Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1916-08-11
ASuccessful
Clew
By SARAH BAXTER

had struck during q storm and too far
out for a line to be shot to her by the
men Of the life saving station. And
now that the storm was abating and
there was a possibility of a boat reach
ing her 1t was too late. Persons were
struggling in the water, but few were
reaching the shore. The life savers sue
ceeded, after a number of futile at
tempts, In launching a boat and max
ing a trip toward the wreck and at
last brought back several persons,
among whom was a little boy about
five years old, who had been secured
to an improyised raft.
The child's identity was never dis
covered. He vas adopted by a family
of country people living IN the coast
and when eighteen years old shipped
on a steamer as deckhand- But he had
some education. and it was not long
before he was made a subordinate Off
Ger. The steamer on which he was
wrecked was called the Alexander
Hamilton. and the boy took this for
his name. He knew nothing of the
great statesman of that name, there
fore his act was not immodest
1t was evident from young Hamil
toms personality that he was a child of
aristocratic lineage. Those who knew
how he had been picked up from the
wreck wondered why those connected
with him by blood had not found him.
Before going to sea he had been adj
vised to hnnt up his origin. but more
than a dozen years had elapsed since
he had been brought ashore, and he
knew not where to begin
The young mans idea of going to
sea was that he hoped for an oppor-
tunity to visit points Of interest In
different countries. When he drew his
pay he would invariably use It for this
purpose. During a voyage his ship re-
manned some time at Tang1er, opposite
Gibraltar, unloading and takfng In
Arab goods. Hamilton obtafned leave
to visit Seville In Spain Having ar
tistic tastes, he visited a gallery con-
tanning some pictures. works of the
old masters. Stopping before a Ma
donna and child by Mnrillo, he stood
looking at 1t, a feeling growing up
within him that he had seen 1t before.
Presently he felt assured that he had
not only seen It, but that It had been
very heal to him The face of the
Madonna was associated in his mind
with some loved memory.
cit may be" he said to himself, that
the picture is a key to my childhood"
If this were SO it might be possible
for him to find the lock.
An object had ON to the young
man. The circumstances attending his
having beer taken by shipwreck from
his natural surroundings had cast a
gloom over him Now he frightened
up and resolved that he would follow
the clew on detective principles and
never give up the search so long as
there was a ray of hope. Sitting on a
bench before the picture, he gave him
self up to a mental investigation. This
was the result: Either his parents had
brought him to Seville, where he had
seer the picture, Oh he had somewhere
seer a copy of it.
He went to every hotel In the city,
got permission 10 look at the records
previous to the time of the shipwreck
and asked every landlord whether he
remembered hearing of any one who
had been at his house being lost on
the steamer from which he had been
saved. But this investigation led to
no result
He next turned his attention to the
matter of any copy that might have
been made of the picture. After much
questioning he found that but one copy
had ever been made and that was for
a bishop of the Roman Catholic church.
Hamilton discovered who the bishop
was and went to the episcopal palace.
The bishop was dead, but a priest told
the Searcher that the copy was intend
ed for a rich Englishman, who as a
price for It gave a large sum to the
church.
Hamilton's next move was to learn
the name Of the Englishman- The
priest examined papers back for more
than twenty years and found letters
written eighteen years before from the
man for whom the copy had been
made, one letter giving directions as
to where it was to be sent. The name
was John N. Boyington, - Harley
street, London
Hamilton had money enough to take
him to London. but no more He de-
cided to make the journey, and If he
discovered no relative he would ship
ON some vessel bound for America On
reaching London he found that John
Boy1ngton had been an eminent sur
geon, but was now an old man and re-
tired. The sailor went to his residence,
was ushered into the drawing room.
and there ON the wall hung the copy
of the Mur1llo Madonna and Child"
When Dr.. Boyington came down to
see him and Hamilton told his story
the old man sat silent for a time then