Lakeland Evening Telegram Newspaper, March 3, 1914, Page 2

} gazing at his watch while he held An- thony's wrist between his fingers. “We are 150 miles out of New York. The first officer told me you were con- siderably intoxicated when you came aboard, but,” he continued brusquely, | rising and closing his watch with a snap. “you will remember it all in a little while, Mr. Locke.” “Wait!” Again Anthony pressed his throbbing N ( | | A Romance of the Panama Canal ’ | BY { | REX BEACH | | L | COPYRIGHT, 1010, 1911, BY HARPER & BROTHERS | | wias very sick indeed. The fions:ltion; | was unlike anything he had ever felt SYNOPSIS. before. Ilis head was splitting, hc.’ Kirk Anthony, son of a rich man, with | felt a frightful nausea, the whole room college friends, gets into a fracas In a ! was rocking and reeling as if to pitch | New York resort. A detective I8 hurt | iy 04 o hod, It was terrible, 50 he | ;’,ff’éf,]?,'},fl,’,‘f:;t ]"T,‘Ti"lmlw Rimealit i) arose blindly and felt his way toward it | the telephone. Failing to find it, he | | pushed a button instead, then tumbled | “Grandes’ Tetow 1 ever wet” MIZ a0 0 hed. e heard the door open gins w wying for the hun:h'mlt‘h | and a voice inquire: time. t two faults, Anthony: he's | “Did you ring, sir?" modesht an' he's lazy—he won't work.,” | “An hour ago. IMaven't you more “You and he are good friends, eh®™ 1y o0 bellhop in this place?” “Dest ever.” | Vit soney. sl “Would you like to play a joke on | wppg pyy gick, mighty sick. I'm go- him?" o iing tovdie “Joke? Can't be done. He's wises' | “up yin ot sir. Phe others are guy ever. [I've tried it an' always get sick too." th“‘bl"l‘l(“t:-llll‘\“lxlu how we ean work it. | *‘Can T get you something, sir—a lit- I've got a ticket for Central America | tle champagne, perhaps, to settle your fn my pocket. The boat sails at 10. | Stomach?” Let's send him down there.” Anthony opened his eyes, ; ”“l'll'u'. “Wha' for?" Are you the clerk®” Instead of the Locke kept his temper with an effort. | bellhop he had expected he beheld a “Po make a man of him. We'll go | manin white jacket and hlack trousers. through his clothes, and when he lands “No, sir, I'm the steward.” ! he'll be broke. Ie'll have to work. | The .invalid shook his head faintly Don’t you see?” | “Iunny place I've got into. What's “No." Anthony's friend did not see. | the name of it?” “He don't want to go to Contral Amer- | “This? Oh! The Santa Cruz.” fea,” he argued. “Ie's got a new au- | “Never heard of it. Why didn't they tom’hile.” Fgive me a good room? This is fierce.” “But suppose we got him soused, | “Suit A is considered very good, sir. went throngh his pockets and then put It is one of the best on the line.” him aboard the boat. I11e'd be at sea by the time he woke up. get back. Ie'd have to work., Don't you see? Ile'd be hroke when he land- ed and have to rustle money to et | back with. I think it's an awful funny fden.” The undeniable humor of such a sit- | uation finally dawned upon Higgins' | mind. 1 “I'll get him full if you'll help man- | age it Locke went on. “And here's the ticket.” ITe tapped his pocket. “Where'd you get it?" “Bought it yesterday. It's first class and better, and he'll fit my description. We're about the same size. Wait.,” Locke rose and went to the bar, where he called loudly for the singer. Then when the bartender had deserted the plano he spoke to Anthony: “Keep it up, old man. You're doing fine.” For some moments he talked earnest- ITe couldn’t 1y to the man behind the bar. No one | furlated young man. The steward re- BeLy B0l observed the transfer of another ofi those yellow bills of which he scemed | to have an unlimited store. Strangely enough, Mr. Jefferson Locke's plan worked without a hitch. | Within ten, minutes after Kirk An- thony had taken the drink handed him he declared himself sleepy and rose | from the piano, only to seek a chair, into which he flung himself heavily. “It’s all right,” Locke told his drunk- en companion. “I've got a taxi wait- ing. We'll leave Ringold where he is.” Twenty-four hours later Adelbert Higgins undertook to recall what had | happened to him after he left Muller's place on East Fourteenth street, but his memory was tricky. He recollected | a vaguely humorous discussion of some \ sort with a stranger, the details of . | which were almost entirely missing. . \Unexpected and alarming occurrences made it imperative for him to ter. minate his connection with his college, as big Marty Ringold had done earlier f . in the day, and begin to pack his be- ' longings. Partly out of deference to the frantic appeals of his widowed mother, partly owing to the telephoned advice of Mr. Michael Padden of Sixth avenue, who said the injured man had recognized one of his assailants, he booked passage to Japan by the next \ steamer out of Vancouver. Strictly speaking, Kirk Anthony did . mot awake to a realization of his sur- roundings, but became conscious of | P them through a long process of dull, | dreamy speculation. He said to him- self: “Now, begin all over again, Kirk. | Ringold was very drunk. Good! Ev- erything is clear so far. Next you were playing a piano with yellow teeth \ a ‘Little Brown Cot.’ After that— Lord, you must have been drinking! Well, let’s run through it again.” But his efforts were vain. He could recall nothing beyond the piano, so fell to wondering what hotel this could be. “Some east side joint,” he decided, “and a cheap one, too, from the size of * this stall.” He noted another brass £ bed close at hand and reasoned that ' Ringold or Higgins must have risen I early, leaving him to finish his sleep. | That was considerate, of course, but— Good heavens, it must be late! And he was due to motor to New Haven at . nmoon! He raised himself suddenly " and was half out of bed when he fell " back with a cry as if an unseen hand | had smitten him. He clapped both ' palms to his_bead, realizing that he | suddenly. while somebody sang something about l “Line”” Kirk grunted. *“So this is some dead line dump. Well, I'm going to get out—understand? Iand me my trousers and 'l slip you a quarter.” The steward did as desired, but a blind search showed the pockets to be empty. “Give me the coat and vest.” But here ain Kirk found nothing and was forced to apologize. “I'm getting sicker every minute.” “Perhaps you had better have the doctor?” “Is there a good one handy ?” “Yes, sir.” “Here in the hotel?” “This is a ship.” “A-what?' Anthony raised himself and stared at the white clad figure over the foot of his little brass bed. “This is a ship, sir.” “You get out of here!” yelled the in- treated hastily to the door. “I beg pardon, sir. T will send the doctor at once.” “Must think I'm still drugk,” mum- bled Anthony dazedly as he #ice more laid his head upon his pillow with a groan. When his dizziness had diminished sufficiently to permit him to open his | eves he scanned his surroundings more carefully. There were unfamiliar feat- ures about this place. While it was quite unlike an ordinary hotel room, neither did it resemble any steamship stateroom he had ever seen; it was more like a lady's boudoir. To be | sure, he felt a sickening surge and roll now and then, but at other times the whole room made a complete revolu- tlon, which was manifestly contrary to the law of gravitation and therefore not to be trusted as evidence. The door opened for a second time and a man in uniform entered. “I am the doctor.” “I'm sick—awful sick, doctor.” The stranger pulled up a stool, seat- ed himself beside the bed, then felt of | Anthony's cheek. “You have a fever.” “That explains everything. How are the other boys coming on?%* “Everybody is laid out. It's a bad night.” “Night? It must be nearly daylight by this time.” “Ob, no! It is not midnight yet.” “Not midnight? Why, I didn’t turn ! in until”— Anthony raised himself “Good Lord! Have I slept all day? “You certainly have “Whose room is this “Your room of course. one of these capsules. | your stomach.” | | Here, take It will settle | “Better give me something to settle! my bill if I've been here that long. I'm broke again.” “You're not fully awake yet,” said ! the doctor. “People have funny ideas | when they're sick. Let me feel your pulse.” “The boys will think I'm lost. never did such a thing before.” “Where do you think you are?" in- quired the physician. “I don’t know. It's a nice little ho- tel, but”"— “This isn't a hotel. This is a ship.” “Doctor, you shouldn't make fun of a man at the point of death. It isn't professional.” I THE EVENING TELEURAM LAKELAND, FLA., MARCH 3, 1914. later he was hiammering at the oper- ator's door. “I want to send a message right away!” he cried excitedly. But the “wireless’” shook his head. with a smile, “We're installing a new system. The old apparatus wasn't satisfactory, and it's being changed throughout.” “Then you—yonu can't send a message ~—possibly ?’ *Nothing doing until the next trip.” Kirk strode forward and stared dis- consolately down upon the freight deck |in a vain endeavor to collect his thoughts. He recalled the incidents of that wild night and began to have a disquieting doubt. Did that chance meeting with the chap from St. Louis have anything to do with his presence | here. or had he really decided in some ! foolish, drunken whim to take a trip to | { Central America? He recollected that Jefferson Locke had not impressed | Bim very favorably at the start. The sound of a bugle. which Kirk | interpreted as an invitation to break- | fast, reminded him that he was fam- ished, and he lost no time in going be- l low. Upon his appearance the stew- ard made it plain to him in some subtle manner that the occupant of suit A needed nothing beyond the mere possession of those magnificent quarters to insure the most considerate treatment. Kirk was placed at the captain’s table, where his hunger was soon appeased, and his outlook grew more cheerful with the complete res- toration of bodily comfort. “Getting your sea legs, Mr. Locke?” inyuired the man at his right. “My name is Anthony.” f i | 1 J | “This is a ship, sir” ! | temples with both 1 lands and | strove to collect his whirling wits, | “Now, | Know you are wrong, doc- tor, and I'll tell you why. You see, my name isn't Locke. It's Anthony. Locke | went away on a ship, it I stayed in New York, understand? Well, he's| the fellow you're talki to, and I'm | asleep somewhere down around the' Bowgry."” “Nevertheless this is a ship,” the patiently explained, “:m(li you're on it, and I'm talking to you. What is more, you have not exchanged | identities with your friend Anthony, for your ticket reads “Jefferson Locke.” CHAPTER 11l Pamana Next Stop. AY!" Anthony raised him-| self excitedly on one arm, but was forced to lie down again without delay. “If this is a ship I must bave come aboard. How did I do it? When? Where?" “You came on with two men, or, rather, between two men, about 8:30 this morning. They put you in here, gave your ticket to the purser and went ashore. The slim fellow was crying, and one of the deckhands had to help him down the gangway.” “That was Iliggins, all right. Now, doctor, granting just for the sake: of | argument that this is a ship and that 1 am Jefferson Locke, when is your il “One week." “What?” Kirk's eyes opened wide with horror. *“I can't stay here a week,"” “You will have to.” “But 1 tell you I can't—I just can’t. I bought a new car the other day, and it's standing in front of the New York theater. Yes, and I have two rooms and a bath at the hotel at $15 a day.” The physiclan smiled heartlessly. “You must have been drinking pretty heavily, but I guess you will remem- ber everything by and by.” “I can’t understand it,” groaned the bewildered invalid. *“What ship is this—if it is really a ship?” “The Santa Cruz. Belongs to the Consolidated Fruit company. This is one of the bridal suits. It is 11:30 p. m., Nov, 21. We are bound for Colon. Good night. That capsule will make you sleep.” When the officer had gone Kirk turn- ed over and fell asleep. Morning | showed him the truth of the doctor's information. He awoke early, and, al- though his head still behaved queerly and he had moments of nausea, he dressed himself and went on deck. A limitless, oily sea stretched out before his bewildered eyes. He touch- ed the rail with his hands to verify his vision. He felt as if he were walking in his sleep. He realized that a great fragment had suddenly dropped out of his life's pattern. Although Anthony was a youth of few responsibilities, he awoke sudden- Iy to the fact that there were a thou- sand things that needed doing, a thou- sand people who needed to know his whereabouts, a thousand things that were bound to go wrong. For in- stance, there was his brand new French car. standing with motor blank- eted beside the Forty-fifth street curb. What had happened to it and to the urchin he had left in charge of it? He owed $1.000 on its purchase, which he had promised to pay yesterday. That remittance from his father had come just in the nick of time. Suddenly he recalled placing the check in his bill case, and he searched himself diligent- Iy, but found nothing. It was simply imperative that he get some word ashore. He let his eyes rove over the ship in desperation. Then a happy thought came to him. “The wireless!" he said aloud. “Bone- head! Why didn't you think of that “ A _“Fact,” said the doctor, abstractedly A long ago?' A glance at the rigging showed bim that the Santa Cruz was equipped with a plant, and a ‘moment “I beg your pardon! The passenger list said”— “That was a mistake. “My name is Stein. where you are bound for?’ "1 think the place is Panama.” “Going to work on the canal?” “What canal? Oh, of course! T remember hearing something a Panama canal, “That’s the dryly. “Oh, I've heard it mentioned.” | “Well, you won't hear anything else | mentioned down here. It's the one and only subject of conversation. No- | body thinks or talks or dreams about | anything except the ct Lverybody works on it or else works for some body who does. See this fellow com- ing down the stairs?’ Anthony be- held a slender, bald headed man of youthful appearance. *“That is Ste- plhien Cortlandt. You've heard of the Cortlandts " “Sure! One of them pitched for the Cubs.” “I mean the Cortlandts of Washing- ton. They're swell people, society folks and all that”— He broke off to bow effusively to the late comer, who seated himself opposite. Then he in- troduced Kirk. Mr, Cortlandt impressed Anthony as a cold blooded, highly schooled person, absolutely devoid of sentiment. He seemed by no means effeminate, yet he was one of those immaculate beings upon whom one can scarcely imagine a speck of dust or a bead of perspira- tion, “By the way, we're getting up a pool on the ship’s run,” Stein told his new acquaintance. *“Would you like to May I ask Now ‘ about | Is that where it (s | place,” Stein rvplie(li MOLLYCODDLE LAXATI!VES Can Not and Bo Not Touch the Liyg They may clear out the intestinal trs but do not relieve the dammed-up b, .’ Years ago May Appie Root (called Po. dophyllin) was a last-resort bile star:, It griped fearfully, but brought ont 11, bile. Podophyllin with the gripe tal.; out is now to be had under the naxe he met and mentally estimating the girth of his neck. Then he made his way toward the smoking room, deter- mined to enlist the help of his new acquaintance, Stein. Midway aft he paused. A girl had emerged from the deckhouse ahead of him, whose appearance was sufficient- ly striking to divert him. momentarily at least. from his quest, She was well above the usual height, quite slender. yet of an exquisite rounded fullness, while her snug fitting tailor made gown showed the marks of taste. Kirk let his eyes follow her, then retraced his way around the deck in the hope of meeting her face to face. (To Be Continued.) For sale by Henley & Henley Long Life of Liner| that 1» just what we are giving 1s what you are looking fer an¢ alony with good laundry work. Try us. *hexe 180 West Maix By, So He Came t Our Stor Where we sell Paints galore, And he still Paints without any restraint. NoiMatter What You Want to Paint See Us W join?" “Yes, indeed. I'm for anything in the line of chance.” “Very well. T’ll see you in the smok- ing room later. It will cost you only $5.” Kirk suddenly recalled his financial condition and hastened to say, a trifle lamely: Our Paints are Adapted to All Purposes Exterjor and Interior “Come to think about it, 1 believe I'll stay out. 1 never gamble.” Chancing to glance up at the moment he found Mr. Cortlandt’s eyes fxed upon him with a peculiarly amused look and a few minutes later he followed Mr. Stein to the deck above. Once in his own stateroom search showed Kirk that even his watch was gone and that his only asset, evidently overlooked by the hilarious Higgins and his co-partner in crime, was a modest three stone finger ring. He had neither bagrage nor money. He was regarding his ring speculatively when the purser knocked, then entered at his call. “I've just heard that there’s a mis- take about your ticket.” the newcomer began. “It is made out to ‘Mr. Jeffer- son Locke,” but the doctor says you insist your name is something else.” “That's right. My name is Anthony.” “Then how did 1 get this ticket?” “I'm sure I don't know.” “Have you any baggage?” “I don't know.” “What is your destination?” “lI don't know. You'll pardon my limited vocabulary ?” “But 1 don't understand.” “Neither do 1. But I must have some luggage. 1 need a clean shirt and col- lar.” “If you are not Mr. Locke the ticket is no good.” “Hurrah! Put me off.” “You don't understand—the ticket is good, but"— “Pardon the personal nature of the question—but—what size shirt do you wear?” “Seventeen.” “Saved! Let me bave about six, will you?” “Certainly not,” returned the other. “I need all 1 have. T'll have a look for your baggage, Mr.—Anthony, and I'll see the captain about this ticket also. TI'll look you up later.” He departed, shaking his head as if this were a form of Iinsanity he had never before encountered. A moment later Kirk followed him and made a round of the deck staring at each man % We Sell the Best Paints Made and Makc the Right Price WILSON HARDWARE CO. 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