THE
NE'ER-DO-WELL
A Romance of the Panama Canal
BY
REX BEACH
COmiGltT. MM. ltll. W1 HAIFC! u
h ny did you keep liim locked up so
Imik? Why didn't you try him?" mi id
Cortlmidf.
"All! For tliHt I shall Inquire also.
I bin Inform', 'owever. that the w'at
yon call Judge Ih Hck."
"We'll look Into that later. We're
hero now to arrange for Mr. Anthony's
rploiise."
"The alenlde will be please to ac-
I mysell
roinmodate at the parlies'.
vluili Bee to It. Tomorrow"
' J'!iTe will In- uo tomorrow about
i" Mrs. Cortlumlt 'ixcliiluieri, posi
tively. "If you cannot arrange the
luiil yoiii'Hflf, my Imelmmt will take
ll i the mutter with the zone novum
moot, and Colonel JoImou will call upon
the president of the republic within
an hour. He In waiting word from Uf
now."
Scnor it.'iinoii Alfa re, been nip awl-
(li nly Kitlvnnl.ed. He broke Into effil-!
alve upoloKicM for even ho hiiiiiII a
delay an li-id iihe.idy occurred. While,'
to be sure, no power wan vented In
hlui. and hi wtllinjj hands were moxt j
miserably tied, iievertheleaa he would
no far exceed bin authority an to j
promise Inxtant freedom to the prison I
er. Me hastened forth to set In mo-!
Hon the proer machinery, and while
he wag ubnent Kirk told his story. It .
left the woman white lipped and ln-
coherent, and rouned even the Icy Cort i
landt to genuine wrath.
"(if course," the latter aald. "Alfare
will prove by his men that It'i all lm
apliutlou on your part and that yom
Injurlea were sustained at the time ol
your arrest. He'll assume a riirhteout
IncMiniiilloii and atart a SplKttoty lnves
tlKatlon. You nee, hla father la the gov
ernor of Panama province and one ol
the RtronjroHt men In the republic, ac
Itnmon will probably make good hit
petition. Even bo, you may recovet
(Inmagea."
I aunt want daman, K'rk re
tilled. "I want to get him out alone
Rome time."
"For heaven's sake, don't think ol
It!" Mrs. Coithndt exclaimed. "All th
American Inlluence on the iathmui
wouldn't help you then. Fifty met,
would perjure theiuselvea to convict
you."
"No. That method doesn't work
ln'i'e," her husband agreed. "You'rt
lucky to escape no easily. He will ar
finite bafl, never fear, and you will
probably nut come to trial. He'll nevet
forgive you. of course, but that won't
ma Iter to you."
The tlrst mrt of Mr. Contlandt'a pre
dlctlou was soon proved true, for tb
sick alcalde recovered sufficiently tc
appear ou me scene within hair ai
hour. Then, after much signing of otB
Wal diK'timeuU and certain other for
nullities, Kirk Anthony walked out ol
the Colon Jail In enmpanv with kit
friends. -
In the midst of Kirk's expressions ol
gratitude for the timely interceaaion ol
Cortlamlt and hla wife, the forinel
sun'rlsiHl him by saying In a genuine
ly hearty tone:
"My wife lias told me all about you
Anthony, and I want you to come ovei
to Panama as my guest In the hotel
until you hear from your father."
When Kirk Informed Mm of tht
cablegram that had cast him adrift
In Panama, Cortlandt replied reassur
ingly: "Oh, well, your father doesn't under
aland the facta In the rase, that's all
You alt down like auuaible penon
and write Ulm fully."
Seeing a warm second to bis Invlta
tlou in Mrs. Cortlandt's eyes. Kirk ac
oeptod gracefully, explaining. "You
kuow this Ih the Bret time I was evel
up airaltiMt bard luck, and I dou't know
Jmt how to act"
"We've mused the 4:3k, so we will
have to return the way we came." aaid
Cortlandt "I'd like to stop at Oatuti
on a business matter of sotne Import
aui e, and If you don't uilud a halt
hour's delay we'll do so."
They pinni.sl their way to the ata
Hon lint here . u unexiwvtod eci
barrassiiicut un'se. As they made
ready to tnisnl iVlonW Jlsii's motor
car !:: -, aut.-yed to 8ad Cii
Allan insist,', I on gulnic I. hi He In
alsi.-d, ic.r i . :i avcJi traaMn'
fSs'i i-n ih r Mt-v t --t'
waa moved to say, "For heaven's sake
let the poor thing come along." And
thereafter the Jamaican boy sat on tht
step of the machine.
