Show au ry afe A 4 cator ri r i A il esy 0 ya br a y co CONAN V doyla OY 01 1 11 AV 11 it XI abat an honest man I 1 do I 1 will write to all our clients and creditors assemble them lay the who whole lemat mat tr ter before them lead th m the letter etter inq ind put myself absolutely in their hands thata it boy araann ar darin to yardarm find and have it over 1 I must go at once lie ile put on ME his top cat ca find and ills his hat hut but I 1 have ten minutes yet before I 1 can catch the tinly there la is one little thing which I 1 do before I 1 start lit ile lad fiad caught sight through the lont ions glass folding door of the gleam ot of alitta ahto blouse and a straw hat in tho tennis ground clara used often to meet him there of a morning to say eay a few words before he hurried away into the cit alti lie walked out now with mith the quick firm step of a man who has taken a momentous resolution but his fa face was haggard and hla his lip pale clara said he as she eho came toward him with words worda of greeting I 1 lam am por or ry to bring ill news to you but things have gone wrong in the city and and I 1 think I 1 ought to release you flom your engagement clara stared at him with her great questioning dark eyes and her face became as pale as his how can the city affect you and me harold 7 it Is dishonor I 1 cannot ask you to share it 11 dishonor the lose logs of some miserable a ble gold and stiver silver coins oh clara it if it were only that we could be far happier together in a lit tie cottage in the country than with all the riches of tile the city po poverty erter could not cut aut me to the heart as I 1 have been cut this morning why it Is but tw tv enty minutes since I 1 had the letter altia acu i and it seems to me to be some old old oil thing which harr hardened ened far away in my past life some horrid black clou I 1 which shut out all the freshness and the peace from it cut but what is it then vv lint hat do you fear itse boise tit than an poverty to have debts that I 1 cannot meet to be hammered down upon change find and declared a bankrupt I 1 10 0 know that others ba have e a just claim on me an I 1 to feel that I 1 dare not mee their eyes Is not that worse than poverty poi pov eity yes harold a thousand fold worse but all tills may be got over la Is n mining thing more my afy baitner halt haa led fled and left me re tor for licay debts and in such a position that I 1 may be required by the law to produce sime at least of this missing money it has haa been con aided to me to invest invent and lie he has haa em it I 1 as ag lit his partner am alit liable tor for it I 1 have misery on all whom I 1 love rn father my mot mother h er put but ou at least sh tit ill not be under the shadow lou are free clara there li 19 nm na tie us ug it takes to to make such a tie hat old sat sail I 1 she smiling find and putting tier hand ban insi inside de it his Is it ami t lit it takes tw to in make it dear clear and ano also to to break it la Is thit the way vay they do business in the city sir that a man can alana always q nt his onn ov n sweet will tear up hla his en fe tg ement you hot hoi I 1 me to it clara no so ao ss as an I 1 harold neer keer neel shall you het et from that bond hut but I 1 am ruined my afy i life Is iq bl misted isted and so go you wish to iuan me an 1 t blidt my life also no lilied sir you shall not at away so hut but ae loudly nw n W harold you boull anoual buit me if it eie not so ao absurd do ou think it ft oman s love Is iq like tills this sun thade which I 1 curry in my hand a thing 0 only ly fitted for the sunshine un hine and of n m se ise whon when the binds blow and the clouda gather I 1 would not ling sou ou down clata clara shout shoula I 1 I 1 not be dragged down in deed if I 1 left our si el li it at such a timea it Is id now that I 1 can be ili of use to you help you sustain you I 1 c always been so BO strong so BO ab abai you you are strong still but then 4 be stronger str sir you it 1 no idea what nhat a woman of business I 1 am papa says so and he knows harold tried to speak but hla his heart was too full ile he coul I 1 only press the white hand which culled round ills his s sleeve leee she walked up tip and down donn by his s side de prattling and sending lit tle tie gleams of 0 through the which girt him in to listen to her he might alg ht have thought it wag aas ida and riot not her staid and denture demure sister who was waa chatting to him it v will ill sonn bon be cleared up tip she stid and then we me shall feel quite dull of course all business men hie these thee lit tie ups and bans inay hy I 1 suppose of all the men sou meet upon change all the there r e I 1 Is s not one who inho has not some such eton to tell if e t try grything thing was as al always aag smooth ou know then of course e aeri er F oni on w N ull lull turn stockbroker and sou jou w A uld hao bac to hold your meetings in iida park ilow how