, lifted from the water and tightened till it groaned. "All she'll stand, is it?" asked the skipper. ."Good! Make her fast. They say tide'll wait for no man, so I guess we'll have to do the next best thing and wait for the tide. Now boys," as the men climbed aboard from the dories, "git to work and strip her." Bradley and the captain knew that they could not hope to get out all the lumber in the hold of the Ruth Ginn if she was allowed to lie in her present exposed position One more gale and she would be almost certain to break up. Their hope was to lighten her by getting rid of her deck load and to work her off the shoal into deep water j and then tow her up to Orham harbor, j where she could be unloaded at their j leisure. I She lay almost broadside to the shoal, but not quite. Her bow was well up i on the siiml. bnt hpr stern overhnnsr the edge of the Boneyard. which on , that side was, as Captain Titcomb said, j ; "steep as the back of a barn." The j cable, tight as the steam windlass j could draw it, led off from her bow to j the spot where the anchors were plant- j ed under many fathoms of water, j Where the tide turned its pressure against the schooner would bring her to bear on the cable with a tremendous, pull. The waves, growing larger as the water deepened, should, if their plan was a good one, loosen her keel In the sand, and every Inch she gave the cable would retain. The more she loosened, the easier she would move. The slack thus made in the cable would be taken up by the windlass. She might gain but a foot a day for j awhile, but some day or other. If the ! weather held fair, she would have worked herself through the sand and clear of the shoal. t ' They stripped her, cutting away her : tangled ropes and sails and taking them aboard the Lizzie. Everything movable, except of course the lumber, they transferred thus or threw overboard. It was a hard Job and took them all day. Bradley was a tired man when he reached home that night, ' but he had to answer countless questions put to him by the interested old maids. He saw Gus for a moment or two and reported progress. .Then he went to bed. , Next morning was clear and calm, and they were delighted to find that the wreckeu schooner had gained a little and that the cable was slacker than they left it. They tightened it again with the windlass and then set to work throwing overboard the lumber on the deck. They rigged a tackle , on the stump of the foremast and with I the donkey engine swung great bun'Ie of th nhinks m-prhan T-f T whilA Alvin and Barney, standing on the floating timber, with the water swash ing around the knees of their fishermen's boots, made it into rafts to be towed up to Orham. That night they hired Ira Sparrow's fishing boat, the You and I, to tow the lumber rafts. She was a stout little craft with a naphtha engine, and, althought not nearly so efficient as a tug. did the work after a fashion and was far and away cheaper. By hiring her they added Ira to their force. For eight days they labored steadily; except oa Sunday, when they merely sailed down to take up the slack on the cable. The lumber on the deck had been rafted to Orham, and they had begun to get out that in the hold. The Ruth Ginn was moving slowly through the sand, and every day showed more and more gain. The partners were in high spirits. When the Lizzie, with the workers

aboard, reachert iturn itimi m ncn morning. Ira sparrow, in the You and I, was there already, and the "chug, chug," of his naphtha engine was heard as he csme rushing to meet them. "Brad! Cp'n Ez!" he hailed, as sooa as they were in shouting distance. "She's shifted like time in the night! I swan. I b'lieve we can git her off this tide!" This was such unexpected good news, for they had figured on another week at least, that the partners could scarcely believe t. "Are yon sure?" shouted Bradley, leaning over the Lizzie's bow. "Pretty nigh sure. Look for your

