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Show t) THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, SUNDAY MORNING. OCTOBER . .The Honesty He Was So Honest That It Hurt, but Duty Is Duty and Mast Be Performed, No Matter What the Cost . . u4 told m X should dwr find honest hsd have hsd ths to bs hsrd edge of my tongue without s doubt; for, along of mf parents and schooling, not to mention my own particular nice bent of mind, there were some thing seen as a 4 young enen, that would have given mo mors pin than pleasure to do, no matter what the reward. And one was to covet tny neighbors goods, and another was to break my word. As for what belonged to other folk, I never did feel tempted in that direction; but life so fell out with me that once, and only once, I catched myself terrible sore about a solemn 1 promise. It related to th most awful under-one human made between can be taking that to another, and that is the premise to marry; so X thought no small shamy,6n myself that oven, for an Instant X felt a cruel hankering to go back on my word. Tet so It was. Two great adventures X have had in .my Ufa, and that's all. And both belong to this tala But nothing out of the common tremen-dm- s have ever happened slao and I bops for the rest of my days to creep along without no more shocks till there comes the Call, Life's a very interesting thing, taking it all round. and'Xm fairly glad that X was born, but X Shall havs had quits enough of It come X get to seventy, or thereabout and wont want ho more. I was outdoor man at Ths At twenty-fiv- e n ths Coach and Four," a Uttl publlo Plymouth road out Talverton .way, and, though a small house. It had a lot of custom and there waa plenty of work for ms with ths traffic and ths bosses, especially In winter, when hounds met at our place pretty often. Small money I had, hut, so far, the thought of money never troubled my mind. My chances to spend It If X got It were small, for g wag sn orphan man by than, with no calls tipon me and no particular need to save, I'd been an only one and my relations were all dead, so far as X knew, and X. never had very many at any time. My father was coachman at Eylesbarrow Manor tUl he went home, and he'd bad but one brother and one sister. Aunt Sarah died In a lunatic asylum, poor soul . the first In our family ever known, to be tootlisb and Uncle Geoffrey, hsd gone to Caned or else Australia, In hla young days. My father never could call home' which It was, and It didnt matter, for us beard of him no more and he was only a name to me. But then happened ths first of my two adventures, and after Jans Blight cams In ths bar of " Tbs Coach and Four " X was a lost man- - X daresay she stood three inches taller which waa her than me, for at twenty-two- , age when first ws met, shed roes to her full growth, and nobody aver saw a finer woman with a1 deeper bosom, or bigger shoulders, or stronger arms. She was high colored and she had blue eyes and a proper mans of wonderful hair that kept ths bar warm on ths oddest day. Twaa like a burning, fiery furnace Most times, with that sort, you get a tamper to match the flame, and a hustling way, and sometimes rather a high band; hut though Jans was a towser for work and ths cleanest creature that aver wasted time washing herself, her temper waa sweet and shed got It well under control. Bright as a lark she was and a rare one for a bit of fup, and proper glad to feel alive; but being the eldest of nine hsd broke her in something amazing, and she eras patient with ths fools sad never gave a sharp' answer to man or woman, though her natural good wits must havs often tempted her to do so. In fact, Mias Blight stood long ways ahead of any female that Id ever corns serosa, and Whereas until aha appeared no girl had struck ms as a very Interesting object, with her the ease waa entirely altered and she set me thinking very serious add roused In me a sort of muddleheaded and bittersweet trams of mind as I hadn't felt before. Months passed and It got worse, and still I couldn't understand what distraction had overtook me; hut then all of a sudden X found twas Jane awoke these queer sensations, and I axed her-tgo for a walk on her afternoon out. little thinking she'd consent to it. In fact, ad foggy be the beginnings of lovs that when she said shed come I waa half sorry I'd Spoke. But It would have been a rude thing to back out of it after shed agreed to walk, so I fixed with JackCodd, my fellow worker, to look after my Job that Thursday afternoon1', and me and Jane footed It up to Prince town on Dartmoor, and the consented to take a cup of teA at The Three Feathers" In place. Well, I hadnt gone above a mile beside the woman when I knew that Id failed in lovs with her; and the astonishment of it tied my tongue to such an" extent that I dqresay I didnt speak moren ones In five hundred yards. But she made up for that, and I soon esw she was friendly disposed and found herself very comfortable In my company. She told me about her family and how she had to send most of her money to her mother and , father, him being out of work. And she drar v rather a sorrowful picture of their position, but she werent In the least snr . 