Prisoners and Captives
By II. S. MERRIMAN
CHAPTER V.-OontInucd.)
The i(llrs In tlio shipping offlco at
Tower Hill were treated on the following
morning to a strange sight. According to
formula, the brokers of the Martial had
Indicated to the shipping authorities their
desire to pay olT the crew of the vesH.il.
Shortly bcforo the hour named a number
of women began to assemble. Some were
dressed respectably, oilier were of the
lowent claw that London produces; but
all made aome attempt at mourning. One
or two wore their crapo weeds with that
Incomprehensible feminine pride In such
habiliment which shows itself In all
grades of society, while otlicrs were chid
in bflick rusty, ill-fitting, evidently bar
rowed. A common sorrow, a mutual In
terest, served as Introduction among theso
ladles, and they 'talked eagerjy together.
Scraps of conversation floated over tho
black bonnets. One bad lost her husband,
another her son, a third only her brother.
"Ain't ho come yet?" they asked one
another at Intervals. "The nrvlvor 'im
that brought 'er 'ome with his own hands.
I wan tor ask hhn about my man about
Lis end."
At last a hansom cab turned the cor
ner of the Mlnories and pulled up noisily
on the noisy stones. Claud Tyars threw
open the doors and stepped out. He had
come to be paid off; ho was the crew of
tho Martial.
In a moment he was surrounded by the
women, every one clamoring for news of
her dead sailor. The broker's clerk, an
observant youth, noticed that during the
half hour that followed Tyars never re
ferred to his log-book, but answered each
question unerringly from memory. He
gave details, dates and particulars with
out hesitation or doubt It was perhaps
owing to a knowledge of the commercial
value of a good memory that the young
clerk made note of these details. He
was not observant enough to take account
of the finer shades of manner, of the in
finite tact with which the survivor of tho
crew treated the women folk of his late
comrades. He did not detect the subtle
art by which some were sent away re
joicing over tho dogged, dauntless courage
of their husbands; he was only conscious
of a feeling of admiration for this man
who, hitherto, bad hardly noticed him.
But he failed to discern that the difficult
task was accomplished unconsciously. He
did not realize that Claud Tyars possess
ed a gift which Is only second to genius
in worldly value tho gift of unobtrusive
ly ruling his fellow men.
As Tyars drove away from the ship
ping office he saw the street news vend
ers displaying their posters with the
words, "A Wonderful Story of the Sea"
printed in sensational type.
"Hang It!" he muttered, with a vexed
laugh, "I never counted on a notoriety of
this sort."
Presently he bought an evening paper
and read of the exploits of "Captain"
Tyars with a singular lack of pride.
When Mr. Lowell, the owner of the
Martial, offered him the command of the
ahip the same afternoon he gravely and
politely declined it. With the ship-owner,
as with Lieut. Grace, Tyars appeared
quite blind to the necessity of an expla
nation, and none was asked.
So ended the incident of the Martial.
Its direct bearing upon the life of Claud
Tyars would seem to terminate at the
game moment; but Indirectly the experi
ence thus acquired influenced his career,
formed to somev extent his character, and
led as all things great and small lead
us to the end.
CHAPTER VI.
In the meantime Lieut. Grace had re
ceived at the hands of his father and
aister a warm welcome.
Without announcement of any descrip
tion he made his way from the Admiralty
to Brook street and knocked at his fath
er's door. He found tho old gentleman
and Miss Helen Grace engaged In the
consumption of afternoon tea.
"Oswin !" exclaimed the old admiral.
"I thought you were on the African
coast."
Helen Grace was a young lady not
much given to exclamatory expressions of
feeling. She rose from the low chair
she habitually occupied and kissed her
brother. Then she turned his face to
ward the light by the collar of his coat.
"Have you been invalided home?" she
asked.
"No." - 1
"But the Foam is out there still," put
In the Admiral, eager to show his inti
mate knowledge of official matters.
