Evening star., 1913-12-07

before its settlement John LaySan cOngrat-
ulated himself more than once that William
Thornton was acting for the West Coast
Salvage Company The Commodore's judg-
ment was good; his advice weighted of the
wisdom of long experience of the sea and its
people. A sizable fee went to him for what
he did in this matter, enough to meet the
odds and ends of everyday life and to keep
hectoring tradesmen away from his cottage
door for many weeks afterward. His sue
cess in this fostered the idea of establishing
himself as a general marine broker and ex-
pert His identification with the West
Coast Salvage Company was capital IN 1t
self. He went about it very bravely; but
at the end of the first month he admitted to
| Pericles that it was a waste OF energy to
follow that line.
Business is very dull, Commodore" said
O 'Brien.
at isn't that; it's age, my boy. Business
doesn't come to me, because those who con-
troll it think I'm dull.
| On Pericles' desk at that moment was a
telegram from Laysan, who week before
had gone East to order the building OF an
ocean-going towboat.
Saw President Anchor Marine Insurance
Company yesterday lit readl. Says our can
didate too old
Unknown to the Commodore, Pericles
and Laysan had been pulling wires to land
him in the management of the agency from
which Jacob Adams was shortly to retire
Mustn't lose heart, Commodore said
Pericles as Thornton turned to go to his own
desk; but he returned no answer.
A little while later he heard the door open
and shut, and thought it was the Commo-
dore going out. Later in the afternoon
| Jacob Adams came in.
| IL frNl0 h1-r of
Honolulu said Adams, that the Andes IS
in the same easy position as when she struck
Bottoms intact, gears all right and she's
dry as bone. That news is only twenty
eight days old. What do you say9'
/ "What we've said before twenty-five
thousand, win or lose. You can't expect
anybody to pull your company's chestnuts
out of the fire on no cure, no pay basis. ?
am not the company, Pericles. The
wreck'n have to 60 at auction tomorrow
morning for what it'll bring-a song; no
more"
! AS the office door closed on Adams, Peri
cles saw the Commodore rising from
behind his own desk, and realized that he
must have been there all the time.
| @Why-why,' stammered Pericles, Il
didn't know you were there, or I'd have
called you over to talk to Adams"
The old man was slowly advancing across
the room now, his gaze fixed on Pericles
very tensely. O'Brien had never discussed
the Andes with Thornton, nor had the old
man ever made more than casual reference
to her. yet somehow he wished that her
broken owner hadn't heard him refusing to
undertake her salvage.
"Pericles,' said the Commodore in voice
that quavered slightly, 4you would do any
thing to help me, wouldn't you?" They
were standing face to face now, and as if
the question required no answer he went on,
Il want to go down after the Andes. Don't
think I'm insane. I'm not; but | can't go
on as | am going. Broken men at my age
have no place in the world unless they make
that place for themselves. Youth gets
things by going after them. Age must do
the same thing. Will you help me just this
once? You have said I'm not too DID,"
Pericles O'Brien wished in that moment
that he could have avoided William Thorn
tons eyes. There was in them something
that reached the strings of his heart and
twisted them to the breaking point. He
felt that the life or the death of this man
would be in the answer he gave him. He
made the Commodore sit down, and arrayed
all the arguments of which he could think
against the undertaking. With the desper-
ate enthusiasm of gambler that finds all
cta -a1 thn t,,r of orI of