'ill herself, being far too clever and chetn tul to whine over what couldnt he helped by her. And I listened In wonder, for I'd never - guessed a woman could he so sensible. In ,uch s witty way of looking at life mads ft female In general, he- ( ' - ' t "er met one with the IT iay mmii -- - o "'vrhen we . been New Tsars Day, X offered not afore fait so sura as death she was to ms. For, such la my modest taka going nature that I dont believe X could have axed senses hadnt mads ms If my ass that shed be down my throat ths mordant X - I did. Now, Mr. Sbobhull. youve heard all about me, so tis your turn to talk, and X wont walk qultq so fast going backalong, please, because I'm a heavyweight and up a hill Im not too clever? Toum ths cleverest woman ever I met,", I said. Up' a hill, or dowpa 'htllr either. And I hope youll call me Noah in future, same as my other friends da I wouldnt have given myself thejiame of Noah X may tell you, because theres a lot about thajt famous character I dont hold with; but my parent being quits unable to decide ths question, my father opened the Book with hla eyes shot, and -- my mother stuck a pin Into ths holy page; and Noah it waa." After that we got on very wen and 1 unfolded my feelings and found Jane to be as good a listener as a talker, which seldom - f t 4 y, v.- k W' ,y And what shall I do first, X wonder? " X axed her, and. like the Christian woman she Ursa, shs mads answer. "Find your JaneX should think, said Bassett. Aggie y f , t - '' sf'r - f V 4 . - ' . tM ' no mors.- , T 't It ' : kU vi r j y $ V. i , v 4 -' . a r JV r 7 i i i r ' y 1 'T l ' a T. ' 'W f - f r 'i ' Jkisaio a happens; and before ws reached "Ths Coach " wsd ordained to take another.' walk In a week or two. She was very fond of the sea I found, which be rather aua uncommon taste with women. I believe. Though a thought undersized, X was a good looking man, no doubt, with very nice black hair and rather big eyes and a mustache tha looked well over a sound lot of large, white , teeth; hut such things as that wouldnt havs decided her; It was my higbinlnded nature and my way of life she liked most. As a d matter of truth, shs had no use for men. and, aa I found after, my hair and blue chin had stood against me; hut my nature mads these things of small aooount, and. In a word, ws felt ourselves to be built for each other1, body and soul, and waa tokened accordingly In the face of the nation. But then came reality, .and X told Jane frankly that on a pound a week marriage werent In sight for me; and sie saw that very dear Indeed and said ws must he patient and bids our time. Thera werent no Inclination on my masters part to raise her money, nor yet mine, when the engagement came to his ear In fact, ths boss waa a hit vexed behind our backs, as I heard from Jack Codd. though too decent a sort of man to make any words about It. But he reckoned that if X loved Jane It wouldnt make me any more uMul out of doors, and If she loved me tere might be a drop of whisky slip over the bar or perhaps a half-pinthat sometimes, weren't paid for in the ordinary way. But he didnt know me, for anything like that I would rather have gone thirsty than do; and no straighter and honester woman than Jane Blight ever pulled a cork or a lever. Thqn, after six month which didnt cool our fine affection nor yet bring marriage a day nearer by the look of It, I got an offer from a gentleman fishing on Dartmoo? and stopping at " The Coach and Four." He liked me and reckoned I might be worth thirty bob a week to him, so I talked ft over ylth Jane. and though she felt the sting of the parting a good deal, she knew this was a useful step along the road io better tlnSea and agreed that I should accept and giro notice. Then my troubles began; for, after two months with my new master, he .had a sad . .disaster and lost all his money and didnt want me no more. And they wouldn't take me back at the " Coach" neither, because my place waa filled. I was on by beam ends for a bit and the twenty pounds Id saved had to be' all eat up. to keep me golng. Then I found work agaln. but not at thirty bob. I fell to s pound, and"after slg months of that got another offer and rose toi"twenty-flv- e shillings. dak-colore- t, 4 i Aeewk. '' ff V fU j that ' J Id fall in X wrots to my old master tor her address, and ha sent a postcard saying that Jans Blight had been gone from ths " Coach" for six months and ha didnt know moren ths dead where she was got to, or what shs was doing. I felt it a good deal for an hour or so, and then X went out and axed a friend of mine at ' Birmingham what 1 ought