New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-22

lT.
complete information, but it puts Us on the track
And what IS it," asked Henderson eagerly.
81 must tell YOU something Of Captain Bates lie IS
IN Engshman, cursed with periodical hts Of drunken
ness. Ii only ne could have always sailed between
bouts there would have been better Captain on the
Pacific. But owners can't match their cruises with
Captains pcculartcs. He lost one ship, and he's had
nothing since. His wife, proud woman, cut above
him socially died inch by inch, from his disgrace and
his inability 90 rchabilitate himself. There one
daughter and she kept looking for rehabilitation too;
but while the wife wanted II for the sake OF her nus.
bands character the girl wanted II for the sake Of
sheer success. Money was what she after. She
married trader Rapa Island, and he did badly.
She seemed 10 think she had bad luck in both father and
husband. This hear from Jack Hastings, who has a
taste for what booksh people call psychology, and for
what | call human nature.
lack knows Bates well: though not in a friendly
way About 4 year ago Hastings heard that Bates WAS
in command Of the Urana. under two JOINT owners
won't trouble YOU with the history Of the drama: she
had q name for bad luck among sailors. Everyone
knew that these two owners must be grecnhornS, ana
that Bates had signed with them as his last chance
They all heard Of rs in the Iuamotu group and 1t
was supposed from gossip that they were two
wcl-to-do young fools with visions OF increasing their
wealth through copra pearls, or perhaps by mere
trading Perhaps they were IN It Tor the sheer lark.
well now, Sir. comes the significant part OF the
story Weeks later Bates dropped in at the Marque-
ss His daughter had come 10 those islands on visit
He her and he had that to tell her which affected
a reconciliation between them; for disguised with his
failure she had had little TO do with him since her mar
rage He idollzcd her and celebration at getting
into her good graccs he began drinking hard When he
half over he conuded TO Hastings that he had
bought the Urania from the owners and was going to
trade IN Peru.
THEN-vou mean" hcsitatcd Henderson.
81 mcan Sir that Bates had no money except his
wages to buy anything with and wages however gen
crouS don't run 50 high as the purchasing OF ships.
mcan Sir that rich young men, even geenhornS, don't
let themselves be dropped in the Pacific with special
Of II, .ho The
But that most-most illegal sad Henderson help
lcssly and Damon grinned at him ironically.
illegal Sir, Is gentle word 1t Is illegal; but 1t has
been done more than once III one form or another and
/ have doubt 1t will be done again.
81 Judge Captain Barstowc, that you have your plan
Of action lad?' inquired Damon.
81 have Sir subject to Mr.. Hcndcrsons revision 1t
goes without saying that your friends may be anywhere
IN this part of the Pacific. Obviously the thing DO
to them. They have been heard Of in Tuamotu;
50 well 90 there Now, there is this difficulty: they
may have wished to keep dark the place they were
going to, and their reasons for gong.
From the little know, am sure they did, sighed
Henderson,
THAT will make things harder for us; but. on the
other hand, people will have been specializing about
them and among all those spccuations may hit on
the truth. | am confident that we shall find them. be-
cause have something up my sleeve, a last resort
that can scarcely fail us
And what is that, Captain"
Bates daughter. | told you she was i'll Rapa Island
Gol-forsakcn place under the French protcctorate
When Bates comes back from Peru he will 90 to see
her: he won't be able to keep away from her He'll
have to 60 and pour tangible gold in her lap. Now he
may have had enough to sell the Urania in Peru
where She isn't known, or he may not have been able
to sell her, and may be fool enough to risk bringing her
back But, whatever his luck has been he won't be
able to keep away from his girl And it can't be long
now till he's due. Wen go to Rapa and it will be a
strange thing if we can't make Bates tell where your
friends Gentlemen, don't believe | ever talked
50 much in my life
Captain Barstowe drank a goodly portion of the
brandy, and for all his nscrutabity it was clear that
he thought he deserved it. Henderson and grasped
his hand.
"Cnnnin hn enil VI an nunrcnr,nl rnnll,. L. not