The Holly chieftain., 1904-10-21

GEAR.
He ran his fingers through the iron
gray locks and pushed them back
from his forehead There showed
iivid mark with four black circles.
Those round black marks are the
,rirts of your dear old grandfather's
knuckles." he said, letting the hair
drop back into place. They've been
there thirty odd years. III tell you
bow it happened. Captain Burt was a
very religious man, according to his
own standards. He was particularly
down on swearing. A cuss word drove
him crazy and I've seen him pound
man nearly to death for harmless
damn.
I'VE had a sailor named Bilson,"
continued Mr.. Hawkins. HE was one
of those clumsy, aggravating fools
whose very looks were an incentive
TO profanity. 1t came on to blow one
right and sent Bilson aloft. He man
aged to foul the fore-royal clew lines
and when | yelled at him he laughed
in his idiotic way, and l was boiling
mad all over. While l was relieving
my mind | felt hand on my shout
der, and it wasn't gentle one, either
mot another word from your bias
phemous mouth, Jack Hawkins. said
Captain Burt.
"'You go to hell l said, so mad
| didn't know what 1 was saying.
He gave me cuff on the side OF
the head with thespalm Of his hand. 1t
was not heavy. but it made me crazy.
Go below and pray God to forgive
YOU he said.
mo man had ever struck me before
and I swung at him with my right. |
caught him glancing blow above the
eye. He didn't even raise his hands.
"'Hit me again. Jack Hawkins!' he
said, calm as il asking me to pass Rim
The salt
81 aimed for his chin, but caught
him on the neck. 1t was like striking
a brick wall. His arm smashed
through my guard, and his fist landed
full on my temple. 1t was frightful
blow and l went sprawling to the
Geek. Before l could make struggle
he picked me up and hurled me over
the rail. AS l came up l caught one
glimpse of the Segregansett through
the mist, as she heeled to port in the
gale.
THE water revived me, and l sue
ceeded in kicking off my boots.
swan In the direction of the ship, and
by sheer good luck bumped into hen
coop, which some one-Captain Burt
most likely-had thrown overheard.
| f1oated around on that hencoop until
morning.
"Along about noon heard splash
ing, and big canoe filled with ma.
tlves came in sight. l yelled at them
ard after much palaver they took me
in. They we're friendly savages on
visit from one small island to another.
went along as guest, and it was
months before the boats of the Jane
| M came ashore and took me on.
"a year later landed in Frisco
lust in time to be in the gold excite
| ment. That's all. If your grand
| father hadn't thrown me overheard
in the middle of the Pacific ocean, it's
not likely I'd have located the Chal'
lenge mine. l forgave him years ago
and you can bet harbor no grudge
against his grandson"
He has been the one to suffer,
said John. He imagines himself your
| murderer, and for years has prayed
| for forgiveness. / expect to go back
| to him in few days, and you must
| go with me-"
Then he told John Hawkins the
story of his boyhood and of the shoot
ing of Arthur Morris. He told of his
love for Jessie Garden, and of his de-
termination to restore to General Car
| den the fortune filched from him by
the elder Morris.
when last I saw Miss Garden,
said John, "she was the heiress to q
comfortable fortune. I had nothing
but health. strength and ambition, but
she believed in my future, and some
thing has told me that she would wait
| for me. / shall see her in few
| days; and l wish her to be as proud
| and independent of my wealth as on
that night left her side, five years
ago. She has been robbed of her
birthright but If my Judgment OF the
value of l.. & o. is accurate. it will be
restored to the keeping of her father"
II have news for you about l.. & o.
said John Hawkins. but first tell me
exactly how you stand
| 1.-THE company is organized with one
hundred thousand shares, of par
value of one hundred dollars EACH" he
)said, with bonds to the amount OF
| five millions more. Morris holds
thirty-fve thousand shares, and his
associates twelve thousand. That is
| .hroo thousand less than control hut