to do In such a css Shs was a young person In a tobac- - ' conlsts shop, and I waa drawn to her because she cams from Devon a Devonport woman, horn and brad in ths litres Town . Wed seen a good bit of each other, chiefly of a Sunday, and she understood my nature and I understood her vary well, indeed. Aggie Bassett her name wa and shs had a nice, stand off manner and well knsw what aha owed to herself. Shs was a quick, rather thin little thing a saver and amazing good at flgurea. She also liked going to church and larned ms to like It; and ones there she sang ths hymns very sweet Indeed and urged me to attempt It also, which I hsd dons to oblige her, with fair success Ws wars both homesick, and tier hops and prayer, like mine, was to get back to Devon some day. , On the subject of Jans I found Aggie not too helpful. Such wait her high spirit and religion that she done her very best for Jane. I do believe; but I know, by signs, that shed got d good bit of feeling for me herself by now, and at the bottom of her heart 1 do think shed rather have heard I couldn't find Jane. But, like me; she was the soul of honor, and shs knew my word was given in that quarter, never to be withdrawn. I thought to advertls but remembering that Jane had no use for newspapers and seldom opened such a thing, X doubted If that would not be to throw away good money. And Aggie feared so, too. -- Shs 1 reckoned that Jans was probably in Plym- - . outh at her trade, and wondered If I could get a list of th public houses and send s postcard to each of em, Wa was turning over that and other project for a few week when I made ths shameful discovery that I'd pretty near forgot Jsno and was now fallen In lovs with Aggie; and then, crushing In upon this, there cams ths second and greatest adventure of my Iff w A letter arrived for me from my old home North Tawto village, where my father and mother hsd lived 11 their days!. It was from js lawyer, and it had been ,aerit'to The Coach and Four," and, along of ms having written th year previous to ax for . news of Jans Blight, tny old master knew that tims; hut ' r. T ' t 't: ' V Weston-Smerdo- y d ' sf :y 1 e,i f : j :i W J ,.vn .vi w 40 S'- .1 g : ft ' Well-doin- 1 ( .4 I v J, now I must endure with her. often lands you in a mess like that, and ths she changed her address, proper feeling on hops 1 to feel your reward la sura, should have 1st ms know." though It can only coma on ths other side of Aggie Bassett considered. ths grave, t I should say If you was to search honest God! To live with that mountainM be would for six weeks your conscience ous woman! I thought; and then I put clear, Noah," she assured me, because" by everything but dyty away tram ms and overthat time your duty will be done; and if took her. she dont turn up then Its tolerable certain Youll be Mias Jana plight." I said, liftthat Providence have got other views for my hat to her, and for s moment shs ing you." sea who twas; and" then she did, and didnt Providence "Yes," I said, and I hops still. Her face turned several sbadi stood 1 have got my own views; and what that and aha, put her hand to her heart and paler nobody knows better then you." heaved, like a Jelly, down to her hoots. For I won't pretend X dont," shs answered, moment I thought shs Was going to faint a " but ws neednt think so far ahead. Bornemake a scene and block the sideway; and turnIf thing tells ms as you'll find Jana you shs but gave a deep breath and It steadied eetly look for bar; and If you wasnt honest . Then she put her great hands on a lot her about It then no doubt your sin would find V my shoulders and said: you out," You're Noah Bcobull, or else his ghost i X ' Ths living mn, Jana And I've been looking for you a fdrtnlght and I was going to advertise In ths paper for you next Monday. Its In my pocket this moment Youve given me a lot of work you never did ought to hare given m Jen and mads a mysHowever, ws tery where there was non must let bygones be bygones. She looked me over and I looked her over, and she saw a silver watch chain and a hud hat and a silk tis and other signs of prosperity; and I saw something strange about her, too a sort of trim, nautical cut You say. She wore a serge skirt and Jacket might 4 and a seafaring oap over her mass of blazing red hair. Too wanted m then? Tou stQl wanted shs asked, and tears cams In me, Noah? V her eyes when she Sdons aa . Duty's duty sad a promise is a promise when I make It Jan I replied. " The 1 truth lies In a nutshell. Ive coma Into a hit of money very near three hundred a year, X shouldnt wonder and I remember . .my solemn word to you, though you havs forgot yours to ms seemingly; and, when 1 heard from The, Coach as you was gone and nobody could tell whsr X thought that' fifty to one you was la Plymouth, at your' old business and looking after your mother as before. And X was right X suppose. ", . My mother's dead, she