The Washington times., 1908-12-31

forednEer. "you must sail direct for
the Cocos KeelinEs. Avoid the south
bayous on North Keeling, which is
practically barren and seldom visited.
Abandon the sIoop there. and by
swimmlnR-thc gaps between the
islets are iufnitesimal-mak your
way TO the settlements. and represent
yourself as a shipwrecked sailor
washed ashore. Think YOU can act
the partI'
Act the part2 I've lived IT, eX-
claimed Jim. with lively recollection.
Good. An actual experience IS al
ways better than Imagination. Hang
up at the Keclings then, until you can
get a ship out for a South African port
I say South Africa, because thai is the
place for you TO dispose Of your dia-
monds without suspicion; you can
make a pretensc Of trafhcking with the
blacks. And from there, also, with the
proceeds in your pocket, you can en-
gage your detectives and direct The op-
erations to permit Of your return 10
New York
Now that. in outline, is the plan that
I.wculd suggest I'm your case he con-
cIuded. What do you think Of it2''
What do 1 think Of It? Why, that
can never thank heaven enough for
sending me such a wise and helpful
counselor.
But. say, captain" extending
grateful hand. where do you come in?
You are entitled 20 at least full half
share in this diamond find"
But the adventurer backed away in
resoIute refusal
mo. no. he protested. 81 won't listen
20 II. I tell You. I won't listen 10 f. /
am a .onyeuted man 7 have my pipe.
and my books. and my boat, and my
freedom. and can make all I want for
my simple needs byany writings. 1 won't
be hampered and tied up and annoyed
by wealth
Nor could all Jim-s arguments and
persuasi0ns induce him to change his
mind. He stayed all that day by the
Helene. helping IN the work of rcftting
her sails and celebrating on his pre-
vious advice with new suggestions: out
at evening the two boats filled away
upon their separate courses, and the
skipper Of the Streak Of Foam still OBJ
stinately declined any part or lot In the
prospective afhuence.
Don't forget to deliver my letter"
admonished Jim as their hands met in
a parting grip.
Never. fear; if I live TO reach Manila.
it will be placed In her hands"
And so ''the contented man" sailed
avay-away with his honest, kindly
face turned back TO smile encourage
nent as long as they could see each
other. away into the sunset, to the
fate which neither Of them foresaw.
Yet. after all. was not that fate the
very end which his bold and gallant
spirit would have chosen by prefer
ence2 To battle sinEle-handed with the
roar and surge Of the tempest. 70 put
up the best fight that was in him, and
then 70 rest at peace deep In the bosom
of the sea ne loved so we'll
Surely. re might still smile in his
dreamless sleep. and say: 'I am a con-
tented man
As for Jim. a favorable wind bore
him on TO Vartra. He slumbered that
might like a baby, UndIstuTbed by
wraiths or visions; for hope was again
beating high in his heart. And the af-
ternoon of the second day he sighted
the diamond cliffs and the palm trees
back OF the iucIOsed harbOr.
From that time he followed Captain
Kirby's instructions to the letter; and
fortune, as though tired of so long buf-
feting him, favored his every step
He escaped the destructive fury Cf the
second typhoon himself: but was close
enough to its path TO run across three
wrecks. the victims of its devastating
violence.
one of these he recognized as what
was left of a brig the Helene had once
spoken in the Arabian gulf; and secur-
ing some Of her timbers, he fashioned
himself a raft, which materially helped
out his story OF shipwreck when he
made his appearance at Cocos Keeling
Thence. as Ben Davis. able seaman,
he worked his way without particular
incident TO Rodriguez, to AIauritius, to
Durham. and finally to Cape Town.
Yes fortune favored him That is, In
all but one respect. BY a singular ca
price of-chance he failed 20 learn the
piece OF news which might have been
expected to come his way-the loss Of
Captain Kirby: and he did see the in
terview which Helene had given TO the
Manila newspaper men For, desiring
to Gnd out how their rescue from the
Vartra had been treated, he managed
TO secure the issues Of that time.
There was no letter for him at Cape
Town from her. although he had pains
takinSly instructed her in the message
delivered 10 Kirby how to reach him.
the time he might be expected to arrive.
and the name under which he would be
travelling.
Instead. all he saw was this cold and
Indifferent interview. IN which the part
he had played during her stay upon the
island was scarcely mentioned. and she
seemed anxious TO avoid any reference
TO him whatever.
Indeed, 1 had so little association
with Harrison was the way one writ
er quoted her, that I could not tell
YOU whether 1 believe him a man cap
able Of the crimes charged against him
or not. All I can say is that I found
nothing to complain OF I'm his conduct
toward me.
Yes" she was supposed to go on. s'I
received a long cabIegram Of congrat-
ulatiOn from Mr.. Starr Spencer. the
New York financier. He is 2. warm
friend TO both my aunt and myself !
and was naturally glad to hear of nv
But was 1t not a graceful
act on the part of so busy a maG?''
And this was the way she disp.issAd
their idyll at Vartra. the risks he had /