Lakeland Evening Telegram Newspaper, March 9, 1914, Page 2

THE EVENING TELEUGRAM LAKELA! A Romance of the Panama Canal REX BEACH COPYRIGHT, 1810, 1911, SYNOPSIS. Kirk Anthony, son of a rich man, with eollege friends, gets into a fracas in a New York resort. A detective s hurt. Jefterson Locke Insinuates himself into the college men's party. Locke, alded by Kirk's friend Higgins, who thinks it a joke, drugs Kirk and puts him aboard a ship bound for Colon. Kirk is on the passenger liat"as Locke. “Broke’ and without baggage, aboard the ship Kirk makes the acquaintance of Mr, and Mrs. Stephen Cortlandt. Cortlandt s in the American diplomatic service and Is going to Panama on a mis- | slon. In Colon Kirk, as the son of a big railroad man, is taken up by Weeks, American consul. Kirk's father repudlates him, and Weeks casts him out as an impostor. Kirk meets | Allan, a Jamaican negro canal worker out of a job. The two are arrested by Colon police for helping to put out a fire Kirk and Allan are treated brutally in a Colon jall by young Alfarez, command- | ant of police. Allan's release is obtained | by the British consul, but Weeks refuses | to aid Kirk. Mrs. Cortlandt gets a phone call. Mrs. Cortlandt obtains Kirk's release by using influence with Colonel Jolson, head ! of the canal. The Cortlandts are in- triguing to make Alfarez's father pres'- dent of Panama “Oh, the man is mistake,” the latter hastened to aver. “He is crazee.” “I gave you a wetting in public, and"— “Si, si! That is correc', Senor Cort- lan'. He insolt my person an' fight my soldiers. He is ver' toff person.” “Did you know he had been mal- treated in prison?" Cortlandt demand- ed. “Oh, senor!" Alfarez raised his bands in horrified disclaimer of the very thought, but his victim said: “He's a liar. He ordered it. then sat there and enjoyed it." Kirk made a threatening movement in the Spaniard’s direction, despite the half dozen soldiers. but Edith Cort- landt checked him. “Wait, please,” she said. 'Then to the commandant: *‘This is a serious matter, and if what he says is true your government will trouble.” “But we 'ave#no idea he is frien' of yours. If he should only spik your 'osban’s name, all would be different. For my part, I can prove he is treat with the ’ighes’ courtesy an' kindness in my presence. Every man in the prison will testify to those fac'." “Why did you keep him locked up so find itself in “That's the fellow yonder.” Jong? Why didn't you try him?" said | Cortlandt. “Ah! For that I shall inquire also. I am inform', 'owever, that the w'at you call jodge is seeck.” “We'll look into that later. We're | here now to arrange for Mr. Anthony’y release.” “The alcalde will be please’ to ac- commodat» at the earlies’. shall see t2 it. Tomorrow”— “There will be no tomorrow about it,” Mrs. Cortlandt exc! i tively. “If you canmot arrange bail yourself, my husband will take up the matter with the zone govern- ment, and Colonel Jolson will call upon the president of the republic within an hour. He is waiting word from us now.” 1 myself l Senor Ramon_ Alfarez became sud i ! delay as had already occurred. i it!" Mrs. Cortlandt exclaimed. | wouldn't help you then. BY HARPER & BROTHERS denly galvanized. THe broke into effu- sive apologies for even so small a While, to be sure., no power was vested in him, and his willing hands were most miserably tied. nevertheless he would so far exceed his authority as to promise instant freedom to the prison- er. He hastened forth to set in mo- tion the proper machinery, and while he was absent Kirk told his story. It left the woman white lipped and in- coherent, and roused even the icy Cort- | landt to genuine wrath. “Of course.” the latter said, “Alfarez will prove by his men that it’s all im- agination on your part and that your injuries were sustained at the time of your arrest. ITe'll assume a righteous indignation and start a Spiggoty inves tigation. You see, his father is the gov- | error of Panama province and one of the strongest men in the republic, so Ramon will probably make good his position. Even so, yon may recover damages.” “I don’t want damages.” Kirk re- plied. “I want to get him out alone some time.” “Tor heaven's sake, don't think of Al the the isthmus Fifty men would perjure themselves to convict you." *No. That method " her husband agreed. “You're y to escape so easily. He will ar- range bail, never fear, and you will probably not come to trial. He'll never forgive you. of