self." They shot up to the wreck, to find the cable, that had been left tight and rigid, hanging loose. Au inexperienced eye could see that the lumber schooner had changed her position. Her bow was now almost In a line with the edge of the shoal and, even in the slack water of the last of the ebb, she was rocking appreciably in the cradle her hull had made in the sand beneath It. "Great scissors to grind!" shouted Captain Titcomb. "She'll do it as sure as I'm a foot high! Tumble aboard there, boys lively!" They clambered up the side and fell to work like sharks around a dead whale. Bradley got up steam in the donkey engine. As soon as possible they started the windlass and hauled the cable taut. "She feels it. boy: she feels It!" cried the captain. "Give It to her, every pound she'll stand. Now, then," be added, "while we're waitin for the tide to turn we might 's well roust out a little more of the cargo. No use to lay back and let Providence do It all. The Lord helps them that helps themselves, as the darky said when he found the hen house door unlocked. Hatches off, men. Dive into it there!" They rigged the blocks and tacklo and began swinging bundles of mahogany strips from the hold over the side. The tide turned, and the water on the sboal grew deeper. The Ruth Ginn rocked in her sand cradle. Every little while they hove taut on the cable in order to take up every Inch of slack. It was exhilarating, exciting work, this fight with old ocean, and Bradley and the captain gloried In the sheer Joy of it. They were winning and winning not only a goodly sum of money, but the first big prize that would demonstrate their ability to carry through larger and more Important contracts. The forenoon passed. "Cap'n Ez!" suddenly bellowed Ira from the Yon and I. "She's movln'! Come up on your cable." The captain jumped to the windlass and Bradley to his engine. The cable tightened and slowly. Inch by inch, wound back over the windlass barrel. From beneath the Ruth Ginn came a sliding, grating sound, the most welcome sound in the world to the wreckers. Bearse, picking up a heavy coil of rope from the deck, tossed It to Ira. "That's the stuff, Alvin!" roared the captain approvingly. "Make it fast In the bows. Now, Ira, put your power on to that line." The You and I leaped out Into deep water and, with her naphtha engine coughing furiously, pnlled doggedly at the new tow line. The grating undr the keel of the lumber schooner grew louder; she quivered from stem to stern: the cable crept inboard faster and faster. Then there came a shake, a roll that caused Pe!eg Mvriek to lose his footing and tumble Into the scuppers, and, with a triumphant wallow, the Ruth Ginn slid off the shoal. And from her deck and from that of the You and I J went up a yell that scared the gulls fishing away over on the Razorback. They drew her Into the channel, well out of danger, and ancnored her firmu,,w auu hieu- , "There!" said the captain trium1 Jl . A phantly. set a tug from Vineyard Haven. We'll "Gus, do you really caret" go ashore and telephone from the life saving station for one this minute. No more work today, boys." Bradley went that night to see Gus. "Gus," he said, seizing her hand and holding it, "haven't you got anything to say to me?" She did not look at him. "What shall ; I say?" she asked. "What do you want me to say?" j "Why, I thought you'd be glad that ! I've got the schooner off. I thought you'd say" 1 "I am glad, very glad. And very proud. But I knew you would succeed. Hadn't we better go?" But he would not let her go. "I hoped you'd say more than that," he said disappointedly, I was dread fully blue the other night when Sam was here. I thought that, after all. perhaps I was making a fool of myself in giving up the city and trying to win out down here. It looked so small beside the great jobs Sam talked about. But when you spoke to me on the steps and told me you believed in me it all changed, and I swore to myself that I would win because yon wanted me to. Gus, do you really care? Are you really glad?" Then she turned to him, and he saw that her eyes were wet. "What do you want me to say?" she whispered. "That I am more glad than I've ever been in my life before, and so proud of you. so proud because you were brave enough to make your fight and win It In the face of the whole village? And so ashamed of myself because I didn't encourage yon as I ought when vou flsst told me? I can

ajr an mat. iiran, una truly moan It." "But Gus oh. i's no use! That isn't enough. I haven't got any money, and

I've only begun in my work, and I

raay fail, after all. But. Gus, will you j biud It. Miss Tempy was exclaiming wait for me? Do you care enough for, and arguing; Clara HopkSus, who was me to wait and hope with me and mar-! visiting the old maids during the abry me some day when I really win? : sence of her folks from town, appar-

