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THE ARGOSY.

XXIV.

Vol.

JUNE,

No

1897.

A SECRET OF THE SOUTH

-

PACIFIC.

¡ªHow

he

long journey undertaken by a son to right a wrong done to his father

from favor with some of the ship's company and what a wreck brought about¡ª

The

The

coral island

and the mystery shrouded by

3-

fell

its cliffs.

(Complete in This Issue.)

Chapter I.¡ª Startling News.

[T

was four o'clock

*

of a

warm September

afternoon.

A

heavily built,

and twenty came rapidly along the narand halted at the door of the shipping

His height and

firm above which was the sign of Undercliff & Monckton.

breadth of shoulders were noticeable even among the brawny truckmen and

roustabouts who loitered on the curb, and his carriage and alert movements

striking looking fellow of three

row

streets

toward the water

front,

all round athlete.

As he entered the outer office a group of clerks was gathered about

an individual who leaned negligently against one of the desks. This central

figure was a fellow of about the newcomer's age, of slight build, a dark

complexion, and dressed in the hegh\ of fashion.

How

exclaimed one of the clerks.

Hullo here' s another Harvardite

betrayed the

'

'

'

1

!

!

'

'

Thorne?"

The newcomer returned the greeting

are you, Mr.

cordially,

man of the dark complexion.

"Howdy, deah boy," drawled the latter,

but did not appear to

notice the

languidly extending his gloved

hand.

and passed on to a rear

Private."

door marked " Chas. Undercliff.

" He's a regular bore, don't ye know," he heard the languid individual

But Thorne bowed

coolly, failing to see the hand,

say, as he opened the door.

There was but one occupant of the room, a man of fifty years perhaps,

He was pacing the floor

with iron gray mustache, and an upright carriage.

when Thorne entered, but turned to him with outstretched hand and a welcome smile as he heard the latch click.

"Ah, Howard! I'm delighted to see you," he said, returning the

"I've been looking for you for an hour."

younger man's warm pressure.

" I was on the river when your note reached me, and had to go to my

(A)

'

'

'

A SECRET OF THE SOUTH

3S6

PACIFIC.

change my boating flannels for something which I could appear

down town in," and Thorne, with a laugh, dropped into a convenient chair

before the baize covered table.

" But what's in the wind, Guardy ? "

rooms

to

The expression of the elder man's face changed instantly. His eyes

shifted their gaze from the frank countenance of his questioner and a deep line

appeared between his brows. He set to pacing the floor again with nervous

strides.

¡ª

"Oh ah¡ª well, Howard, I hardly know how to tell you. I received

some news today that has quite upset me."

" On which you want the benefit of my experience," laughed the other.

A little smile played under Mr. Undercliff's mustache for an instant.

" Not exactly, my boy.

But it is something you must know."

" Drive ahead then, sir."

¡ª

"I I wish I could drive ahead," returned the oldec man, hesitatingly.

tell you the truth, I scarcely know how to begin."

The other's face betrayed his surprise and curiosity.

" You wonder what has shaken me so," pursued Mr. Undercliff.

" Ah,

" But, to

Howard, old memories have been stirred today that have

Little wonder that I am shaken.

Has it to do with me P

"Yes."

"About me?"

" No, my boy.

It is about your father."

The young man started.

slept for years.

'

'

'

" My father ? " he repeated.

" I should like to hear about him, it is true.

I believe you have never told me very much concerning him.

He died

twenty years ago before I could remember him did he not? "

Undercliff halted in his walk and faced the younger man.

He placed

both hands upon the table and leaned forward, with his shrewd eyes fixed

¡ª

¡ª

upon Thome's face.

" It is a fact, Howard

Otherwise

I

think

I

/

I have never told you much about your parents.

have done my duty by you," he said, with some emo;

tion.

" My dear friend," cried the other, " you could not have treated me more

kindly or liberally had I been your own son."

" Thank you, my boy. I have looked upon you as my son. But perhaps

I should have told you something more about your own father ere this.

But

I

"

had always believed him dead

"Believed

Mm

"Today

I

dead?"

interrupted

Thorne, springing to

his*

feet.

"

"Then¡ª then

have had news which leads

me

to believe the opposite," said

Charles Undercliff, quietly.

" For heaven's sake, sir, explain !" gasped the young man.

"

Do you

that my father is alive ?

