Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1893-11-16

| buOOIy VI yuuF ptab HlbLOTyt DuU WI are
equally unsatisfactory and all are
equally far from any definite conclu-
SION"
1T occurred to me, Of course, that |
must have come in one Of the ships
which, about that time, entered the
harbor, continued Ralph, thought
fully "and / have accordingly been
making inquiries.
The pallor deepened on Alma's face.
You have?" she gasped.
Yes, have been making inquiries.
Yesterday and to-day ! have made two
long visits to Honolulu.
The start given by Alma at this dec
laYation partook largely of alright.
She stole several sly glances in quick
succession at her companion.
"Well?" she finally faltered
We'll, | have had my labor for my
pains. have learned all l can In re-
gard to the ships which were in port at
the date in question, and also made
every possible Inquiry in regard to the
persons aboard Of those ships, but
have not been able to find the least light
In that quarter. 1t is impossible to say
who / formerly was, or how / reached
this island.
"Or even when," suggested Alma,
| still averting her face. You may have
been on the island months or years be-
fore we found you. You may have been
afflicted with-with some terrible men
tai disease, In any case, whoever you
may have been, and whatever your
parentage, 1t is reasonable to think
that you may have been deliberately
abandoned by your friends, and that
they have taken such good care to
cover up their tracks that you never,
never will be able to get the least trace
OF them"
This view of the case was not q new
one. Ralph had often contemplated it
before but he had never been able to
consider 1t calmly. twas, in fact, the
most painful OF all the theories he had
ever formed concerning himself, and
It's horrors now kept him silent.
And such being the common-sense
view Of the natter" resumed Alma,
why should you worry yourself to
death with a mystery that can never
be cleared up? Is it not better to let
the dead past alone and turn your at
tention to the living present."
This Is the very course propose to
take" declared Ralph with a long
drawn sigh. ut would be both foolish
and wicked, of course, for me to spend
my life in an endeavor to answer ques-
tions which are from their very nature
unanswerable. But one of the most
pressing duties of the present is for me
to cease to be an object OF charity-to
avoid taxing your goodness and that OF
your father any further-in short, to
adopt some work or profession that will
insure me support and render me In
dependent Of others.n
What! you are tired Of usY You
would leave us?" cried Alma, turning
pale again and looking world of ten
der reproaches.
'It is not that, Miss Bullet" said
Ralph, with gentle gravity. "Among
all the thousands of truths 1 have
learned during the past few weeks, I
have not failed to learn that the first
principle Of manhood is pecuniary in
dependence; and the time has arrived
for me to carry this truth into prac-
tice."
Alma mused painfully q few moments,
and then turned her most effective
glances upon her companion, her feat
ures Frightening.
"Very we'll, she said, Il see no OBJ
jections to your being independent,
since such is vour desire. Father will
sell you some land, which you can pay
for by your labor, or he will endeavor
to procure for you a position of soma
kind in Honolulu. But whatever you
do, bear in mind that father and are
your true friends, that we have your
happiness at heart, and that we are
anxious to do all we can for YOU"
"You have both been singularly kind
to me-" returned Ralph, as he leaned
forward and took the girls hand
in his own, pressing it gratefully.
ITO you, especially, owe more than
my life. Rest assured that l shall al
ways be grateful"
While he was uttering these declara-
tions, with the hearty honesty charac-
teristic of him, the dark face of an in
truder, Kanaka, was suddenly raised
into view from behind clump of
couple, and clenched hand was shaken
menacingly at them, while pair Of
savage eyes looked at them with the
raging fires of jealousy.
Neither Of the couple detected this
intrusion.
"But enough of all this for to-day"
continued Ralph, relinquishing the
hand Of the girl and arising. Il see
your father in the distance, returning
from Honolulu, and you will doubtless
wish to meet him, as he was to bring
you some new fashions" and the young
Chicagoan smiled. Lets walk in that
direction"
The sun was now setting in flood Of
glory, and by the time the couple had
finished pleasant chat with Bullet the
shadows OF evening were falling densely
around them. They had finally separ-
ated, the old sailor going to see his
man Kulu, Ralph retiring to his room,
and Alma seating herself in the door
way of the cottage, when the dark
faced Kanaka, of whom we have spoken,
advanced toward the girl with brisk
ness that startled her.
She arose hastily.
Don't CO." called the intruder, IN q
voice in which sullen anger was pre-
dominant. Its me-Keeri. l must
have q talk with you"
To BE CONTINUED.
Il
WOOD pulp is rapidly becoming one
of the most universally used of manu-