course, but that won't matter to you.” The first part of Mr. Cortlandt's pre- diction was soon proved true, for the sick alecalde recovered sufficiently to appear on the scene within half an hour. Then, after much signing of offi- cia]l documents and certain other for- malities, Kirk Anthony walked out of the Colon jail in company with his friends. In the midst of Kirk's expressions of gratitude for the timely intercession of Cortlandt and his wife, the former surprised him by saying in a genuine- ly hearty tone: “My wife has told me all about you, Anthony, and I want you to come over to Panama as my guest in the hotel until you hear from your father.” When . Kirk informed him of the cablegram that had cast him adrift in Panama, Cortlandt replied reassur- ingly: “Oh, well, your father doesn’t under- stand the facts in the case, that's all. You sit down like a sensible person and write him fully.” Seeing a warm second to his invita- tion in Mrs. Cortlandt's eyes, Kirk ac- cepted gracefully, explaining, “You know this is the first time I was ever up against hard luck, and I don't know just how to act." “We've missed the 1:35, so we will have to return the way we came,” said Cortlandt *I'd like to stop at Gatun on a Lusiness matter of some import- ance. and if you don't mind a half hour’s delay we'll do so.” They pursued their way to the sta- tion. But here an unexpected em- barrassment arose. As they made ready to board Colonel Jolson's motor- car they were annoyed to find that Allan insisted on going too. He in- sisted. morcover, in such extravagant fashion that Mrs. Cortlandt at last was moved to say, “For heaven's sake, let the poor thing come along.” And thereafter the Jamaican boy sat on the step of the machine. Once more the little automobile took on the dignity of a regular train and sped ont of the network of tracks be- hind Colon. As it gained speed Mrs. Cortlandt, to divert her guest's mind from his recent ordeal, began to ex- plain the points of interest as they passed. She showed him the old French workings where a nation’s American influence on doesn’t work | N s | hopes lay buried. the mechanical ruins that had cost a king's ransom, the Mount Hope cemectery, whither daily trains had borne the sacrifice before science had robbed the fever of its ter- rors “Will they really finish the canal?" be asked. *Won't something happen?’ “It is already dug. The rest is mere- 1y a matter of excavation and concrete. The engineering difficulties have all been solved. and the big human ma- chine has been built up. What is more important. the country is livable at last. Over at Ancon hospital there is a quiet. hard working medical man who has made this thing possible. When the two oceans are joined to- gether, and the job is finished, his will be the name most highly honored.” “It must be nice to do something “It is amusing to look back on the old Spanish statement that it would be impious to unite two oceans which the | Creator of the world had separated.” As Kirk dropped asleep that night after the luxuries of a bath, clean clothes and a meal on white linen and china, he reflected contentedly that. after all, things have a way of coming right in this world for those who ac- cept them cheerfully as they come. On the following morning Kirk dis- patched a long letter to his father, ex- plaining. as well as he could, how he came to be in Panama and giving a Jdetailed account of the events that had hefallen him since his arrival. Al- thongh he took this means of relieving his father's anxiety. he was far from resigning himselt to a further delay of his return. On the contrary, he at once begun an inquiry as to sailing dates. discovering. to his intense dis- gust. that no ship was scheduled to leave for New York within several days. He planned to borrow the pas- age money from his friends when the time came, and accompany his letter northward. Meanwhile he «levoted his time to sight seeing with his hostess. Edith Cortlandt was a woman very sure of herself in most things. A sit- uation that might have proved embar- rassing to one less tactful she accepted quite as a matter of course, rather en- joying the exercise of her influence and never doubting her power to keep the friendship on any footing she chose. Kirk's frank, boyish gratitude for the favirs he had received made it easy for her to encourage the growth of an intimacy that she acknowledged charming, while she sincerely believed that he would he