" Something that has occurred on the opposide side of the globe, news of

which only reached us today, leads me to believe that he is. But sit down,

mean

Howard.

'

Calm

yourself.

Let

me

tell

you the whole story¡ªand

a sad,

I

'

'

A SECRET OF THE SOUTH

bitterly sad

the past.

one

PACIFIC.

387

you can, forgive me the mistake which

If

it is.

I

made

in

'

His voice broke a little and he turned his eyes away from the younger

" I can forgive you anyman's face. " My dear guardian" exclaimed Thorne,

thing.

'

"Thank

and

I

my

you,

were friends

Now listen to me. You father, Edgar Thorne,

through our boyhood, and room mates at college,

boy.

all

father died and left me his shipping business I at once took your

Monckton had filled the same

father into the office as confidential clerk.

that I gave

position with my father, and it was at the old man's request

When my

father married soon after

Your

him a partnership

in the business.

with us, and your

mother¡ªwho was one

of the finest

have always

women

let

I

coming

ever

saw-

you suppose that

weeks after you were born.

your father died soon after your mother.

"But he did not. He was completely broken down by your mother's

He had seemed almost to live for her, and cared for nothing when

death.

But you mustn't feel harsh

she was gone, not even for you, my poor boy.

toward him for that. He would have loved you as you grew older.

" Edgar was an entirely different man from me," continued Mr. Under" When he was younger he had been a little wild at

cliff, retrospectively.

But I think that my influence¡ª

t i mes _e S pecially during our college days.

I

died a few

was always a regular sober sides you know¡ª I think my influence did much

Then, when he was married, he was so much in love

to keep him straight.

with your dear mother that he hadn't a thought for anything else outside of

business.

I think he began to drink a little at first to drown the thoughts

Then he got to gambling. He craved excitement¡ª anything

deaden the remembrance of his happiness.

I remonstrated with him¡ª

Finally his mode of life came to my ears.

Afterward, as I saw it did no good, I spoke to him as an

first as a friend.

'

'

of his loss.

to

'

'

at

employer.

God

forgive

promised to brace up.

tion of the firm's safe.

me

if

I

spoke harshly.

Only a few days

We

meant it for the best. He

he changed the combinawas away that day and he

He wrote it upon a slip of

I

after that

did that quarterly.

I

tell Monckton the new combination.

He was the only person who knew it.

paper and placed it in his own desk.

"When the safe was opened the next day a package containing five thouthe bank the day before for a special

from

drawn

sand dollars, which had been

We searched everywhere. The clerks swore they

purpose, was missing.

did not

Your father himself said he saw it there

was gone.

Edgar had taken it. But I learned he

that

I would not believe

had got very deeply into debt through his gambling, and the very night before

Monckton accused him of the robbery,

honor.'

had paid several 'debts of

and I could not but believe the evidence.

" But I would not allow my partner to call in the police.

I talked with

He indignantly

Edgar, plead with him to confess and make a new start.

of the

knowledge

all

denied

He

kind.

of

the

refused to confess anything

saw the money placed

when he

"

locked up.

in the vault.

But

it

at first

'

'

A SECRET OF THE SOUTH

3?8

money, blamed me

lost

further.

He

left

me

PACIFIC.

suspecting him, and refused to listen to me

in a rage, and from that day to this I have

never seen

him."

Mr. Undercliff was

for

silent a

moment, while he sought

to control his voice.

"Howard, I couldn't believe him guilty. Monckton's declaration

overmy mind for the moment but when poor Edgar was gone I could

rest.

I set detectives to work.

One man followed your father in his

powered

not

;

flight.

He had crossed the continent by slow stages and finally sailed in the

ship Juan Fernandez for Australia.

The Juan Fernandez did not reach her

port, nor was she ever heard from.

supposed him dead.

" Meanwhile the other detectives worked upon

the mystery here in Boston.

For two years I kept them in my pay. Then,

one day, while the

offices were being repaired and the

vault enlarged, a workman found a

We

package wedged in between the metal sheetings. It

was a package of bank

notes, the very package your father had been

accused of stealing "

!

Howard said nothing, but turned away

"Oh, my boy, you cannot know the

his head, for his eyes

were wet.

had suspected my

dearest friend uuj ustly.

He had gone to his grave misj udged I determined

to do all in my power for his son, as I could not

bring Edgar back.

