The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-02-09
THE SECRET I OF AMIGO CAY
BY J. e. PLUMMER.

BY ,. c. PLUMBER. | (copyright, 1905, by Daily Story Pub. Company.)
 Dear me-" exclaimed Miss Nancy Bayne, dear me-"
 Such a gentle old spinster was Miss Nancy that she would likely have made the same exclamation had she beheld the heavens rolling up as a scroll or the house over the way toppling in the throes of an earthquake. There were suspicious of tears not far off in Mrs. Ginters voice as she asked, '1s there nothing left: was there no insurance. Miss Nancy?" Its all I have, my dear" replied Miss Nancy and there was no insur- ance."
 Mrs. Ginter had just announced the loss of the brig Fair Play in the Carib- bean Sea and within the timbers of i that creft were invested the sole thou sand dollars that Miss Nancy possessed. The share in the brig had been reserv- ed when her brother sold the Fair Play to Markey & Co.,, and although the firm had made overtures to purchase her interest she steadfastly had refused to sell. The Far Play had been built by her brother who had since been lost at sea and Miss Nancy could never 1 make up her mind to sell her share Of the brig he had built Nor had she ever insured her interest Rates were high and the Fair Play was a lucky craft.
 YMarkey & Co. were insured" said Mrs. Ginter, they have lost three ves- sells in year and they were all i'm sured."
 "well," said Miss Nancy T wasn't" Miss Nancy's affairs were the sub ject of much debate along the water front that evening. Man woman and child loved her and would have been glad to have helped her out of their slender resources but there was an obstacle. Some people are always eager for help and others will not have it. Miss Nancy was one of the latter kind, All the water front knew she would go to the poorhouse before she would touch penny of their poor means.
 I'm sure,' said Mrs. Ginter despair ingly. T don't See what we can do for, her"
 Ten days later Captain Bevan arriv- ed from the West Indies in his ves- sell A black sheep of the section was Captain Bevan. The oldest inhabitant could not recall having seen him in- side of church, and he swore in a way which made professors of the art shudder. He had killed two men in mutiny and 1t was gravely whisper ed over grog in the depths of dark drinking places that a certain vessel lost under his command did not sink from natural causes.
 Once. many years ago. Captain Be- van had fallen grievously i'll and Miss Nancy in the gentlenss of her heart had nuFsed the swearing, boisterous sinner back to life. In his finty heart was soft place ever since for nd 1n A a typical lamb in her presence.
 When he heard of the loss of the Fair Play he whistled. When he heard of Miss Nancy's plight he Bwore fear fully.
 That won't do." he thundered, and went straight to her. But he found out little. for Miss Nancy took the op- portunity to read him a lecture on his evil life and forgot her troubles, so he left no wiser than he came. pulling at his great beard and lowering under his busy brows.
 As he turned the corner he collided with Captain Hobbs. the skipper of the lost Fair Play. Bevan was going on with gruf nod and then he paused and walked back to Hobbs. Have drink with me-" he said.
 Unquenehable thirst was a peculiar ity of Captain Hobbs and he assented. In small drinking place which had no odor of sanctity nor even of law abiding, the two shippers sat long and drank d#ep and as the lubricating ef- feet of the whiskey had its effect on Hobbs's jaws. he talked much and Be- van ltstenel, for he could listen though drunk
 That same night Mrs Ginter with expressions of disapproval, was de- taiIing her interview with MT. Markey, the owner of the Fair Play. She had approached him in the interest of Miss Bayne. Was there not a small sum that Mir Markey could donate toward keeping Miss Nancy from the aims