answered, " and I aint looking after nobody but myself. And my hom so to call It be ths sea nowadays. Im a stewardess on - ths packet' boat Ladybird that trades across froiy Plymouth to Havre. That accounts for yottr marine appearance, then, X said. Tea It do." she answered. Tou was always vary given to ths sea," X reminded her. Yes, she said, "1 always was." t She still quivered a hit from the waist upward, and her great eyes rolled about in a very helpless fashion. Shed mads a hols 4 her manners also, for she never whispered so rnnh as a word of pleasure and gladness on my account after hearing about. ths fortune. Sin la too big a word, I told her; Instead shs seemed to he full up with what but, he It aa It will, I shall seek around was In her own mind. sharp as a needle for a fortnight, and if ws . Fancy you remembering me all these dont meet, then in advertise In the West- - . donkey's yean," shs said. era Horning News, and. though shell never And then X got a thought nlffed with the woman. see, it for shes no. scholar, somebody that knows her may perhaps do so. And even And he X to understand youd forgot ?ne, Jane Blight? X asked, for no honest man is thats going too far. In my opinion." c , short of his proper pride. Ws left It so, and when Wa got to North . "Forgot you? No Gods my Judge I F.oad station, Aggie changed for her aunt at Tou as always havent, shs answered. Devenport and I went on. I knew her adws saw a good and true and kind friend, a dress and shs granted ms 'permission to hit alike long ago. X mind you well enough, coma to tea after Id bunted for a week- ,rNoah. though to my eye you look a good I drew a blank and told her so; but she few sizes smaller than when you was at saw my spirits had rose according, so she The Coach. begged me to keep myself In hand and reWell, I had my good manner though shed member that Providence was looking on. hers In ths British Channel, seemingly. lost Thed another week passed by and' I mat X let slip a bit of satire, I'm afraid. But Aggie again, and we took tea on the pier and - dont feel conscious of having shrunk. j drew out an advertisement offering a reward X Jane, X answered, and Vm afraid cant of three pounda to anybody who could give ocean' Ths anyway. the compliment return information about Mlsa Jans Blight," forto suit you very welL appears merly a barmaid at Ths Coach and Four It do, she replied, brightening up. Izn to Talverton. born sall6r, Noah. a Ws parted, with more warning to ms not " So did I ought to be, with h name like to be so hopeful, and X was to sea Aggie mine, I answered, striking a light not again the next day, being Sunday, because though I didnt feel it; hut I hats ths deep on Monday her holiday would come to an and was never on It but one going round sad and she bad to go hack to Birmingham. Portland BiU; and never again for ma And then it was, just about lighting up n moment and then got nn Shs thought time, that my great trial and temptation fell - Idea. to for half office ths of the upon me, way If we go down 'to ths Sextant on ths newspaper to hand In- - the advertisement Barbican you can give me a glass of sherry about Jane I corned across the woman' herwine, she said, and ws can talk. self! X followed her and she went pretty fast like sea a great, big creature, built much I and said bnt little bn ths way. ' What was m pouter pigeon, looking into a shop where to come X did not know, hut so far X couldnt they sold womens stays;, and X couldn't no from myself that Jane had a good disguise with her generous build, help feeling bit on her mind besides me. And I wondered doubt stays Interested her so much as anywhy shed chose the Sextant, which was thing. And then she turned and X saw Jans merely a-- sailors public house somewhere Blight t down on the quay. . Twas ths Jans Id known, yet changed and grown from bud to blossom, you might Tou dont teem too pleased shout our I said Just to break ths say. She'd drawed the beam at eleven stone money, Jan six when we kept company; but now, to my which was growing a bit unnatural eye. She looked every ounce of thirteen atone. between ' lovers Joined again after three If not more. The fat' had rose up to her face years and mofe. also and her high color hadn't got no fainter Im very pleased indeed about lt. she and her hair fairly Jumped at you. Life to answered. And never a man deserved a hit some men, no doubt such a woman, but eff luck better; and X shall be terrlbte interdeath to me. ested to hear how you came by such a dollop ' I fell hack for a moment and my legs . of cash an unlucky tort of chap like you. . twitched to fly from her, while a perspiration Your leaving Providence out," I said., brokq out 11kg dew upon mV forehead and It was my Uncle Geoffrey, who left It to the back-- of my neck. But there It was mjr father; and, father and mother being Providence and I knew myself so well that. dead, I