Part 34 (1/2)

No 45 was almost exactly like its fellows, neither better nor worse; and the door was opened by a neat, prie Coe

”Is Mr Fountain in?” he asked ”I have come about the advertise way for hi-rooe

”The Captain is in bed; he is a great invalid, but he was expecting, perhaps, someone would call, and he will be able to see you in a ”

”Thanks,” said Lestrange; ”I can wait”

He had waited eight years, what ht years had he suffered such suspense, for his heart knew that now, just now in this commonplace little house, from the lips of, perhaps, the husband of that co to learn either what he feared to hear, or what he hoped

It was a depressing little rooh it were never used A shi+p ilass bottle stood upon the mantelpiece, and there were shells from far-away places, pictures of shi+ps in sand--all the things one finds as a rule adorning an old sailor's ho, could hear movements from the next roo for his reception The distant sounds of the derricks and winches cah it never had been opened A square of sunlight lit the upper part of the cheap lace curtain on the right of the , and repeated its pattern vaguely on the lower part of the wall opposite Then a bluebottle fly awoke suddenly into life and began to buzz and drue wished that they would come

A man of his temperament must necessarily, even under the happiest circuh the world; the fine fibre always suffers when brought into contact with the coarse These people were as kindly disposed as anyone else The advertiseht have told them that it was not the tied bed-quilts and put ht as if he could see!

At last the door opened, and the woman said:

”Will you step this way, sir?”

She showed hie The room was neat and clean, and had that indescribable appearance whicha mountain under the counterpane with an enormously distended stoe, capable, useless hands spread out on the coverlet--hands ready and willing, but debarred fro his body, he turned his head slowly and looked at the newcomer This slow movement was not from weakness or disease, it was the slow, eentlee's shoulder Then she withdrew and closed the door

”Take a chair, sir,” said the sea captain, flapping one of his hands on the counterpane as if in wearied protest against his own helplessness

”I haven't the pleasure of your name, but the missus tells me you're come about the advertisement I lit on yester-even”

He took a paper, folded small, that lay beside him, and held it out to his visitor It was a Sidney Bulletin three years old

”Yes,” said Lestrange, looking at the paper; ”that is e,” said Captain Fountain, ”that I should have lit on it only yesterday I've had it all three years inat the bottohtn't a' seen it now, only the missus cleared the raffle out of the chest, and, 'Giveit in her hand; and I fell to reading it, for a ht months, as I've been with the dropsy I've been whaler man and boy forty year, and o one ofon a beach of one of them islands east of the Marquesas--we'd put in to water”

”Yes, yes,” said Lestrange ”What was it he found?”

”Missus!” roared the captain in a voice that shook the walls of the room

The door opened, and the woman appeared

”Fetch me my keys out ofup on the back of the door, as if only waiting to be put on The woman fetched the keys, and he fumbled over them and found one He handed it to her, and pointed to the drawer of a bureau opposite the bed

She knew evidently anted, for she opened the drawer and produced a box, which she handed to him It was a s He undid the string, and disclosed a child's tea service: a teapot, crea, six little plates all painted with a pansy