Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-24
BY WILLIAM BROWN MELONEY

car ready, and Ill Who can this be coming, Dear"
A PHAETON had stopped in the road below and two
women were entering the front gate One IN
the evening OF lfe severe alpaca dress of late Vic
tor1an mode emphasizing the angular1ties of tall,
spare Frame the other, in mourning garb and yelled,
walked slightly in advance and with the unmstakabe
spring OF youth IN her steps, They passed to the
house unobserved by either Perices his comrade.
"You do the phonng, Dear, and III turn them away
in moment, said Mrs. Laysan but minute later
she calling to her husband to join her and the
visitors in the library.
AS John Laysan went downstairs he heard his wife
summoning Percles and so it happened that the two
men, the senior and junior components of the West
Coast Salvage Company, entered the library together.
aThese ladies yours and Perices visitors, John
said Mrs. Laysan.
The women standing, the elderly quite in
the background in a servitors attitude.
II am Helen Muir of Glasgow, mentioned in these
letters of credit and introduction, said the other in
low voice, handing Laysan packet of papers Indi-
eating her companion she added, This is Proctor my
old nurse-my friend
fairness of her face sensation. She girl
of nineteen or twentymnot woman.
Pericles OBrien, still with the youngster in his arms,
was held by the tense blue eyes which looked up into
his face in acknowledgment of Mrs Laysans introduce
ton. There was pain in their depths that he had
rather not have seen. As he put out hand to take
hers the baby extended both of his chubby arms to
the stranger. The next instant she had snatched the
child and grooming to him, seemingly oblivious of
her surroundings. Studying her with interest Perices
noted mentally that it must have taken great many
generations generations of men and women who had
meant something to the world-to produce woman
like her. Nose and chin and and brow bespoke
long breeding; but it the spiritual quality of the
whole face that meant more than ANYTHING else.
@I-we are at the service of Sir Michael Muirs grand
daughter, said Laysan, finishing the letters, and
once Perices knew they in the presence of the
girl to whom seven months before had descended the
control and power of of the worlds greatest ship
ping firms house whose flag, like Britan's, the
had not set In nearly century,
Eyes, Sir Michael Muir's granddaughter said the
girl in voice tremulous with emotion.
Of
Laysan crossed the to take seat beside her.
Pericles retreatng from the circle carried with him
mounting wonder as to the meaning of Miss AIuir's
unannounced presence In California and her very
dent distraught condition.
Il speaking toto the head of the West Coast
Salvage Company, am | not?' asked Miss Muir
though she wished to be treasured of the fact
"The two heads said Laysan nodding toward Peri
ces.
"Oh!" and here Miss Muir paused for second to
look again at Laysans partner.
That discovered in her glance note of appeal,
and something in him answered it with swearing of
fealty.
"Iexpected to find Captain O'Brien much-rnuch
Older Then facing Laysan again and with sugges-
ton of earfuness her Tone she on Il have
to you two gentlemen-come the world to
ask to undertake search-a search for the ship
Drumliebank.
"The Drumebank' exclaimed Laysan, and he and
Pericles Strengthened in their seats
A T the name Drumlebank there formed in the minds
of both men the picture of big four-masted steel
bark, with raised deck amidshps type of vessel
peculiar the Muir flag which for months the rein
rate had been climbing until it had reached
eighty-fve per cent BY common consent the shipping
world no longer counted the Drumiebank overdue,
but lost vessel that had ARRIVED OUT in the port
that issues clearances. Mrs. Laysan with knowl
edge of happenings garnered from her husbands
speech and the shipping papers daily received in her
home, looked curiously and not without pity at the
Proctor and then at Miss Muir. The aged
servltors face masked in gmness as inpenetrabe
of her Scottish mists
Il know what you thinking, what you going to
say, continued Miss Muir fully conscious of the effect
her statement had produced "You think is hopeless
YOU think that the Drumiebank will never come home