WEST SHORE.
" How much?" bargained Tom, following to the
door. "Ten dollars?"
" Yes," answered Hawkes, and he turned up the
street. When he reached the railway station in Linn,
he found Fred Kipp, satchel in hand, among the wait
ing passengers.
" Where now?" Hawkes afiked.
" To Essex," Kipp answered. " Can't I induce
you to accompany me? Come down; Joe will be de
lighted to have you. He talked quite a time about
you when I last saw him. You can Bhare my room,"
eagerly. " We have doubled up before today. I only
heard of your arrival yesterday or I should have come
to see you."
" 1 11 go with you," Hawkes answered. He felt a
genuine pleasure in again hearing the voice of his old
friend.
At midnight of the same day Summit avenue, St.
Timothy's hill, was silent in sleep. The moon shot a
pale, sickly light through breaks in the murky, half
transparent, ragged clouds that were scudding across
the heavens. The restless breakers rolled on the beach
with a mournful roar. Ueyond the farthest breaker a
black sieck was rising and falling on the sea. When
opposite the (JoldthurBt estate the speck assumed the
shape of a boat propelled by a sculler; there, putting
alout, the boat made straight in and landed on the
beach. A coarse bag was thrown ashore, and as it
struck the sand there was a sound as of hard sub
stances knocking together. The noise seemed to dis
concert the sculler, for he grasped his oar and for a
few minutes stood motionless, as though awaiting a
surprise. Xono coming, he went fur up on the beach
ami buried his anchor, returned to tho boat, swung the
bag oyer his shoulder, and commenced the ascent of
the cliff steps. When his eyes were level with the
lawn he took a careful survey, then came up to the
path. At that moment tho moon shone bright through
a rift in the scud and revealed the man to be Old Tom.
There was terror mingled with rngo in Tom's face as ho
looked up at the gleaming disc, then ho squatted to the
earth like a crawling thing. Tho clouds met again, but
ho did not immediately rise. He reached out his neck
liko a turtle and peered about, then catching up his
bag ho went toward the house. To-night he was plain
ly surprised to find a light in tho (ioldthurBt study.
The discovery occasioned him deep thought, as a result
of which ho debited the bag lchind a tree, took a re
volver from his pocket, examined it attentively, re
placed it. then going up the sido steps, knocked at tho
door. Some minute elapsed liefore he was answered,
then a voice, a man's voico poorlv disguised to effect a
woman's, asked what was wan'cd.
" It's me, Old Tom!" in his unmistakablo accents.
Tho bolt were withdrawn, but as on his former
visit to tho house, Tom saw no one to give him wel
come. He entered the study, tho same door opposito
oMncd, and Mr. Goldthurst apearing, went about
fastening the windows as before. At the Bight of Tom,
he made the same exclamation of surprise. '
" You here again?" he asked, in feigned impa
tience. " What can I do for you, my man? The hour
is late, and resiectabh people should be at rest."
Such a cold stress he placed on the word respecta
ble. Tom did not hear. He was eying the disordered
papers that had been hastily thrust into the desk
" I corned ter see 'f ye'd gin me somethin' ter live
on," he said, in his surliest growl. " I'm a goin' hun
gry nowadays, 'thout no work."
" Do you work?" with the shade of a smile. "I
had an idea that you thrived by stealing from your
mates; that you incited broils and riots, that in the
confusion you might carry away booty. But you
work?" and he .raised his brows.
" Will ye gin me money ter live on?" Tom asked
again.
" No! " was the half angry answer. " Go, stir up
more riots. You fare well at such times."
" You put me up to it! " Tom was sulkily shak
ing his head.
" I never saw you before the night you showed
your dirty presence in this room!" said Mr. Gold
thurst, with cutting coldness.
" You lie! " Tom's face wore its ugliest frown.
Mr. Goldthurst was so taken aback at the Budden
ness of the change in his visitor's manner that he re- j
coiled a step or two. When ho had recovered himself I
Tom's revolver was aimed at his heart.
" You had the up side last time." Tom's expres
sion had changed again, and he was grinning. " Now
Tom's gut it! I look Ws I'd do murder, don't I?
Well, don't try me! I want ye ter set in thet there
chair!" pointing to the farthest end of the room.
" Ye'd better go!" as the gentleman still stood looking
into the revolver.
There was no terror in Mr. Goldthurst's face. In
stead, rather nn expression of languid curiosity, but
ho went to the chair, and seating himself, said:
" Well, vagabond?"
Tho epithet did not give Tom displeasure. He
simply grinned the broader.
" I coined here ter night ter rob ye," he said, wag
ging his head and grinning still; " but 'slong's.I found
ye at homo V up, why 'twan't no use. Howsomedcver,
the time ain't wasted, 'cause while I'm here I might's
well settle up an old score I gut with ye. This 'ere
score's so old I've gut ter have interest. Less see;
s'poso I calls it two thousand dollars a year, V then I
counts up my chalk marks, V there's fifteen on 'cm.
That makes thirty thousand dollars.
Tom repeated his reckoning by chalk marks with
great deal of satisfaction, for ho had noticed an invol
untary start in his cool, gentlemanly host.
" I likes ye, Mr. Goldthurst, I does," ho continued.
" I likes ye better'n I docs me own son, Y that's con
Bid'rable, that ip. I likes ye so well thet I've fullered
ye these fifteen years. That's a long time, Mr. Gold
thurst, ain't it?"
Mr. Goldthurst was looking unflinchingly into the
mouth of tho revolver. Ilia lips were set close. Ex
cept for two bright red spots growing in his cheeks, his
was the same cold, hard face.
" I used ter hear ye preach," said Tom. " I've gone
out p' my way ninny's the time ter hear ye. Ye shook
ban's with me once, Y told me how 'f I kep' a good
conscience I'd git ter heaven. I,ong 'fore that I'd l't
a snilor, V sailors need good advice. They all does."
There was a sudden change in his listener's face.
The natural hauteur had given way to intense inter
est. His eyes were wide open and less mocking, the
two bright red spots were larger, and his lips were get
ting dry, for he moistened them with his tongue.