CHAPTER XIV. EASTWARD HOl Mr. McAdain of tho firm of McAdam & Squire was a highly polished man who dwelt behind a highly polished tablo in the neatest and snuggest of offices, ne was white haired and amiable, with a doep lined aquilino face, was addicted to low bows and indeed always seemed to carry himself at half cock, as though just descending into one or just recovering himself. He wore a high buckled stock, took snuff and adorned his conversation with little scraps from tho classics. "My dear Bir," said he when ho had listened to their Btory, "any friend of Mrs. Westmacott's is a friend of mine. Try a pinch. I wonder that you should havo gono to this man Metaxa. His ad vertisement is onough to condemn him. Habet fconum in cornu. They ore all rogues." "Tho doctor was a roguo too. I didn't like the lank of him at the time." "Arcades ambo. But now wo must see what we can do for you. Of course what Metaxa said was perfectly right. Tho pension is in itself no security at : all unless it wero accompanied by a life assuranco which would bo an income in ! itself. It is no good whatover." His clients' faces fell. "But there is tho Becond alternative. ' You might sell tho pension right out. Spoeulative investors occasionally deal in such things. I have ono client, a sporting man, who would be very likely to take it up if wo could agree upon terms. Of courso I must follow Me taxa's example by sending for a doctor." j For tho second time was tho admiral punched and tapped and listened to. This time, however, there could bo no question of the qualifications of tho doc- 1 tor, a well known fellow of tho Collego of Surgeons, and his report was as favor able as the other's had been adverse. "He has tho heart and chest of a man of 40," said he. "I can recommend his | lifo as ono of the best of Ills ago that I have ever examined." "That's well," said Mr. McAdam, mak- | ing a note of tho doctor's remarks, while tho admiral disbursed a second guinea. "Your price, I understand, is £5,000. 1 can communicato with Mr, Elberry, my client, and let you know whether ho cares to touch the matter. Meanwhilo you can leave your pension papers hero, | and I will givo you a receipt for them." "Vory well. I should liko tho money soon." • x "That is why I am retaining tho pa pers. If I can see Mr. Elberry today, wo may let you have a check tomorrow. Try another pinch. No? Well, goodby. I am very happy to havo been of serv ice." Mr. McAdam bowed them out, for ho was a very busy man, and they found themselves in the street onco more with lighter hearts than when they had left it. "Well, Westmacott, I am euro I am very much obliged to you," said the ad miral. "You have stood by mo when I was the better for a littlo help, for I'm clean out of my soundings among these i ity sharks. But I've something to do now which is more in my own lino, and I need not trouble you any more." "Oh, it is no trouble. I have nothing to do. I never havo anything to do. I don't supposo I could do it if I had. I should bo delighted to como with you, sir, if I can be of any use." "No, no, my lad. You go homo again. It would be kind of yflu, though, if yon would look in at No. 1 when you got back and tell my wife that nil's well with mo and that I'll ho back in an hour or so." "All right, sir; I'll tell her." Westma cott raised his hat and strodo away to the westward, while tho admiral, after a hurried lunch, bent his steps toward tho east. It was a long walk, but tho old sea man swung along at a rousing pace, leaving street after street behind him. Tho great business palaces dwindled down into commonplace shops and dwellings, which decreased and became more stunted, oven as tho folk who filled them did, until he was deep in the evil places of tho eastern end. It was a land of hugo, dark houses and of garish gin shops, a land, too, whero life movos ir regularly and where adventures aro to be gained—as tho admiral was to learn to his cost. He was hurrying down ono of tho long, narrow stone flagged lanes between tho double lines of crouching, dishovoled women and of dirty children who sat on the hollowed steps of the houses and basked in tho autumn sun. At ono side wits a barrowman with a load of wal nuts, and beside the barrow a bedrag- ] gled woman with a black fringe and a checkered shawl thrown over her head, j Sho was cracking