much la Is it that you need M I 1 r than I 1 can ever get not desm than n thousand pou pounds nd 41 clara a face e fell as shi heard the am whitt what do sou aou propose do fl 3 BH ibe alre auw ditl ij I 1 shall ask ash all our ci ell tors to meet PIP r 1 l ahal i A t ahm aa rr lettjr jItT rn I 1 I 1 ut mys I 1 it if into their hand banis I 1 r and band th 1 aoh voh it mill they do I 1 I 1 NN twit vari ahler da aa fridy NIU sera bens rijs rt js W ph and ud the talf casy 1 I t kaj he ahal be to morrow you say may will you aitt my advice 1 I 1 hp hat t Is it cp a T sit k ih 0 tit ff ajl g es loss of dein din ll AV vh h hn m ati b abat w hat ie cw turn milter matters may tul tal t i ahat chat turn can call they take I 1 have ha tic nc scans of i alsing the money tt us have a few lays days Q i we should have hae that in the or donl duniy Y course cf business busin ss the legal I 1 mould take thom them some borne lit ili tie lne nut but I 1 must go clara I 1 must not rom ro m to shirk my place now must I 1 be at ii of flees Ys ettar ar you are light god bless you and nd eitard ou I 1 shall be here in the wilde vilde ness fesq but all day I 1 shall bo be by your office table at street in end if ever you shout ibe be haid you will hear my little whisper in wr fair ear and know that there is 13 0 one client whom ou will never be able to get rid ot of as aa long as we both live dear CHAPTER air da IS IN fh 0 OW PAPA SAID A clara that morn ing wrinkling tier her blows and putting her inset flaget tips to gether with the air of an experience d person of busi business nesA N I 1 want mant to have A talk to you abou 1 I money matters yes my deal deai 11 ile he laid down hn his paper and looked a qu queston eslon kindly tell me again paoa pada ho how W much money I 1 have in my very nery own right you have often told me before but I 1 always forget figures you have two hundred and fifty pounds a year under your aunts aunt s will and ida I 1 ida has one hundred and fifty now I 1 think I 1 can live very well on fifty pounds a year papa I 1 am not very extravagant nt and I 1 could make my own dresses iga if I 1 had a sewing machine av very ery filkel dear in that case I 1 have two hundred a year which I 1 could do without it if it were nere necessary hut but it Is necessary oh do help ma like a good dear kind papa in this matter flatter tot fo my whole heart la Is set upon it haroll Is 19 in sore need of money and through no fault offis of his own with nith a woman a tact and eloquence she tot tol I 1 the whole story put yourself in my place papa what Is the money to rat mi I 1 never think of it from years year s end to 10 years year s end but now I 1 know how arp clous it Is I 1 I 1 could not have thought that money could be so valuable alu able see what I 1 can call do with it it may help to sive him I 1 must have hae it by tomor to mor row oh do di advise me as to what I 1 should do and how I 1 should get the I 1 money the doctor smiled at het hei eagerness g I 1 you are as anxious to get rid of money as are to gain it said he in another case I 1 might think it rash but I 1 believe tit in your ard I 1 can see that lie he has had villainous treatment ment yau will let me deal with tile the matter you I 1 it can ban be done best between men your capital clain Is some five thou ayour sand pounds I 1 tut ut it Is out on a mort g aige ige ind and U cout coill I 1 not call it in oil oh debartoli dear toli oil apar I 1 I 1 lut we e carl can still manage I 1 hav as much at n m b bink ink I 1 will advance it to tile the denv den cis a as coming from 5 id 0 i an I 1 you can repay it to me or the interest interim of it when sour bonev becomes due oil thit li is beautiful how sweet and kind of youl you but e Is one I 1 do not think that ou would ever eier induce liar old to take this money clat alsta as s face fell don t you think so leallyn I 1 ani am gure that he would mould not then what hat fire are ou to doa chrt 11 arild things money aie to ar lanfeet I 1 I 1 shall see his we can man age it all bean between een us oh h do do papal papa nd you will mill d do 0 soon hete heio Is no time like the present I 1 tit 0 lit in at once ile he scribbled a cheque appt it in an en envelope elope put on oil his braul straw hat find and strolled in through the garden to kiy ills his morning morn int call it was a singular sight which met lit his eyes as he entered the sitting room of adril A great sea chest stood i in the center and all round upon carpet were ere little piles of jerseys r skins books sextant boxes ments and sea aea boots the oil ol 01 1 seaman sat gravely amidst this lumber ing it oci and examining it intently while hla his wife ilfe with the tears running quietly down her luddy cheeks sat upon the sofa her elbows elbom a upon her knees and her chin upon her handi rocking herself slova backward and forward I 1 hullo doctor said aid the admiral holding out ills his hand there s foul