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Show 'tec hands, rocKins rard and forward 4id the admiral, jd, "there's foul . ! us, as you may , XOC4 ridden out many 4) 'I please God, we 111 A- rt weather this one pj i are a little more "My. came In to tell you how Aijj'ipathize with you all. My j, '-'y just told me about it." . - "It has come so suddenly upon us, doctor," sobbed Mrs. Hay Denver. "J thought I had John to myself for the rest of my life rest of our lives Heaven knows that we have not seen very much of each other but now he talks of going to sea again." j "Aye, aye, Walker, -that's the only way out of it. I was thrown up In tho wind with all aback. I give you mj word that I lost my bearings more com pletely than ever since I strapped ' middy's dirk to mv belt. You see "More than I can ever get. Not less than thirteen thousand pounds." Clara's face fell as she heard the amount. What do you propose do- ' Ing?" "I shall go to the city now, and I shall ask all our creditors to meet me tomorrow. to-morrow. I shall read them Pearson's letter; and put myself into their hands."' MTERNArtOA'Al. MUSS ASSOCIATION. CHAPTER XI. (Continued). 'What an honest man should do. I will write to all our clients and creditors, credi-tors, assemble them, lay the whole matter mat-ter beore them, read them the letter ftnd put myself absolutely in their Jands." "That's it, boy yardarm to- yardarm luid have it over." - "I must go' at once." He put on his top-coat and his hat. "But I have ten tninutes yet before I can catch the train. There is one little thing which : I must do before I start." He had caught'sight through the long lass folding door of the gleam of a white blouse and a straw hat in the tennis ground. Clara used often to meet him there of a morning to say a few words before he hurried away into the oity. He walked out now with the quick, firm step of a man who has taken tak-en a momentous resolution, but his face was haggard and his lips pale. "Clara," said he, as she came toward him with words of greeting, "I am sorry sor-ry to bring ill news to you, but things have gone wrong in the city, and and t think I ought to release you from your engagement." Clara stared at him with her great ' questioning dark eyes, and her face became be-came as pale as his. "Haw can the city affect you and me, Harold?" "It Is dishonor. I cannot ask you to hare It." "Dishonor! The loss of some miserable miser-able gold and silver coins!" Oh, Clara, If it were only that! We . could be far happier together in a lit-tie lit-tie oottage Iv the country than with all the riches ot the city. Poverty could not cut ms to the heart, as I have been tut this morning. Why, it is but twenty inutes since I had the letter, Clara, and i-t seems to me to be some old, old . , thing which happened,'' -way In my ... ist. mpwnv. 8 ',V. thA Rip-M- nf bnth his voa i hftl I "uu Lney, wnat will tney dor "What can they do? They will serve writs for their money, and the firm will be declared bankrupt." "And the meeting will be to-morrow, , you say. Will you take my advice?" "What is it, Clara?" "To ask them for a few- days of de-; de-; lay. Who knows what new turn matters mat-ters may take?" "What turn can they take? I have , no means of raising the money." j "Let us have a few days." j "Oh, we should have that in the or-j or-j dinary course of business. The legal ; formalities would take them some lit-tie lit-tie time. But I must go, Clara, I must , not seem to shirk. My place now must be at my offices." "Yes, dear, you ave right. God bless you and guard you! I shall be here in The Wilderness, but all day I shall be by your office table at Throgmorton street in spirit, and :f ever you should be sad you will hear my little whisper in your ear,' and know that there is one ' client whom you will never be able to get rid of never as long as we both live, dear." CHAPTER XII. FRIEND8 IS NL'ED. OW, PAPA," SAID Clara that morning, morn-ing, wrinkling her brows and putting her finger-tips together to-gether with the air of an experienced person of business, "I want to have a talk tc you about money matters." " "Yes, my dear." He laid down his paper and looked a question. "Kindly tell me again, papa, how much money I have in my very own en "" tn reach ..he friend, I know something of shipwreck or battle or whatever rSay come upon the waters, but the shoa .3 in the city of London upon which nrf poor boy has struck are clear beyond me. Pearson had been my pilot there, and now J know him tc be a rogue. But I've tak en my bearings now, ,'and I see my course right before me." "What then, admiral?" "Oh, I have one or two little plans I'll have some news for the boy. Whs, hang it, Walker man. I may be a bit stiff in the joints, but you'll be my witness wit-ness that I can do my twelve miles under un-der the three hours. What then? My eyes are as good as ever except just for the newspaper. My head is clear. I'm three-and-sixty, but I'm as good a man as ever I was too good a' man to lie up for another ten yes I'd be the better for a smack of 'e salt water again, and a whiff of f " reeze. Tut, mother, it's not a fr s tars' cruise this time.' I'll be bad fy month or-two. or-two. It's no more thf '.. went for a visit in the country." vas talking boisterously, and heapih 's sea-boots and sextants back into- l.sf Jhest. "And you really think,' my dear friend, of hoisting your pennant again?" -, "My pennant. Walker? No, no. Her majesty, God bless her, has too mary young men to need an old hulk like me. I should be plain Mr. Hay Denver of the merchant service. I daresay that I might find some owner who would give me a chance as second or third officer. It will be strange to me to feel the rails of the bridge under my fingers once more." "Tut! tut! this will never do, this will never do, admiral!" The doctor sat down by Mrs. Hay Denver and patted her hand in token of friendly sympathy. "We must wait until your son has it out with all these people, and then we shall know what damage is done, and .h.ow..best to.seA,jt risrbt ...It-Will be time """Tis Wiuv oe uindeu- O' cx. Halt T -v |
