The Mena weekly star., 1910-08-18

| ~""bSu' "ith WOru 10 the captain Tor permission, he asked Whitaker a | question.
 T beg your pardon, Mir. Whitaker. but what Is this gentlemans nameY'
 The word gentleman was used natr rally and unconsciously. with an ab- solute sense of it's fitness. as every one in the cabin could perceive.
 Tt is not rightly known" said Whit taker, but he Is believed to be Virginian of the"
 knew tt," said the chaplain. i'm pulsively; he is one of the Charnocks of Nansemond county"
 Your recognition, chaplain." said the lieutenant-command eagerly. will be of great value in determining this strangers name and station The evidence of 1t is circumstantlal. do not know how 1t will be regarded in a court of law"
 T have always understood that the Charnock estate was vast one" said Capt. Ashby, "and since coal has been mined on the Virginia lands 1t has be- come very valuable"
 !
 Who holds 1t now?" asked the sur. geon.
 Tt is held by an old man, my friend Of many years standing. the brother of John Revell Charnock." T believe that to be my name," said the islander.
 T have little doubt of it." replied the chaplain, continuing The first John Revell Charnock was lost at sea. He and his wife and young child some ] 90 years ago set forth on voyage around the world for her health. The ship, in which believe he had some ownership. was called the Nansemond. Its course was traced as far as Val l paraiso. thence it sailed for the Philip pines and was never heard of again. know the story" said the chaplain, turning toward the captain. because 1 John Revell Charnock was one of my best friends, as is his brother, Philip 1 Norton Charnock. who now holds the l estate"
 Is the present Charnock married, '"
 No" returned the chaplain, The Is l dtf Otu DdIut-ot.
 That will make it easier for our friend here" said Mr Whitaker. pro 1 Yided the evidence Is thought convinc- l ing"
 Tho best evidence that he could pre- sent. returned the chaplain, Ifs in his 'ace He is the living Image of his father az l knew him. and he has fam. | fly characteristics which think would enable almost anyone to identify him without question:
 sir" said the islander. addressing the chaplain. did you know my mother?"
 That did" returned the old man Tier name was Mary Page Thornton and she was ore of the sweetest girls in Virginia"
 And will you tell me about her. and about my father and my people ?"
 With the greatest pleasure" said the chaplain, kindly. Meanwhile Capt. Ashby and these gentlemen will wish to hear your story"
 Take him to your cabin" said the captain promptly, "and tell him the things he wants to know. We can wait"
 No" returned the islander: T can wait I have waited all these years and few hours more or less will make little difference. You have right to know my story. and here it is-
 Rapidly, concisely. with fine dra- matic touch, he told the story as he knew it of his life on the island He was 90 entirely unconventional that he interwove the bare details of the strange relation which he gave them with personal touches. He made no secret of his love and worship for the girl. of the belief in her which he had cherished. of the reverence in which he had held her He exhibited that strange commixture of feeling with which he regarded her as human woman and as demi-goddess He [ siowed that he was at once her mas ter and her creature, yet through 1t all there ran such thread of bitterness. of grief. of resentment, of shame, that his auditors. at first unpossessed or the key to his feelings, listened to him with amazement md could scarcely realize or comprehend He told the story of the two lives up to the sight. Ing of the ship upon the island ana then. his heart failing him, he turned to Whitaker and bade him take up the relation.
 It was delicate matter Of which to speak but the simplicity with which the first part Of the tale had been pre-. sented gave the officer his cue. lid was man of retentive memory, ot ] ouick apprehensive power and With nice sense of discrimination, rare man. indeed And he told the rest oi the tale with subtle sympathy TOT the situation and the actors that en ahled him so to present 1t to the inter ested rtttle group of officers thai h' almost made them see it as It trahs pired. .an And what" asked the captain, when . he final word had been said do you |