f Do you? He held her hand in both of his and waited., breathless, for the answer, But she did not give it; instead she looked at the window and through it at the waving beach grass and the blue sea beyond. And Bradley, gazing at her face, saw the tears overflow her; eyelids and roll down her cheeks. He turned white, and a great dread came over him. "Gus, don't you can't you care for me?" he begged. And then she turned and, leaning 1 . J . 1 . C - . t f 1 , . 1 iicr ueau uiuu ins miwuiuct, cneu ueariUy and without restraint. "Why did you ask me? Why did you?" she sobbed. "Because I had to. Gus. don't you love me?" "Oh. Brad. I don't know. I think I do, but I'm not certain. I'm very, very proud of you. and I believe in you. but, oh. dear, I'm afraid of myself. I'm afraid of my temper; afraid I may change; afraid I don't really love you as much as I ought to." "There Isn't any one else. Is there'" She smiled tearfully. "No, Brad, there isn't any one else." "Then won't you try to say yes? Perhaps you'll learn to care for me. Won't you say yes and try, dear?" "Do you want me to say It, now that yon understand just how I feel?" "Yes." "Do you want to take me Just as I am liking you better than anybody else in the world, but not perhaps not' really loving you as it seems to me a girl ought to love the man who Is going to marry her?" "Yes." "I'm a queer girl. Brad. Grandma says I'm like her best china teacups I must be handled carefully or there'll j be a smash. I guess that's so. I don't ! trust myself. I change my mind five times a day. Do you want me to say yes in spite of all this?" "I do." "Then I will say It, and I will try to be what you would like to have me." He bent bis bead and kissed ber. CHAPTER XII. bT RADLEY would have pro claimed his happiness through a speaking trumpet, but Gus begged that the engagement be kept secret for awhile. "Please let me feel a little surer of myself first," she pleaded, and Bradley agreed, as he would have agreed to climb Bunker Hill monument on the outside If she had asked him to. The tug arrlvd the next forenoon, and the hull of the Ruth Ginn was towed up into Orham harbor. There she was anchored, where the getting out of the rest of her cargo would be a comparatively easy task. They worked with might and main and, at the end of a month, the Job was done. The last joist was laid upon the wharf. Obed Nickerson expressed himself as surprised and highly pleased. . Their share of the cargo's value amounted to $2,900, and, all expenses deducted, the profit to the partners was over $2,000. "Not so mean for two greenhorns in a floatin' soup ladle," crowed the captain. "Brad, how's the Jeremiahs these days? Ain't anybody said 'I told you so yit, have they?" The underwriters' agent was their friend now, and, inside of another fortnight, he had put a job in their way that brought them in $400 more. She was a coasting schooner that had grounded off the Point, and her skipper had contemplated telegraphing to the salvage company, but, thanks to Obed's recommendation, the chance was given: for a much lower price, of course to the Lizzie's owners. The vessel laid , easy, with only her bows on the sand, and the anchors and cables got her j clear In three days. - Then they went anchor digging again and met with considerable sue-; cess. All this was profitable, as well as good advertising, and the Lizzie's owners were doing well. But they ' were ambitious and yearned for the day when they might undertake bigger ( things. Captain Titcomb was for or! dering a new and larger wrecking ! schooner Immediately. But Bradley, more conservative, counseled waiting a little longer. "No use saddling ourselves with a big debt to start with," he said. " 'Dead horse' is the meanest animal to pay for that I know of." But, although the captain agreed to wait a little longer before ordering the new vessel, he announced that he was going to keep his eyes open, and perhaps he'd strike a bargain some day or other. One evening a little later Bradley and the old maids were in the sitting room. Miss Prissy was much better and had, for the first time, donned a wrapper and come downstairs to sit In the big rocker. Miss Tempy was reading aloud to her, and Clara was in the kitchen washing the supper dishes. " 'The earl bent his proud head. " read Miss Tempy, "'and gazed Into the clear blue orbs that met his own. 'Claire." he murmured in a deep, rich tone that vibrated through the heavy air of the gloomy cavern; "Claire, my beautiful, my own, poor and humble your station on earth may have been, j nut nencerortn, ir we escape rrom the lurid flames of yonder volcano and the cruel blades of the merciless bucca neers, you shall no longer be the peasant maid, but my bride, my wife, mis tress of Castle Craggy knoll; the peer " "What's that?" she exclaimed, breaking off suddenly. "What's what?" asked her 6ister drowsily. "Seems to me I heard somebody in the kitchen." "Clara is there, isn't she?" queried Bradley. "Yes. but I thought yes, there's somebody else. I do b'lieve It's a man! You don't s'pose she's got a beau? I'm goin to see." And. before the others could remonstrate, she put "the Comforter" on the table and started for the kitchen. They heard her cross the dining room and open the door. Then came an exclamation. . - - "Why, why !:h cried; and then, "Well. I do declare!"

"Wnat aa you s pose tisr"

Miss Prisy, now thoroughly awake. The kitchen door had swung to, but ; there was a great clatter of voices beently. was saying very little, and a third person, in a deep ba&s rumble, j was explaining something or other. i "Land of goodaejs." cried Miss Prisy. "I hope it ain't the minister, and me In this old wrapper!" ' The kitchen door was opened. Miss Tempy . appeared beaming, and there i followed her into the sitting room no! : less a personage than Captain Ezra i , Titcomb. The captain's face was the 1 least bit redder than usual, but be was

otherwise as suave and unmoved as if s afraid. Gus., you know what my busithe time of his previous call had been ! .ues.. meanac to me ..Well, if it will

