Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-09-07
THE CALIFORNIANS,
BY JULES VERNE.
Copyright 1891 by the Authors Alliance
By JULES VERNE.
CHAPTER VI.
END OF A SAD YEAR


draw attention to it.
1t will not be forgotten that while
Mrs Allaire's own property figured up
but modest total, yet she was the sole
heir of her rich uncle, Edward Manson,
still leading a life of retirement on his
vast estate of unclearcd land, banished,
so to speak, to the most inaccessible
portion Of the state of Tennessee.
This eccentric character was still under
the sclf-imposed ban of life cut off
from the rest of the world Asahe was
not quite ninety years of age it might
be necessary to wait long while for
his money. Nay, possibly he might
modify the testamentary disposition of
his property should he learn that Mrs.
Allaire, the sole relative left to him in
the direct line, had lost her reason
since the death of her child. But the
news of this double calamity had not
reached him; in fact, it was not posi-
| BILE for it to reach him, SO firmly re-
| solved was he neither to write nor to
receive any letters. True, it would
have been possible for Lew Barker to
override this Introduction on the
ground of unforeseen changes in Molly's
= vil status and Kate had given him to
| understand that he was in duty bound
to communicate with Edward Manson;
but he had enjoined silence upon her
and taken good care not to follow her
| advice.
The condition of things was really
very simple. If Mrs. Allaire should die
childlcss this property would descend to
her cousin Kate, sole relative qualified
to take from her by inheritance Hence
Lew Barker recognized the fact that by
| the death of little Walt his wifes
chances of succeeding to the property of
| Edward Manson had been materially
| increased, and his wife's chances were
his own. In truth, it did seem as if the
stars had sought to turn the tide of this
| enormous fortune toward him. Not
only was MOlly's child dead, not only
had Molly lost her mind, but in the
Judgment of the physicians nothing
save the return of Capt. John would
be able to work any change in her men
| tai condition.
For the fate of the Dreadnaught now
seemed almost scaled. If the next few
weeks should bring no tidings of her, of
John Allaire, it would seem to mean an
eternal farewell to the Dreadnaught
and every soul on board of her. In that
event, there would be no one but poor
Molly, robbed of her reason, standing
| between the fortune she was to inherit
and Lew Barker.
But in order that Mrs. Allaire should
inherit, it was necessary that she should
survive her uncle. 1t therefore became
Lew Bankers interest that the life of
this unfortunate woman should be pro-
longed until the estate of Edward Man
son had vested in her. There We're now
but two chances against him: Molly's
death before that of the testator, or the
return of Capt. John, which latter
event was always possible in view of the
fact that he might have been wrecked
on some desert isle; and yet very re-
motely possible, for it seemed but Wis,
ionary not to regard as certain the total
= loss of the Dreadnaught.
Such was the position of Lew Barker
Such the outlook for him and that, too
at n moment when he saw himself re
duccd to desperate eXpcdients.
Anyway, there were as yet no sign:
of any failure of supplies at Prospect
cottage. And for this reason: After
, Molly's lunacy had been judicially cs
tablished it had become necessary, il
the absence of her husband, to name
committee of her person and estate
Lew Barker, on the ground of pro
pinquity, seemed to be the natura
guardian and had consequently beel
chosen, and in his capacity as such com
! mittee was vested with full control o
her estate. The money which Capt
l. John had deposited to cover the eX
! pcnscs of the house was at Barker
- disposal and he had made use of it TO
$, personal needs. 1t was, of course, al
(. inconsidcrablc sum, as the Dread
naught was only to be absent for fv
IL or six months; but there was also Mol
lg ly's separate estate, and although
only amounted to n few thousand dol
lars Lew Barker, by making use of it t
fight off pressing claims, would be abb
TO gain time, and this was an essenti;
point for him.
Therefore this dishonest man didn
- hesitate to take advantage of his pos
ton as guardian and appropriate tt
property OF his ward and relative to h
own use. ThankS to these trust fun'
y he was enabled to secure brief respi
and to launch new schemes not VIII
less disrcputable. Having once set TO
upon the highway which leads to Grim
Lew Barker would if necessary folio
it to the end.
Moreover, the return of Capt. Jol
was now less and less to be feare
Week after week went by and Hollist
G. Co. received no news of the missil
or ship. But how had she persisted? Opt
to ions differed but little, although
could be only a matter of conjectul
True it was that since the sailing of t
Dreadnaught several merchantm
:. bound for the same port had necessari
. gone over the same course. Now,
none of these had found any trace
her, there was nothing left but to
=. cept the most reasonable hypothes
jSy which was this: Overtaken by one
those dangerous hurricanes, those ir
sistible typhoons which often bu
- upon the waters of the Celebes, or ia
sea, the Dreadnaught had gone do
with every soul on board. On Octol
Is, 1875, it would be seven months sir