Daily Kennebec journal., 1879-06-12
CONTINUED from First Page. J

ihoNcu pace UT TWO tnrOugn tne CrOWuet
room or his road to the door, when he
heard his name pronounced. and looking
round, saw the Captain beckoning 10 him
Very much ANNOYED at this, he merely
waved his hand. and would have continued
his retreat, but that the other beckonet
him again with so earnest look, that Mr.
Burton involuntarily went toward him.
''Mr. Burton. one word with vou,n sal,
the Captain; he hooked his finger in tn,
buiton-hole of the others coat as he spoke
Just one word" Although il was bu
one word he wanted to sav, he seemed +
have great deal of difficulty in civin
ntterance TO it; at last he said. droppin,
his voice to whisper far more mvster
lous than any that had preceded it .'Mee
here in two hours time. Mind, | am in
earnest" He released his hold rs ne
spoke, and putting his forefnger 10 nls
lip as a sign of secrecy and cautioh' "hlch
was utterly needless. as he had communl-
Gated nothing. turned away, and was lost
in the throng.
Mr.. Burton smiled at the mans maudlin
mpressireness, as he deemed it. arising,
as he supposed, from the tumbler of bran
dy and water, and decided on dismissing
him and his appointment from his mind
lie went about for another hour, meeting
more of his acquaintance, each fresh one
having something more gloomy to say than
the last. Affairs really seemed to be
growing worse. and even those who had
been hopeful before seemed to have lost
heart now. So il was in a thoughtful
mood he left to go to the terminus of the
railway, and on his way he glanced down
the narrow passage which led to the tav-
ern where he had lunched an hour before.
The recollection of the queer manner Of
the Captain came strongly upon him as he
passed, and in his excited state it came
back with weight and force which he
could not help feeling strongly, while yet he
thought it ridiculous to do so. With every
step he took, the influence grew stronger.
until with .Pshaw - of contempt at his
weakness, he positively turned back, and
resolved TO keep the appointment. even
though he was confident the Captain must
have forgotten all about it, and in
deed was now probably sleeping off
his unusually hearty meal in the par
lor of some less pretentious tavern
He felt this, vet he could not help return
ing, because there might be something at
the bottom of the Captains mystery. and
he might really keep his appointment.
SO, as just said. he turned back, dissatis-
fed though he was with himself, and in
clined at every step to face round and hur-
ry to the railway station. However, he
reached the tavern, and entered the coffee
room, which was now nearly deserted. A
couple of city clerks, who were probably |
working over time, were dining in one
corner, and couple of walters were gos-
siping in another; but for these the place
was empty.
Taking up newspaper. Mr. Burton
whiled away the time as best he might he |
had made up his mind to wait ten minutes
beyond the completion of the two hours. |
and no more; and as the hand of the cof- |
fee room clock slowly approached the
point, he felt glad to think how little |
chance there was of the shabby Captains |
appearance. The hand entered the last
five minutes; Mr.. Burton laid down his |
paper with a sigh of relief; but as he did |
so, the door creaked, the greasy hat, fol-
lowed by the somewhat soddened visage |
OF the Captain, was thrust in; glance |
around the room showed that Mr. Burton
was there and shutting the door behind
him as carefully and cautiously as though |
he were Guy Fawkes, or a melodramatic
bandit, he approached the ex-coloniaf |
merchant almost on tptoe.
II was not difficult to see that the Cap
tain had been drinking little more-pos-
sibly good deal more. for he was well |
seasoned in that respect; for. even if his |
bleared eyes had not told as much, his |
husky voice would have been sufficient.
Exceedingly impressive was, or was
meant to be, his hoarse whisper. as he
said: "All right Mr.. Burton. I'm ago
ing to clear off old debts now for am |
man who never forgets benefit or loses
sight of friend. Come out for mo
ment." He wrung Mr.. Burton's hand as
he spoke with warmth which the latter
could very well have excused, and then |
led the way from the room he had but Just
SO carefully entered.
The court in which the tavern was sit
uated had one OF two blind hooks in it.
Leading nowhere and the Captain drawing
Mr.. Burton into one of these, glanced
warily around, and then dropping his
voice to still hoarser and still more i'm
pressive whisper-quite audible, however,
for his breath came hot on the side of his
hearers face-said: "You are in with
the Gulf of Carpentaria and Northern Aus
tralia Bank--are you not ?''
IL am" returned Burton, who shud-
dered at the question, in spite of his con-
tempt for the speaker.
Then get out. if you can - hoarselv
continued the other. They are blown on.
They will be up in tree in two days
from this. Don't ask me anv more but if
owe you any triie of money, have paid
you now. Observe! They. Are. Blown"
lie pronounced these last three words as
we have given them, as if each word were
a sentence. and he accompanied them with
three distinct taps of his forefnger upon
ms redeemed nose. And with that he hur
RED off, leaving Mr.. Burton at once aston
lshed and alarmed
He understood enough of the Captains
habits to know that his associates were of
a very crafty and dangerous class that
IKE other birds of prey, they had the
keenest possible scent for morbund car
cass, and that if there really were ANYTHING
wrong with the Gulf-as the bank was
iamlliary termed-or any other bank sucb
men would be the first to know of il. How
such men know, is a great mystery to us
as 1t was Mr. Burton. But somehow tbrv
contrive to make money out of the wrect
and ruin. In vain he tried to pooh .nooh
the half-intelligible utterances nf tba Can