The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1898-04-26

tnat was tho tlme EarrCn Camo on tho
carpet again, and although, az l say,
what he did got mo tho sack from the
! company I'll own straight out that no
man could havo shown moro real dare
devil, armor plated pluck.
He camo up to mo in tho port al
leyway that day just after lunch, wab-
bling about on his feet as no always
did when we were in q sea way.
Mr.. llorrOcks, he says, with his
cheap, sickly grin, it's long time
since we had ono Of our chats together
'Tis, said |. I've been busy. I'm
busy now. I'm very behindhand with
making up the ships papers.
All, says he, you've been so taken
up with this yacht business that it's
dragged you away from your work 1t
seems to havo mado Il largo amount of
interest in tho ship
ooh, l said, that lot will bet on
anything.'
"llo laughed in weak sort of way.
well, purscr, says he, [ hopc you've
fcathorcd your own nest over the affair
a." can't say l have, said and be-
gan to movo off toward my room
PITY that says he, when it's so
easy.
Il turned round How doyou mean?
Could you mako money out of it?'
Certainly | could, if | wished to,
only, as you know, | consider it wrong
| to bet.
Then, said u bit sarcastically,
you must havo information which no
body clso on this ship has got
90 His pVnS >ynnInrn6 ,yor ,r;,l, 800
with n look of SURPRISE and q lurch
| sent him against n cabin door. He was
man who never found his sea legs.
And why shouldn't have?' he says
| slowly.
We'll, if it comes to that, how can
you Of all people know what tho yacht
is DONG hcrc?'
Never mind, Mr.. Horrocks, how
picked up tho knowledge but you can
take it from me that not only know
who's on board, but l also know that
| yachts exact business
That's an asset Of value, l said,
and then stopped and considered min
ute. Is there any consideration that
| could offer which would induce YOU to
part with the knowledge"
My dear HOrrocks, he said, If you
want to know, of course I'll tell you
freely enough. I'd have told you any
timo if you'd asked mo. Only | don't
think wo'vo seen much of one another
since the yachts been in sight
"Ho had mo there.
It's bit of n long story he went
on, but If you can wait minute or so
| I'll tell it you now-if you think no one
is likely to overhear us, standing where
wo are.
Certainly not, Mr.. Farren,' said 1.
You como right along to my room and
have cigar. You won't drink whisky,
know, but you shall have iced lemon-
ade i'll two shakes if you care Tor that -"
The pursor Of tho Laconio ceased
speaking and scraped match. When it
was we'll alight, he held the charred end
OF his cigar III tho flame and watched it
with interest. II am afraid he said,
that am boring you gentlemen with
all these preliminarios. 1 never could
tell tale we'll Besides, there's ono
man in this smokeroom who could finish
this yarn much better than I can. He
knows lot Of facts about it that L have
not even guessed at up to now. -
The eyes Of the smokeroom swung
round till they all convorged on Pit
cairn. but that excellent person for once
In his life looked slightly nonplused
Tho purser camo to his rescue. He in
timated that Pitcairn's brain was quito
unequal to guessing the sequel of tho
yarn and again invited the only man
who could finish it to do SO in detail
We began to look at ono another with
interest 1t was occurring to each Of us
that we must have struck up shipboard
| acquaintance with some man who only
a few years previously had been con-
cerned in very remarkable robbery,
but after cursory survey had not
shown any one to appear obtrusively
guilty (although for some reason we
few Of us seemed to be looking exactly
at our best just then) quaint feeling
Of restraint got hold of u.s. Each man
seemed to feel that it was vaguely in
sulting to look at his neighbor, and eyes
glanced up toward the deck above, and
the smoke mist thickened. but by do
grees glances were lowered nd found a
safe resting place on the person of Mr..
Horrocks.
1t was Vereker who voiced tho gen.
eral wish. II think, purscr, he said,
I'VE shall have to bother you. You
have shown such power as raconteur
that the other man, whoever no may be,
Is evidently nervous Of entering into
competition.
Tho purser grinned and bit the end
from fresh cigar. Funny thing, Sir
Randall" said he, "but Farren was
nervous too. When Farren came into
my room that day, thought he would
have tainted, and for good ten minutes
he sat there on my sofa with the colors
going and coming from his face like the
limelight in theater But didn't hur-
ry him or anything. lot him take his
time and sat on tho bed and watched
the yacht through my portfolio. She
was there In her usual place, lust
abeam, with about a quarter Of mile
Of ugly looking water between he1
and us, and / was coming over in my
mind how was going to make divi
dends out Of her.
"Farren reused mo up by calling my
namo, and l tell you what saw, when
1 turned around, fairly made mo sweat
He was standing there with his bach
against the door and one hand turning
the key behind him as looked. He'd
revolver In his othor fist, with the