The Press., 1893-12-28
both hands to keep her head straight for

both hands to keep her head straight for it and braced myself for tho shock. That was the last l knew. The next wave must have carried the sloop off again and carried 14le 10 Il safe point upon the rocks When came to myself, the sun was shininc, and I coul,i sec .hls island across the calm bit of water. l found some debris ,lDon the rocks. and putting it together for d raft made my way across.
 As Abbott stopped ill his recital the silence sat heavily upon the group.
 Twelve years" said the old man at last, ..is a long time. One may repent and expiate much wrong in that time.''
 '.Twelve years of exile and loneliness $ said Abbott thoughtfully. 1t would be hard thing to look forward to, but it is not much to look back upon. 1 was a man of few wants: these I made less and learned to satisfy them myself. have lived almost independent of the world This was the first time that I have gone out into it. and think it will be the last.
 That may be all very well,' inter- rupted the captain impatiently, ''but perhaps we do tall care to become Crusoes. How are we ever to get away from this blessed island? No ship will ever come inside that reef. and otherwise we cannot be seen,
 There are two ways" said Abbott. .'Perhaps twice a year a Spanish lugger lays to outside and sends ill d boat to supply me with some small necessaries and to buy my oranges and cocoanuts. You may wait for that or do as I did go outside the reef and lay until some passing vessel spies you
 "How long did you waltz
 'Four days. I had taken food and water to last d week. A schooner came and took me to Vera Cruz
 Abbott and the captain went out and slept beneath the palm trees and the stars, leaving the cabin to the old man and his daughter.
 The following day and the next they rested and began to recuperate from the fatigue and exposure to which they had been subjected. On the third day the captain announced his intention of leav- ing them. It was arranged that he and Abbott should take the boat and lay out side the reef and wait for some vessel. If they met q schooner or trading vessel, they were to persuade it to lay to while they came back for the others. If a steamer, tlen the captain was to pro- ceed to the nearest port and dispatch a vessel for them. It was of course out of the question for the old man and the girl to take the chance of spending some days in the open boat.
 Abbott and the captain went out upon the highway of the sea until the reef and the island were far behind and their lit- tie boat the only visible speck upon the whole waters, and then they waited one day, two days, until the evening of the third Then 8 steamer bound for New Orleans bore down upon them, hove to and took the captain on board, and re- leasing Abbott from his weary office per mitted his return to Captiva.
 When the captain arrived at New Or. leans, he first made out and forwarded to the owners full account of the loss of the Pelican. Then he called at the office of the chief of police. His conference with that official was long and animated. Before it's conclusion two of the oldest detectives upon the force were brought into the consultation
 "There can be no question as to who your man is" said the chief finally. ''The record is very straight. Twelve years ago the Bunker Hill bank of Boston lost the sum of $5O,000. The money was taken from the vault after the bank had been closed for the night But two men had access to the vault-Frederick Nel- son, the cashier, and Edmund Challoner- the president"
 Edmund Challoner" exclaimed the captain.
 Edmund Challoner! That name Was upon the passenger list of the Pelican. cannot renlember"--
 "A mere coincidence of names," said the chief. This Challoner was man of the highest type of irreproachable char acter. It was said that he had the great est confidence in Nelson, so much so that when the loss was discovered he de manded that the accusation be made equally against them both, as they each had the same opportunity to take the money. But before any arrests were made Nelson had fled, and the crime was fixed. The man Nelson," continued the chief, twas traced to Mobile, where he disappeared. The bank offered re- ward of $10,0O0 for his capture. The re- ward is still pending."
 The captain got up and mopped his face with his handkerchief. Ten thou sand dollars was goodly sum for man who had just lost his ship. And it was almost within his grasp. The chiefs office seemed very close. What a fool he had been to come away and leave the man there with every opportunity for escape. He began to doubt if Abbott had ever gone back to the island.
 ''See here." he exclaimed finally, turn ing to the chief, ''we have no time to lose. The man is bagged safely enough, if he doesn't take the alarm, but we had better move spry. So give me two of your best men for this business, and l will show you where he is, and we will divide the reward"