The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1897-05-28
THE DIVERS STORY.

waiter, salt for six here! Wilder
spins going to give us that deadly ex-
perience of his. Now. captain, forge
ahead; it's glasses round for the first
man who interrupts. Touch-and-go
with death, you say. and yet your hair
kept it's original color. How on earth
was it?"
Another laugh rippled along the
table, but 1t soon subsidized. The old
divers twitching lips made it clear that
his thoughts were elsewhere. He simply
sat back, stared fxedly at the shaded
candle before him, and broke into the
silence with q steady impressiveness
that soon had the company spellbound.
you'll please yourselves about
swallowing this when you've stood in
my parlor and seen the newspaper-cut-
tings on the wall, framed in u bit of the
Witch's timber. As for excitement, you
mightn't care to sleep through few of
the dreams I've had since. Aye, but the
real extraordinary part about it was. if
you like, that should have walked into
Lacy Truman's office. in Hobart Town,
as the clock struck II that morning.
For I'd been hanging about the docks,
hungry and savage. for weeks; and I'd
left Jess-my young wife-with the
words that, come no luck, was simply
going to steal the money to take US back
to England by the next weeks steamer.
And meant that.
"They were ship-brokers, Lacy Tru-
man and his brother. walked into their
outer office without being invited, up to
the boss clerk, and told him in so many
words I'd come to the end of my tether
in that country. The old tale! What
are you? Anything. Ell? Sit down
there he says. went to do it. when
the door flies open. and the senior part
ner--I knew them both by sight-stag-
gers In with a face like-like death
itself. He stood there, and ratified out:
will. quick! She's gone downtown,
within mile of dock!'
THAT was it. Bang goes the inner
door. and the other steps out, white
enough, too. in trice. What, the
Witch?' he says. almost lower than a
whisper. I'll never believe it. Sighted
at seven this morning, and foundered-
Lacy, you're fooling! We've covered her
for $4,000.
"Gone DOWN. repeated his brother,
as If he wanted to catch somebody's
throat. I met Coombes' clerk, coming
up here; raced back, and saw the OWL
crs and the captain himself. There's
no log saved-nothing at all. They
simply say that water was pouring in at
the fore-hold all day yesterday, no one
knows how, and they just had time to
put off in the boats before she lurched
and settled down, at ten o'clock. That's
four since March! We're absolutely
| rnined!'
1.-THE clerks sat there like bits of
stone; the two partners stared at each
other; you could have heard feather
drop. They were rich, as things go. I'd
heard-but four since March!
"'Never believe It'll says Will Tru-
man, again, waking up. There's some
thing wrong; old she was. but good for
years yet, I'll swear. Ny hat! Within
a mile? Lacy, surely we can get some
of the cargo up before
| Eyes, to light fires with! The salt
will spoil those silk bales in less than
three days, man. He was sight. tell
you. TO 30 down like that, in smooth
water! told Coombes plainly don't
| pay out farthing until an investiga-
tion has been made; and If suspected
anything I'd take action at once
| "'You we're fool to hint at any
thing OF the sort!'
"'Aye, perhaps was. We ought to
have sent a man down straight away.
to look at her. Who is there? Here,
johnson, run to Saunders, the diver,
in Market street. Tell him to come here
this minute. I'll know the truth OF
| this
"They went into the inner Office to-
gether. sat there, hanging on to the
buzz OF their talk. and fairly itching to
do or say something. Then, in about Is
| minutes, back tears their clerk with the
word that Saunders was very sorry, but
the owners had that very minute en-
gagged him to make an investigation
next morning, and lie didn't think there
was another diver worth cent in the
place just then-he'd fiud out.
"The two partners spun round and
looked at each other, and it didn't need
words to show what they were think
ing. That was my chance, If ever: and
before I knew it, I'd spoken.
"'Yes, there is! Mr.. Truman, I'll go
down, and welcome. II you think there's
anything underhanded, leave it to me.
"'You!' They'd never noticed me.
Who are you, then?' asked the senior
duly. What might you know about
tT
IA good deal, sir. That's to say, !
haven't done any deep-sea work to
speak Of, but was five years over in
Sunderland, going down and stopping
leaks and strains, before they had the
dry dock built. That's something, sir.
1 was here to ask for work, and there it
Is. If the silk can be saved-or those
es,0OO-I'm your man. Try me-
! swell, II this isn't a coincidence
says he, incredulous like. will, what
do you think? There's no time to lose,
that's certain; we must arrange to have
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