"Yea. I came home on a derelict. A
fine, big ship without a crew. All dead
of yellow fever except one. I am glad
that he waa picked out by Providence to
aurvive."
"Why?" inquired Helen.
"Because I like him."
"What waa he, an officer?" asked the
Admiral.
"Second mate, holding a captain's cer
tificate. I have asked him to dinner to
VWrrow night." .
"Oh I" murmured Helen, doubtfully.
"With his dog the other survivor."
Ahl" said Helen in a more interested
me. "Do they know how to behave
Vnselves?" 1
"I think eo both of them," waa the
reply. "Although we did not dress for
dinner on board the Martial.
"It seems to me," observed the Ad
miral, with an easy chuckle, "that you
did ftot devote much time at all to the
question of toilet." , .
"No," replied Grace, frankly. "We
were a shady crew. Tou see, there were
only ten of ua to navigate a thousand
ton ablp full rigged. We had no time
for personal adornment You will see
til about It In the evening paper. I
brought one with me on purpose. May I
have some tea, Helen? It Is months since
I have seen such an article as bread and
butter."
The girl hastened to supply his wants.
performing her duties with a deft sure
ness of touch where maidens are not
dolls. While Grace was performing won
ders among the dainties supplied to him,
his father read afoud the details of his
deeds upon the high aeas, and Helen
listened with a faint smile of pride upon
her refined face.
And this man," she Inquired, when
the paragraph had been duly digested
"the man you have asked to dinner
what is he like?"
The naval officer helped himself to a
limp slice of bread and butter with great
thoughtfulnesa.
"That is Just the difficulty, my dear,"
he replied. "I cannot tell you what he
is like, because I don't know. I do not
understand him that is the long and
short of It. He is above me."
"I suppose," suggested ,the Admiral,
who held the keener study of human
nature in some contempt, "that he Is
merely a rough sailor man a merchant
captain?"
"No, he is hardly that. I want you,"
continued the lieutenant, after a pause,
turning to his sister, "to judge for your
solf, so will not tell you what I think
about him."
"Thon he is interesting?"
"Yes, I think you will And him Inter
esting." Helen was already seeking In her mind
how tilings could be made easy and com
fortable for the unpolished hero whom
her brother had so unceremoniously in
troduced into the house.
"Agnes Winter was coming to-morrow
to dine, but she can be put off," she ob
served, carelessly.
"Agnes Winter why should she be put
off? Let her come, by all means."
The little man's manner waa perhaps
too indifferent to be either natural or
polite. He waa either unconsciously rudo
or exaggerating an indifference he did not
feel. Helen, however, continued her re
marks without appearing to notice any
thing. "Would you not," she Inquired, while
replacing In Its vase a flower that had be
come displaced, "rather have him quite
alone when we are by ourselves, I
mean?"
"Oh, no. He Is all right. If he is
good enough for you, he is good enough
for Agnes Winter."
"Has he got a suit of dress clothes?"
asked the Admiral, with a blunt laugh.
Lieut. Grace let his hand fall heavily
upon bia thigh with a gesture of mock
regret.
"I quite forgot to ask him," he ex
claimed, dramatically.
"There is some mystery attached to
this person," laughed Helen. Her laugh
ter was a little prolonged in order that
her father, whose duller sense of humor
sometimes failed to follow his son's fan
cy, might comprehend that thia waa a
joke.
"Well," said the old gentleman, thrust
ing bis bands deeply into his pockets, "I
like a man to come to my table in a
claw-hammer coat."
CHAPTER VII.
Helen's eyes rested for a moment on
her brother's face. With an almost im
perceptible movement of lid and eyebrow
he reassured her.
"What time is dinner? I told him to
come at 7 o'clock," -said he, holding out
his cup for more tea.
"That is right," answered Helen.
"You would have done better," said
the Admiral, still unpadded, "to have
given the man a dinner at your club,"
"Oh !" replied his son, serenely "I
wanted you and Helen to make his ac
quaintance ; besides, I could not have In-,
vited Muggins to the club."
