The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-10-22
WALTER BLOOMFIELD
CHAPTER XVII.

Copyright lcG By ]
CHAPTER XVII.
Continued.
My father smiled family. SAs you
wil," he replied. THAT Is as much
"a I hoped Of you. And now to speak
OF q more eongenial subject. I shall
be sorry to be without you for few
months, though Of late We have not
been such good companions as We once
were. However. what benefits you.
can yield me nothing but pleasure;
90 20, my boy. and peep ut that world
which you have not yet seen. and God
be with you and protect you. l Will
impose NO limit on the duration OF
your absence, and your means shall
be the best ! can afford. II it is your
wish to visit your uncle. have no
objection to your doing 50; but have
no message for him"
The rest Of the interview was more
affecting than interesting, and needs
not be chronicled here. Perfectly ami
cable relations. similar to what pre-.
vailed before I had seen my uncle,
were re-established between father and
son. BUT there now took root in my
mind q horrid doubt Of my uncle's
honesty; and only those who have
experienced II can know the pain OF
discovering q hideous fault in an Idol
(which one has set up for ones self;
land Samuel Trueman had been to me
as an idol. His coolness, his wit. his
self.reliance, his magnificent success,
had moved me to alteration OF the
man. II my uncle's unconcealed love
OF the power which money confers had
indeed induced him to rob his poorer
brother Of q quarter Of million Of Sc
quins, then ] was sorry for humanity.
NY father had given me ESQ; and
on that modest sum resolved to travel
round the world by easy stages. so
as to reach home again at the end or
six months. My plan was to so direct
to New York City q could not make
up my mind whether would call upon
my uncle or not. but at least would
look ut the house where he lived, If
bnly for the sake of my lingering af-
lection for his ward: thence. but with
many stoppages. across America to
San Francisco. From the City Of the
Golden Gate I resolved to cross the
Pacific to Australia, and after visit
ing the principal places or interest
in that country and In New Zealand,
to return direct to the continent OF
Europe. In planning my tour was
conscious of reversing the usual order
Of IN Englishman's travels; but
keen desire to see New York. the m.
tive city and home Of Constance Marsh,
had taken possession Of me; and re-
. solved to crafty 1t with as little de-
Jay as possible.
! For the next few days was busil5
engaged in preparing for my depar-
ture. Fortunately, my personal ex-
penses during my four months Of mop
Ing had been nil, and now found the
accumulations Of my pocket money
for that period very useful in pro-
yiding additional clothes, and other
necessarles for my journey. without
encroaching upon my ESQ.
My unwonted activity benefited me
greatly, and left no doubt that in the
hustle Of the busy world. surrounded
by new scenes, the depression from
which I had 50 long suffered would
altogether pass away.
The eve Of my departure arrived.
and was spent In quietude with my
father. All my arrangements had been
made. and was to leave for London
by the first train from Bury st. Ed
mund's In the morning. My fear that
my father would again talk Of our
stolen treasure was Ill founded. for he
never once referred 70 the matter or
mentioned the name Of my uncle. He
regretted that he had been unable
to find out the whereabouts Of Annie
wolsey, which he thought might pos
sibly have been discovered had l been
In q condition to assist in the inquiry
he had made (which had not been the
easel and furnished me with the nd
dress In Australia from which my
grandfather had last written; though
he added. Il don't suppose there will
be much use Of your calling there.
for 1t Ii more than likely that your
grandfather is already on his way to
England" l took the address and
placed 1t in my pocket book; but the
matter engaged very little Of my At
tention.
when the hour Of my departure had
come, John Adams insisted upon ac-
companying me to the station. He had
not taken the reins once since his ILL.,
ness, and was still In very weak
state; but all that my father and l
could urge In opposition to his wish
availed nothing; the old man was OBJ
durate, and with some skill turned
our objections against Us by admitting
his feebleness, and representing that
It was not improbable that he might
never see me again. but that he par.
ticularly wished for IN opportunity
TO talk with me once more before
went away. The old servant pre-
vailed. and after I had taken n most
afyectionate farewell Of my father. we
started for Bury st. Edmund's.
As soon as we were on the high
road the old man opened the conversa'
ton by observing:
..rrt.u~ ho ,-oafus hoa tipoc Mosfer