March 20, 1904.
dense the smoke had rolled. He was as
tonished because the damage had been no
greater. The wheel was not burned at ail,
and at the stern the bulwark looked fresh
and bright In comparison to the amid
ships' ruin.
Forward of the great amidships gap, Par
ton, as he peered, could see. the captain's
big water tank still standing, but the after
end was quite blown out, and as he looked
at It he realized the signliic.nce of the
leaser explosion which luid followed the
great detonation of the Humeri to. It had
been the noise of the bursting water tank
that he heard. Heated until there was not
room enough In It for both Its water and
the steam which the roaring heat had gen
erate, it had exploded, and helped to put
the fire amidships out by pouring Its deluge
of fresh water directly on Its heart
through the very hole which the explosion
had torn for it, as If with the Idea of
offering means for undoing Its own fell
work.
Parton longed to run forward and below
at once in order to find whether his dia
monds were safe or not, but he curbed his
Impatience for many reasons and went
with the captain down into the cabin of
the ship.
Captain Sears gathered up some of the
clothe which were still hanging against
the bulkhead at the back of the captain's
berth, and taking an armful of them car
ried them over to the cabin table and laid
them down on it.
While he was taking the clothes from the
berth Captain Sears noticed Captain Bur
gee's big Bllver watch hanging against the
bulkhead.
"Well, If there ain't Captain Burgee's
watch!" he said In great astonishment.
Then he looked around. Hanging in Its
place was the ship's chronometer. "Well,
you must a' be'n in a hurry," he exclaimed.
These valuables made his mind turn to
the salvage he had given up and he sighed
softly.
"We were," laughed Parton.
Then, going to his own berth, Parton
gathered out of it such of his own belong
ings as they found there. Among them
was his watch.
But the strain of working here In the
cabin nt such unimportant matters was too
much for Parton. He felt that it would
be unwise to tell Captain Sears about the
treasures in the hold, and he had resolved
when he had come on board not to show
his anxiety about it. He knew that his
Interest In the cargo of the ship below
decks would tic surprising to the villagers,
and he had no desire to arouse their cu
riosity. He hesitated for a moment. Then he
said:
"While you are In here I will take a look
below, so that I can report to the captain
about the condition of the hold. He will be
anxious to know what shape his cargo's
In, and I have a few little things down
there I want to see ubotit myself."
"I'll be with you in Just a minute," Soars
Bald. "I thought I'd jest unscrew this here
chronometer. Captain Burgee alius would
have the best they was. This here one cost
him pretty near W)0. He'll be right glad
to see It ag'ln."
It was easy to see that It hurt him to
Have thrust upon his mind the bits of
salvage which might have come to him,
but which he had renounced.
CHAPTER XXVII.
The Matter of PnaUbnent.
Ain't God clever! That's one reason why
I think the Methodists Is all wrong in
flggerin" out the details of eternal tor
ment. They don't give God no credit for
Ills originality an' brains. Th' Tuphet
that their prea:her-men describe Is only
what a very ordinary man, not over
bright, would cook up for th' people
that he haled. God knows 10.0UO
ways of punlshin' th' wl'-ked that
beats their hell all holler. An' as for
rewardtn' of the good, man gits heaven
right here on earth when his wife is
lovin", or a woman when her husband
re'lv cherishes and In a rood provider
Such thins'll go s Medndlst paradise at
least a dozen better an' not try more'n
half. The I-og Hook of The I,yddy.
When they reached the hatch and
examined it by lantern light, a detail
attracted Parton's attention and worried
him. He felt sure that the hatch had been
battened down and clamped when he had
left the ship. Now he observed that
the clamps were gone and the box
edges of the hatch were not fitted closely
over the raised edges of the opening. The
batch had certainly been tampered with,
either when the mate had returned to the
ship while the Are was In progress, or
by strangers after the Lydta had been
abandoned by her crew. And Captain
Bears declared that none had been below
since he had found her. It sent Parton's
TIIE ILLUS'
blood rushing to his feet and made his
heart beat fast. What a sarcasm of fate
It would be If It should turn out now after
MaclTarren's claim had been overcome and
he had gone home like a whipped cur,
after Parton had escaped all the perils
of the eventful and disastrous voyage, and
after tho I-ydla had been brought to the
very port which was nearest to the place,
where he had been sent by fortune after
his disaster, if tho muto had succeeded
after all and borne away the diamonds.
