The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1897-09-24

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CHAPTER XvIL-(CoNr1SuEp.,
Well, ma am, since you know 80
rauch. you probably know also that I
have sold my pension. How am to
live If do not turn my hand to work?"
Mrs. westmacott produced large
registered envelope from beneath the
sheets and tossed it over to the old
seaman.
''That excuse won't do. There are
your pension papers. Just see If they
are right
He broke the SEAL and out tumbled
the very papers which he had made over
to McAdam two days before.
but what am to do with these
now" he cried in bewilderment.
you will put them in safe place or
Eot friend to do SO, and. If you do
your duty, you will go to your wife and
beg her pardon for having even Tor an
instant thought Of leaving her"
The Admiral passed his hand over his
rugged forehead. This is very good Of
you. ma'am," said he, Every good and
kind, and know that you are staunch
friend, but for all that these papers
mean money, and though we may have
been In broken water lately, we are not
quite in such straits as to have to signal
to our friends. When we do, ma'am.
there's no one we would look to sooner
than to you"
Don't be ridiculous!" said the widow.
You know nothing whatever about It,.
and yet you stand there laying down
the Law. I'll have my way in this mat
ter. and you shall take the papers, for it
% no favor that I am doing you, but
simply q restoration Of stolen property"
How that, ma'am?"
81 am just going to explain, though
you might take a lady's word for it
without asking any questions. Now.
what I am going to say is just between
you four. and must go no farther. I
have my own reasons for wishing 1t
kept from the police. Who do you think
It was who struck me last night, Ad-
mi-al?" -.
''some villain. ma'am. I don't know
his NAME"
'eBut do. It was the same man who
ruined or tried to ruin your son. It was
my only brother. jeremiah"
'.Ah!'
'T will tell you about him-or a little
about him, for he has done much which
I would not care to talk of, nor you to
listen to. He was always villain.
and plausible. but dam
8erous, subtle villain all the same. II I
have some hard thoughts about man.
kind can trace them back to the child
hood which I spent with my brother.
He 10 my only living relative, for my
other brother Charles father, was killed
In the Indian mutiny.
sOur father was rich, and when he
died he made good provision both for
jeremiah and for me-. He knew Jere-
smlah and he mistrusted him, however;
30 instead of giving him all that he
: meant him to have he handed me over
= part Of 1t, telling me. with what was
almost his dying breath, to hold 1t in
trust for my brother, and to use 1t in
his behalf when he should have squan-
.dered or lost all that he had. This ar
fanEement was meant to be secret
between my father and myself, but un-
fortunately his words were overheard
BY the nurse, and she repeated them
Afterwards to my brother, 80 that he
came to know that held some money
I'm trust for him. suppose tobacco will
mot harm my head. Doctor? Thank
you, then shall trouble you for the
matches. Ida" She lit a cigarette. and
leaned back upon the pillow. with the
Eblue wreaths curling from her lips.
Fl cannot tell you how often he has
attempted to get that money from me.
He has bullied. cajoled. threatened.
coaxed, done all that q man could do.
- need Of It would come. When heard
OF this villainous business. his flight
.aad his leaving his partner to face the
storm, above all that my. old friend had
been driven to- surrender his income In
,0rder to make up for my brothers de.
1aJcations, I felt that now indeed had
Q need for 1t. sent In Charles yester.
day TO Mr.. McAdam, and his client
upon hearing the facts of the case. very
gFaciously consented to give back the
Dapers, and to take the money which hi
had advanced. Not a word Of thanks t.
me, Admiral. tell you that 1t was very
cheap benevolence, for 1t was all done
with his own money, and how could
use 1t better?
Fl thought that should probabl,
hear from him soon, and I did. Las
evening there was handed In q note O
the usual whining, cringing tone. II,
had come back from abroad at the risl
06 his life and liberty, Just In order tina
he might say goodbye to the only sis
ter that he ever had, and to entreat m,
forgiveness for any pain which he hat
caused me. He would never trouble m,
again. and he begged only that woult
hand over to him the sum which helt
In trust for him. That. with what HI
had already, would be enough to star
him as an honest man In the new world
IAA AM
pray for the dear sister who had beef
his savior. That was the style Of tn
letter. and It ended by imploring me t.
leave the window-latch open, and to b.
I'm the front room at three In the morn
ing. when he would come to receive m!
last kiss and to bid me farewell.
bad as he was. could not, when h
trusted me, betray him. said nothing
but was there at the hour. He en-
tered through the window, and implore'
me to give him the money. He was ter