walnuts and picking them out of the shells, throwing out a remark occasionally to a rough man in a rabbit slcin cap, with straps under tho knees of his corduroy trousers, who stood puffing a black cluy pipo with his back against the wall. What tho cause of tho quarrel was or what sharp sar casm from the woman's lips pricked sud denly throngh that thick skin may nevf r be known, but suddenly the man took his pipo in his left hand, leanod forward and deliberately struck hor across tho face with his right. It was a slap rather than a blow, but tho woman gave a sharp cry and cowered up against tho barrow with her hand to her cheek. "You infernal villain!" cried the ad miral, raising his stick. "You brute and blackguard!" "Gam!" growled the rough with the deep, rasping intonation of a savago. "ftarn put o' tfaifl or I'll" Ho took a 1 ! stop forward with upiltted nana, out in j an instant down camo cut No. 1 upon his wrist and cut No. 2 across his 1 thigh and cut No. 8 full in the cen -1 j ter of his rabbit skin cap. It was not I a heavy stick, but it was strong enough ' to leavo a good red weal wherever 1 | it fell. Tho rough yelled with pain and 1 rushed in, hitting with both hands and , kicking with his ironshod boots, but tho admiral had still a quick foot and a true eyo, so that he bounded backward and sidoways, still raining a shower of blows upon his savage antagonist. Suddenly, however, a pair of arms closed round his neck, and glancing backward ho caught a glimpso of tho black, coarso fringo of tho woman whom ho had befriended. "I'vo got himl" sho shrieked. "I'll 'old ! 'iml Now, Bill, knock tho tripo out of I himl" Her grip was as strong as a man's, and her wrist pressed liko an iron bar upon j tho admiral's throat. Ho mndo a desper ate effort to disengago himself, but the most that he could do was to swing her j around so as to placo her between his ; adversary and himself. As it proved it was tho very best thing that ho could havo dono. The rough, half blinded and | maddened by tho blows which he had re ceived, struck out with all his ungainly strength just as his partner's head swung around in front of him. Thero was a noiso liko that of a stone hitting a wall, a deep groan, her grasp relaxed, and sho dropped a dead weight upon tho pavement, while tho admiral sprang back and raised his stick once more, ready either for attack or defense. Neither was needed, however, for at that moment thero was a scattering of tho crowd, and two police constables, burly and hclmeted, pushed their way through tho rabble. At tho sight of them tho rough took to his heels and was instantly screened from view by a | veil of his friends and neighbors. ] "I havo been assaulted," panted tho admiral. "This woman was attacked, | and I had to defend her." "This is Bermondsey Sal," said one j police officer, bending over tho bedrag gled heap of tattered Bhawl nnd dirty skirt. "She's got it hot this time." "Ho was a shortish man, thick, with a board." "Ah, that's Black Davie. llo's been up four times for beating her. He's about I done the job now. If I wero you, I would let that sort settle their own little af fairs, sir." "Do you think that a man who holds tho queen's commission will stand by and see a woman struck?" cried tho ad miral indignantly. "Well, just as you liko, sir. But you've lost your watch, I see." "My watch!" He clapped his hand to " l"o Infernal villain!" cried the admiral, his waistcoat. Tho chain was hanging down in front, and tho watch gone. He passed his hand over his forehead. "I would not havo lost that watch for anything," said ho. "No money could replace it. It was given mo by tho ship's company after our African cruise. It has in inscription." Tho policeman shrugged his shoulders. "It comes from meddling," said he. "What'll yon give ine if I tell j-cr where it is?" said a sharp faced boy among tho crowd. "Will you give mo a quid?" "Certainly." "Well, whero's tho quid?" Tho admiral took a sovereign from his pocket. "Here it is." "Then 'ero's tho ticker!" Tho boy pointed to tho clinched hand of tho senseless woman. A glimmer of gold Bhono out from betweon tho fingers, and ■ on opening them up there was tho ad miral's chronometer. This interesting victim had throttled her protector with ono hand, while she had robbed him with the other. Tho admiral left his address with the