"
He put his hands on his nephew's shoulders and forced him into a chair.
"Now, just calm yourself," urged the captain. "There ain't a mite of
use workin' yourself up this way. I know the whole business, and I can't
tell you--I can't begin to tell you how sorry I feel for you. Yet you
mustn't give up the ship because--"
"Mustn't give up!" Stephen was on his feet again. "Why, what are you
talking about? I thought you said you knew! Do you think that losing
every cent you've got in the world is a JOKE? Do you think that--See
here, do you know who this shareholder is; this fellow who's going to
rob us of all we own? Who is he?"
"Didn't Mr. Sylvester tell you?"
"He said that there was such a man and that he had the estate cinched.
He told us about that note and all the rest. But he wouldn't tell the
man's name. Said he had been forbidden to mention it. Do you know him?
What sort of fellow is he? Don't you think he could be reasoned with?
Hasn't he got any decency--or pity--or--"
He choked, and the tears rushed to his eyes. He wiped them angrily away
with the back of his glove.
"It's a crime!" he cried. "Can't he be held off somehow? Who IS he? I
want to know his name."
Captain Elisha sadly shook his head. "I'm afraid he can't, Stevie," he
said.
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