Once more the little automobile took
on the dignity of a regular train and
sped out of the network of tracks be
bind 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 oh!
French workings where a nation'
hopes lay buried, the mechanical ruim
that hud cost a king's ransom, tht
Mount Hope cemetery, whither dull
trains had borne the aa'.-rlnVe before
science had robbed the fever of its ter
rora.
"Will they really finish the canal?'
he asked, "Won't something happen?'
"It Is already dug. The rest Is mere I
ly a matter of excavation and concrete
The engineering diltlcultics have all
been solved, and the big human mil
chine has been built up. What is more
Important, the country Is livable at
lust. Over at Anion hospital there i
a quiet, hard working medical man
who has made this thing possible.
When the two oceans are Joined to-
. get her, and the job is finished, his will
be the name most highly honored.
; "It must be nice to do something
worth while," Anthony mused vaguely
"To do anything," his companion ob
I served, with a shade of meaning; then
"It la 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."
Aa 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 comlnu
right In this world for those who ac
cept them cheerfully as they come.
On the following morning Kirk dls
patched a long letter to his father, ex
plaining, as well ns he could, how he
came to be In Panama and giving
detailed account of the events that had
befallen him since his arrival. Al
though he took this (beans of relievinx
hla father's nnxlot.. . lie was far from
resigning ht.uscll' io a further delay
of his return. On the contrary, be at
once began an Inquiry as to Balling
dates, discovering, to bis luteuse 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 lie devoted his
time to sight seeing with hts hoHteaa.
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
favors 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 be helped by It Find
ing him ressnsive. she deliberately set
herself to please him. She was bo
longer brilliant and chilly, but gay,
smiling and unaffected.
Once In a while Cortlandt went with
them, but he was usually uncommuni
cative, and they scarcely felt hla pres
ence. When he did talk he talked eas
ily and well.
nelf I'll hdp ;uu face this trouble, olher- j
uise don't cait on me for anything. I'm
throuwi.. j
Kirk reread this amazing epistle sev- j
era! titms before iu full significance
struck lilin; then, when he realized i
what it meant, he felt himself break :
into a jtvi-;it of apprehension. That j
plain clothes man bad died! The po j
lice were looking for him. There cpuld i
he no other explanation, else why had !
Ilk-gins and the rest fled the country''
Perhaps he was already Indicted. Kirk
saw himself accused of manslaughter
r.rrested and tried. What could he do
if hl.-i 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
ruudu, 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 becume quickly convinced:
New York at present was no place 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 au nsault
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
tt'lwim Iia h;i1 Iiumi uwl iehlm Wlin flic !
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 bis mind n bit. Evidently
Williams 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-
andts' guest he had already Incur
red an obligation which he would
have dilHculty in discharging.
Conquering bis sense of humiliation
as best he could, he called up the Cort
lamlts' suit.
Edith answered saying that her hus
band was out. Then, in response to
his request, she came down herself. I
"What has gone wrong? Why this
face of tragedy?" she Inquired aa she j
seated herself beside him.
"I've received my declaration of in
dependence. I've beard from mj
dad." He told her everything without
reserve, then showed her the lettei
and the newspapers in bis hand. She
scrutinized them with a quiet serious
ness that seemed to make his trouble
her own. Turning her bright eyes
upon him, she Inquired, "How does It
feel to be disinherited?"
"Blamed uncomfortable! I must tell
Mr. Cortlandt at once."
"Let me," she offered, quickly. "I
would not show any one that letter. If
I were you, nor advertise the fact that
you are in danger of arrest It will
be quite enough If I tell him that you
have quarrelled with your father he
Is a peculiar man."
Kirk signified bis agreement.
"Now whut do you Intend doing?"
"I'm going to work."
"Good! Good!" She clapped hef
hands gleefully.
"Oh, I don't want to," he protested,
"but the old gentleman thinks I'm no
good, and I'd like to show him he's
wrong. After I've done that, I intend
to loaf again yen, and I'll know how tc
(oaf by that time. Of 'irse. 111 have
to psy my debts too. I'm going t
hunt a !"! this aftemoo i."
"Whnt sort?" f
"Sonietiiing with big pay and n-i
responsibility." j
"Those positions are taken bv '
iveuiea iiiotoroont.
"TVb- rt ie world didn't you say
so
"Wei!. I have forgotten most of it,"
be coiife-sc-l. "I ha;l a railroad of my
own. too. when I was twelve years
old. I was president."