The fact that the mate's bout had never
been reported made his mind turn quickly
to this gloomy view. Both the other bonis
had been reported as having been en
countered by passing vessels. Parton had
charged this in Ills mind to the effects of
the explosion. He had thought that the
concession had shattered the Iydla com
pletely and that the mate's boat, which
had been close to the wreck as he knew
at the very moment of the explosion, must
have been overwhelmed and lost In burst
of fire and crash of falling spars, but now
the circumstances that the hatch had so
certainly been tampered with after his
own flight from the apparently doomed
vessel came as a great shock to him and
Beamed to upset nil his theories.
Then the thought came to him that If
tho mate had really gone below, secured
the diamonds and escaped, he would
scarcely have taken the time and trouble
to replace the hatch before leaving the
burning vessel, and he decided that it
must be that the man had only made an
effort that ho had returned to the ship
with the intention of searching the hold,
and had gone so far In his work as to
achieve the removal of the clamps, but had
been driven away by fear of the fire before
he had accomplished anything more serious.
At last, through their combined and
powerful efforts, the hatch was slid further
to one side. But as the dark hole yawned
In front of them, Captain Sears, with an
exclamation of disgust, recoiled before the
foul air that poured out of the opening.
"Bats!" said Captain Sears. "They say
they alius leave a sinkln' ship; but I
reckon from the smell that they didn't
calc'late that the Lyddy was a-goln' to
sink. I guess they ain't got no special
ability to tell when the vessel that they're
sailln' on Is goln' to ketch fire. Phew!"
It was evident that to descend into
the hold would be Impossible for some
time, and during tho period Of waiting,
Parton gave much thought to the matter
of Captain Sears relinquishment of all
salvage claims. Finally, Just as they were
starting toward the hatchway again to
se if the air had sufficiently cleired so
that they might go down into the hold, he
8oke to Captain Sears.
"I ought to tell you that I hope that
there Is certain property of mine there In
the hold, which I value very highly. Cap
tain Scars." he said. "I realize that I
shall owe Its recovery to you If I find It
safe, and despite the fact that you have
resigned your salvage. I shall he certain
to make some suitable arrangement for
paying you for what you have dune for
me."
"Don't you worry about me," said Cap
tain Sears, still buoyed up by the g-sndtl-oqiicnce
of his recent speech, and anxious
to maintain his position of exilted generos
ity. "I guess you and mo won't quarrel.
I ain't one to take ndvantsge of no m.m's
misfortunes. People done n lot o' talkln'
about my askln' for tome pay for towin'
In Cap Briscoe's body, but I ain't so mean
as some would try to make me out."
"All right," said Parton. "If you are
willing to leave It all to me, I think that
we shall be able to arrange It so that we
shall both lie satisfied."
"I'm wlllin'," said Captain Sears, "nnd if
you've re'ly got nnythln' down there, I
guess th' air's clean enough so's you can
go down now and look for It."
Then they went below.
The unbearable- odor had to a very large
extent departed from the hold when they
entered It. There was In the hott'm of the
pussageway between the plied mahogany
about three feet of water, and they stepped
Into It cautiously.
There were few evidences that the ex
pliwiun had had any definite effect In this
part of the ship. As is the rase with
many high explosives, its effect had been
mostly upward. The Iydla had been built
with strong transverse bulkhenHs of sturdy
oak. and Parton rould see that that one
which formed the after wall of the hold
into which they had entered hnd been
wrenclwd and strained, for thin glimpses
of moonlight which poured through the
ragged hole In the deck lievond gleamed
faintly, but the forwsrd bulkhead did not
urm even to have been strained. Indeed,
had It not been for the presence of the
water nnderfoot. and that renetrntlng.
dreadful odor, Tarton might have Imagined
PRATED BEE.
that he was again in the hold during that
eventful voyage which had led to so ninny
strange occurrences occurrences of which
this midnight exploration was not the least
unusual.
