The Florida agriculturist., 1889-08-21


Importance to himself he took care to
leave the window as it was, and even 10
sit down beside it. AS the reader Will
already have surmised, the speakers were
the two gentlemen to whom we have al
ready been introduced-Henry Clifton
and Bob Stapleton.
"You went first to New Zealand, chr
Stapleton was saying. "How happened
your man Valentine do you call hims-
to be there2"
HE was the second son, don't you seer
and consequently, after he'd run through
the money his father gave him, he had
only himself to fall back on. So he
started for New Zealand to make his fort
une at sheep farming. When | got
there he had been gone the better part
Of year or more. The sheep farming
had not turned out very well, but he
had got sum Of money somehow, and
had gone off to enjoy it; whether he
would come back again, and where he
had gone, no one could tell me. You
may be sure that If he had known that
his elder brother was going to die, and
let him into full possession Of an estate
worth three-quarters Of million OF doh
lars, he would have left his address"
'sIt's most curious thing" observed
Mr.. Stapleton, philosophically, ''how
some men will run after good thing all
their lives and never catch it, and an
other man will run away from a good
thing all his life, and never let it catch
him.
''Well, as l was saying" Mr.. Clifton
continued, ':this Mr.. Valentine-a as call
him-had left for parts unknown, and
my business was to find out where that
was thought it all over, and made up
my mind that America was about the
most likely place, for he wouldn't be
likely to go back to England. and, being
of a rowing disposition, and never hav-
ing visited the States, that was naturally
the first place he'd think Of And when
man goes to America he's pretty Ger
tain sooner or later to fetch up in New
York. So it was In New York that |
dgured should find him. But before
started thought it would be as we'll to
make the thing certain by sending on
cable message, addressed to certain par
Hes in New York that you may have
heard Of, asking whether my man was
there. Sending kilograms half round
the earth costs money. Bob; but it doesn't
cost quite as much as to go yourself, let
alone the time and the wear and tear"
However, expenses being paid" said
Bob
'That's all very well, but parties en-
ploying one like to have good account
of their money; and good recommended
tion Is sometimes worth more than cash
in hand Well didn't look for an an
swer inside Of week or ten days; but
forty eight hours after had sent off the
dispatch the landlord Of my hotel came
up to me and told me that he believed
was looking for Mr.. Valentine, and that
man had just arrived from Panama
who had met party going by that name
in Mexico some six weeks before, and he
thought likely he'd be there yet. told
him to bring the man around, and he
came and / had talk with him.
"He had seen Valentine, sure enough;
made up my mind as to that. He de-
Scribed him as near as could be; for
though had never seen him myself /
had all the points about him from those
who had, and photograph taken four
or five years before. The fellow said that
Valentine had come to Mexico from New
York, after being wrecked in big gale
at ST. Thomas, and friend of his-I'H
call him Percy-was drowned in the