The Wrangell sentinel., 1909-07-22

anything, not even including British con- sols or government bonds. This recent French smash put lots of people out of business. You've heard of it, l suppose the most outrageous swindle since Whitaker Wright"
 T read of it in the papers It seems this man Etienne induced half the poor of Paris to trust their savings to him, and then played one company into the hands of another until the bubble burst isn't that about it?"
 The man in tweeds nodded. He threw back his head and blew a cloud of smoke in an upward spiral. 50 little differ ence." said he. "between absolute triumph and absolute defeat. \ jerk of the tick er may convert the greatest benefactor into the deepest villain. For Etienne- though I think that's only a pSeudonyn of his-is undoubtedly a villain when you think of the numbereSs lifetime saw inss he has swept away. Why will peo- pie trust a promoter? Haven't they all of history 10 judge by"
 History teaches that people are ai- ways ready 10 be foo,ed," answered. However. don't blame them. I'm a mans nerve was only biz enough I'd fol- low him myself"
 Islip looked at me with a merry twin kle.
 "The solitary life makes you a philoso- pher." he said. T envy you. I'm as restless as a hawk
 I smiled An uneasy con>cience?"
 No; I'm no Etenne. believe the only place for such men is under lock and key. But l hate to sit still and think-in my present condition.
 He did not seem disposed to explain that position. and would not press him.
 After a time We adjourned to my bal cony and sat there enjoying the day. car rying on a somewhat desultory conyer- sation. I found that l liked this man; there was frank camaraderia about him, an openneSs of face and spirit, that rresistibly appealed He seemed the better sort of young New Yorker. thor oughly optimistic, always at his ease. I could see he had the knack of knowing how to dress; even his loose. baggy out ing clothes set well upon him.
 Do you ever shoot at gullS?' he asked. noting the birds that wheeled con- tinually in from sea and over the cliffs.
 No; it's bad luck to shoot them. In stormy weather. when sailors can't see their hands before their faces, they can hear the beating of gulls' wings and look out for hidden rocks. One comes to think a great deal of seafarers down this way"
 T dare say. It must be beasty work in a storm at sea-
 II often think that when I'm in bed on a bad night. The Shoal Light wonder keeps most of the ships away
 We smoked for a time in silence. What a contrast" Isip said at length. "between this quiet beach and the folks at the club, 1 think I like this the bet ter of the two, but l should want com pany."
 Many people over there now?" I asked
 "A goodish number"
 Who are they?" I inquired idly.
 "Oh, the usual crowd of city mag mates with their wives and families. James c. Puryiance of Oil, with the Mrs and two marriageable daughters. The Mrs. has her eyes on Colonel Eel loves. the man who judges the hackneys at all the shows 1 think he'd rather stay single. but the nets are tightening. and Mrs. Purvance isn't going to let him  The old man sits at the telephone most of the day. giving orders how to run his rai.goad. though he thinks he is off on summer holiday: and the three girls and the boy cut capers on the gof-links, and get up theatricals in the evening. Then there are TWO very decent unattended bachelors, Philip Leroy and Arthur Saw age-well, l suppose l might say three, because I'm a bachelor
 "Yes:" I asked in a tone that asked delicately for more.
 "Oh. there's Mir. Divine of Rock Bot tom Lead, and-let me see-there's Miss Elizabeth Corey and her niece, Miss Graham. of New York
 I watched him out of the corner of my eye. but his tanned face was placidity it. self
 What are they like:' I asked
 .yery nice. Miss Corey is quite the grande dame, in a gentle way
 And the nece?'
 Now 1 detected a shift in Islip's posi- ton.
 Well. she's very nice, too, very nice. I knew her quite well in town" He broke of definitely.
 I changed the subject. I didn't care very much about the rest of the guests at the club.
 A little later Isip took up his fishing rod and his empty basket, and We walked up the beach together. At the farther end pointed him out his road home. NTn, I 1rar in