policeman, satisfied himself that the woman was only stunned, not dead, and | thon set off upon his way once more, tho poorer perhaps in his faith in human nature, but in very good spirits nono the less. He walked with dilated nos- ! trils and clinched hands, all glowing and tingling with tho excitement of the ! combat, and wanned with tho thought that he could still, when tliero was need, take his own part in a streot brawl in j spito of his threescore and odd years. j His way now led toward the riverside 1 regions, and a cleansing whiff of tar was to be detected in the stagnant autumn air. Men with tho blue jersoy and peaked cap of tho boatman or the white duck of the dockers began to replace the cordu roys and fustian of the laborers. Shops with nautical instruments in the win- doWB, rope and paint Boilers and slop j shops with long rows of oilskins dangling from hooks all proclaimed the ncigh i borhood of the docks. ; The admiral quickened his pace and straightened his figure as his surround ings bccamo more nautical, until at last, peeping between two high dingy wharfs, , ho caught a glimpse of the mud colored waters of the Thames and of the bristlo of masts and funnels which rose from j its broad bosom. To the right lay a quiet j street, with many brass plates upon either side and wire blinds on all of the t windows. The admiral walked slowly down it until "The St. Lawrence Ship ping Company" caught his eye. Ho crossed the road, pushed open the door and found himself in a low ceilinged of fice, with a long counter at one end and a great number of wooden sections of ships stuck upon boards and plastered all over tho walls. I "Is Mr. Henry in?" asked tho admiral. "No, sir," answered an elderly man from a high seat in the corner. "He has not come into town today. I can manago any business you may wish seen to." "You don't happen to have a first or socond officer's plnce vacant, do you?" j The manager looked with a dubious eye at this singular applicant, "Do you hold certificates?" ho asked. "I hold every nautical certificate thero ; is." "Then you won't do for us." "Why not?" "Your age, sir." "I give you my word that I can see as : well as ever and am as good a man in every way." "I don't doubt it." "Why should my ago bo a bnr, then?" "Well, I must put it plainly. If a man of your ago, holding certificates, has not got past a second officer's berth, there must bo a black mark against him some whero. I don't know what it is, drink or temper or want of judgment, but something there must bo." "I assuro you thero is nothing, but I find myself stranded, and so havo to turn to tho old business again." "Oh, that's it," said tho manager, with suspicion in his oyo. "How long wore you in your last billet?" "Fifty-one years." "What I" "Yes, sir, one and fifty years." "In tho same employ?" "Yes." "Why, you must havo begun as a child." "I was 12 when I joined." "It must bo a strangely managed busi ness," said tho manager, "which allows men to leavo it who havo served for 00 years, and who aro still as good as ever. Who did you serve?" • "Tho queen, heaven bless her." "Oh, you wero in tho royal navy. What rating did you hold?" "I am admiral of tho fleet." Tho manager started and sprang down from his high stool. "My name is Admiral Hay Denver. Thero is my card. And hero are tho records of my sorvico. I don't, you un derstand, want to push any other man from his billet, but if you should chanco to have a borth open I should be very glad of it. I know tho navigation from the cod banks right up to Montreal a great deal better than I know the streets of London." Tho astonished manager glanced over tho blue papers which his visitor had handod him. "Won't you tako a chair, admiral?" said ho. "Thank you. But I should bo obliged if you would drop my titlo now. I told you because you asked me, but I'vo left tho quarter deck, and I am plain Mr. Hay Denver now." "May I ask," said tho manager, "aro you tho same Denver who commanded at one time on tho North American sta tion?" "I did." "Tlien it was you who got ono of our boats, tho Comus, off the rocks in the bay of Fundy? Tho directors voted you 800 guineas as salvage, and you refused them." "It was an offer which should not havo been mado," said the admiral sternly. "Well, it reflects credit ujion you that you should think so. If Mr. Henry wore