The Washington times., 1908-12-30

AN repeated Captain Kirby,
v v glacing Up from his eN-
cited examinati IN of the
stone toward the surprised Jim
NO, don't answer that yet" he cor
reCted himself. sharply. 4 am that rar-
est OF all created beings. a contented
man, and I thought It was impossible
for me 10 want 10 take advantage OF
anybody. but / am only human, and I
might be tempted beyond my strength
Here, take this thing" and he thrust
it impetuously into Jim's hand. i
don't want even to handle it. There is
a diaboIcal sorCery in the very feel Of
them"
lie stepped to the side. and leaning
over dipped his hands into the sea.
laving them as carefully as though
he were washing a stain from his I'm
gers.
Now" he said, returning with an air
OF satisfaction, Il feel as though
were clean, and could talk 10 you with
out any secret little impulses 20 dis
honesty tuegiug at my soul"
lie was evidently insane. Jim decided,
and specuIated briefly as 10 whether
sailing alone in a small beat was a
cause or result OF insanity, judging,
however. from his own recent expert
ence that it must be the former.
Nor did he really much care whether
his visitor was or in the upper story
or not He was at least a human be
ing with whom TO speak and by whom
90 be spoken. Let him be mad as a
March hare, ne was nevertheless TO
be welcomed as a relief from the awful
loneliness
Jim had 10 admit too that after
that first erratic behavior the stranger
showed no especial indications OF mania
He seated himself comfortably on the
deckEouse. stretched his long legs out
in front Of him, filled and lighted a
shor black pipe. and then, with his
infectious. bubbrnE laugh. announced
himself ready 20 converse
The Helene, eh2'' he commented.
capt. Ez Garments boat. amt she?
I used 20 know old Ez years ago, and
1 heard Of this cruise he was taking
when I touched at Fayal and again at
Gibraltar
What have YOU done with the old
boy2" he questioned. turning toward
jim why are you al alone cut here,
under a jury rig, with a frst-Crass case
Of JimJams on hand and ballast Of the
sort 1 saw rolling around your deck?
In short, shipmate. who are you?"
Sorry. ] haven't a card" Jim smiled
back at him; he was beginning 10 feel
quite himself again. My narue. though.
is James d. Harrison. and hail from
the greatest town on the whole foot
stool. Chicago. Z. s. A"
y. D Harrison, Of ChicazO2' The
Il
expression Of repuIsion. Dut an instant
later his face relaxed.
"a joke. chr he laughed And 7
suppose you'll be telling me next that
you're out here to sell Santa Teresa
stock to these islanders. now thrt
you've successfully swindled all tie
widows and orphans at home
I am certainly telling you nothing Of
the kind" retorted Jim angrily: nor
am I joking when I give you my name
Even insanity. he thought, has its
limits.
Captain Kirby started, and once more
his face hardened.
You are really J. d. Harrison, Of Chi
cago?' he demanded.
Yes, and by no means ashamed CT
either fact"
j. D. Harrison. the specuIatorTT
Eyes. again"
- D. Harrison. OF Santa Teresa no
toriety?''
LAS to the notoriety, I can't say. I
am certainly, to my misfortune, a Ill
rector Of the Santa Teresa Mining Com
pany. and"
Pardon me. sir" The other had
risen stiffy. "I do not believe I care
TO listen to any explanations. I guess
I VIII return to my own boat and cast
cff."
But Harrison laid a quickly resttain-
ing hand upon his arm.
Not by jugful," he protested. You
have either said too little or too much
Now, what does this behavior mean?"
at means" retorted Captain Kirby
ct means. If YOU want plain
English, that I decline to remain longer
in the society Of constituencies sneak.
a swindler, and a fugitive from Justice. +"
Jim reared up stormily, his eyes fash
ing fire.
by heaven" he vowed. Crazy or
not, you'll give mesa satisfactory ex-
planation for this insult before YOU
leave my deck. take no such epitbets
from any living man
The other turned frowDingly to give
al added rebUke, but as r 5 stern glance
fell on HarrisOn's daUntless mfen and
back-lUng, honest face he wavered I'm
his purpose. For the Erst time a doubr
crossed his mind.
Is It possible that you are q wrong
ed man?" he said.
'Wronged? How wronged?"
Don't you know what they are saw
Ing about you back in the United
States?"
mo, unless 1t is that I have been a
darned fool and lost all my money.
That is about ali there is to say"
Come here" The elder man took