The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1903-09-13

voyage. Monty gave Bragdon fifteen
thousand dollars for this purpose and ex-
tracted a solemn promise that the entire
amount would be used.
But it won't cost half of this" protest.
ed Bragdon.
"You will have to give these people
good time during the week and-well-you
have promised that 1 shall never see an
other penny Of it. Some day you'll know
why 1 do this and Monty felt easier
when his friend agreed to abide by his
wishes.
He discharged the Filters crew, with
five months pay and the reward prom
ised on the night of Peggys rescue. which
was productive of touching emotions.
Captain Perry and his officers never for
got the farewell Of the prodigal, nor could
they hide the regret that marked their
weather-beaten faces.
Plans to dispose of his household goods
and the balance of his cash in the short
time that would be left after he arrived
in New York occupied Monty's attention,
and most men would have given UP the
scheme as hopeless. But he did not de-
spair. He was still game, and he pre-
pared for the final plunge with grim de-
termination.
There should have been clause in
Jones conditions about weather permit
ting, he said to himself "A ship
wrecked mariner should not be expected
to spend million dollars
The division of the party for the two
sailings was tactfully arranged by Mrs
DeMille. The Valentines chaperoned the
Second table," as Subway Smith called
those who were to take the later boat,
and she herself looked after the first lot
Peggy Gray and Monty Brewster were in
the DeMille party The three days in
England were marked by unparalleled ex-
travagance on Monty's part One of
the local hotels was subsidized for a
week, although the party only stayed
for luncheon and the Cecil in London
lars for the brief stop there. 1t was a
careworn little band that took Monty's
special train for Southampton and en-
barked two days later. The crest cure
that followed was welcome to all of them
and Brewster was especially glad that
his race was almost run.
Four days out from New York, then
three days, then two days, and then
Brewster began to feel the beginning of
the final whirlwind in profligacy clouding
him oppressively, ominously, unkindIy
Down in his stateroom he drew new es-
Inmates, new calculations, and tried to
balance the old ones so that they ap-
peared in the light most favorable to his
designs. Going over the statistics care
fully, he estimated that the cruise, incIud-
ing repairs and the return of the yacht
to New York, would cost him S210, 900 in
round figures. One hundred and thirty
three days marked the length of the voy-
age when he reckoned by time and. as
near as he could get at it, the expense
averaged $3.50 a day. According to the
contract. he was to pay for the yacht
exclusive of the cuisine and personal ser
vice. And he had found it simple enough
to spend the remaining $1OSO. There were
days, of course, when fully $1,000 disap-
peared, and there were others on which
he spent less than $1,000 but the average
was secure. Taking everything into con-
sidepation, Brewster found that his for
tune had dwindled to few paltry thou
sands in addition to the proceeds which
would come to him from the sale of his
furniture. On the whole he was satiis-
fed.
Immediately after the landing Brewster
and Gardner was busy with the details
of settlement After clearing up all of
the obligations arising from the cruise
they felt the appropriateness of refiec-
ton. 1t was a difficult moment-a mo-
ment when undelivered reproofs were in
the air. But Gardner seemed much the
more melancholy of the two.
Piles of newspapers lay scattered about
the floor of the room in which they sat
Every one of them contained sensational
stories of the prodigal trip, with pic
lures, incidents and predictions. Monty
was panied, Inundated and resentful, but
he was honest enough to admit the JUS
tification of much that was said of him.
SSS