The Russellville Democrat., 1893-12-14
Copyright, 1898, 6y Robert Louis Stevenson and
lloyd Os6oD7ie.
CHAPTER -coNoLupEp.

"I've got chance; L may never
get another. Herrick, say the
word back me up; / think we've
starved together long enough for
that. F."
81 can't do it. Pm sorry. l
can { do it, I've not fallen as low
as that, said Herrick, deadly pale.
"What did you say this morn
ing7" said Davis. "That you
couldn't beg7 It's the one thing or
the other, my SON."
"Ab, but this is the jail" cried
Herrick. Don't tempt me. It's
the Jail. y
did you hear what the skipper
said on board the schooner" pur-
sued the captain. "Well, / tell you
he talked straight. The French
have let us alone a long time it
can't last longer; they've got their
eye on us; and as sure as you live
in three weeks you'll be in Jail what
ever ysu do. read it in the con-
sups face"
"You forget, captain" said the
young man. There is another
way, can die, and to say truth, |
think | should have died three years
ago"
The captain folded his arms and
looked the other il the face.
"Yes,' said he, eyes, you can cut
your throat; that's a frozen fact;
much good may it do you And
where do l come inf"
The light of strange excitement
came in Herrick's eyes. "Both of
us" said he, "both of US together.
It's not possible you can enjoy this
business. Come" and he reached
out timid hand, ga few strokes in
the lagoou-and rest"
~ tell you, Herrick, Pm most
tempted to answer you
the way the man does
in the Bible, and say, Sect thee
behind me, Satan = said the cap
tain. "What you think l would
go drown myself aud got children
starvingi Enjoy iti No, by Godi
| DO not enjoy it, but it's the row
I've got to hoe, and I'll hoe It till |
drop right here. l have three
of them, you see; two boys
and the one girl, Ada. The trouble
is that you are not parent your
self, l tell you, Herrick, love
you,' the man broke out. 81
didn't take to you at first, you we're
SO Anglifed and tony, but love
you now; IT'S man that loves you
stands here and wrestles with you.
/ can't go to sea with the hummer
alone it's not possible. Go drown
yourself and there goes my last
ehance-the last chance of a poor,
miserable beast earning crust to
feed his family. | can't do nothing
but sail ships, and I've no papers.
And here | get a chance, and you 90
back on me All, you've no family,
and that's where the trouble is ~
81 have, indeed" said Herrick.
eyes, / know" said the cap
tain, fyou think so. But no mans
got family till he's got children.
It's only the kids count. There's
something about the little shavers--
! can't talk of them. And if you
thought cent about this father that
/ hear you talk of, or that sweet
heart you were writing to this morn
ing, you would feel like me. You
would say, what matter laws, and
God, and thati My folks are hard
up, | belong to them. I'll get them
bread, or, by God I'll get them
wealth, if | have to burn down Lon
don for it, That's what you would
say. And I'll tell you more-your
heart is saying so this living minute;
| can see it in your face-you' re
thinking, here's poor friendship for
the man I've starved along of, and
as for the girl that | set up to be in
love with, here's a mighty limp
kind of love that won't carry me
as far as most any man would go for
a demijehn of whiskey. There's
not much romance to that love any
way; it's not the kind they carry on
about in song books. But what's
the good of my carrying on talking,
when it's all in your inside as plain
as print. put the question to you
once for all: Are you going to
desert me in my hour of needi You
know if I've deserted you, or will
you give me your hand and try
fresh deal, and go home Gas like as
not) a millionairei Say no, and
God pity mel Say yes, and I'll
make the little ones pray for you
every night on their Bonded knees.
God bless Mr. Herrick that's what
they'll say, one after the other, the
old girl sitting there holding stakes
at the foot of the bed and the
damned little innocents
he broke off. II don't often rip
out about the kids" he said, "but
when | do there's something fetches
loose"
Captain said Herrick, family,
sis there nothing elsei"
"I'll prophesy, if YOU like" said
the captain, with renewed vigor.
'Refuse this, because you think
yourself too honest, and before
months out you'll be jailed for
sneak thief l give you the word
fair. / can see it, Herrick, if you
can't you're breaking down. Don't
think, if you refuse this chance, that
you'll 90 on doing the evangelical
you're about through with your