get the lot five thousand of the beat, s X felt there was only on thing for me to da by all accounts." her and man Another might have slipped' . Fancy! Somehow I never thought your thanked his stars for the chance to do so, about more it after and never felt nothing Continued on following page. 1 ' V been out of the trying pan Into the fir -- as they say, and I should never have had no mors peaceful momenta without her than n wr IT.!., than gratitude for his luck; but with a conscience like mine If Id bolted It would have t bon-ertl- was a good hit put shout, though Jans bad grown a Uttle faint to my minds ays by ffS t? to celebrate my leaving Birmingham, and I'd got the headache along of doing ij. I cant go on hunting ths earth for tbs woman forsver," I said, " and you must aler ways remember, please, that twas And when me. not stopped writing first, X X X a sip1 lx sura By Eden PhUlpotts - waa and sect ths tetter after m 1 And got it brother Ths lawyer wrote that was dead at the Cape of Good Hope In Africa, So my father was wrong after ail about where hed gone to, but ths amazing thing followed. Uncle Geoffrey bad left my father all hla money, and, father and mother being dead, ths moneys was mine. Five thousand pounds he had saded. though y whether such s hugeous sum had been coma by who shall sayf Thera it was, however, and when X took tbs pews to my friend at ths tobacco shop she congratulated me and said that no man ever de- , served a fortune better. "Five thousand pounda la two hundred and fifty pounds a year at five per cent. Noah," she said, " and dont you try to getr where other, Jans and ms; but her letters wars scarcer than mins, because pans and Ink was always pain and grief to bar, and than X dried up, too, for a hit, for my new master had died very sudden, and X waa out In the world again and didnt want to mke.my future wife sorrowful shout It. For a matter of three years ws did keep In touch, and then I lost bar. Id not wrote for jlx month hut presently my conscience spoke, and,' being with good werkonce mote, at big hotel In Binnlnghajli, I wrote and told Jana that things was tooklngup and I hoped, if I could get a few days off at ths end of ths autumn, to corns down to the West and see her. , But the letter was returned to ms marked Not known," and to get a letter youve wrote to another person corns back staring you in th face again be a great shock. I'm ed Hi; vu N o aK . la ths Midlands now and hated em and would have gtvea the hoots off my feet to 'he back In Devonshire again. Ws wrote to each for her, hut X o i-- - 15, ' - top with har." Twas a frosty reply. In a manner of speaking, and yet I loved her all ths better for It. " Tou teach me my duty," I said, though God forgive me, X could wish It werent my duty." Shs understood very well what I waa aimf ing at Dutys duty, Noah," shs angwered, and jjf you didnt do whats right youd never forgive yourself and very likely spoil all your future life" Duty did ought to be a comfort and a But tls a great mistake, solace," said. Aggie, to think that the, way of duty Is always the way of happiness, because I bo going damn soon to find It ain't." No need to swear about It anyhow, she What ths future have got hid for said. you no ma" knows; but what you are called to do looks mighty clear to me; and that Is go to Plymouth and work through the Three Towns till you find your sweetheart." Needless to say the word struck me dumb, for J&ne was no more sweetheart of mine, even though the solemn promise remained. The spell was properly broke after all these years, and I didnt wapt to marry her, nor yet even see her again If I could help It. Aggie somehow knew, despite all my sad my mind. silence, what was moving-i- n "Tou cant tell how youll feel about it till you find her, she said. " So like aa not when you do. If God wills for you to join her ones mors, the old feeling may blaze up In you again, Noah, and then you'll see how Providence watches over the sparrow. I As Ho what I'll feel, I answered, know' a plucky sight more about that than you can. And there's times when you catch yourself wishing that Providence would mind Its own business and let you mind yours. But, to ths bitter end. Ill do my duty- - Ive saved fifty pounds these last two year, and now Ill giv notice and lea$e the hotel and get West; and sines you be taking youf own holiday, I dont see no res-owhy yoil shouldn't go down to visit your aunt at Devonport, same as' you have promised to da Then well travel together. I deserve some reward," X said, and that will be reward enough-- ' She didnt think it at all wise, and no doubt it weren't; but I preesed for sharing the Journey and at last she consented. On the way down to Plymouth I asked Aggie how long I did ought to take eearcb- lug for Jane. I werent In a very good the night before I had given a bit of a send off party to my men friends t n V ' c nJ ' , i |