"Muggins 1" growled the old gentleman,
interrogatively. .
"The dog."
"Ah ! Is he a presentable sort of fel
low, then, that you want your sister to
meet him?"
"The dog?" inquired Grace, with much
innocence.
"No," laughed his father, despite him
self ; "the man Tyre, or Sidon, or what
ever his name is."
- "Tyars. - Yes t I think, so. , Tyars is
distinctly presentable, or else I would not
have suggested his coming to dine with
Helen and Agnes Winter."
Helen had moved ; away toward the
window, and was now leaning against the
folded and old-fashioned shutter. She
turned and looked at ber brother as he
spoke, with that gentle, womanly scru
tiny. ' '
Like her brother, Helen Grace favored
to aome extent a gravity of demeanor
when in repose, and her face was of that
refined type which possesses a great mo
bility. Some faces there are which seem
to have brought from ' old times a- recol
lection of gay knights, full of poetry and
full of fight; of troubadours and patient
women. Oswin and Helen Grace were of
thia mold. . In profile the chiseling of
either face was perfect, for Helen was
but a refined miniature of ber brother;
and in smiling their gray eyes lighted up
with the self-same soft merriment.
As she stood in the soft sunlight look
ing sideways toward her brother her ten
derness was visible. These two were the
only children of a dead mother, who If
she had never quite understood ber hus
band had at all events possessed the pow
er of loving her children. Oawin Grace
had left . home " early, as all naval men
must, and during the short spells allowed
to him by a grateful country aa recrea
tion he had not learned to know bia lis
ter 'ery well not well enough to forget
that he owed to her the respect due to all
women.
Tho two men now started a conversa
tion upon very nautical matters, employ
ing such technical terms and waxing o
Interested that Helen sought a chair near
the window and settled down to listen
with respectful silence. When the Ad
miral had left the room Oswin crossed
the floor and stood beside his sister, bis
scrutinizing glance cast downward.
"How is Agnes Winter?" he asked.
"She is very well. Did those flowers
remind you of her?"
"Ye-es," be replied, slowly. 'I wonder
why?"
' "Because she arranged them, I sup
pose," suggested the girl, looking up sud
denly, as if struck at the possibility of
her idea being of some weight.
"Perhaps so. She is not engaged yet?"
Helen threaded a needle with aome
care and stooped over her work.
"No ; she is just the same as ever. Al
ways busy, always bappy, always a fa
vorite. But one never hears the slight
est rumor of an engagement, or even a
flirtation."
'"While," added Grace, airily, 'her dear
friend flirts here and flirts there, but
keeps clear of the serious part of It all
with equal skill."
"Which friend?" inquired Helen, in
nocently.
"Yourself."
"Oh ! I have my duties. Papa could not
get on without me. Besides, I never flirt
Marriage and love and all that my broth
er, have much more to do with conven
ience than is generally supposed."
"Indeed?" be inquired with fine sar
casm. "Yes ; I have studied the question. You
may know more about the slave trade
than I do, because you have had superior
advantages in that direction; but I also
have had advantages, and from personal
observation beg to state that in nine cases
out of ten convenience is the source of
love in the tenth case it is propinquity."
"Thank you," he said, fervently. -'I
will make a mental note of your observa
tions, and when I marry a plain and
atupid heiress perhaps you will withdraw
them."
She Ignored his pleasantry.
"I often wonder," be said, thoughtfully,
"why somebody or other does not fall in
love with Agnes Winter."
After a pause he put forward a sug
gestion. "Because she will not let them, per
haps." "That may be so; but surely a sensible
man does not wait to be allowed."
"The question," he answered, with
mock gravity, "is rather beyond me. It
is hard to say what a sensible man would
do, because in such matters no rule can
be laid down defining where sense begins
and foolishness ends. The man who got
Agnes Winter would be sensible, however
he did it"
Presently the girl went to dress for
dinner, leaving her brother standing at
the window, whistling softly beneath his
breath.
