The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-05-05

little, slipping the contents and ne viii
not take more than a single glass or two
at the most. In the same time Tom Ris-
ing would have gulped down whole bot
tie one man wants to crafty many
senses; the other seeks only to get drunk
as quickly as he can. So / take IL with
the forbidden pleasures of the world One
man may cultivate his taste; the other
may be satisfied with the coarse and plen-
tiful debauchery. This is not however.
talk for honest folk like you and me-"
Go on with your story, Jack. Never
mind the different ways of wickedness.''
Well he heard of an heiress. She be-
| longed to town remote from fashion,
! town of simple merchants and sailors.
she was very rich; much richer than he
| at first believed
Who told him about this heiress?''
"A creature called Sam Semple, whom
the captain once cudgeled. Why. Molly, it
was revenge. In return for the cudgeling
ne would place you and your fortune in
the hands of man who would bring mis-
cry upon you and ruin on your fortune.
/ Heavens, how the thing works QUIT And
II happened Just in the nick of time that
a spring was found in the town-a spring
! whose medicinal properties Hal" L
| jumped to my feet. Molly. who found
that spring? Sam Semple. Who wrote to
the doctor about it? Sam Semple Who
] spread abroad a report that the physi-
clans of London were sending their pa
/ tients to Lynn? Sam Semple. How many
patients have come to us from London?
] None. save and except only the party of
| those who came secretly in his lordship's
/ train to sing his praises and to work his
1 wicked will Why. Molly l burst
! into laugh, for now L understand,
one sometimes does understand. suddenly
and without proof other than the rapid
! conclusion. the full meaning of the whole.
Molly. i say. there has never been any
medicinal spring here at all. The DOCTORS
well is but common spring water. There
are no cures. The whole business is a
plan, bite, an invention of Sam Sem
/ plei'
Jack have a care How can that be
when the doctor has long list of cures?"
Il know 1t, but | do know that Sam
this invasion of sharpers and gamblers
and heiress hunters Oh. what n liar he
! is, What revenge. What cunningi What
signal service has this servant Of the dew
!: rendered to his masteri''
Truly | was carried out of myself by
this discovery, which explained every
thing
the way from London, their lying ex-
cuse that they were ordered here by their
physicians. and we. poor. simple folk, fell
into the snare, and we have been fooled
into drinking common water and calling
1t what you please. and We have built gar
dens and engaged musicians and created
spa, and, oh, heavens. what liar he is,
What liari This comes. | suppose. of
being a poeti
Then Molly laid her head upon my arm
Jack she said very seriously. do you
really believe this story? Only consider
what il means to me-" Molly was more
concerned about Lord Fylingdale- than
about Sam Semple.
Il believe every word of it. Molly
believe that they have all Joined in the
conspiracy, more or less: that they have
all got promises and that tomorrow MORN
ing, if you do not refuse to meet this
man in St Nicholas Church. you will
bring upon yourself nothing but misery
and ruin.
II have promised to meet him. / must
at least send him message, If only to
say that l shall not come
L should like to send him nothing, but
you are right. 1t is best to be courteous. |
Well. YOU may send him a letter. l will
myself take it to the Crown"
But afterward. Jack? What shall We
do afterward? II he is innocent. he will |
take offence. If not"
IF you were engaged to marry a |
young merchant, Molly, or to a skipper |
and you heard rumors of bankruptcy. |
drink or evil courses, what would you |
do?"
81 would tell MIN that l had heard such |
and such about him, and l should ask |
for explanations
Then do exactly the same with Lord |
FylinSdale. He Is accused of certain !
things. The captain must make enquiry. |
He is bound to enquire. Why. the vicar /
himself says that he would, If necessary, |
In order to ascertain the truth, travel /
all the way to London. there to learn the
and afterward into Worcestershire, where /
his country mansion stands. to learn on |
the spot what the tenants and the people |
of the country know of him"
But suppose he refuses explanations
He is too proud to be called to account. -
Then send him packing. Lord or no [
lord. proud or humble. if he furnishes
explanations. if these things are untrue.
then-why, then you will consider what
to do. But. Molly, / do not believe that
any explanations will be forthcoming and
to the end with the same lofty pride and
cold mieu
Let US go into the parlor, Jack. There
are the captains writing materials. Help |
me to say what is proper. oh, is 1t pos
siDle? Can | believe it? Are these things |
true? That proud man, raised above his !
fellows by his virtues and his rank and
his principles, Jack. he risked his life
for me-
Ask no more questions. Molly We
must have explanations. Let us write
the letter"
1t was MoIlys first letter-the only let
ter, perhaps. that she will ever write
in all her life. Certainly, she had never
written one before nor Or has as. she ever
wives. her writing is only wanted for
household accounts. recipes for buildings
and pies and the labelling of her bottles
and jars. / have the letter before me
at this moment II is written in large.
spTawliRg hand and the spelling is not
such as would satisfy my father.
Naturally she looked to me for adj
vice. | had written many letters to my
owners and to foreign merchants about
cargOes. aud the like, and was therefore |
able to advise the composition of let
ter which should be justly expressed and
to the point:
"Honored Lord This is from me at the
present moment in my guardians yiarlor'' |
writing parlor. when as mate of the ship
should have written port or harbOr. 1T !
S 10 inform you that intelligence has been
brought by letters from London and Cam
bridge Touching the matters referred to
n these letters, | have to report for your
that they call your lordship
n round terms a gamester and a ruined
rake and YOUR companions at the spa,
namely. Sam Semple. the parson, the rick
.ty old beau. and the colonel, simple,
'oSucS, common cheats, and sharpers.
Shall not, therefore, meet your lordship
1t the church tomorrow morning as in
;tructed Awaiting your lordship's ex-
)lanatiOns and commands. your most ODE
MOLLY"
This letter / folded, sealed. addressed.
md dropped INTO my pocket. Then | babe
Molly goodnight. entreated her to be
thankful for her escape, and so left her
With light heart. Verify it seemed as if
he sadness of the last two months had
,een wholly and suddenly lifted. and on
ny way back to the Crown | passed the =
-ady Anastasia S lodging just as her chair
vas brought to the house. | opened the .
oor for her and stood hat in hand.
Why, it is jack she cried. 1T is the
ailor Jack, the constant lover. Have you
nything more to tell me?"
only that Molly will not keep that ap-
ointment of tomorrow evening n
oh that interesting appointment in st. ! y
Nicholas Church. May a body ask why
Things have been disclosed at the last
moment fortunately in time"
What things and by whom?"
BY letter. 1t is stated as a fact well