Lakeland Evening Telegram Newspaper, March 19, 1914, Page 2

PAGE TWO G TELEURAM LAKELAND, FLA., MARCH 19, 1914. NE'ER-DO-WELL A Romance of the Panama Canal REX BEACH COPYRIGNT, 1910, 11, BY HARPER & BROTHERS SYNOPSIS. Kirk Anthony, son of a rich man, with | eollege friends, gets into a fracas in a New York resort. A detective is 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 {8 on the passenger list as Locke “Broke” and without baggage, aboard the ship Kirk makes the acquaintance of Mr, and Mrs. Stephen Cortlandt. Cortlandt is in the American diplomatic service and is to Panama on a mis- sion. In Colon Kirk, as the son of a big railroad man, is taken up by Weeks, American consul Kirk's father repudiates him, and Weeks easts him out as an impostor. Kirk meets Allan, a Jamaican negro canal worker out of a job. Tie two are arrested by Colon | police for helping to put out a fira 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 ald 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 presi- | dent of Panama. Kirk's father casts him off finally, and Mrs. Cortlandt obtains for him a position on the Panama railroad under Runnels, master of transportation, The girl tells him her name is “Chiqui- ta.” He learns later that that means only “little one.” Kirk begins his work. ! Mrs. Cortlandt has learned who Jefferson Locke is. Locke (real name Wellar) is a swindler and has disappeared. His description fits Kirk. The latter tries in vain in Panama to learn something of Chiquita and meets Alfarez again. Kirk wins the caplital prize, $156,000, in the lottery. He and Runnels make plans for advancement. The Cortlandts, have ing turned from the older Alfarez, intend to make Senor Garavel, a banker, presi- dent of Panama. “Alfarez’s son, Kirk's foe, 13 engaged to Gertrudis, Garavel's daughter. S8he Is Kirk's “Chiquita.” He meets her again at the opera through Mrs, Cortlandt's aid. Kirk makes love to Chiquita. Bdith Cortlandt, infatuated with Kirk, goes rid- ing. with ‘mn frequenuy “Bhe avows her Tove for him. Thelr ride and talk are interrupted by her husband. Kirk asks Garayel for his daughter's hand. The banker wishes her to marry Alfarez to advance his own ambitions. Clifford, a man from the Btates, asks ' Runnels about Kirlk ~It Was my first memorial service. 1 thought 1 was going to see you alone.” “Oh, that is never allowed.” “Never? How am I going to ask you to marry me?" Miss Garavel hid her blushing face behind her fan. *“Indeed! You seem —n‘.‘ “Make it yourself ready to fight to- morrow.” | riage shall nevér Occur until first 1 walk upon your dead body. As matter of honor I offer you this opportunity biffore it is too late. All Panama is speaking of those engagements to Se- norita Garavel. Come, then, must I insolt you further?” CHAPTER XIX. “What About Me?” IRK replied dryly, looking the Spaniard over with cold blue eyes. “No! 1 think you've gone about far enough.” “You niffuse!” exclaimed Ramon tri- umphantly. “Look here!" said Kirk. “I've had enough of this." He advanced threat- eningly, and the Spaniard nervously gave way. “I don't fight duels. It's against the law. In my country it's a crime to kill & man in cold blood, and we don't tie a fellow up and beat him when he’s helpless and then offer him the honorable satisfaction of ei- their committing murder or being kfll- ed. They're not wearing duels this season.” His hands clinched involun- eapable of asking that absurd question ' tarily. “I don't want to hurt you, Al- under any circumstances.” | farez, but 1 may not be able to help it “1 wish you would stfhighten me out it you don't keep out of my way.” on some of your customs.” He left the flery little Panamanian She gave him an odd look, smiling | still scowling and muttering threats timidly. and went his way, wondering vaguely *As for tonight, do you attribute any | how his attentions to Chiquita had be- meaning to my father's request that | come so quickly known. He was in- you dine with us?" formed later in the afternoon. “Of course. It means I wasn't black- As he left the office for the day he balled at the first meeting, I suppose.” | was handed a note from Mrs. Cort- She blushed delightfully again. | landt requesting him to call at once, *Since you are so ignorant of our ways | #nd, summoning a coach, he was driv- you should inquire at your earliest con- | en directly to her house. Unlike the venience. I would advise you, per- | Garavel home, the house which the