The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-04-11
which, as you viii see later, was

BecLweth resumed, Il became thor
oughly in earnest to learn all that was
possible about the wreck, for your
sake; and fortune seemed to favor me
from that time on. An English news
paper was sent me soon after, which
contained the obituary of an old mer-
chant friend of lly i;tther's, and whose
acquaintance l made myself when in
England In the account of the life
work of the deceased, the obituary
mentioned the names of several of
the famous sailing-vessels that his firm
had built, or owned. Among these was
mentioned the 'Xenophon,' which the
account said was the fastest ship on
record up to the time of her loss, in the
year 1858. Seeing that name Keno
phon' in such connection and with
such history, together with the recol-
lection of the unusual combination
that had in these metal letters, caused
me to once more play my game of let
ters,' and that time with good results.
You will notice, Miss Denham, as I
place these letters on the table before
YOU here, that l can make them read
Ienoph--; or by another arrange
ment, Xe-phon. Either or both of
these would make the vessels name to
which they belonged Icnopho11 BY as
suming that an N and an o are still
wanting. All the evidence seemed to
prove conclusively to my mind that
such was the vessels name"
Beckweth then told her that, acting
on that assumption, he had CORE
spondctl with the deceased merchants
firm and learned that their bark
Xenophon had sailed from Liverpool
on the 20th of November, 1858, fos
Halifax, n. S. She carried, his corre-
spondcnt had written, a heavy cargo
of machinery which probably had
shifted at sea and ultimately caused
her to 60 down; for they never heard
of her after she cleared from Liver
pool She was not a passenger ship;
but memorandum still preserved in
their office showed that on that par
ticular voyage she had taken a cabin
passenger as a special favor-a Cap
tain John c. Hargrave, of the Royal
Navy, and who was accompanied by
his little child and nurse.
Beckweth thus far in his explanation
had confined himself to direct busi-
uess-like manner, as if he were a law
year talking to a client. He had not
dared trust himself to Go otherwise;
and being still somewhat i'll at ease, he
now stopped talking, as if he were
through. The beseeching look CA Miss
Denham's face, however, moved him
to add gently, as he put a package of
letters into her hand; "there is but lit
tie more. Perhaps you had better read
these by yourself; they will tell
you all I know. Nor he hastily
exclaimed, seeing by her startled
look and confusion that his motive
had been misunderstood" I will tell
you. The shifting of the '.Xenophon's"
cargo accounts for her being so far oat
of her course as Rockberg; and also for
the fact that no such vessel was ex-
pected in the vicinity. As for the rest,
it has not been a difficult matter to
learn, through my correspondents,
who Captain Hargrave was; as will be
seen by these letters. In them you
will learn that he married Miss Kate
Denham, who died when their only
child was about three years old.
80, Mr.. Beckweth! how l have
prayed to know this. even if I should
be left homeless still, as it had proved
that am"
Her voice showed that she was deep
II affected, and it was some minutes
before she continued. s.lf my fortune
and years of patient perseverance ON;
my part could accomplish it, had de-
termincd to devote both to this very
matter The knowledge now that 1
was not All outcast, that l once must
have had q home and kindred, and that
may yet learn of them, is priceless to
me-"
The unexpected turn that the con-
yersation of the evening had taken,
the sudden acquisition of knowledge
which for years she had so longed to
possess, and the natural emotion that
had accompanied it had driven the part
that Beckweth had taken in her behalf
into the background fE the moment.
She now began to express her graft,
sude to him, but as she did so thy,
of the relation in which they,
stood toward each other, and her re-
solve of but an hour ago, came bar k to
her with suddenness that sly enced
her.
go, Arthur she finally exc laimed,
with an entrcating energy that brought
MIN instantly to her side.
'.Katen' he said, II did not come
here to take advantage of your crati-