Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-07-09
CHAPTER w.
The Deck Hand.


number was the number Of those who
had seen her grow from childhood te
maid demand manhood-commonly
identified her for inquiring strangers
as good old Doctor Bertie's only,
adding, men and women alike, that she
was a we'll balanced and sensible as
she was good to look upon.
She had been spending the winter
at Pass Christian with her aunt. who
was an invalid; and 1t was for the
invalid's sake that she had decided tc
make the return journey by river.
So it had come about that theil
statefooms had been taken on the
Belle Julie; and on the morning OF
the second day out from New Or
leans, Miss Gilman was so far from
being travel sick that she was able to
sit with Charlotte in the shade Of the
hurricane deck aft, and to enjoy. with
what quivering enthusiasm there was
in her, the matchless scenery Of the
lower Mississippi.
At Baton Rouge the New Orleans
paper came aboard. and Miss Farm
ham bought a copy Of the Louisianian
AS a matter of course, the first page
leader was q circumstantial account
of the daring robbery Of the Bayou
State Security, garnished with star
tling headlines. Charlotte read it.
half-absently at first, and a second
time with interest awakened and q
quickening Of the pulse when she real
lied that she had actually been a wit
ness Of the final act in the near-trag-
edy. Her little gasp Of belated horror
brought a query from the invalid.
What is it, Charlie, dear?"
For answer, Charlotte read the news
paper story Of the robbery, headlines
and all.
For PHYS sake! in broad daylight!
How shockingly bold!" commented
Miss Gilman.
Yes, but that wasn't what made
me gasp. The paper says: "A young
lady was at the tellers window when
the robber came up with Mr.. Gal
braith-' Aunt Fanny, I was the
young lady"
you? Horrors!" calculated the in
valid, holding up wasted hands of dep
recitation.
Charlotte, the well-balanced, smiled
at the purely personal limitations OF
her aunt's point Of view.
1T is very dreadful, Of course; but
it Is no worse just because happened
to be there. Yet it seems ridiculously
incredible. 1 can hardly believe it
even now"
Incredible? How?"
"Why, there wasn't anything about
it to suggest a robbery. Now that
know, / remember that old gentle
man did seem anxious or worried, OF
at least, not quite comfortable some
way; but the young man was smiling
pleasantly, and he looked like anything
rather than a desperate criminal"
Miss Gilmans New England conserv-
atism, unweakened by her long resi-.
dence in the west, took the alarm al
once.
But no one in the bank knew you
theirs draft and letter of identified
tion, could they?"
Charlotte was mystified. II should
suppose they could, if they wanted to
But why? What if they could?"
MY dear child; don't you see? They
are sure to catch the robber, sooner
or later, and if they know how to fine
you, you might be dragged into cour
as a witness"
Miss Farnham was not less averst
to publicity. but she had. or believed
she had, very clear and well defined
ideas of her own touching her duty il
any matter involving plain question
of right and wrong.
Il shouldn't wait to be dragged,
she asserted quietly 1T would be ;
simple duty to go willingly. The frs
thing / thought of was that 1 ough
to write at once to Mr.. Galbraith, Civ
ing him my address,"
Thereupon issued discussion. A
the end of the argument the conserv
ative one had eXtorted a condition.
promise from her niece. The matte
should remain i'm allegiance until tn
question of conscientious obligation
had been submitted to Charlotte
father and decided by him.
An hour later, when Miss Gilman
was deep in the last installment of tn
current serial, Charlotte let her bool
slip from her fingers and gave hersel
to the passive enjoyment of the slow
ly-passing panorama which is the chic
charm of inland voyaging.
From where she was sitting sh
could see the steamers yawl swinging
from it's tackle at the stern-staff, am
after many minutes it was slowl
borne in upon her that the ropes wer
working loose. A man came aft t
make the loosened tackle fast.
Something half familiar in his man
ner attracted Charlotte's attention
and her eyes followed him as he wen
on and hoisted the yawl into place
When he came back she had a fai
sight of his face and her eyes met his
In the single swift glance half-forme'
suspicion became undoubted certainty
she looked again and her heart gave
great bound and then seemed sud
denly to forget its office. 1t was use
less to try to escape from the dismay
ing fact The stubble- bearded deck
hand with the manner of a gentlema
was most Enthusiastically later rein
carnation of the pleasantly smlin
young man who had courteously mad
way for her at the teller's wicket il
the Bayou State Security: who ha
smiled and given place to her Will
he was holding his pistol aimed q
President Galbraith.
II was said of Charlotte Farnhar
that she was sensible beyond he
years, and withal strong and straight
forward in honesty of purpose. Non