haps, to learn Spanish.” Cortlandts had leased was set upon the “Will you teach me? I'll come every | Water front, its rear balcony overlook- evening.” ing the sea where it lapped the foun- She did not answer, for the old lady | dation of the city wall. began to show curiosity, and a conver- Edith kept hin waiting a moment sation in Spanish ensued which Kirk | pefore she descended, dressed for her could not follow. He departed with a | afternoon ride. feeling of exaltation. Beyond doubt [ “You got my note?" his suit was progressing—slowly, per- | “Yes, and I came straight from the haps, but still prog ng. office.” His understanding of Spanish cus-| ] suppose you know what it is about toms received a considerable enlarge- and are wondering how I heard the ment on the following day, when he ’ news." met Ramon Alfarez outside the railroad | v What news?" office. Ramon had evidently waited pur- “Your ‘e ent’" She laughed posely for him, and now begin to voice | with an awusement that did not ring a protest in the greatest excitement. | quite true. “You ’ave insolt me,” he cried flb‘ “You're the . second one to speak riously, “and now you ’'ave the inso- | ahout that. I'm not engaged.” *Of course not. Don’t think for a moment I believed it. [ was calling e Spanish people this afternoon and heard the report. I admit it was a shock. When I learned the details 1 knew at once you ought to be told be- fore it developed into something embar- rassing. Come into the other room: there is a breeze from the water.” She led him into the parlor, from which the open windows, shielded now by drawn shutters, gave egress to the rear porch with its chairs and bammock “Dear, dear! You foolish boy, you're always in trouble, aren't you? You really don't deserve to be helped. Why, you have avoided me for weeks.” lence to interfere in my affairs.” He paused dramatically. *“Make it your- self ready to fight on tomorrow.” “What’s the use of putting it off? 1 couldn't make your weight in that | time. I'll do it now, if you say."” “No, no! Onderstan' we shall fight like gentlemen. I shall keel you with any weapon you prefer.” “By Jove!” Kirk exclaimed in amaze- ment, “This is a challenge. You want to fight a duel! Why, this reads like a book!” He began to laugh, at which Ramon became white and calm, “Lis- ten,” Kirk went on, “I'll tell you what we'll do; we'll fight with fire hose again. I suppose you want satisfaction on 8¢ for that ducking.” us with work. I have had no time to “I prefer to shoot you, senor,” the go out.” other declared quietly. “Those mAr |~ wypjeed! You had time to run after “The new arrangement has swamped | | ] i ) | yours. | the first prefty Spanish face you saw.’ “You mean Miss Garavel?” “Yes. were doing?" “I realized what 1 was trying to do. | But I could understand better what vou are talking about if I knew just | what this difficulty is.” “Why. this silly ‘engagement’ of Don't pretend to be so stupid.” “Ramon Alfarez heard that same re- | port and very courteously invited me | to wait a few minutes while he killed’| me. It's tremendously flattering to be linked up with Miss Garavel, of course, but I haven't asked her to marry me." “But you've seen her. You have called at her house." “Sure! Twice, the old gentleman. vels were lined up like mourners.” “And you dined there last night. that all you have seen of her?” “N-no. I've seen her at Las Savan- nas. That's why 1 went hunting so often.” At this confession, which Kirk deliv- ered with sheepish reluctance, Mrs. Cortlandt drew herself up with an ex- pression of anger. “Then this has been going on for some time!" she cried. *“Why, Kirk, you never told me.” “Why should 17" She tlushed at this unconscious bru- tality, but after a moment ran on ely: “But why did you let it go so Why did you let them commit Is you?" “Am | committed?