Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-12-17

clamations of astonishment.
"Obed Rider!"
capt. Scott!"
The mate looked about him In help
less way as if seeking some avenue Of
escape, but the other held out his hand
cordially, saying:
"Of all men, to see you herel" Then
he added:
'But you are hurt. Can 1 do any
thing for you? Let me have little
look. We can talk afterward."
The injury was soon located, and aft
er predicting that few days would
set the matter right, Capt. Scott said:
what on earth brought you here?
Have you been home lately? Did you
see my boy?"
The mate had done considerable
thinking during the past few minutes.
After the first surprise was over he had
rapidly determined upon his course,
and he now shook his head, replying:
I'm afraid l can't give you much
good news from home, cap'n."
His eyes fell as he spoke, but the
other was too eager to notice.
What do you mean, Rider?"
pressed eagerness. ''My boy! Tell mel
Is he-why don't you speak? My
brother, too! D. it, man speak outi
Has anything happened to them? They
might both be dead by the way you
acti"
They are" murmured Rider, still
with his eyes cast down.
Without n word the captain turned
on his heel and disappeared. 1t was
half an hour before he returned, and
there was such 4 change in his rugged
features that even the mate felt COM
passion for him. But he had no alter
native. Anything to prevent Toms
father from learning the truth. BE
had told his story, and now he must be
prepared with the details. Fortunate
ly the absence of his latest victim had
given him time to rapidly sketch out a
line of procedure which he hoped
would be safe.
your brother died three years ago.
he said, land your son was passenger
with me to Frisco this winter. lie was
coming to the mines, he said. He was
killed a couple of weeks ago one night
when he was coming down to the yes
sci. Capt. Coffin took charge Of the
body. 1t was the day before 1 left town.
L had my ticket all bought and couldn't
wait for the funeral"
did you se th.s osdSy yOrrse'- ?"
"No," said the mate, besitatingly,
~but L heard the second mate say he
was dead"
'Do they know who did it?''
"No."
"How did il all happen?"
The stalwart miners voice tremSied
as he spoke, but he controlled himself
by a superhuman effort and Obed Rider
replied:
"He was picked up dead on the water
front one night. He was on his way
down to the vessel and they supposed
some one hit him from behind. They
went through the poor chaps clothes
and left him on the sidewalk, the scoun-
drels! The second mate found him
there the same night long toward
morning. l bad my ticket on an excur-
! sion train that day and / couldn't wait.
had lots 10 do getting ready"
WAS there no clew to the murderer p
"No, they said there warn't no chance
of ever finding out who doneit. No one
was round 10 see the Teller do 1t and he
: got clean off,"
Then you don't know where he was
to be buried?"
mo, but Cap'n Coffin would see that
he was taken care of all ship shape and
snug"
who is this Capt. Coffin?"
| "Skipper OF the Seabird"
1, a. "a.
| The mate replied in the affirmative,
and the unhappy father went on:
! God bless him for his big heart II he
does that. Money is no object to me
now. I've frozen and sweltered all these
| years TO get gold. and now I'm alone In
the world. You haven't told me how
! my brother died. When was that?"
The mate gave him all the details,
this time truth fully, for he had heard
/ them all at Mcrrivale. When he had
finished, Capt. Scott said:
did you never hear Tom sneak OF
me? Why did he never write? When 1
left the ship in your charge 1 gave you
a letter to mail to him, telling him that
! was going up in Alaska after gold,
and giving him an address in Seattle
where he could write, and would get
the letter some time. He never wrote
as far as I know, or if he did II was
never forwarded to me. For over three
years ! have been buried where no let
tiers could reach me, and now was ON
my way TO Seattle and then for home.
It's an awful blow, Rider!"
The mate was silent, and the stricken
man continued:
| What did the owners say when you
burned over the vessel and accounts?"
The others face was ashy pale, but
he made great effort, and replied;
20, it was all right
| Accounts were all straight?"
Riders agitation was so great that
the other must have noticed it but for
his own great grief, but he managed to
say:
"All straight, cap'n."
Toms father was silent a moment.
and Obed Riders thoughts were any