I had

already taken you under my care.

You had been in the charge of an old

aunt of your father's since your mother's death.

She was the only living

relative you had, and she passed away soon after

you came to me. I have

tried to do by you as I know Fdgar would have

wished."

"And you have done much for me, Guardy," interrupted young Thorne

pain

I felt.

I

.

brokenly.

" Can you forgive

"Indeed, there

is

me

for so harshly judging your father

nothing to forgive," cried Howard.

ward and

seized the other's hand.

than a father to me.

"God

bless you, sir

!

?

"

He

leaned for-

You've been more

'

" But this is not all I have to

had wonderful news today.

" What was it, sir?"

tell

you," said the older man.

"

I

have

'

"

News which

leads me to believe your father is, or was quite

recently,

Captain Eatimer, of the brig Naida, got in today.

He made his rethen gave me a draft on an English banker at Aukland,

New

Zealand, for a thousand and thirty odd pounds, and this

note."

As he spoke Mr. Undercliff drew from his wallet a folded paper and

passed

it to Thorne.

The latter opened it and read

alive.

port to

me and

:

Aukxand. N. Z., November 20, '94.

The inclosed draft is to reimburse Messrs. Undercliff & Monckton,

Boston,

moneys which were missing from their safe on the morning of

July 13 1875'

This money is not devoted to this purpose because the

man accused

USA

for certain

was guilty for he

declares his innocence but it is sent that the firm

might not lose the sum through

his carelessness or negligence.

This is his last duty to a harsh world that will hear

of

still

;

him no more.

" What does it mean ?" cried Thorne.

" Can't you read ?"

" But

who wrote

it?"

''

'

.

'

'

"

'

A SECRET OF THE SOUTH

PACIFIC.

3?9

" That was written by your father, Edgar Thorne," declared Mr. Under" Although written in the third person, the handwriting is not discliff.

guised.

"

" But

1

is

alive

where ?"

That

'

two years

He may

ago.

life

upon

it

be alive now.

!

'

But what the banker told Captain Latimer points

the mystery.

is

my

murmured Howard.

alive !"

He was

"

to

your father's¡ª I would stake

It is

Then he

'

an explanation.

" According- to the banker's story,

who met Edgar

other people

in

and what Latimer could learn from

Aukland, he had come from some island in

the Marquesas or the American Archipelagoes

¡ª

and had returned

Aukland."

An

'

'

unknown

to the

island in the Pacific

?

¡ª or near those islands, at least

islet after

completing his business in

'

Many of them are occupied, Captain Eatimer

the South Pacific.

me, by small parties of whites, or natives. The vessel your father sailed

America may have been wrecked there and he only saved. And he

has*lived there since, believing that the smirch of an uncommited crime still

"In

tells

in frotn

upon

rests

"

his

name.

By heave u

!

'

terrible

is

it

What can I do ? "

"What can we do, rather,"

one thing we can do.

floor.

" cried Thorne, leaping up and pacing the

!

"

said Mr. Undercliff quickly.

"There

is

only

'

"What

'

'

is it,

sir?"

Search for that island.

'

"

" But, sir, it will cost

" If it costs the last cent I possess, I'll not begrudge it."

" God bless you, sir

And I'll go to the South Pacific and find him."

" You shall, my boy.

I'll send you out on the Naida.

She goes back to

!

Aukland in a month or six weeks."

At that moment there was a rap upon^the door of the private

exclaimed Undercliff.

Wait

"It is Captain Eatimer.

'

!

'

'

'

hear the story from his

Chapter

The

senior

own

II.

member

office.

You

shall

'

lips.

¡ªA

Telltale Discovery

in Dates.

of the shipping firm hastened to open the door.

There were three men without.

" Here is Eatimer again, Undercliff," said the sharp voice of the foremost

He was a tall, spare man, with dark hatchet features

and a shifting gray eye. It was Mr. Monckton, and following him closely

came the very much dressed young fellow whom Thorne had so coolly greeted

in the outer office.

This was Carter Monckton, son of the junior partner.

Behind them was a grizzled, mahogany faced man of fifty odd, who looked

-

of the newcomers.

every inch the sea captain.

"Good

Thorne.

afternoon,

young man,"

said

Monckton

senior,

bowing coldly

to

 ................
................

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