* Her look was half offended. half in- credulous. “Are you trying to be dis- agreeable, or is it possible you don't kunow the meaning of those invitations to call and to dine with the family, and all that? Why, they expect you to marry her. It is all settled now, ac- cording to the Spanish custom. The whole town is talking about it."” “1 hope you're not joking." said Kirk “Jove! I'm Kknocked ar off my pins.” A tremendous wave of excite- him. *“So that's That's what she ment surged over what Alfaeez meant. meant last night when she told me to' look up”— He broke off suddenly, for Edith's face had gone chalk white. “But, Kirk, what about me?” asked In a strained volce. There was deathlike silence in the room. “You can't love her,” said the wom- | an. ‘““Why, she's only a child, and she's—Spanish.” They stood motionless, facing each other. At last Kirk said gravely and deliberately: “Yes, I love her better than anything in the world, and I want to marry her. she I could give up my country, my dad— | anything for her.” Pressing her gloved fingers to her temples, she turned her head blindly from side to side, whispering as if to herself. “What will become of me?” “Don't!" he cried in a panic and cast a hurried “You'll be overheard. landt?” “At his club, I suppose. I don't know—I—don’t care. You've been dis- honest with me, Kirk."” “Don't act this way,” he ordered roughly. “I'm terribly fond of you, but I never knew”— “You must have known.” “I knew nothing. I chose not to think. What I saw I forgot. I sup- posed you merely liked me as I liked you."” “You say you didn't know. Then what about that afternoon in the jun- gle? Oh, you're not blind. You must have seen a thousand times. Every hour we've been alone together I've told you, and you let me go on believ- ing you cared. 1 have no pride. I am not ashamed. It's too late for shame now. Why, even my husband knows.” With an exclamation he seized her by the arm. “You don’t mean that!" he cried flercely. But she wrenched herself away. “Why do you think I made a man of you? Why did I force you up and up and over the heads of others? Why are you in line for the best position on the railroad? Did you think you had made good by your own efforts?’ She laughed harshly. *“I took Runnels and Wade and Kimble and the others that you liked and forced them up with you. 8o you'd have an organization that couldn’t be pulled down.” *Did—did youn do all that? “l did more. I broke with Alfapes because of what his son did to you. I juggled the politics of this country, I threw him over and took Garavel— Garavel! My God. what a mockery! But I won't let you—I won't let that girl spoil my work. quarrel between Jolson and the super- intendent, and I've used Runnels to break trail for yon. Why? Ask your- self why! Oh, Kirk." she cried, “you mustn't marry that girl! I'll make Yyou a great man!" “You seem to forget Cortlandt,” said dully. She gave a scornful laugh. *“You needn’t bring Stephen in. He doesn't count. 1 doubt if he'd even care.” “I'm not going to listen to you.," he cried. *I suppose I've been a fool, but this must end right here.” “You can't marry that girl,” she re- iterated, hysterically. She was half sobbing again, but not with the weak- ness of a woman; her grief was mo're like that of a despairing man. “For heaven's sake, pull yourself to- | gether,” said Kirk. “You have ser- vants. I—I don't know what to say. I| want to get out, I want to think it over. I'm—dreadfully sorry. That's all I can seem to think about now.” Where's Cort- he He turned and went blindly to the ! door, leaving her without a look be hind. When he had gone she drew off her | riding gloves, removed her hat and Didn’t you realize what you | at the invitation of | All the little Gara- | look over his shoulders. | 1 fostered this; dropped"hem b«fl] dpon the > nearest | chair, then crept wearily up the stairs to her room. l A moment later the latticed wooden blinds at the end of the parlor swung open, and through the front windf»\v stepped Stephen Cortlandt. Behind | him was a hammock swung in the coole<t part of the balcony. The pupils of his eves, ordinarily so dead and expressionless, were distended | those of a man under the influence of a drug or suffering from a v iolent head- ache, He listened attentively for an instant. hearing footsteps approaching from the " rear of the house, he strolled into the | hall. and a bottle. medicine, some absinthe. | pain, sir.” He thanked her and with shaking ' fingers poured the glass full, drank it off like so much water. “You're not going out again in the heat, sir?" | “yes. | dining at the University club.” Kirk never passed a more unpleasant night than the one which followed. In the morning he went straizht to Run- nels with the statement that he conld "take no part in the little testimonial they had intended to give Cortlandt. ‘But it's too late now to back out. I saw him at the University club last i evening and fixed the date for Satur- day night.” “Did you tell him I was in the af- fair?" “Certainly. 