The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1905-10-07
CHAPTER xvrrr.

This was truly an suspicious evening
for me to present myself with my newly
recovered bag. However, ignorant Of
the morning storm, walked along
thinking how would give the old man
an agreeable surprise. His room, when
l called, about eight o'clock, was gloomy
and dark. Mr.. Leighan was sitting
still and rigid, brooding, / suppose, over
Davids terrible threats.
what do you wantY' he cried, sharp.
ly. What do you come here for?
am in no mood for idle prating."
II am come on your business, Mr.,
Leighan, if you call that idle prating."
''Tell it, then, and leave me. Young
man." he said, pitifully, II am old now,
and l am in grievous trouble, and
cannot see my way out of 1t. Don't
mind if 1 am little impatient"
Il won't mind, Mr.. Leighan. Mean.
time. I have come to please you.'
"You can't. Nothing can please me
now, unless YOU can make me young and
strong, and able to throttle a villain
that would please me-"
Then / began, with the solemnity with
which one leads up to dramatic situa.
ton.
"Six years ago, Mr.. Leighan, you said
that you had been robbed of bag with
twenty pounds in it."
"A bundle Of papers and bag with
twenty sovereigns. I did. Good heav'
ems! one man comes In the morning about
the papers, and another in the evening
about the money. Go on, go on car
bear it ALL"
There is nothing to bear, I assure
you, Mr.. Leighan," I said, little net
tied. "Was that bag Of yours a brown
canvas bag with your initials D. L. on
it?"
II thought So" he replied, strangely
$50 you, too, are in the plot, are you
And you are come to tell me that l shall
have the bag back without the money
are you? George, suppose, will appear
next with another piece of his conspir
acy. You are all in a tale"
II think l had better finish what
have to say as quickly as possible. YOU
are in a strange mood tonight, Mr.
Leighan, with your plots and conspira
cies-a very strange mood! Is this YOU
bag?"
I produced it and gave it to him.
eyes, it is the bag I lost never lost
but one bag, so that this must be thu
one. As l said-the bag without the
money. Well, don't care l have had
greater misfortunes-muchg greater. Yor
have come to tell me that the bag wal
put into your hands,"
"Not at all. l found the bag; I found
it on the top of Hamil Down, bidder
beside the Gray Wether Stone"
"Very likely" He tossed the bag
aside. "Why not there as we'll as any
other place, when the money was once
out of it?"
"Mr. Leighan, the money was not tax
en- out of the bag. 1t was hidden away
at the foot of the Gray Wether Stone
where found it by accident, and here
Mr.. Leighan, are your twenty sover
eigns."
l took them from my pocket and laiG
them on the table in a little pile His
long lean fingers closed over them, anG
he transferred them swiftly to his pocket
without taking his eyes off my face, a.
if he feared that l might pounce upor
the money.
Anu WHAT, youuk Hdu, 10 you ash
for your honesty in bringing me bach
my money!"
Nothing"
You might have kept it. I should
have been none the wiser. You are
rich, suppose, or you would have kept
1t. Many young men would have KEEP:
it. Can l offer you a pound-yes, q
pound!-for your honestly"
mo, thank you, Mr.. Leighan; do not
want a reward for common honesty. Be
sides, you must thank George Sidcote
not me. 1t was George who discovered
that it was your money"
"As you please-as you please. In
London you are so rich, l suppose, with
your writing, that you can afford t.
throw away pound well earned"
Go be continued)