The Argosy, Vol. XXIV, No. 3 — page 5: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A SECRET OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC, 389 “That was written by your father, Edgar Thorne,’’? declared Mr. Under- cliff. ‘‘ Although written in the third person, the handwriting is not dis- guised. It is your father’s—I would stake ny life npn pe a es ‘Then he is alive !’’ murmured Howard. ‘He was alive two years ago. He may be alive now.”’ ‘* Butawhere ?" ‘That is the mystery. But what the banker told Captain Latimer points to an explanation. ‘* According to the banker’s story, and what Latimer could learn from other people who met Edgar in Aukland, he had come from some island in the Marquesas or the American Archipelagoes—or near those islands, at least —and had returned to the unknown islet after completing his business in Aukland.’’ ‘‘ An island in the Pacific? ’’ ‘In the South Pacific. Many of them are occupied, Captain Latimer tells me, by small parties of whites, or natives. The vessel your father sailed in from America may have been wrecked there and he only saved. And he haselived there since, believing that the smirch of an uncommited crime still rests upon his name.”’ ‘‘By heaven! it is terrible!’’ cried Thorne, leaping up and pacing the floor. ‘‘ What can I do?” “What can we ee rather,’’ said Mr. Undercliff quickly. ‘‘’ There is only one thing we caz do.’ ; “WW Hat is-it, sir?” ‘‘Search for that island.”’ ‘‘ But, sir, it will cost “Tf 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. Tll 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 office. ‘““Wait!’’ exclaimed Undercliff. ‘‘It is Captain Latimer. You shall hear the story from his own lips.”’ CHAPTER IT.—A TELLTALE DISCOVERY IN DATES. THE senior member of the shipping firm hastened to open the door. There were three men without. ‘* Here is Latimer again, Undercliff,’’ said the sharp voice of the foremost of the newcomers. He was a tall, spare man, with dark hatchet features and a shifting gray eye. It was Mr. Monckton, and following him closely caine 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 every inch the sea captain.. ‘“Good afternoon, young man,’’ said Monckton senior, Sowite coldly to Thorne. Gomilcbooksre