i weather eather set in upon us as act sou ou may have han e heard but I 1 hive ha e ridden out many a molise squall and please god cod w shall all three of us this one also aiso though two of us are a little more cianci than we me were mere my dear friends I 1 came in to tell aou 1 ou how deeply w m e sympathize w u ith ou all a I 1 my M y alil his hag only just told me about it it has iome come so suddenly upon us doctor sobbed mrs ilay hay denver demer I 1 tho thought tight I 1 had john to myself for the rest of our lives heaven knows that we ie have not seen very much of each 0 ther oilier but now he talks of going to sea again A ae e ave alker thit s the wel ily way out t f it I 1 was mag thrown up in tile the wind nind with all abak I 1 give sou my 1 word that thab I 1 lost ri bearings more corn com pl plead evly than th an Wr I 1 stra strapped ped FL a mida K s alk k to mi rn alt 40 t yu friend I 1 inow so soini thin of 0 pw or nr tattle ir ir mh mcateer ateer ma UIL waters N a but I 1 the he seln in the city of lond m n upon which m poor bp jbf struck ar tear lear beyo beyond n alit 1 hd had afta rn t kriis lafill fd k I 1 ngul ft but ilk in n nii n ii bi 4 wings n clair p right before nf me hat then admiral oh I 1 have one or two little platis plan ait I 1 11 have hav e amme mme news nes for the hoy boy why hang han it valker man I 1 1 I anay ty te be a bit stiff cliff in th but 11 hf be my witness that I 1 zan an do my ti five live ralles miles under the three houis mu then my eyed are as good As ever exon jt just fur the my held head lit IB i ar I 1 vii tt tl ee and sixt but I 1 m its as goo gool I 1 a man as an ever I 1 was too good a ma to lit allu up for another ten deais I 1 d ie ie the better for a smack of the salt halt otei again and a whirr whiff of the tut mother it its a not a four ears cars c ule tills this time be back every monti or two it its a no more than it if I 1 NN went ent fr for ft n vaa in ili the country 1 I lie he was talking by and heaping his sea boota an aal I 1 sextants gex sex tanta tants back into his chest and you yott really think my d dar ar friend of hoisting your pennant again I 1 my afy pennant 1 walker alker no no 11 hr r nii jesty god od ilesa tier her has too man many young men to need an old hulk like me I 1 sheild be plain mr hay denver dener of it the tr n erchant service serice I 1 daresay that I 1 might find some owner who would give tile me a chance as or third officer it will be strange to me tu to feel the ralli of th birdge under my fingers once more tut tut this will never do chiq will mill never do ad admirall the doctor wit ait down by mrs airs hay denver and patted her hand in token of fil endly sympathy we must wait until your dour son has it 11 out with mith all these people ani an 1 then vv nip shall know what damage Is done and how beit to 10 set it right it will be time enough then to begin to muster our re a sj s to meet it our resources the admiral laughed I 1 there a the pension I 1 in afra 16 walker that our i resources won t need much mustering oh come there are some which you ina may y not have thought of for exam pie admiral I 1 have always intended that my girl should have flye five thousand from me when she mauled of course your boys boy s trouble Is 13 her trouble and the money cannot be spent better than in helping to set it right she has a R little littie of her own which A aich she wished to contribute but I 1 thought it best to work it this way will you take the check mrs denver and I 1 think it would be best it if you said nothing to harold about it and just used it as the occasion e d god bless blesa you walker you bod are a true friend I 1 won t forlet forget this walk er the admiral sat down on his sea chest and mopped his brow with his red handkerchief what Is it to me whether you haill hav it now or thena it may be more useful now only one stipulation rr if things should come to the worst and if the business should prove so bad that nothing can set it right then n hold back this check for there la Is no use uge in pouring water into a broken basin harln and it if the lad should fall lie he will nill want mant bomp thing to vick rick himself up again with mith ile he shall not fall walker and voi shall not have occa occasion Ion to be ashamed of the faill into which bour our d I 1 about to mahrn marr I 1 have rny my own plan hut but we ehll hold dour maev my friend and it will bengtsen beng then ua to feel that it Is chete well that Is all right said doctor walker rising and nd if a little more should be needed we must not let him go wrong for the want or of a thousand or two and now admiral I 1 m oft off for my coining walk wont ou come too no I 1 am going into town well good bye I 1 hopp hop to have bet ter news and that all will come right good hye bye mm denver demer I 1 feel ai it if the boy ma m ilan n n and I 1 shall not be otts until all is light with him TO lit ilk I 1 |