The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-10-23

Il don't know. Have you found
the man you were looking for?"
Not exactly. Have your"
mo"
There was another pause. Mar.
garet was looking puzzled and i'm
patient.
Il beg your pardon, I'm delaying
you," said Sewer, with a slight bow
! toward the girl. Il wish you'd dine
with me at the club tonight at
o'clock. Can you? I have an idea
that | can tell you something that
you'd be glad to know" 4
Elliott reflected for a mdment
with some suspicion "Thank you,
shall be delighted, he accepted
formally, at last.
AT O'clock" repeated Sewer
bowling once more and passing on
Who was that man." What were
you talking about?" demanded
Margaret, when they were well out
| of earShOt.
ITO tell the truth, l don't exactly
know" Elliott replied, in a sort of
! distracted excitement.
Margaret went to her own room
to take off her hat, and Elliott
turned into the big darkened sit
ting room, where he was confront
with the spectacle oft he mission
airy seated beside the table with his
| head buried in his arms.
What did that man want here?"
Elliott demanded hastily. why,
what's the matter with you?"
Laurie's face was haggard.
That mani" he moaned, vague
ly. "Uh, that mani"
Elliott mixed an iced glass of
water and the limejuice, for the
missionary would never touch
spirits.
Laurie drank it like a docile
child.
Il have done wrong" he said pa
thetically.
Il know it," said Elliott. What
have you been doing nOw?"
The question is, what am l 60
ing to do?" replied the old man,
with a flash of animation. 1T has
all been for her--whatever errors
| have made. No one can say that
i have ever prOfited by dollar that
was not honestly my own"
"Well-all right. But for good
ness sake try to tell me what Sc
vier was asking about"
Laurie hesitated TO ra long time.
1T was about the ship-the Clara
McClay," he produced, at last.
Elliott stared, speeches. for a
moment, shocked into utter bewil-
derment.
The Clara McClay?" he babbled.
THE" he was going to say the
gold ship What do you know
about her? Where did you hear of
herr"
81 was on her. l was wrecked
with her."
THE devil you were!"
eyes, wrecked. l f1oated about
for days in an open boat"
Look here" said Elliott: ri
rather fancy that you're running
more risk now than you were in
that open boat. Sewers a Danger
GUS man. If you want me to help
you, tell me the whole story
The missionary acquiescef with
the alacrity which he always
showed in casting his mundane re-
spOnsibilities upon stronger shohl-
ders. III
Il am ashamed to tell you the
story" he said. And yet it was
not my fault. At least, | had no in
tention of doing any wrong what
ever. / was in the work at Durham
under the British mission board. |
had been there for two years.
But I was tempted, and was
weak. had large sum of money
in my hands-nearly $500-for the
building Of a new chapel. / lid not
covet it for myself, but my salary
was Ion goverdue, and it was past
my time to send remittance to
my daughter
so you took it," Elliott inter-
rupted.
Il sent the remittance. About
two weeks later an officer of the
Mission society came through South
Africa, and I was called upon for
an account of the fund. was dis
graced. | could have escaped, but
| would not do that. | started to
England in charge of the officer to
| be tried for embezzlement.
There was an American steamer
| sailing from Durham, and we en-
| barked on her. The name of the
steamer was the Clara McClay.
II stayed in my cabin all the
time, SO | do not know anything of
the voyage. | believe we called at
Delagoa bay for cargo and passen-
gers. We had been out over week
| when the ship struck. They
launched several boat, but all were
sunk before they left the ~Elai
side. MNf \
Ito be contisD..,