The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-25
CHAPTER XIV.
An Unexpected Visitor.

Mrs. Hollis husband had been ships
surgeon. They were married at South
amptOn, and two months after marriage
DR.. Holt obtained an appointment on one
Of the Australian liners. This was two
and twenty years ago. He was away six
months, and then came the terrible news
that the ship, on its return voyage round
Cape Horn, had caught fire, and that he
and one other man were the only two
on board not saved. The crew and pas
sengers had taken to the boats and had
been rescued by passing ship.
About a month after the news arrived
Frank was born, and his widowed mother.
who had a small income just sufficient to
live upon, moved to London when the
lad was about IA. He had shown g. de-
cided leaning towards art, and in order
to give him facilities for studying Mrs
Holt moved to the metropolis.
Strangely enough. the love for the sea
which his father had came out in his son
in his passion for marine subjects. For
three years previous to the tragedy into
which he had been so mysteriously drawn
he had been studying life on the Thames
and for this purpose his mother had taken
house in Albert square, Commercial
road, so as to be near the river. His
studio, improvised out of a top room. was
full Of sketches of Thames lighters and
pool OF studies of sailors, bargees, and
the odd, nondescript individuals to be
found below London bridge.
Mrs. Holt had been very open in her
replies to the questions Of the police but
there was one thing about which she sa lid
not q word It was essentially a private
matter which concerned herself alone.
and there was no necessity to acquaint
the police with 1t. Had she done 50 it
would only have awakened suspicious
which she could not have allayed. for #
was a mystery to herself
About five years after she came to live
in London she received a letter from a firm
Of solicitors in Trinity square, Southwark.
asking her to call at their office on a mat
ter which would be to her advantage, She
went and interviewed little, dried-up.
Unconditional, business-like elderly man.
who said that his firm had received in
structlons to pay her the sum of s25
every quarter No trouble whatever would
she have. She would not even have to
come and receive the money, they would
send it to her by check
Naturally Mrs. Holt was amazed. and
inquired Of whom she was Indebted to
this unlooked-for addition to her in
come.
THAT is not of the least consequence, y
answered the solicitor, drily. 'You have
but to take the money and spend it in
any way you think fit
but surely you know who this gener-
Gus person is?' she exclaimed
whether we do or whether we do not
is no business Of yours was the curt
rejoinder.
For years Mrs. Holt had found a diff
Guilty in making both ends meet, and at
that time she was in debt The art edu-
cation of her son was costing more than
she anticipated. The temptation was
great, for a hundred pounds year would
end all her troubles and put her in a
condition Of comparative affluence. She
took the money.
Every quarter day by the first post she
had received a check for e rs, yet she was
no nearer knowing who the donor was
than at first.
Continued tomorrow.