Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-06-02
CHAPTER VI.
GREEN TURNS DETECTIVE.

lURINo H..
When Tom Scott opened his eyes to
an understanding of what was pass
ing around him he gazed curiously
around his poorly furnished room.
Then as his eyes fell upon the second
mate of the seabird reading by the win
dow he said in faint whisper:
"Mr. Green!"
Down went the paper and the hon.
est sailor FASTENED to his side, en-
claiming;
Hes come 10 at last! You mustn't
ask any questions, Mr.. Scott! The doc
tor gave me my orders just now. You'll
be all right in day or two"
'But where am"
"Belay." was the firm response, as
the watcher placed his broad hand
gently on TOMS mouth. " amt 60
ing against orders. Lay right still and
don't talk. Here. take this stuff You
was to have it as soon as you got your
reckoning"
AS he spoke he held a glass to Tom
lips with one hand, raising the patient
tenderly with the other with deft-
ness that told of considerable practice.
Tom was too weak to resist and swal-
lowed the medicine as he was bid. Then
be was about to try to speak again,
when his nurse raised his hand warn
inglY. Tom would have made another
effort, but he felt an empowering
sense of drowsiness, and y moment
later he was forced to yield. His
head fell back and he dropped into q
restful slumber.
When he again awake the second
mate was doing In his chair. Toms
head was clear now and he felt
| stronger. AS he watched the sleeping
man the events of the fateful night
began to come back to him, and, as he
remembered his loss, he could not helE
muttering an exclamation of despair.
AYE, aye, sir!"
1t was the watcher who replied, ani
as he spoke he came quickly to The
| bedside, saying:
" must have dropped off a minute
How do you feel now?"
pretty weak" was the faint re
Spouse, "and I'm hungry"
Good! You'll do! You'll be al
right in a week. III soon fix that!"
As he spoke portly man entered TIL,
room, and the sailor added:
Here's the doctor now. I'll leav,
him to see you while run down to TIL,
vessel and tell Cap'n Coffin you're al
right aloft."
When the doctor left Tom he said
briskly:
you are all right now, young man
Eat all you want and you'll be able I,
travel in week or two. It's only weak
ness now, and that is soon mended."
He proved reliable prophet, an.
Tom felt his strength return each day
In day or two he was out, and at tn
expiration of the week he felt perfect.
we'll, with the exception of Sigh
languor which still remained.
He said nothing about the loss of TIL
papers at first, but when he learne,
from Capt. Coffin how the second mat
had offered to spend his hard-earne,
savings and give up his cherished pla
of going to the mines, he determined t
make him his confldant, and offer t
share with him if they could find tn
parties to whom he had been directed
After carefully thinking the matte
over he was convinced that the robbie
would probably place no reliance on TIL
rude will, even if he took the troubl
to read it. 1t was more than probabl
that he had thrown both papers ava
when he rifed the belt, paying atter
ton only to the tidy sum he had sc
cured by his crime.
In this case 1t would only he neces
sary to find the old miners friends an
4 tell the truth, to which the second mat
could certify. There was another pre-
caution, too, which might be taken, an
that was to obtain n sworn statemen
from the captain of the Seabird rs t
the identity of both Tom and the sec
ond officer, together with the fact tina
John Avery was the formers roommat
and had died at sea.
Tom easily obtained this in writin
and he then told his secret to Greer
who listened in open-meuthed amaz
ment, but with kindling face thf
showed he had no doubt of the absolut
truth of what he heard.
"Now," concluded Tom, that's II