Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-09-22
CHAPTER XIX.
GETTING READY FOR THE START.

CHAPTER XIX.
 GETTING READY FOR THE START.
 There was a gleam of hopefulness In Molly's dark eyes and strange joy in her heart as she alighted from the car riage which had taken her from the wharf to her hotel in King William street, Adelaide. It was the 26th day of August, only one month since she had left San Francisco, but 1t almost seemed as if year had rounded up since leaving home, so many strange faces had confronted her, so many strange voices had sounded in her ears one almost from the other world, faint, hollow and indistinct, while another full of warmth, tenderness and buoyancy seemed always to have been with her, so strangely familiar did 1t sound, such fondness was there in it's accents. Godfrey had not been near Molly when she left the steamer, but she was quite certain that it was stern duty alone that kept him away from that end of the steamer. Zach walked by her side so like stern and incorrupti- ble guardian that she only dared to give timid glance about her. Still she knew the sailor lad was in safe hands and deemed it best not to alarm the honest Zach at that moment by any show of weakness. A tremendous task was awaiting her and 1t behooved her to give an earnest of her ability to face and accomplish it if she expected to inspire others with her courage.
 Thanks to the hearty cooperation of the government, thirty picked men, well armed and we'll mounted, some of them half bReeds and speaking the dialect of the natives, were soon enrolled for the expedition. Mrs. Allaire contracted to pay them high wages with bounty of several hundred pounds upon their re- turn, no matter what the outcome of the expedition might be. The men were to be under the command of Tom Marks, an old and experienced officer of the provincial police, with Zach French for his lieuten- ant, but above Tom Marks, above Zach, above everyone, came Mrs. John | Allaire, the veritable head as well as the actual heart and soul of the expedi- ton.
 l It was agreed that the expedition should rendezvous at Farina Town, the terminus of the Adelaide railway, | where Mrs. Allaire was to join it day I place some day in the second week o1 September. Several pleasant inter views took place between the governor general and Mrs. Allaire. The former
 thought himself in duty bound to sci
 fully forth to that lady the dangers
 the difficulties and eve the slight hop'
 of success awaiting such an expedition
 as the one she was about to SC | sa1, A~
 cessful she had already scattered
 her money with a lavish hand
 Everything was to be done to gain ant
 preserve the good will of the savage
 through whose domain they were tc
 pass. Valuable presents were to be be
 slowed upon the chiefs and their hea'
 men.
 1T shall hesitate at nothing, your e1
 cellency, shall shrink from no sacri
 fce," exclaimed Mrs. Allaire. "Wha
 your intrepid pathfnders accomplishe,
 in the interest of civilization and scienc
 shall do to rescue my husband wh
 to-day is the sole survivor of the crev of the Dreadnaught. Since the day h
 sailed from San Diego with all tn
 world against me have persisted |
 my belief that he was alive. Now W
 know that he is. Now all that is needle to reach him and take him from tn hands of his savage captors is devotio l to the noble task we have set ourseve: Our motto is: No Step Backward an } with Gods help we shall bring Cap John Allaire home with us."
 The moment that stern but hone: = keeper was away from Molly's side ht l thoughts reverted to the sailor lad wh
 had taken such Q strong hold of ht 8 heart. She had been careful not { !, breathe to Zach the fact of her failul
 to open the package delivered to her | :, | the old seaman, or to confess to him h. f lack of courage to do so. Why shou u she long to ring the death knen to u :. first happiness that had come to h. ;; after so many years of sorrow? Of o1 r thing she was thoroughly convince d however: No matter to whom the b( }, belonged, he was no ordinary child; h 0 innate grace and gentleness, his y stinctive refinement, proved this, to SC y nothing of his handsome, high-br, @ features and honest, widespread eye D Molly was firmly resolved not to gi e him up. What sunshine and joy wou @ he not bring to their home when on U the full gentleness and nobility of | $ character had been brought out by the F love and watchful care? How cou
 John help loving such frank, man ', Y sailor lad? Yes, Godfrey would tal r Walters place in that fathers heart, , would help John to bear the awful lc . which awaited him on his return hor , to San DieGo-