CHAPTER VIII.
If there had been any doubts enter
tained or discussed aa to the presenta
bility of Claud Tyars in polite circles,
these were destined to an Instant re
moval when that Individual entered the
drawing room of No. 105 Brook street.
His dress, if it erred at all, did so on
the side of a too scrupulous adherence to
the latest dictates of society. His man
ners were those of a traveled and expe
rienced gentleman. That is to aay, he
was polite without eagerness, pleasant
without gush, semi-interested, semi-indifferent.
Oswin Grace advanced to meet him
with a quick glance of satisfaction at his
irreproachable get-up, which Tyars show
ed no signs of having detected.
The necessary introductions were
made, and Tyars displayed the same per
fect knowledge of social habits up to
date. His bow was pure and simple, and
to the Admiral he offered his hand in a
calm, decisive way, which somewhat in
terfered with the old gentleman's digni
fied coldness.
"I think," said Helen at once, with a
characteristic desire to make things pleas
ont, "that we have met before."
She was looking up at Tyars, who,
being very tall, stood a head higher than
any one in the room, and In her eyes
there was no speculation, no searching
into the recesses of her memory. The re
mark was without Interrogative hesita
tion. It was the assertion of a fact well
known to her, and yet her color changed.
"Yes," answered Tyars; "I had the
pleasure of dancing with you on several
occasions at the Commemoration three
years ago."
"But you are not an Oxford man?"
put in Lieut. Grace.
"No."
He did not seem to think It worth
while mentioning that his name was on
the books of the sister university.
"What a good memory you have, Mr.
Tyars !" observed Miss Agnes Winter in
a smooth, soft voice. "Perhapa you can
help mine. Have we met before? I know
your, face."
lie turned to her with a smile in which
there was no light of dawning recollec
tion. ' ' ; :
"Hardly," he replied. "But you were
sitting in the middle of the last row of
the., stalls .at a performance of 'Hamlet'
last autumn.'.'
To' W eonttnned.t
t '
, ' Snap tor the Hero. . .
"Your , play, Is . too commonplace,"
said the manager, aa be handed back
the manuscript .."There Is no snap to
hit" .,. .. ; . , '
"No snap !" echoed the author. "Why,
the hero marries an orphan girl with
a million dollars In the last' act"'
Handles the Bond,. , . . .
Myer Black tells me he has a broth
er who Is a rattling, good actor.
Oyer rThafs a fact He's on of
the end men In a minstrel show.
OREGON STATE ITEMS OF INTEREST
VALLEY GRAIN LOOKS WELL.
Hops Give Promise of Yielding an
Immense Crop.
Salem Crop prospects in the coun
try surrounding Salem are very encour
aging. The reports of aphis and Hes
sian fly are heard only from the Howell
prairie neighborhood and are not com
ing from any other section. An exten
di ve travel as far south as Stayton,
eastward to Scott's Mills and north to
Hubbard reveals a splendid stand of
grain and grass everwyhere, with a
promise of the greatest yield in many
yea. tZ
Fruit is looking well.
In many places close to streams,
where brush is plentiful, there is a
plague of caterpillars, which are both
ering the trees and form a source of
troublesome annoyance.
Hops are fine; rank growth in all
yards that are taken care of. A prom
inent grower says that Oiegon will
gather the heaviest crop of hops in its
history.
Spring work has been well done
throughout this county and there has
been much substantial improvement
made on the farms. There is a notice
able tone of prosperity everywhere.
New dwellings, new barns, new fences
greet the eye in all directions, while
paint has added its beautifying influ
ence quite generally.
A great deal of permanent road work
has been done and along the highways
a marked change for the better has
been wrought by the tearing out of old
rail fences, . the substitution of neat
wire fences and the clearing away of
the unsightly, wasteful fence rows of
brush, weeds and wild roses. The en
tire farming country breathes a Bpirit
of progress and prosperity.
