The Last Cruise of the Spitfire: or, Luke Foster's Strange Voyage

"Then come. We will go at once. Delays are always dangerous."

In a moment more we were on the way. While seated in the Elevated car he asked me to tell him my whole story, and I did so, just as I have written it here.

"Will you let me see that letter from London?" he asked.

I did so. He read it carefully.

"I believe this Nottington is right," he said. "I have found that he is a gentleman in good standing, and that counts for much."

"I wish Mr. Banker had been my guardian from the start," I replied.

When we arrived at my uncle's home I found that he had been brought in but ten minutes before. The entire household was in a great state of alarm in consequence.

We met my aunt in the lower hall. No sooner did she catch sight of me than she swooped down upon me.

"You are to blame for all this, Luke Foster," she cried in her shrill voice.

"I can't see how," I replied as calmly as I could.

"You are. You upset him by robbing the safe and then running away."

"I don't think the boy is guilty, madam," put in Mr. Mason. "We all make mistakes, and – "

"There is no mistake here. If my husband dies this boy will be the sole cause."

And without waiting for a reply Mrs. Stillwell swept by us and up the stairs.

I took Mr. Mason into the parlor, a room that I hardly knew, although I had lived in the house about two years. Presently Gus came down the stairs.

"You here!" he exclaimed. "What brought you? Haven't you done harm enough?"

"I don't want to do harm. I thought I might just see your father, and then go away."

"Well, he just asked for you," was Gus's unexpected reply. "But ma said you weren't to be let up."

"If he asked I'm going," I said with a sudden determination.

I ran up the stairs at once. At the head I met Mrs. Stillwell.

"Where are you going?" she asked coldly.

"To see Uncle Felix."

"Well, I guess you are not!"

"Gus says he asked for me."

"I don't care. You shall not see the poor man."

"Excuse me, madam, but I will," I replied, and brushed past her and on to the door of my uncle's room.

She caught me by the arm.

"You just march downstairs!" she cried.

"Is that Luke?" came a feeble voice from within.

"Yes, Uncle Felix," I hastened to reply.

"Let him come in, dear; I must see him."

With a very bad grace Mrs. Stillwell allowed me to enter. At first she was about to follow, but her husband motioned her away, and she was forced to withdraw.

My uncle lay on the bed. His face was deadly white and awfully haggard. He held out his hand.

"I'm glad you've come, Luke," he said, with something that sounded like a sigh. "The doctor tells me I cannot last long."

"Oh, Uncle Felix!"

"Never mind, it is for the best. I have done wrong, and death is better than public disgrace. Did you come alone?"

"No, sir; Mr. Mason is with me."

"Mason!"

"Yes, sir; I asked him to come with me. He is to be my lawyer if I am arrested."

"Do not fear; you will not be. I own up; that money was not stolen. I was afraid you had brought with you the officers of the law. Do you know anything of this – this Spitfire affair?"

"I know all about it. I was on board the vessel when she burned."

"You!"

My uncle was greatly astonished, and he finally persuaded me to tell my story. When I had concluded he asked me to call up Mr. Mason, and I did so.

The three of us were closeted for fully an hour. What took place will be told hereafter.

At the end of the interview my uncle was very weak. The doctor was called in and he revived him, but it was not for long. He died at sundown.

His funeral, three days later, was a large one, made up, not only of mourners, but also of those who came out of curiosity to see the remains of the man who had lived such a double life.

CHAPTER XXXI

CONCLUSION

My uncle's deathbed revelation was a strange one. In brief, it was as follows:

At the time my father and mother were killed he was in a sore financial strait, and needed money to keep himself from failing and losing every dollar he possessed.