here, I am sure that he would arrange this matter for you at once. As it is, I shall lay it beforo tho directors today, and I am suro that they will bo proud to have you in our employment and I hopo in some more suitable position than that which you suggest." "I am very much obliged to you, sir," said the admiral and started off again, well pleased, upon his homeward journey. CHAPTER XV. STILL AMONG SHO A 1.9. Next day brought tho admiral a check for £5,000 from Mr. McAdam, and a stamped agreement by which ho made over his pension papers to tho specula tive investor. It wns not until ho had signed and sent it off that tho full sig nificance of all that ho had dono broke upon him. Ho had sacrificed everything. His pension was gone. Ho had nothing save only what ho could earn. But tho stout old heart never quailed. He waited eagerly for a letter from the St. Lawrence Shipping company, and in tho meanwhilo ho gave his landlord a quarter's notico. Hundred pound a year houses would In future be a luxury which ho could not aspiro to. A small lodging in somo inexpensive part of Lon don mnst be tho substitute for his breezy Norwood villa. So bo it thenl Better that a thousandfold than that his name should bo associated with failure and disgrace. On that morning Harold Denver was to meet tho creditors of tho firm and to explain the situation to them. It was a hateful task, a degrading task, but he set himself to do it with quiet resolution. At homo they waited in intense anxiety to learn tho result of tho meeting. It was late before he returned, haggard and pale, like a man who has dono and suf fered much. "What's this board in front of the house?" ho asked. "Wo are going to try a little change of scene," said tho admiral. "This place is neither town nor country. But never i I mind that, boy. Tell us what happened : | in the city." ••God help me! My wretched bueineßS I is driving you out of house and home!" | cried Harold, broken down by this fresh evidence of the effects of his misfor tunes. "It is easier for me to meet my creditors than to see you two suffering so patiently for my sake." "Tut," tut," cried the admiral. "There's no suffering in the matter. Mother would rather be near the theaters. That's at the bottom of it, Isn't it, mother? You come and sit down here between us and , tell us all about it." Harold sat down with a loving hand in each of his. "It's not so bad as wo thought," said he, "and yet it is bad enough. 1 have about 10 days to find the money, but 1 j don't know which way to turn for it. Pearson, however, lied as usual when he spoke of £IB,OOO. The amount is not quite £7,000." The admiral clapped his hands. "1 knew we should weather it after all! j Hurrah, my boy! Hip, hip, hip, hurrah!" Harold gazed at him in surprise while I the old seaman waved his arm above his | head and bellowed out three stentorian | cheers. "Wheream Ito get £7,000 from, dad?" ho asked, j "Nevermind. You spin your yarn." "Well, thoy wero very good and very kind, but of course they must havo either their money or their moncy'B worth. They passed a vote of sympathy with I mo and agreed to wait 10 days before J they took any proceedings. Three of I them, whoso claim came to £8,500, told mo that if 1 would givo them my per sonal IOH and pay interest at tho rate of 5 jicr cent their amounts might stand over as long as I wished. That would bo a chargo of £175 upon my income, but with economy I could meet it, and it diminishes the debt by one-half." Again the admiral bursts out cheering. ' 'There remains, therefore, about £8,20 C which has to bo found within 10 days. Nc man shall lose by me. I gave them my word in the room that if I worked my soul out of my body every one of them should bo paid. I shall not spend 0 penny upon myself until it is done. But somo of them can't wait. They aro poor men themselves and must havo their money. They havo issued a warrant for Pearson's arrest. But they think thai ho has got away to the States." "Theso men shall havo their money," said the admiral. '•Dad!" * "Yos, my boy, you don't know the re sources of the family. Ono never does know until one tries. What have you yourself now?" "I have about £I,OOO invested." "All right. And I havo about us much more. Thero's a good start. Now, moth er, it is your turn. What is that little bit of paper of yours?" Mrs. Denver