but yesterday instead of four years before. "Well. Irissy." he said, shaking hands with the Invalid, "how are you tonight? Most ready to come on deck and take command? No. don't git up. Evenin'. Brad." Toor Miss Prissy! She patted her tumbled hair Into the most presentable shape possible, hurriedly pulled the red and white knitted "afghan" over the wrapper and managed to gasp that she was glad to see the captain. Then she sat still and stared reproachfully at Miss Tempy. But that lady was too excited to notice her sister's agitation. She fluttered about the visitor like a hen with one chicken, trying to hang up his hat, dropping it. blushing violently as she collided with him in the attempt to pick it up and generally behaving, as Miss Prissy said afterward, like a born gum p. "Set right down, cap'n," she pleaded. "We're reel glad to see you. What made you come to the kitchen door? I couldn't think who 'twas, could you. Trissy? Oh, my sakes!" In her nervous haste she had pushed forward the big armchair that had once been the throne of Captain Darius, but which, owing to the infirmities of age,' had for some time been kept in the corner for show purposes only. It had a weak leg, and when Captain Titcomb plnnted himself on the worn black oilcloth cushion the infirm member promptly bent inward, and the captain slid gracefully to the floor. "Tempy!" exclaimed Miss Prissy In a freezing tone. Bradley laughed and ran to assist the fallen one. Miss Tempy, now in a perfectly helpless state, wrung her hands and stuttered. "The idea of givin him father's chair!" cried Miss Ptis-iy. "Tenmy. have you gone loony? I bono you ain't hurt, Cap'n Ezra. We never use that chair now. It used to belong to father." Miss Tempy was heard to remark, feebly, that it looked "so like him." She declared afterward that she didn't say it. The captain made light of the accident and selected another seat, carefully testing It beforehand. He at once began to talk about the weather and Miss Prissy's illness. But the older; sister interrupted him as soon as thej opportunity offered. ;' "What made you come to the back)

door?" she asked. wrecker .rjrsvcly. "I'll speak to Mr. There wasn't an instant's hesitancy i Cook about it. Yoa see, be was the in the captain's reply: ; one thxt sent for me, so" "Oh," be said lightly, "it's ralnin aj .ne Bt.J;t for yon! Oh. excuse me. X little, and I thought I wouldn't musa vjSQ y0., (j m sooner. 81t down, up them floors of j-ours. I know them please. What name, sir?" floors of old. he added, and laughed j "Nickerson. sir.' heartily. He continued to talk about t The yorng man. much less tmporthe floors and seemed to think his fear tant, hurried lato another room and reof soiling them a great joke. Miss' turned at cuce. Tempy, who was a trifle more rational Mr; Cook .n gee SoUt ,r ne mM, by this time, laughed with him, butj opening the gate. "Step right Into his Miss Prissy seemed still curious. j private office. Mr. Nickerson." "You used tp come to the dinin room. The great Mr. Cook was seated bedoor, even when It snowed." she said. ! jiin(1 h hig carved desk. The whole "Yes, but I had on toy sea boots this outflt looked rather formidable. He time, and they're so big I tote ba'f the, stared at Bradley over bis glasses.

road along with me. Reminds me." he added hastily, just in time to cut off another question, "of what the old man my dad, f mean said about a colored coo ue uaa aboard Lis ship once. Dad SSLd that darky's feet was the largest nve things without lungs that he ever saw out of water." Bradley thought he had never seen his partner so willing, even anxious, to monopolize the entire conversation as he was that evening. He cracked Jokes and spun yarns without stopping to rest. Clara came In, after a little, j and seated herself quietly on the sofa, She, too, seemed a trifle nervous, but the sisters did not notice it. They( were hypnotized by their caller's live-, jy tongue ana iaugnea uae gins, miss Prissy grew more like herself every minute. "Don't go, capfn," she pleaded, as the visitor pulled out his watch and rose from the chair. "I declare, you're better'n the doctor!" "Much obliged. Prissy, but 'twas too much of a good thing that busted the the cider Jug. Two opposition doctors In one house would be like the two Irishmen fightin for the pig 'twas an ilegant row' while It lasted, but It killed the pig. No. I must be gittln on. I left my umbrella out in the kitchen. Clara, bring the lamp, will you, please?" ClfriC rose and started for the kitch en, but Miss Tempy intercepted her. "I'll git your umbrella, cap'n," she said. "No, no, you set still! Clara knows Just where 'tis; she put It away." "Well, I guess I can find It. You needn't come, Clara. Yes. here 'tis. Good night, Cap'n Titcomb. I I hope, now you've found the way, you'll call again some evenin. Bradley '11 be glad to see you. and so will Prissy and and I. Good night." The captain walked briskly down to the gate. Then, as the door closed behind him. he paused, wiped his forebead with his coat sleeve and drew a long breath. There was jubilation In the old maids' room that night. On Tuesday of the following week this telegram came: Boston, Mass. Bradley Nickerson. Orham. Mass. Come rr.y office immediate! v. ALPHEUS COOK. "Humph r grunted Captain Titcomb. "Short and crisp. like the old woman's pie crust, ain't it? WelL Brad, I guess you'd better go." Bradley agreed with him and hurried home to pack his grip. He took care to tell Gus. She rejoiced with him over the triumph they both felt sure was coming. "You're succeeding. Brad," she said! "Everybody is talking about it I'm

