Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1899-07-20

L
you shall share"
happened to me below the water wonder
you might forget to be honest. So I've
written out an account of what l know
and sealed it, and if l don't turn up
the envelope will be opened. :"
''4ou We pinned me?" he said.
81 think so. y
He stared at me queerly for minute,
and then he spoke again. "Do you
know, Mac, said he, '.Im not so sorry
for it as you might think. 1 was led in
to this precious scheme by some one
else But I'm not going to blame any
body now that can't be here to speak
for himself, and, besides, I'll freely ad-
nit that was keen enough upon the
chance when it was put in my way; it
seemed SO safe. and it was such a
humping big plum to go for. guess
we've most of US kept honest through
fear of being found out. +"
''And. besides, things are not always
as safe as they look.
''You re right, Mac, and I'll remem-
| Der that for the future, and I guess it'll
! scare me into keeping straight. -
''Yon's not a very healthy way of
looking at it, !" said l.
'1ll admit that, said he, "but from
society's point Of view it's very use
, full one We're funny animals. l feel
far easier now than did an hour ago,
and | know some one else who'll be
easier too -
"'That will be Miss Bradbury you re
speaking of p
"Maybe so, maybe no." said he
1.-The person I have in mind writes
books and has a great liking for TO-
nance and told me almost as soon as
we met that it was pity the old days
were gone, when there were pirates and
all that sort Of stuff, and sea life was
more exciting. We got intimate, that
writer and l, Mac, and the tale of this
game here with the gold boxes slipped
out. | claimed there was every bit as
much romance in that as there was in
the old time buccaneering.
"And she agreed to let you go on
with it just because she loved you, ;"
said |, land then ate her heart ont with
fear lest you should get dropped upon.
Man. you need not go further with the
yarn. It's been plain to the eyes of ev-
cry one that's watched the lassie about
the decks that she was just fretting her
self to shadow about something.
cts made me nearly cry to see her ;"
''Well, man, said l, ''its over now,
and she can begin to put on flesh again
so soon as ever you choose to tell her
the new plan. If l mistake not, yon S
the tutter of dress in the companion
way this minute. I'll be away forrard
and turn in. Maybe you'll have bust
ness here you d rather talk of out of my
hearing.
And minute later heard the hum
of their voices and guessed Cameron
was getting rid of his new version of
the tale So that was the way the gold
boxes from the Corinth found their way
into the Cleaners hold, but l fancy
Captain Boyd must have thought all
along that there was something going
on which was not quite according to
rule Still, how he found it out can t
say. Storey couldn't have told him,
since the man never found speech again
it was certain that neither Cameron
nor Miss Bradbury would have let it
out and most assuredly did not
But after we got to Liverpool and all
hands from the Cleaner turned out to
zee our diver married to his girl the old
man pulled me aside as we left the
church and crumpled couple Of ego
Bank of England notes into my hands,
and, "Those. said he, ''are from the
salvage company. told them thought
you deserved the-I told them thought
they We're owing You matter of e270,-
900, but l couldn't get more for you,
Mac, my lad, and perhaps you are bet
ter without it. Companies are not ad.
dicted to giving away tips when they
aren't forced, and third engineers, Mac
well, they have thirsts haven't they,
my lad?"
Well, suppose he was right. 1 know
!, | had clean pockets week later.