End of the Tether

filled the eastern ends of the avenues as if only waiting the signal for a general advance upon the open spaces of the world; they were gathering low betwe

d thing seemed to grow upon him into something inexplicable and alarming. The twilight abandoned the zenith; its ref

reckon the amount of his bill. So many days in the hotel at so many dollars a day. To count the days he used his fingers: plunging one hand into his pocket, he jingled a few silver coins. All right for three days more; and then, unless something turned up, h

the slim column of a factory-chimney smoked quietly straight up into the clear air. A Chinaman, curled down in the stern of one of the half-dozen sampans floating off the end of the jetty, caught sight of a beckoning hand. He jumped up, rolled his p

Captain Whalley repeated; and suddenly his heart failed him. He paused. The shores, the islets, the high ground, the low points, were dark: the horizon had grown somber; and across the eastern sweep of the shore the

avee So-fa

tar that appeared like the head of a pin stabbed deep into the smooth, pale, shimmering fabric of the sky, the edge of a keen chill seemed to cleave th

ts resembled egg-shaped pearls, gigantic and luminous, displayed in a row whose farther end seemed to sink in the distance, down to the level of his knees. He put his hands behind his back. He would now consider calmly the discretion of it before saying the final word to-morrow. His feet scrunched the gravel loudly — the

ed him, without knowing it, a service for which it would have been impossible to ask. He hoped Ned would not think there had been something underhand in his action. He supposed that now when he heard of it he would understand — or perhaps he would only think Whalley an eccentric old fool. What would have been the g

the incorruptible heaven; but a teamer, thought Captain Whalley, with her fires out, without the warm whiffs from below meeting yo

ve hundred to be paid back to her integrally within three months. Integrally. Every penny. He was not to lose any of her money whatever else had to go — a little dignity — some of his self-respect. He had never before allowed anybody to remain under any sort of false impression as to himself. Well, let that go — for her sake. After all, he had never SAID anything misleading — and Captain Whalley felt himself corrupt to the marrow of his bones. He laughed a little with the intimate scorn of his worldly prudence. Clearly, with a fellow of

isten like a silver breastplate covering his heart; in the spaces between the lamps his burly figure passed less distinct, loomed very big, wandering, and myst

. .

” asked Captain Whalley from his chair on the bri

n his bony dark feet under the bridge awning, put his hands behind his back

made these palms thirty-six times from the southward. They would come into view at the proper time. Thank God, t

ight

s a very grea

well, S

, T

. His black hair lay plastered in long lanky wisps across the bald summit of his head; he had a furrowed brow, a yellow complexion, and a thick shapeless nose. A scanty growth of whisker did not conceal the contour of his jaw.

hair, but gave no recognition whatever to his prese

mania of yours of having this Mal

erving course that the other had to back away hurriedly, and remained as if intimidated, with the pipe trembling in his h

nd then added defiantly

ang jer

palms n

to the point, with the assured keen glance of a sailor, wandered irresolutely in spa

ith a mustache like a trooper, and something malicious in the eye. He took up a

s on t

mate quickly, and nudged t

lared with an enormous effort; he knitted his eyebrows, the perspiration fell from under his ha

ingly to the helmsman. The wheel revolved rapidly to meet the swing of

me tell you — as a shipowner — that yo