The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-07-19

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He looked the Qalestiorcr sQuGreJy IN the
face.
man was magnetic, a hero, an ideal
gentleman. No wonder his daughter
was infatuated with him. Yet the fu-
ture was dark and storm tossed, full Of
sinister threats and complications. Iris
did not know the wretched circum-
stances which had come to pass since
they parted and which had changed
the whole aspect Of his life. How
could be tell her? Why should it be his
miserable lot to snatch the cup Of hap
piness from her lips? In that moment
Of silent agony he wished he were
dead, for death alone could remove the
burden laid on him. Well, surely he
might bask in the sunshine Of her
laughter for another day. No need to
embitter her joyous heart until he was
driven to itfby dire necessity.
So he resolutely brushed aside the
woebegone phantom Of care and en-
tered into the abandon Of the hour
with zest that delighted her. The
dear girl imagined that Robert her
Robert, had made another speedy con-
quest, and Anstruther himself was
much elated by the sudden change In
Sir Arthur Deane's demeanor.
They behaved like school children on
a picnic. They roared over Iris trou-
bles in the matter of divided skirts, too
much divided to be at all pleasant. The
shipowner tasted some Of her sago
bread and vowed it was excellent
They unearthed two bottles of cham
pagne, the last of the case, and prom
ised each other hearty toast at din
ner. Nothing would content Iris but
that they should draw farewell buck
etful of water from the well and
drench the pitcher plant with torren-
tial shower.
Robert carefully secured the pocket
books, money and other effects found
on their dead companions. The baro-
net, Of course, knew all the principal
officers of the Sirdar. He surveyed
these mournful relics with sorrowful
interest.
s"The Sirdar was the crack ship of
nv feet and Captain Ross my most
trusted commander" he said. You
may well imagine, Mr.. Anstruther.
what cruel blow it was to lose such
vessel, with all these people on board
and my only daughter among them.
wonder now that it did not kill me-"
"She was a splendid sea boat, sir.
Although disabled, she fought gallant
ly against the typhoon. Nothing short
of reef would break her up"
"Ah, WELL" sighed the shipowner.
"the few timbers you have shown me
here are the remaining assets out of
f3OO, ,Oe0.'
"was she not insured?" inquired
Robert
"No-that is, have recently adopted
a scheme of mutual self insurance, and
the loss falls pro rata on my other YES
sels."
The baronet glanced covertly at Iris.
The words conveyed little meaning to
her. Indeed, she broke in with
laugh:
81 am afraid I have heard you say,
father dear, that some ships in the
fleet paid you best when they ran
ashore"
eyes, Iris. That often happened in
the old days. 1t is different now.
Moreover. I have not told you the ex-
tent of my calamities. The Sirdar was
lost on March 18 though did not
know it for certain until this morning.
But on March % the Bahadur was
sunk in the Mersey during fog, and
three days later the Jemadar turned
turtle on the James and Mary shoal in
the Hooghly. Happily there were no
lives lost in either of these cases"
Iris was appalled, by this list of casu-
altieS, yet she gave no thought to the
serious financial effect Of such Il string
Of catastropheS. Robert, Of course, aEo-
preciated this side of the business, espe-
cially in view of the shipowner's re-
mark about the insurance. But Sir
Arthur Deane's stiff upper lip deceived
him. He failed to realize that the ia
ther was acting part for his dauSh-
ters sake
fro RE (.oSTIE17ED!