The Press., 1893-12-28


 ''He, too, was passenger on the Peli- can.''
 The girl glanced out shudderingly up- on the sea.
 And now it is too late," she said. The old man, who had been listening to them. arose and walked down the beach.
 1t is time that fellow was back" he said petulantly. Does he mean to keep us here forever:''
 Abbott, with a more accustomed ear than the others. heard just then q plash- ing of oars.
 ''There is some one within the inlet now," he said. "It could hardly be any one but the captain..'
 They watched, and gradually the form of boat drew out from the further darkness and made toward the beach. As it touched the shore three men sprang out and came toward tho group waiting to receive them.s The captain was in the ase--r7-and ffesilne Ciose alli e.saffhtea +hair faces eagerly. Laying his hand upon Abbott's arm, he turned to the men with him.
 "This is the one. my lads Make sure of him." Abbott made no resistance of the men who seized him. Now" said the captain briskly, i've won't waste any time. We have good sloop lying out side, and we will get aboard as quickly as possible. We shall put into New Or leans very shortly, and then we can at tend to this gentleman here, who will be +o 0ot bic 6ocor.tc of 1oct
 There was no opportunity for Abbott's companions to utter any remonstrance. They were at once embarked for the sloop, where he was placed aparC from the others.
 The run to New Orleans, which should have been made in 8 few days, had be- cause of contrary winds heightened into week, and yet no land was in sight. The voyage, which was monotonous to the girl from the start, became almost uncomfortable. Her father was ill and kept to his own cabin most of the time Her aversion for the captain was so great that she could hardly speak to him. But she finally overcame this ill her anxiety to know what was in store for Abbott.
 Finding him alone upon the deck one morning, she put the question to him. He replied with unfeigned surprises;
 II thought you, knew, You heard him confess that he was B fugitive from jus tice. We'll, found out what he had done, He stole $50, ,600 from the Bunker Hill bank of Boston,"
 '.The Bunker Hill bank!' exclaimed the girl. Does my father know this?"
 "Why, had supposed SO: Somehow took it for granted that you both did. But now that you ask me see that it hasn't been mentioned"
 The girl began to speak again, but checked herself, turned, and going to her fathers cabin knocked impetuously upon the door. After some delay it was opened, and she was startled to see how i'll and worn her father appeared. He had been writing, as she could see from an open portfolio.
 It required hut few words to tell him why she had come. When she had fin ished. he took some papers from the port folio and gave them to her with shaking hands.
 Il have tried to tell ,you," he said, but had not the courage. But have prepared this, which you must read and then give to the man Abbott" He placed the paper in her hand and gently urged her from him.
 With heart filled with misgivings the girl went to her own stateroom be- fore daring to glance at the document. It was headed, ''The Confession of Ed mund Challoner.' In the briefest and dearest phrase it stated that the writer. Edmund Challoner, president of the Bunker Hill bank of Boston, becoming involved in speculation, did, in the year 1S-, abstract from the vaults of said bank the sum of $50,000 Furthermore, he had intended to use this but tempo rarily and to replace it before the loss should become known. Failing to do this, the loss was discovered. Challoner then intended to confess the whole mat ter. But delaying in this, suspicion fell upon the cashier, Frederick Nelson, who gave color to it by his immediate flight. Then, as the need of saving an innocent man from imprisonment had passed, Challoner kept silence rather than tar nish his good name and destroy the hap piness of his mily. Then there were few weak words to testify how he had suffered mentally for this double crime, and a pathetic prayer to his daughter not to judge him too harshly, as he had done it for her sake.
 When Miss Challoner had finished her reading. she was very pale, but composed. Going at once in search of Abbott, whom she found sitting idly near the railin the