Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1899-03-09

Muryttr
thinking before he spoke, but as the
doctor completed certain injunctions at
parting the engineer turned full upon
him:
Any news of Nevlns in tho letter
you got this morning.
The doctor flushed, looked bothered
and confused then finally fshed the
letter from an inner pocket Read it
yourself, said he and turned away
1t was from Miss Allyn 1t apologized
for intruding OH stranger, on his time
and patience, but she knew he had been
Mr.. Loring's medical adviser and She
felt compelled to make certain inquiries,
her sister being still unable to write for
herself The doctor was probably aware
that Mr. Loring had written apprising
them Of the loss of certain articles of
great value that had been intrusted to
his care and intended for them. He had
expressed the utmost sorrow and had
rendered certain reimbursement (that
check was for 5000, not cent ess), not
fortieth part of the value of the lost
articles probably, but now they We're in
receipt of a letter fron, Captain Nevins
that must have come by private hand
TO San Francisco, telling them that he
must 90 forth to seek his fortunes anew
that his wife would never hear from
him until he could come with full
hands; that be had sent her every penny
and possession he had -enough to keep
her IN comtcrt-and that if Lieutenant
Loring did not promptly deliver the
same to take legal steps to compel him
SO to do, as he, Nevins, was now con
WINGED the officer might appropriate
them to his own use if he could find
any way to cover his breach of trust
such us swearing they We're stolen from
him Captain Nevins had written other
things in condemnation of Mr. Loring
which neither Mrs Nevins nor herself
could believe, but it did seem strange
that an officer could find no safe meth
cd OF sending valuable jewels when so
much depended on his fidelity
Loring read no further His blue eyes
were blazing already, and his face was
white with wrath when he returned the
missive to his friend. who, knowing
nothing of Loring's past infatuation for
the writer wondered at sight of his
emotion
Why, Lor!nG. said he, you take
this shallow G:-l zoo seriously It's the
way with Tlllen all over the world
They can never wholly acquit man of
completely when they have suffered IL
loss. If that package were with you on
the Idaho and she was to go down il
midocean and the Jewelry with her.
some women would say you had scut
tied the ship i'll order to rob them
The doctor name, it must he ohserv
3D. is unrecorded because Of the extrem,
ity of his cynicism He went back to
Yuma and his duties and slowed that
letter away to be answered later on
What the writer said her sister desired
most to know was whether Mr. LOring
had sustained any injury that might
affect his mind or memory and the
doctor shifted Indignantly at the notion
while he raad, yet marveed much at
'he effect that half uttered accusation
lad IN his usually calm. self poised
patient. He spoke OF it to 1urnbull
when that veteran came nu1rying III by
stage and followed Loring down tine
murky stream, only just in time to
catch the steamer, but Turnbull paid
faint heed. Loring was still weak, he
said and a man of sensitive honor
might we'll be wrathful at such insinua-
tions.
And now as Loring chung to the rail
upon the lofty deck and gazed out over
the waste of tumbling waters toward
the barren shores he was thinking deep
~ of that letter, of the strange bent of
mind that could dictate such unjustifa-
BILE suggestion. if not accusation. He
was thinking too, of Pancha and that
little packet in the purser's safe when
suddenly that officer himself came pop,
ping up the narrow stairway and pokl
his unprotected head into the whistling
wind.
Lieutenant, come below and have a
bite while we're here off Ildefonso
Well be turning handsprings in halt
an hour And Loring followed to the
Stewards cud!y where smoking