While Captain Sears went forward to see
how badly tilings were damaged there. Par
ton turned Into the narrow alley which of
fered access to the lug wherein lie had con
cealed bis treasure. He made the count
which located it, more by feeling than by
sight, nnd when he had found It, flashed his
lantern on it so that he might, by finding
the Impression of the key which he had
hammered Into It, be sure that he had made
no mistake. He found this without dlfll
culty, but he drew his breath In quickly
when lie saw that the earth which he re
membered to have rubbed over the log's end
was quite gone. It showed as clean of It
as If it had lieen intentionally scoured.
Instantly the thought came to him thnt
this meant that the mate had been there,
and In working nt the cavity had rubbed
It off. He could feel that his face hnd paled
with this suggestion, but an Instant Inter,
when he thrust Ills linger In, he could feel
the plug which the cnptaln had whittled
for him, tight In Its place, nnd he was re
nssured. It was only after nt least Ave
minutes of work with the augur that ho
succeeded In dislodging this.
In the meantime Captain Senrs wns ex
amining the hold forward, and from time
to time shouting comments on Its condition
back to Parton, who replied, although not
always, with great Intelligence.
It would be difficult to dcscrllc the emo
tions which thrilled through him us each
one of the little wads of crumpled paper
fell Into his scooped pnlm at the hole's
mouth. He almost laughed audibly as his
fingers pressed the paper wads nnd felt the
hard Irregularly shaped core In eaeli of
them. At last the cavity was empty, nnd
he had his fortune in Ids pockets once
again.
This accomplished, he shouted to Captain
Sears.
"Find what ye wanted?" nked that sea
man In a low, bass rumble from the dark
ness forward.
"Yes," said Pnrtnn.
"Well, lei's git out o' this, then," said
the captain. "Th' air down here Is staler
than a hist year's newspaper, nnd It smells
a darn sight wuss!"
The two men met Just beneath the open
hatch. They were then standing In a good
three feet of water, which swung with tho
gentle motion of the ship us she felt the
slow heaving of the long swell from the
Atlantic. Just as he was about to put his
foot upon the ladder to 'climb to the open
ulr above, Captain Sears noticed somctiilng
which the lantern light showed white lying
belienth the water close behind the ladder.
He stooped over to look nt It and swung his
lantern so that he could see. He gave un
other glance nt the thing which had ut
ttacted his attention, and then lie gasped
and stepped back, so that he collided
sharply with Parton, who was behind him.
"What Is it, captain?" Parton nkcd.
He could see that Rears' face had paled,
nnd Ills agitation was further evidenced
when he dropped his lantern, which fell
li.tc the water and went out.
"Down there!" said Sears, pointing. "I
almost stepped on it!"
Am lie still pressed backwards, Parton
made way for him, and himself advanced,
holding bis lantern close to the surface of
the water und looking eagerly to see what
it was which had so disturbed the captain.
Shining In the flickering rays of the yel
low light Parton saw a pale, distorted face
glen in up at him. He stooped a little lower
over it and recognized it. It wus that of
Brown, the mate. He must have returned,
then, nnd. Ignorant of the explosive, im
agined that the fire would give him time
to fUid the diamonds. He rnuy have been
dazed tiy the shock on tho very Instant
whin he had reached the hold, and been
drowned in the wuter which poured down
. from the burstcd tank. Perhaps he had
time to make a fruitless search for the
hidden stones and wus Just returning to
the ladder when the concussion came which
laid him unconscious at its fiot, where the
encroaching water ran in on him and
'smothered him as he lay senseless. At
any rate, he lay there dead.
Pnrtnn was very well satisfied to let Cap
tain Sears take upon himself the telling
of the grewsome tale, and hurried to the
captain's group. Before he had crossed that
shaky planking of the dock, Norah hud her
hands clasped upon his arm. The captain
gazed eagerly nt his face, which seemed to
boh uncertainly about In the flickering
of the lantern light. Norah was a bit
paler even than the moonlight warranted.