unfolded it and placed it upon Harold's kueo. "Fivo thousand pounds!" ho gasped. "Ah, but mother is not tho only rich one. Look at this!" And the admiral unfolded his check and placed it upon the other knee. Harold gazed from ono to the other in bewilderment. "Ten thousand i>ounds!" ho cried. "Good heavens! where did theso come from?" "You will not worry any longer, dear," murmured his mother, slipping her arm round him. But his quick oyo had caught the sig nature upon ono of the checks. "Dr. Walker!" ho cried, flushing. "This is Clara's doing. Oh, dnd, wo cannot take this money. It would not be right nor honorable." "No, boy. lam glad yon think so. It is something, howovor, to have proved one's friend, for a real good friend ho is. It was ho who brought it in, though Clara sent him. But this other money will bo enough to cover everything, and it is all my own." "Your own? Wliero did you get it, dad?" "Tut, tut! See what it is to liavc a city man to deal with. It is my own and fairly earned, and that is enough." "Dear old dad!" Ilarold squeezed hie gnarled hand. "And you, mother! You have lifted the trouble from my heart. 1 foci another man. You havo saved my honor, my good name—everything. I cannot owe yon moro, for I owe you ev erything already." So while tho autumn sunset shone ruddily through tho broud window these three sat together hand in hand, with hearts which were too full to Bpeak. Suddenly the soft thudding of tennis balls was heard, and Mrs. Westmacott bounded into view upon tho lawn with brandished racket and short skirts flut tering in tho breeze. The sight came as a relief to their strained nerves, and they burst all three into a hearty fit of laugh ter. "She is playing with her nephew," said Harold at last. "The Walkers have not come out yet. I think that it would ho well if yon wero to give ino that check, mother, and I wero to return it in per- Bon." "Certainly, Harold. I think it would be very nice." He went in through tho garden. Clara and tho doctor wero sitting together in the dining room. She sprang to her feet at the sight of him. "Oh, Harold, I havo been waiting for you so impatiently," alio cried. "Isaw you pass the front windows half an hour ago. I would have como in if I dared. Do tell us what has happened." "I havo como in to thank you both. How can I repay you for your kindness? Hero is your check, doctor. I havo not needed it. I find that 1 can lay my hands on enough to pay my creditors." "Thank God!" said Clara fervently. "The sum is less than I thought and our resources considerably more. Wo have been ablo to do it with ease." "With easel" The doctor's brow grew clouded, and his manner grew cold. "I think, Harold, that you would do better to take this money of mine than to use that which seems to you to bo gained with ease." "Thank you, Bir. If I borrowed from any one, it would bo from you. But my father has tills very sum—£s,ooo—and, as I tell him, I owe him so much that I have no compunction about owing him more." , "No compunction! Surely thero are some sacrifices which a son should not allow his parents to make." "Sacrifices! What do you mean?" "Is it i>oßnible that you do not know how this money has been obtained?" "1 give you my word, Dr. Walker, that I havo no idea. I asked my father, but he refused to tell me." "1 thought not," said the doctor, the gloom clearing from his brow. "I was sure that you wero not a man who, to clear yourself from a little money dif ficulty, would sacrifice tho happiness of your mother and the health of your fa ther." She sprang to her feet at the sight of him. "Good graciousl What do you mean?" "It is only right that you should know. That money represents tho commutation of your father's pension. Ho has reduced himself to poverty and intends to go to sea again to earn a living." "To sea again! Impossible!'' "It is the truth. Charles Westmacott has told Ida. He was with him in the city when he took his poor pension about from dealer to dealer trying to sell it. He succeeded at last, and hence the money." ' "He has sold his pension," cried Harold with his hands to his face. "My dear old dad has sold his ponsion." He rushed from the room and burst wildly into the presenco of his parents once more. "I cannot tako it, father," ho cried. "Bet ter bankruptcy than that. Oh, if I had only known your plan. We must have back the pension. Oh, mother, mother, how could you think mo capable of such selfishness? Give me the check, dad, and I will see this man tonight, for I would sooner die like a dog in tho ditch than touch a penny of this money." [CONCLUDED ON THURSDAY.] A TALE OF TRICHIN/E. A Victim Tells How It Fools to 110 Inhab itod !