The rustler., 1891-12-18

uatufiuess made b even more apparent
that he uas nui 3 member - the Ing
iish pssurer riasses ne wheeled an
rasy-chair boldly up frum the corner of
the ruuun. and placing it close O. the
hrrplaer. without "fy yuur leave
~ With yaur leave stretched cut
his legs and piacrd his feet upon the
fender. al much ~ % saT. 80 far a.
the conversation "a concerned We must
stand Or sit upun an equality.
Mr. Thrftspendcr was 40 taken
attack ~ The mans splendid audacity
that De was unable O. make any re-
muustrance to bis presumption. and
even found himself In cowardly sart
uf way smiling an acquiescncc.
lie began % feel that this was
man who was likely to dominate him.
and be- rcvrcttcd now. when Il was too
late, that he had not insisted upon
knowing what was his business before
having him admitted
Vow, Mr. Thrifispcndcr. sir" the
stranger began, I've got a strange.
strange story 30 tell you and one
which. Il ! am not greatly mistaken,
I viii prove a vast deal more strange
than pleasant O. you and your wife.
Z I've come tn this country on purpose
10 tel it % somebody, and. from, all
that ] can x ithcr. YOU are the person
most Interested and therefore. cuti-
tied 10 hear Il first You. too. will be-
able to advise me This hc said with
deeper sugrestiyeness in his tone
whether Il is story worth repeating
| 10 Others or no"
Mr. Thriftspcndcr moved uneasily in
his chair. Could Il be that al last one
Of his wild oats was about b bring
forth fruit? Could II really be that, al
though
The mills Of Cod grind slowly"
they are certain in the end 10 get hold
of and grind all with cxactness9 How
ever, at any rate, he must present a
bold front albeit he was pretty certain
I la his heart that this brutal visitor Of
his had dIsccrncd at first glance that
he had but cowardly fellow 10 deal
with
well Mr. Bowling proceed with
your story. Az present / am at "A loss
to understand how anything with any
mystery la IL can be any concern of
mine. Let mc remind you. too, before
il is too late, that any communication
/ yuu may think tt 10 make 10 me Is not
Of my seeking, and refuse to bind
myself in any way not to divulgc any
facts that you may reveal 20 me il
/ hereafter think iii to do So
Mr.. Thriftspcnder looked al his Wis
itor as much as TO add: you see,
| you've got devil OF fellow 10 deal
with, but was disappointed To notice
| that MIR Bowling did not seem 10 be
be particularly impressed.
On the contrary he merely cleared
his throat, spat into the fire and pro-
ccedcd with his story Us II there had
been no interruption.
-Four years ago was third-class
| passenger ON board the steamship
nresdonian bound for the port Of Lon
don. need not tell you, sir, the story
Of that ships loss. You, I'll be bound,
| know all the details as well as anyone
/ alive, that Is 10 say bar a very interest
/ ing little bit of VS. which is only
known TO myself The newspapers
had it that every soul aboard that YES
/ sci was lost, but I'm able TO tell you in
my own person that those newspapers
made mistake. /, sir, Thomas Bowl
| ing, was saved by what some would
call luck but what | call Providence,
So as the right people should come
rightly by their own. /, MIR Thrift
| spcndcr, had by the sweat of nv brow
made a considerable fortune i'm the far
east and was on my way back To my
native land to enjoy the fruits of hard
life; but that competency, sir, went
down in the good ship Dresdonan
What, then, ! ask you, did Providence
out of that ships crew save my misera-
BILE life for? III tell you-although |
never guessed why it was until three
months ago. Although I've a rough
outside, Mr. Thriftspcnder, I've Il soft
| heart, and 1t was because my heart was
/ soft that ! was saved from that wreck.
| Yes, sir, on that last terrible night.
when. with her engines disabled and
| her sails in ribbons, the Dresdonian Law
as helpless as IA log in that tremendous
sea, "a man was the equal Of gentle
man, "a woman the equal of lady. and
third-Class passengers stood side by
| side and wcpt and trcmblcd with the
| iirst-clas sers from the saloon Every
lurch the ship gave was expected TO bc
our last, and We were all huddled close
| 10 one another as II determined to 20
into eternity not alone but in couples.
BY my side a fine lady caspcd her lit.
tie boy To her bosom She seemed to
have forgotten all terror for herself in
the soothing Of him | said "A hearty
word or two 10 her, poor thing, which
made her turn and look ut me. had
got hold OF IA large cork belt. which
had slipped on, as well IS a small life
buoy, which thought might rs well
have a. anyone else.
Are You "a good swimmer She
said the moment She looked Mt me.
Yes said, but good swimming
won't do much IN sea like this
WIN you do what You can to save
this child? a mothers blessing will
he your reward. Ny husband is in his
cabin unable To move. must 90 to