Oil in Vicinity of Lacomb.
Albany Representatives of Eastern
capitalists have recently heen investi
gating the discovery of oil in the vicin
ity of Lacomb, Linn county, and it is
generally believed here that develop
ment of the property on a big scale will
be begun soon. The operations have
been conducted with secrecy, however,
and for that reason, very little definite
information can be obtained. For years
past indications of oil have been found
at different points between Lacomb and
Lebanon, and though there were no
gushers, it is believed the oil was there
in paying quantities.
New Assistant Matron.
Chemawa Miss Marie Johnson, oi
San Jose, Cal., has been appointed
assistant matron at the Chemawa In
dian school. Miss Johnson was in
California during the earthquake, and
was among those to have their homes
shaken and destroyed. Miss Alice B.
Preuss, of Lapwai, Idaho, has been
appointed clerk at the Indian training
school. MiBS Preuss has had several
years' experience as teacher in Idaho
and elsewhere in the Indian service be
fore coming to Chemawa.
Edward D. Jasper Wins Prize..
University of Oregon, Eugene The
Bennett prize, from the income of a
gift of $400 made to the university by
Pbilo Sherman Bennett, of New Haven,
Conn., for the best student paper on
the principles of free government, was
won by Edward J). Jasper, '06. Jasper
is a senior of the department of eco
nomics. He registers from La Grande.
The subject of his paper was "The
Basic Principles of Lawmaking." Tnis
year is the first time the Bennett prize
has been offered.
Lessons in Making Roads.
Salem Work has commenced upon
the mile of "government object lesson
road," being constructed under the su
pervision of the government. A. E.
Loder, assistant engineer, office of pub
lic roads, Washington, D.' C, is in the
city. D. U. Haire and Andrew Wil
bert, government experts on roadbuild
ing, are also here. Great interest is
manifested in the road, aa the govern
ment will build only two stretcheB as
an object lesson roads in the state, one
being constructed here and the other at
Pendleton. - :
Pool of Timber Cl,aims Sold. v
Albany A pool of 123 timber claims
in Crook and Klamath counties was
sold In this city last week to the Des
chutes Lumber company for $196,800,
or $1,600 a claim. About 100 of the
claims were owned by Albany people
and were taken up in the great rush for
timber land about four years ago. The
sale was affected by means of a pool of
the claims and was handled by the
holders of the claims themselves.
Lost Mountain of Gold Found.
Medford A messenger just in from
Elliott creek, in the SiBkiyou moun
tains, reports the discovery of a moun
tain of free milling ore six miles from
Joe Bar and three miles from the Blue
Ledge copper mine, assaying $30 to
$100 per ton, which appears to be the
long sought mother lode of the Apple
gate lection. Dr. Reddy, who is now
on the ground, pronounces it the most
marvelous ledge he ever saw.
GIFTS FOR BAY CITY SCHOOLS.
Circular Letter Is Sent Out by Ore-
gon State Superintendent.
Salem J. H. Ackerman, superin
tendent of public instruction, has issu
ed a circular suggesting that the re
spective public schools of the state de
vise ways and means for the raising of
money to be turned into the San Fran
cisco reconstruction fund for the re
building of schools destroyed by the
fire. In all, 34 school buildings were
destroyed by the fire at San Francisco,
to replace which will cost $6,000,000.
lhe school authorities of the Bay
City have been led to receive dona
tions, as the finances of tbe city are
strained to the utmost, and it would be
a considerable time before the city,
unaided, could replace tbe schools. It
is their purpose, whenever the contri
butions from a given state shall reach a
sufficient amount to erect a building,
to name that building after the state
giving the money. All the school
officers and tbe public schools of Ore
gon have been mailed circulars by Su
perintendent Ackerman.
Wages Raised at Oregon City.