>y Piirnslten. Walter Nagel, William Hunius and Otto Nagel wero successfully treated for trich inosis at the German hospital in San Fran cisco recently. To an Examiner reporter Mr. Nagel thus describes his experience with tho parasites: "Tho way we came to get the terriblo dis ease was t his: You see, all of our hogs died, and on tho 11th of February \\*e bought one at tho slaughter house and took it home and killed it. Wo made some sausage, and all three of us tasted it frequently during the process that wo might season it just right. 1 also ate three or four small pieces of tho raw meat, which probubly accounts for the fuct that my case was the worst of the throe. "We felt DO inconvenience for about U week, but on the 17th we were all taken with cramps in the stomach, which soon became intensely painful and upon which the usual household remedies had no effect. Then we began to vomit incessantly, and the severity of the pain was such that I thought I should go crazy. "On March 12 wo started, for the German hospital in Son Francisco. It was a terrible trip. We had arrived at that stage of the disease when our limbs were stiffened, swol len and exceedingly painful to. the touch. Even to lie on the softest bed was torture, so you can imagine what we endured in rid ing down the rough and steep mountain side and over the cobblestones in San Fran cisco. "Next our faces swelled, and we had high fever, with a quickened pulse and heavy, weakening sweats. My case being the worst of all, I suppose that I suffered the most. It even pained me to breathe, the trichinie had become so thoroughly scat tered through my system, and such awful pains racked my body that I sometimes wished that death would come to my relief. "After some treatment the swelling in my head began to disappear, but was re placed by a similar swelling of the feet. 1 was now given to understand that my whole system was impregnated with the parasites; that they had reached the ex tremities of my liinbs, my fingers, my toes —in fact, that there was no muscle in my entire body, however small, that was not the abiding place of the horrible worm. Prom the pain that the smallest movement gave me and the agony which racked my limbs, my whole body, I could well believe that such was the case. "Then I became extremely weak. I hung between life ami death for several days, but after awhile my appetite began to improve, the torturing pains began to cease, and the muscular pains and swellings began to abate. Yet the improvement was very slow. In the course of time, however, we all grew better and were discharged." A Itoyul Sportswoman. The dowuger Queen Marin Tin of Por tugal, who is a sister of the king of Itnly, Is a great sportswoman and one of the beat lady shots in Europe. Slio is ulsoaflnisbed musician, a good artist and nn exquisite needlewoman. A plague of caterpillars has invested the neighborhood of Clarkton, N. C. Engineers of tho Carolina Central rail road state that tho caterpillars are two inches deep on the track for u distance of 10 miles. A swarm of fleas has taken absoluto possession of a farmhouse near Hinklc ton, Pa., and driven tlio occupants from their home. The house will probably be destroyed to get rid of them. for Infants and Children. "Caatoriais so well adapted to children that Cautoria cures Colic, Constipation, I recommend itoa superior to any prescription Sour Stomach, Diarrhoea. Eructation, known tome." 11. A. ARCHER, M. D. t Killa '•cstion lla, giVC3 Bl ° ep ' and V romotGo ". C;>R S issues OL TOWN Tones, nut contains the best stories, sketches, bur lisqucs, poems witticisms, etc., from the huk 01 that unique journal, admittedly £ c iV' m " st ct)n >plele, and to all SL /> N " the most interest tnfc' weekly ever issued. Subscription Price: Town Tuples, per year, - -Jj 03 Taloe From Terra Topics, pes year, S.CO Tho two cluttei, - - - 6.00 it ~7 or,cs aent montha on trial for • s R -Previous Nos. of " TALKS" will be inptly forwarded, postjiatd, uu reeeiut of >" eeote ouefi. r