helped by it. Find- ing him responsive. she deliberately set herself to please him. She was no longer brilliant and chilly, smiling and unaffected, Once in o while Cortlandt went with them. but he was usually uncommuni- cative, and they scarcely felt his pres ence. When he did talk he talked eas- ily and well. Several days passed thus, during which Anthony fully recovered from his experience at Colon. Then a ship arrived from New York, but before he had summoned courage to his ask friends for a loan he received a letter | forwarded from Colon by the Ameri- can consul, a perusal of which not only dumfounded him, but entirely aftered his plans. It was typewritten on plain station- ery; there was neither heading nor sig- nature, vet he knew quite well from whom it came. It read as follows: Don't cable again or the stupidity of the police m got away safely, and you would be mad to return alone. you now. TI You have m: e vour bed, now lie in it. 1 don't believe in miracles, but if you can : straighten up and make a man of your- self I'll help you face this trouble, other- wise don't call on me for anything. through. Kirk reread this amazing epistle sev- eral times before its full significance struck him: then. when he realized what it meant, he felt himself break into a sweat of apprehension. That plain clothes man had died! The po- lice were looking for him. There could be no other explanation, else why had Higgins and the rest fled the country? Perhaps he was already indicted. Kirk saw himself accused of manslaughter, arrested and tried.* What could he do if his father refused to help? Evident- ly the governor believed him guilty, In that case the young man knew that ex- planations would be futile. Even the letter he had sent would do no good. When Darwin K. Anthony said he was through he was through. Finding a secluded corner of the ve- randa, he sat down to think this mat- ter out, but the more he reflected on it the more serious it appeared. Of one thing he became quickly convigeed: New York at present was no plac® for him. He rose quickly and entered the hotel, where he bought all the latest New York papers and found an ac- count of Mr. Padden's efforts to dis- prove his connection with an asault upon the person of a detective named Williams. who had come from St. Louis. But nowhere was there a word about the present condition of the plain clothes man. nor the slightest hint toward explaining the conduct of the mysterious Jefferson Locke. for whom he had been searching. Who the devil was Locke, anyhow? The article did not even state the charge upon which he was to be arrested. In an- other paper Kirk found something that relieved his mind a bit. Evidently Willlams had not died prior to the time of going to press, although he was reported in a critical condition, One thing was clear. at least. He could stay here no longer as the Cort- landts’ guest—be had already incur- red an obligation which he would have difficulty in discharging. Conquering his sense of humiliation as best he conld. he called up the Cort- landts® suit Edith answered saying that her hus- band was out. Then, in response to his request, she came down herself. “What has gone wrong? Why this face of tragedy?" she inquired as she seated herself beside him. “I've received my declaration of in-I dependence. T've heard from my | dad.” He told her everything Withol{t reserve. then showed her the letter and the newspapers in his hand. She scrutinized them with g quiet serious- | ness that seemed to make his trouble her own. Turning her bright o_vesl upon him, she inqui “How does it feel to be disinherited ! “Blamed uncomfortable! Mr. Cortlandt at once.” “Let me.” she offered, quickly. *1 would not show any one that letter, if I were you, nor advertise the fact that I must tell I worth while,” Anthony mused vaguely. “To do anything,” his companion ob- served. with a shade of meaning; then. you are in danger of arrest. It will : be quite enough if I tell him that you but gay. | v fail to protect you. The others | I can't and won't help | time you went too far | I'm | D, FLA., MARCH 9, 1914. have quarrelled with your “father—he is a peculiar man." & Kirk signified his agreement. “Now what do you intend doing?’ “I'm going to work.” “Good! (ood!" She clapped her hands gleefully. «0Oh. 1 don't want to," he protested, “but the old gentleman thinks I'm no @ood. and T'd like to show him he's wrong. After I've done that, I intend loaf by that time. Of course, I'll have to pay my debts too. I'm going to hunt a job this afternoon.” “What sort?" “Something with big pay and 1o responsibility.” “Those positions are taken—by the “What can you army,” she laughed. |do?" “1 can take an automobile apart.” “And put it together again?” “Oh, no! 1 ean sail a boat; T shoot ipretty well; I waltz nicely; 1 row, swim and box indifferently; and I play no! Experience is a good thing, of course, and ability is even better, but neither is absolutely neces- | sary in government work. if you have I‘intlnvlm-. I am trying to think of the ' niche into which you would best fit.” “When a fellow hasn't any of those qualifications, then what? Take me, | for instance.” “You have at least one. He shook his head. wouldn't help.” [ “We'll have no difficulty in finding you a position.” Influence.” “My father “Jove! That's good news. T had an idea that 1I'd be going from door to | door.™ He shook her hand warmly, that be- ing the natural outlet for his gratitude, and she smiled at him. “lI wonder where I'd hetter start in.” he said. I There's not the slightest enoice, All co far enoush you will reach the top. | Tt would he quite easy it you knew | something about the railroad business, for instance.” “Oh. 1 do. I've had that drilled into me ever sinee I was a child, T grew up [ with it-was sonked in it made me learn telegraphy before he ave me aomotorboat,” “Why in the world didn't you say 1809 “Well, T have forgotten most of it,"” he confessed. “T had a railroad of my own, too, when 1 was twelve years old. T was president.” “Unfortunately, the P. R. R. has a president. so we can't start yon in where you left off.” “He might need an assistant.” Mrs, Cortlandt laughed lightly. “While we are finding that out.” she | | [ | | | | | | | the line in daylight and really see what this work is like. That glimpse you Now, will you trust me to manage this for you, Mr, Anthony %" “I should say I would.” CHAPTER IX. The Truth About Mrs. Cortlandt. DITII CORTLANDT was not the sort to permit delay. At lunch she introduced Kirk to the master of transportation of the Panama railroad, saying: “Mr. Runnels has offered to take you out through the cut this afternoon and explain the work to you.” Runnels was a straight, well set up, serious young man. Anthony was drawn to him instantly, for there was no affectation about him. “She's wonderful,” he remarked a moment later, as he and Kirk descend- ed the hotel steps together. “She told Colonel Jolson he'd just have to find you a position, and I have been dele- gated to show you about.” “The Cortlandts seem to have consid- erable influence for outsiders. I thought I'd have to begin at the bottom.” Runnels glanced at his companion quickly. “Outsiders! You don't call them out- siders? She knows everybody and ev- erything in this country. She's the whole diplomatic service. Take Colombian trouble. for instance"— “What trouble?” “When P'anama seceded. She manip- ulated that. or at least Steve Cortlandt did under her direction. It was one of the cleverest exploits on record. Co- lombia wouldn’t let us build the canal, so Panama seceded. War was declared, but the United States interfered in time to prevent bloodshed. By the time the excitement had died out we had begun digging. She knows Central America like the palm of her hand. When she says Kirk Anthony wants a | position, we hirelings jump about and see that he gets it. Oh. you'll have any job you want.” g The two passed through the railroad gates and took their places in the lit- tle car. When they were under way Runnéls went on: ““I am supposed to show you this end of the work and tell you what it all means. The ditch will be about fifty miles long, and, roughly speaking. the work is in three parts—the dredging and harbor build- ing at sea level on each end of the canal, the lock work and the excava- | tions on the upper levels. That dam you saw building at Gatun will form a lake about thirty miles long—quite a fishpond. eh? When g westbound ship arrives, for instance, it will be raised through the Gatun locks, three of them ‘ and then' sail along eighty-five feet ! above the ocean, across the lake and | into a channel dug right through the | hills until it reaches the locks at | Pedro Miguel. Then it will be lowered ‘ to a smaller lake five miles long, then down again to the level of the Pacific. An eastbound ship wil reverse the process. 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