It was Mrs. l.uigee who spoke first In an
anxious whivper.
13
"Hid ye git 'em?" she asked huskily.
Ilirton nodded. He could see that neither?
nho nor Norah had heard, or, at least, pull
heed to what Cnpluln Scars had been say
ing. All their eyes were for him, all their
ears were for what he might say to them.
When they reached the captain the old
man smiled eagerly, but was evidently not
enlightened by what he saw in i'arton's
face. He leaned forward, with almost
tremulous eagerness.
"lie got 'cm!" I.yddy said, almost In a
whisper.
The captain's lips opened tremulously.
They closed again. Finally they formed
the words:
"Well, by John yulncy Adams! Shake!"
Parton reached over and took the old
man's almost helpless paw In his witli a
hearty cl.isp.
A ft or ward.
It may he interest Ing to those who have
been good enough to read what has gone
before to hear a hint of what came after.
Kxamintttlou of the India's hulk by ex
pcrts developed that the captain's Judg
ment had been right about the effects of
the Humberlte In cose of an explosion. It
was much less daluaged that at tirst It
had apiwnired to be. The concussion had.
spent most of Its force in the center of the
ship and Its impulse hud been upward. The
I.ydin's bottom planking had not been so
much as started. It was when t lie exami
nation of It condition hud been completed
und this cheerful announcement had lieen
made that u plan was born In Norah'a
mind, which afteiwurd bore much pleasur
able fruit.
"We nre rich now, aren't we, Henry?"
she asked one day wlil.e she and her hus
band were walking toward the house after
an inspection of the ship.
"Yes, dear," paid Pnrtnn. "Rich enough
to let us do nearly what we please for the
balance of our days and still have some
thing over for the captain und for Dyddy."
"I am glad you spoke ot th it," she said.
"I had thought of II, and 1 am glad you
spoke of It."
A moment luler she questioned him
again.
"Could the I.ydla be rebuilt so that It
would be sea worthy?" was her query.
"It might bo. Its upper woiks are gone,
but its hull Is quite as staunch ns ever.
Why?" asked Parton.
"I have a plan," fche paid. "The old ship
In the dearest thing In iili the world to our
old friends, except, perhupn, ourselves. Ws
owe Hum much."
"We do, Indeed," sulci l'arlon, heartily.
"Then, If we are rb-h enough, why not
Kiy a part of our debt by having it re
paired?" "Noruh." said l'arlon, as he prosse.l her
arm with satisfaction, "you are wonderful.
We will do it."
And they did.
The lellltlng changed the I.ydla into
something between mcrchuntmin and
ynchl. lis first voyage vms notable, prin
cipally becuuse of the nature of ltf pas
senger list. They wire t-clectt d by Hie two
women, and the choice wus mudc, not be
cause of social Importance, but because of
rial and cnrefully Investigated worth nnd
need of hmg vacations. Its cruise, with
the captuln In command, partially dlsibled,
but Htlll proudly capable of stand'ng watch
In daylight, will long live in the memory
of all those who were on board of it.
(The End.)
Pointed Paragraphs
Kven the prediction of the weather ma
who waits come out.
Kternal vigilance is the ptloe of retain
ing a borrowed umbrella.
A thorn In the hand is more trouble than
a dozen in the bush.
Girls who are pretty as pictures are sel
dom ns pretty as their own.
We give a man credit for being level
headed If he Isn't above our level.
It's surprising how sweet a homely girl's
voice sounds through a telephone.
Nothing makes a quarrelsome man so
mad as the refusal of his wife to talk
buck.
If the average man had1 his life to live
over again he would probably make more
mistakes than over.
Don't despise mall things, young man.
A 19-cetit box of ciunly goes u, long dis
tance with some girls.
George Washington's reputation for truth
fulness may huve been due to the fact
that he never traded horsoa.
Before marrying a title the American
heiress should make sure that 0he has
sufficient coin to lift the mortgage and 11 v
happily ever after. Chicago News,