The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-10-22
.TQAlNYL ZZLZE PXxOT

agonized remorse and promises of
amendment.
In Mexico he worked for two
years in the mines and on a coffee
plantation, and sent home the
whole amount of his embezzlement
in monthly installments. At the
same time he undertook to conduct
prayer meetings among the mine
laborers, chiefly Indians and half
castles. He was threatened, stoned,
ducked and menaced with murder,
but he persisted and actually sue
ceeded in establishing tiny re-
ligious community, which survived
for six months after he left it.
Laurie was forgiven by his
church, and returned to the north,
but not to resume pastoral work.
He became bookkeeper in New
York. After year he succeeded in
getting himself sent to the Sand
witch islands as a missionary, from
which post he returned in five
years, in disgrace once more. There
We're rumors of a shady transaction
in struggled opium, in which he had
been involved, though not to his
own pecuniary benefit.
He remained in America this
time for three or four years and
married lady much older than
himself. These domestic relations
were broken up, however, by his
leaving once more for the South
Seas, having been able to secure
another appointment for the mis-
sion field. He never saw his wife
again. She died in giving birth to
a daughter. who was taken in
charge by an aunt living in the
west.
Since that time his labors had
extended over much of POLYNESIA.
with digressions into Africa, and
China. He had sailed the first mis-
sionary schooner, the Olive Branch.
among the islands, and he had
preached on the beach to brown
warriors armed to the teeth who
had never before seen a white man.
He did not escape scathless: He
was accused of pearling in forbid
den waters; and in the end he
had to resign his command of the
Olive Branch, as it was conclusive
ly proved that the missionary
schooner had run opium in her hold
with the connivance of her chief.
Rev Titus E. Laurie, in fact, was
made of the stuff of martyrs, but
responsibilities found him weak, and
he could no more make head
against sudden strong temptation
than he could deliberately plan a
crime.
Laurie, or Eaton, as he persisted
in calling himself, was accustomed
to the tropics, but Elliott at once
insisted that a house must be rent
ed upon the peak for Miss Mar
garet. Coming directly from the
sparkling air Of the American
plains, the girl could never have
lived in the hot steam Of the lower
town. Laurie demurred a little on
the score of eNpense-not that he
grudged the money, but because he
did not have it. Elliott said moth
llS. DuL DCSdA " iooh dboulp anu
was lucky enough to obtain the
lease of a cottage upon the noun
tain top at only $50 month for
the remainder of the summer.
He had the lease transferred to
Laurie's new name. eff you say
word to your daughter about
this" he warned him when he
tell her about your sporting life in
Macao"
The missionary smiled uneasily
and then looked grave. 81 can never
begin to thank you, much less re.
pay you. | am not much good now
nothing but weak old man-but
my prayers
"Oh, cut it QUIT" said Elliott inn
patiently.
Laurie flushed.
81 beg your pardon; didn't mean
that, of course. Only, you know,
your daughter and | are old friends
and you mustn't talk of gratitude
for any little thing | do"
But there is one thing | wish"
replied the old man, after an en-
barrassed moment. 81 insist that
you snare the cottage with u.s.
Elliott hesitated, wondering
whether it would be judicious, and
yielded.
Certainly | will" he said, land
glad to have the chance"
Laurie still went down the noun
tain to the sweltering lower city
every morning and did npt return
till sunset. Elliott and margaret
usually spent the day together, for
he had temporarily abandoned the
search for the mate. An unconquer
able horror of the town had filled
him, and he silenced an uneasy
conscience by telling himself that
he would learn nothing new If he
did go there.
Sometimes he helped Margaret to
wash the breakfast thingssand then
he sat lazily in long chair on the
wide veranda, smoking anSexcellent
Manila cheroot and reading the
China Daily Mail He could hear
Margaret softly moving about in
side the house; she dropped casual
remarks to him through the open
window, and usually she ended by
coming out and sitting with him,
reading or sewing with an industry