Litchfield enquirer., 1877-10-11
N WHOLE NOI.. 5268O O..5 ...5'..'. 2.

f aband doning the ship. greatly augmented her peril Still, the position was not dea- perate, providing only that assiBtano0 was immediate and effectuaL Alleyee turned toward the man who had been the chiei promoter of the undertaking-the ehreWd f financier, Earwaker. That kenkloman's resources. though far from equal to the claim now made upon them. represented no inconsiderable amount, but these could not be realized on the inakAnt and the necessity would not brook an hours delay. In a fatal moment, the hitherto honest man fell into temptation. The much needed money vas obtained, but it was at the cost of Mir. Earwakers consci- ence, and on the security of every fraction of Mir. Lewcraft's property-betwesn 45O- 900 and s65, 000--then in his agent's cus- tody. No wonder if, at my uncle's appa- rition. MT. Earwaker looked Q little dis turbed.
 And now what was tobe done, Through 1 what would have been q very dis nal cloud, indeed, the lawyer thousht he savA Klealn of light According to hin clients statement, the latter had, by his will, virtually given his nephew the choice of fortune or yacht! Now, proba- bly, no man on earth-save Earwaker him. self-knew of what that fortune consist ed. Certainly hls nephew did not What if, realizing his uncle's expectation, per. haps his wish-the young man preferred the handsome well appointed yacht, to the dreary, impoverished looking edifco on the bleak hill, and such poor property as was likely to be found there7 Bus, holdl Consciencel Was he not. bound to apprise the young man of the wealth within his very grasp? In that case-- ruinl Suppression was not always false hood, not always treachery. At all events call 1t In this case, both, what was it fn comparison with the crime of which ha had already been gnilty2 No--there waA no escape. With a deep drawn sigh-- farewell tribute to integrity-Mr. Eafwa- ker accepted what seemed his doom 'aaH
 must condense details. The first es- sential object was the redemption of the deposited securities. With heavy heart and at tremendous sacrifice, Earwaker converted into money the whole of his own remaining property, realizing some 5e30, ,000 With the aid of city friend and | further heavy sacrifice. he contrived to raise the remainder, G25, 900, thus plac- | ing himself in position to release the se- curities, and to complete in due course, the bargains entered into by his princi- pal. .f ls
 "All this risk, loss, and anxiety to RraE- l fly miser's whimp muttered Earwaker, ungratefully. and returning worn out from his brokers he sank weArily into his chair.
 A.little surprise awaited my uncle on his return to Fountain Violet. Upon his table lay letter from the Secretary of the local yacht club, in which that gentle- men, after apprising MT. Lewcraft of the approaching regatta, expressed the hope of the committee that he, MT. Lewcr9ft, would compete for @ prize cup of 4100, limited, it was politely added, to vessels of from forty to forty-ive tons. chiefly with the view of inducing Mir. Lewcraft to enter his fine cutter Cockatoo for ths race. 5s.
 eve must spot his new dodge, the chair. man of the committee had observed, frankly. "Let us entice the beggar out. Offer a jug of sovs. Thatll fetch him if anything will"
 III and fatigued as he was. my uncle so his servants reported-appeaFed for the moment to regain his health and strength as he read this civil letter. His eyes sparkled with delight, and although 1 at one passage he grinned sardonicaIly, it was evident that the writer's object was achieved.
 ''Send Bob Grantham, " said my uncle regaining his composure
 That veteran appeared. Hirsute alike in aspect and attire, MT. Grantham looked like tame bear walking on it's hind legs, the resemblance being favored by his speech, which was, to speak moro strictly, a growl Fewebut his familiars could read 1 fly interpret Bob Grantham.
 How goes your work, Bob." asked my uncle eagerly.
 Bob sounded bass note. signifying finished "
 | GgEoolw
 This time long low rumble, like c tunnel, intimated that it only awaited the guv'nor's final instructions.
 | ''Good. l enter for the cutter race c month hence," said my uncle. ''WeII take the shine out of some of them yet, ha, Bobl''
 Mir. Grantham was seized with Q chuckle that shook his shaggy frame from head to foot. As this with Bob was somewhat unusual, MT. Lewcraft waited with some curiosity for the next growl. When it came, the mysterious substance can only be interpreted as
 "Wot odds, Guv'nor-sO longs they leaves the shine in wei"
 This joke-for joke it evidently was l Mr. Grantham received with an approving | smile, and forthwith. looking, now that his momentary excitement was over, very | wan and weary, retired to rest. My uncle had returned, even after that brief absence, much changed and enfee- bled. It was perhaps for that reason that, during the succeeding week or ten days, he scarcely visited his beloved Cockatoo, contenting himself with giving Bob Grantham special orders as to the selection of the half dozen hands who were to form her crew under Bob in the ! coming race The next incident have to record was the arrival at Fountain Violet of Mr. Ear. walkers confidential clerk, in charge of ! sundry chests, of DO great size, but of un- usual strength and weight, of which. it was noted. he declined to lose sight He was the bearer of apologies from his prin- cipal, who was at the moment too unwell to travel, and also of E25 900 m specie, besides several thousands more in notes. "Hang itP MT. Earwaker had muttsred, out of patience, Che must take the bal- ance in paper. It's all the easier to hide, and, if he intends to use old sofa-cushions and invalided crockery as his future de- positories, far more eligible. ars ss
 After the arrival and dismissal of the auriferous messenger, Mir. Lewcraft vas observed to rally somewhat, notwithstand. that his nights seemed disturbed. old Louisa. the cook, (''Squeezer'1 and May, pole Moll could often hear the old man prowling stealthily about the house, ap- parently with some object besides ex6r- cis, for he was heard opening cupbOards, sounding panels, fumbling about the stoves. &c., sometimes not retuTuiug Co rest till dawn. He now crept down Co his yacht every day, and was engaged with Bob Grantham, and another old selected sea-dog, very like Bob. but shaggier, in perfecting the invention that was to make the Cockatoo renowned for aye. Both the seadogs now dwelt on board, and 50 de- termined was Mir. Lewcraft that no one should surprise his secret that the men. kept alternate watches, and were armed.
 During this time my uncle made sever- al excursions into the town, usually visit-