The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-16

or later you will fail. Compare myself,
for example. All my life I have been in
banks-I have got on in panks. nave
even been a bank manager. But was
hanpy? No. Why wasn't l happy? Be-
cause it did not suit my temperament.
am too adventurous, too versaIile. az
suppose I shall ever manage bank
again. They would be glad 10 geI me- no
doubt, but l have learnt the lesson OIL my
aNow aA Voilr reinforcement units you for
crime-just as mine untlts me loI rTsPgG;IS
liability. know you oett aao7 ItraH for for,
gerry. Go back TO respect&ole coua9e my
man. Your lay is the philanthroplc lay
sTbe island we are approaching has no
name apparently-at least there Is none
on the chart You might think 2u{ a
name for it while you are there. II mas
quite drinkable water, understand: IL Is
one of the Grenadines-one or the vino
ward Islands Yonder-dim and blue-are
wondered what these islands are tor1noW'
you see, I am wiser. rms one. at ieast,
native will come along and take you off.
Saw what you like about US then-abuse
US If you like-we shall not nlnd. An no
silver Do not waste that in foolish dissi-
patton when you return TO CIVILIZATION.
Properly used it may give you a fresh
you to carry your tucker to land IN your
arms. No, it's not deep. D that ex-
No. no | won't listen. Overheard you CO.
And the falling night found Mr.. Led
better, the Mr.. Ledbetter who had com
planned that adventure was dead, sitting
beside his cans of food, his chin resting
upon his drawn-up knees, staring
through his glasses in dismal mlIdness
picked up in the course of three Gays py
a negro fisherman and taken to St. V1n-
cents, and from st. Vincent's ne got py
the expenditure of his last CONS 70
Kingston in Jamaica. And there ne
might have foundered. He had not Inc inc
remotest idea what he ought TO 90. ne
only thing he seems to have done was 70
visit all the ministers Of religion ne could
find in the place to borrow passage
home. But he was much TOO 1lr i9gcT anH l-
for them / met him quite by chanGe-
1t was close upon sunset and was walk
ing out after my Slest4 net 0n 'i hint was
rather bored and with whole evening
on my hands, luckily for him he was
woebegone face and the quasi clerical cut
of his dust-stained, filthy costume eaught
my humor. Our eyes met. lie heslLats gu
HSir,' he said. with a catching OF tne
breath could you spare few moments
for what 1 fear will seem an increaiOle
story?"
quite he answered eagerly. mo one
will believe it, alter it though may Il ct
He stopped hopelessly. The mans tone
tickled me He seemed an odd character.
81 am he said. ''one OF the most IN
fortunate being alive"
Among other things, you haven't
dined % l said, struck with an idea. ,,.
81 have not" he said soiemnly' Tor
sYou M may tell it better after that" I
said, and without more ado led the way
to low place kneW where f e sven o4e G9s-
And Herewith certain omissions Whch
he subsequently supplied, | got ms story;
warmed him, and the faint suggestion OF
cringing his misfortunes had aodeq 20 MS
manner disappeared, began 70 PEI sfr5
cerity that l got him bed for the nlght,
and next day verified the bankerS refer
ence he gave me through my Jamaica
banker And that done, l took him shop
ping for underwear and such IKE EQUIP
ments of a gentleman at large. presently
came the verified reference HIS ASTON
ishing story was true. I will not amplify
our subsequent proceedings.
He started for England in three days
II do not know how I can possibly thank
you enough the letter he wrote me from
England began, for all your Kindness TO
a total stranger and proceeded for some
time in a similar strain. Had 1T not been
for your generous assistance / cou "a Ger
tainly never have returned In time Tor the
resumption of my scholastic duties, ana
my few minutes of reckless folly would
perhaps have proved my ruin: The truth
dare not tell. / have consulted a num-
Der of law books in the British Museum,
and there is not the slightest doubt that |
felony. That scoundrel Bingham was the
Hethergate bank manager, l find, and
guilty of the most fragrant embezzlement.
The worst of it is, neither my aunt nor
her friend, who kept the boarding house
at which 1 was staying, seem altogether
to believe guarded statement I have
made them-practically of what actually
happened. They suspect me of some dis
creditable adventure, but what sort Of
discreditable adventure they suspect me
of l do not know.
IF, when you write you could write on
two sheets, SO that I could show my aunt
one, and on that one, If YOU could show
clearly that l really was in Jamaica this
summer, and had come there by being
marooned from a ship, it would be of
great service to me It would certainly
add to the load of my obligations to you,
a load that fear can never fully repay.
Although if gratitude =" And so
forth. At the end he repeated his re-
quest for me to burn the letter.
So the remarkable story of Mr.. Led
better's vacation ends. That breach with
his aunt was not of long duration: The
old lady had fully forgiven him before
she died.-Copyrighted, 1898, by H. G.
Wells.