Oregon City The Willamette Pulp
& Paper company has announced an ad
vance of 25 cents per day per man for
every man employed at their mills in
this city who is now receiving $1.75
and $2 per day. This advance affects
tbe wages of about 500 men and means
an increase in the monthly payroll of
about $3,750 per month, or about $45,
000 per annum. This increase in tbe
wage schedule at the Oregon City mills,
it is alleged by a representative of the
Willamette Pulp & Paper company, has
been contemplated by tbe management .
for the last three months.
Will Increase Business.
Medford The Butte Falls Lumber
company announces that it now has its
pawmill plant at Butte Falls in condi
tion to put out at least 140,000 feet of
lumber a day, juet as Boon aa tbe Med
ford & Crater Lake railroad is extended
to its timber belt. The large acreage
of timber sold during the last few
weeks, and the fact that the larger
tracts are under bond in that great
timber section at the bead of Rogue
river and the two Butte creeks, is sig
nificant of an intention to rush this
railroad through to completion shortly.
New Brewery Ice Plant.
The Dalles The Eastern Oregon
Brewing company of this city has just
put into operation its ice plant and cold
storage cellar. The Eastern Oregon.
Bewing company was incorporated a
year ago by Dalles people, and bought
the Columbia brewery of August Buch
ler for $35,000. Since then the com
pany has rebuilt the brewery at an ex
pense of about $50,000.
Fire Warnings Sent Out.
Salem For the protection of the for
ests of Oregon fire notice warnings are
being sent out by the secretary of state
to all , fire rangers. The notices are
printed on clcth and contain tbe prin
cipal provisions of an act passed by the
legislature. ,
PORTLANDMARKETS.
Wheat Club, 727Sc; blu'eatem,
7475cj red, 7071c; valley, 72c.
Oats No. 1 white feed, $31.50;
gray, $31.50 per ton.
Barley Feed, $24.60 per ton; brew
ing, nominal; rolled, $2526.
Hay Valley timothy, No. 1, $12
13 per ton; clover, $7.608; cheat,
$67; grain hay, $78; alfalfa, $13.
Fruits Apples. $2.503.50 per box;
apricots, $1.501.75 crate; cherries,
75c$l per box; strawberries, 7(31
0c per pound; gooseberries, 56c per
pound.
, Vegetables Beans,.35c; cabbage,
$11.25 per 100; green corn, 4050c
doz.; onions, 810c per dozen; peas,
5c; radishes, 10c per dozen; rhubarb.
8c per pound; spinach, 90o per box;
parsley, 25c; squash, $1 per crate;
turnips, $11.25 per sack; carrots, ..65
75c per sack; beets, 85c$l per sack.
Onions New, 1Hi2o per pound.,?
Potatoes Fancy graded Burbanks,
50 60c per hundred; ordinary, nomi
nal;, new California, 2c per pound. ,.
Butter Fancy creamery, 1720o
per ponnd. - - ....
Eggs Oregon ranch, 1920o per
dozen. ,
Poultry Average old hens, 1213o
per pound; mixed chickens, ll)12c;
broilers, 1516e; roosters, 10c; dress
ed chickens,' lK14c; turkeys, live,
1518c; turkeys, dressed, choice, 20(3)
22c j geese, live, 910c; geese, dressed,
old, 10c; young, 12c; ducks, old, 14
15c; ypftng,'16i6d. ' ' " - ' ' T
HopB-yOregon, 1905, 10l2)c.
Woolr-rl5aB.tern. Oregon average best,
18021 Xc; valley, coarse,. 2323$cj
fine, 2425c; mohair, choice, 2830o ,
per podnd. . .- .' r"'
Veal Dressed, 36o per pound.
Beef Dressed bulls 3o, per pound;
cows, i(5c; country steers, 56c.
Mutton Dressed fancy, 78e pound;
ordinary, 66c; lambs, with pelt on,
Fork Dressed, 79e