The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-06-30
CHAPTER XVII.
Continued.

WILL" he replied. THAT is as much
as 1 hoped of you. And now to speak
of a more consenial subject. l 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;
so go, my boy, and peep at that world
which you have not yet seen, and God
be with you and protect you. will
impose no limit on the duration of
your absence, and your means shall
be the best I can afford. If it is your
wish to visit your uncle. I have no
objection to your doing so; 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 horrid doubt Of my uncle's
honesty; and only those who have
experienced it can know the pain OF
discovering a hideous fault in an idol
which one has set up for ones self;
And Samuel Trueman had been to me
as an idol. His GOODNESS, his wit, his
self-reliance, his magnificent success,
had moved me to alteration of the
man. If my uncle'S unconcealed love
of the power which money confers had
indeed induced him to rob his poorer
brother of a quarter Of million Of Sc
quins, then 1 was sorry for humanity.
Nv father had given me f250; 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 60 direct
to New York City q could not make
I'D my mind whether would call upon
my uncle or not, but at least l would
look at the house where he lived, II
only for the sake Of my lingering af-
fectiOn 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 l was
conscious of reversing the usual order
of an Englishman's travels; but
keen desire to see New York, the ma
tive city and home Of Constance Marsh,
had taken possession of me; and re-
solved to crafty it with as little de-
lay as possible.
For the next few days I was busily
engaged in preparing for my depar-
ture. Fortunately. my personal ex-
penses during my four months OF mop
inc had been nil, and now found the
accumulations of my pocket money
for that period very useful in pro-
viding additional clothes. and other
necessaries for my journey, without
encroaching upon my f2o0.
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 l had so 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 l was to leave for London
by the first train from Bury st. Ed
mund's in the morning. My fear that
nv father would again talk of our
stolen treasure was i'll founded, for he
never once referred to 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 / been
in a condition to assist in the inquiry
he had made (Which had not been the
easel, and furnished me with the ad-
dress in Australia from which my
grandfather had last written though
he added, Il don't suppose there VIII
be much use of your calling there,
for it is more than likely that your
grandfather is already on his way to
England" I took the address and
placed it 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 q very weak
state; but all that my father and
corld 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
ticalarly wished for an opportunity
hnfnrn