1 said it was your idea. It affected him deeply too. I neversaw a chap so moved over a little thing.” Kirk thought quickly. Perhaps Edith had spoken rashly in her excitement and her husband did not know her feelings after all. Perhaps he only suspected. In that case it would never do to withdraw. It would seem like a 'confession of guilt. [ “If he has accepted that ends it. I suppose.” he said finally. *“What has happened 7" watching him sharply. | *“Nothing. 1 merely wish 1 badn't entered into the arrangement, that's all. I've ordered a watch for him, too, and it's being engraved. I wanted to | give him something to show my own personal gratitude for what he and his wife have done for me. Lord! It took ~a month's salary. I know it's a jay preGent. but there's nothing decent in these shops.” l “Look here! 'something to you for some time, though it's deuced hard to speak of such things. Steve Cortlandt has put {us where we are. You understand, when I speak of him I include his wife too. Well, I like him., Kirk, and I'd hate to see him made unhappy. If a chap loves a married woman he ought | to be man enough to forget it. Rotten way to express myself, ot course’— Runnels was the eyes as he answered: “I haven't | affairs, never have had, in fact I'm in love with Gertrudis Garavel, and | I'm engaged to marry her.” “The devil!" “It's a fact. I didn’t know until last | night that I'd been accepted.” “Then just forget what I sald. I was going north on a south bound track—I ran ahead of orders. I really do congratulate you, old man. Miss Garavel is—well, I won't try to do her Justice—I had no idea. don me.” “Certainly. Now that it's settled I'm not going to let any grass grow under my feet.” “Why, say! next president! Jove, you're lucky! Cortlandt told me last night that the old fellow’s candidacy was to be an- nounced Saturday night at the big ball. That's how he came to accept our Invitation. He said his work would be over by then, and he'd be glad to join us after the dance. Well, well! Your future wife and father-in. law are to be his guests that night, I | suppose you know.” | with Alfarez? I'm glad to %ear that.” ' is a big special event. The American gangs will be there, besides the promi- nent Spanish people. It's precisely the and Cortlandt intends to do it. After it's over our little crowd will have sup- | per and thank him for what he has done for us. Your promotion came just in time, didn't it? Talk about luck! We ought to hear from Washington before Saturday and know that our | jobs are cinched. flerce for me. You know. I have g wife and kid, and it means a lot. When you give Cortlandt that watch you'll have to preseut him with a ing cup from the rest of us. it's coming to him, don't you?® “I-I'd rather you preser | *“Not much! I think d it. I can run trains can't engineer social functions. have to be spokesman.” | ! PIIERESE, ; CHAPTER XX, | A Plot and a Sacrifice. HE night had been for Edith.Cortls been for Kirk s ed a determination. g lurally revengeful, but it was ¢ ! acteristic of her that she cou lendure failure. Action, n« ¢ tears, was the natural outlet of h\v- feelings. There was just one way of winning Kirk bacl stead it ruined him she w jundoing what she had done. As soon after breakfast as she knew definitely that her husband haq ! gone out she telephoned to General Al | farez, making an appointment to m.‘ on him at 11. She knew the crafty olq | Spaniard would be awaiting her with eagerness. (To Be Continued.) like | his head on one side. then, | | A maid appeared with a tray, a glass | “1 could not find the | " she said, “but 1 brought you | It will deaden the then | Tell Mrs. Cortlandt that 1 am | I've wanted to say Kirk looked the speaker squarely in ! ithe least interest in any married man's | Please par. { Garavel is to be the | “Then they have patched up a truce | “It's all settled, I believe. This dance | minister and the varions diplomatic | moment to launch the Garavel boom, ' This uncertainty is ! MannP best wmk Now Under ini Glenada Hotel lowest Pine Street Prices lumbingc\; Place your Qrgy Now ang Avaig Lie Rush First Class in Every Respect. Estimates W), Furnished on Short Notice. Residence Phone 274 Red All Work Guaranteed | Office Phine 257 il Bl N IR ok PRPPPRTORI RS T L Ll Room 17 Kentucky Bldg. I’hone: W. EISKE JOHNSON REAL ESTATE AND LOANS RBAN PROPERTY A SPECIALTY LAKELARD, FIA. s property we have it for sale; If you want or can get them for you. 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