prouaor or you than everT "But when will you be willing to have me tell people that we're engnred? Mayn't I do that now. Gus?" She paused.' and his hopes rose, but then she shook her head. "It wouldn't be fair to yon." she said. "Sometimes I feel that I almost well. like yon enough to be content to stay in Orham all my life and work for you and with you. I'm trying hard to feel that way. But at other times it seems as If I must get away to where the people talk of something besides their neighbors' affairs: where there are great things being done and where the world

move. You think I'm Inconsistent. don't xou?" "So. it is dull down here, and most ! of the folks are rather narrow, I'm please yoa and yott will come with me, I'll give it all up. even now, and go j back to the city and try it there." j smiled tenderly. "You're a dear, EWhI boy," she said, "but do you suppose I should ever be happy again if I let you do that?" ,, . The railway Journey to Boston bad only one Incident worth notice!. At Buzzard's Bay the Boston train meets that bound down the cape. There was some delay at the station, and Bradley tepiied out on the platform. He was walking up and down smoking when somebody shouted: "Hello, Brad Nickerson! What are you doing here?" Brad turned and saw Sam Hammond. "Well. he exclaimed, shaking hands with his old seat mate. "Where are ou bound Orham?" "Yup. How is the old graveyard anyway?" "Pretty quiet Just now. Most of the summer folks have gone home. You on another vacation?" Sam laughed. "Kind of vacation a fellow hands out to himself," he answered. "The wrecking company and I had a row. They tried to put ten men's work on me, and I wouldn't stand for It. So I told 'em to go to the devil. It put 'em In a hole, all right, but nobody's going to walk on my neck if I know it. I'm going borne to loaf for awhile. I need a rest anyway. Then I'll go back to New York and hook on with another crowd. There plenty of em want me, but tbey can wait How's all the girls? Gus Baker pretty well?" They talked for a few minutes longer. Sam asked bow the anchor dragging trust was getting on. Then the two trains started. Bradley leaned back In his seat in the smoker and : meditated. Somehow a conversation with Sam always made him "blue.1 lie wished the fellow was not going to Orham. Next morning, bright and early, be walked into the "coal king's" office. An important young man with a pen behind his ear disdained to notice him. ."Who'd you wish to see?" he asked after a disrnlfled interval. "Mr. Cook the older one," answered Bradley. "He's busy now: likely to be busy all the mormcg. What do you want to sec him for? Wen't I dor "Don't know. I'm sure," replied the "Sit down." he commanded. "Got my wire, I suppose?" "Yes. sir." "Well, what's your lowest price for the anchor and chain of the Liberty, which I understand yon have buoyed, delivered on the Orham wharf? Lowest, mind. No trimmings!" "Five hundred dollars." "All right, you may take It up. I'll JOU four hundred cash for the ot, go ahead, and work quick. Good dayf Nickerson: glad to have met you." jie 8WUng around to the desk and picked up some papers. But Bradley jjd not go. "Excuse me. Mr. Cook.- be said, figure wag flVe hundred, not tear." "Humph! Well, five's robbery. Four's what I'll pay." , !A11 right, sir. Sorry we can't trade. Good morning." 4 "Hold on there r shouted the owner of the Liberty. "Do you mean you won't raise the anchor?" "Not for less than five hundred." "Split the difference. Make It fourfifty r "No, sir." "Oh, well, hang It. go ahead! Five hundred, then nly don't bother mo any more.", But Bradley still hesitated. "There Is just one thing more, Mr. Cook," be said. "That chain has sanded In every day since it has been on that bottom. "Sit down," te'-OTntiuiruledJ We may not be able to -get up the whole of.it, We warned your tugboat sk!pper who was ' down there td look matters nfr We'll do our best.

Irt j I II jkiiL I 2 5 PpM """"" "

(To te' Continued Next Sunday.) Palladium Want Ads Pay.