Tnfortunately, the F. It. R. has a
president, so we can't start you In
where you left off."
"Ho might need an assistant."
Mrs. Cortlandt laughed lightly
"While we are finding that out," she
Raid, "I think you had better go ovei
the line In daylight and really see what
this work Is like. That glimpse you
had at Gatun Is only a small part
Now, will you trust me to manage this
for you, Mr. Anthony?"
"I should nay I would."
f. ;, .11 an ! i -
CHAPTER IX.
Th Truth About Mrs. Cortlandt,
DITII CORTLANDT was not
the sort to permit delay. At
lunch she introduced Kirk to
the master of transportation
army," she laughed. "What can you
doT'
"I can take an automobile apart"
"And put it together again?"
"Oh, no! I can sull a boat: I shoot
pretty well; I waltx nicely; I row,
swim and box indifferently; and I play
an atrocious band at poker. Am I
hopeless T
"Dear, no! Experience Is a , good
thing, of course, and ability Is even
better, but ueither Is absolutely neces
sary in government work, If you have
Influence. I am trying to think of the
niche into which you would best St."
"When a fellow hasn't any of those
qualifications, then what? Take me,
for instance."
"You have at leaat one. Influence."
He aliook hla head. "Mv father
Several days passed thus, during I wouldn't helD."
which Anthony fullv recovered from
his exerie!ice at Colon. Then a ship
arrived from New York, but before he
had summoned courage to ask bis
friends for a loan he received a letter
forwardi-d from Colon by the Ameri
can consul, a periled ef which not only
dumfoimdcd him. but entirely altered
his plans.
It was typewritten on plain station
cry: there was neither heading nor sig
nature, yet be
whom it c:.n,.
tHn't eat.!,- ;t: ,
Co'ice !-!, I . i t-
knew quite well frtim
It read as follow:
the
"We'll have no difficulty In finding
you a poUtJoa."
"Juve! That's good news. I had an
idea that I'd be going from d.wr to
door."
He shook her hand warmly, that be
ing the natural outlet fr his gratitude.
; and she s-niled at him. 'i wondet
I where I'd Letter start in." he said.
"There's not the slightest choice. All
paths lend up the mountain, ami if you
j go far enough you will reach the top.
t It would be quite easy If you knew
r-t :
:n or the !
VlCvt v
asU .cu
I cm I a
: t- ' r
l.ly
The o;h. r.
.! be t . i
r- t won't h,-:;'
nl IJ tar
r. -v I! tr : 1
but if ci-
sometr.i!
for i---"Oh.
I
me ever
i-h It
: als.ut the railroad business
. I'e had t'::it
e I w s a i hi.d.
s.-s-Ved In It.
tcH jri !ir
d-i led lntc
I grvw up
My f.i'liet j
U-fore he
of the Panama railroad, saying:
"Mr. Runnels has offered to take yon
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 consld
erable influence for outsiders. I thought
I'd have to begin at the bottom. "
Runnels glanced at his companion
quickly.
"Outsiders! You don't cull them out
alders? She knows everybody nnd ev
erythlng In this country. She's the
whole diplomatic service. Take tin
Colombian trouble, for instance"
Continued on Page .
You're really dry
in a
-. in 1
fih crana t,y
Reflex -fi
bheker
Not dtmy neu
water - proof, but a
roomy, com tort-i vine
service coat that will
protect you through thick
o(i ihui in the wettest weather.
$3.00 Sift"!.
W a nrint nUinhr am mw UhJ V
SATISFACTION
GUARANTEED
mnd tot tman If
- aa'1""-- A. J. Tower Co.
if BOSTON
ymv Toww Cm..
'9m Limited. Toronto
r .
n
na
When it rains
Jotou depend OA
ahowar-proof
or do you wiir a
Fish Brand
Reflax
Slicker
aid enjoy the rain be
cause you're dry ana
comfortable? Made for
rough and reedy eer
vke, and so water
proof that not a drop
reaches you even
through the openings
between the buttons.
The Heoex Edge does iL
$3.00
S.ti.fictloa Gurultiil
A.J. Tower Co. ff. -tfWE
BOSTON kriKi. t?Ski
Tow CidiM Utl m"k ' '
"Safety First" Ou: Motto
ON
SHASTA ROUTE TRAINS
OF THE
1 15 SUNSET i
Tlie Exposition Une-1915
And now ii tha time to aea California; to live outdoor! and en
joy the sunshine, flowers and lummer sports. It is a trip you
cannot aford to miss.
THREE FINE TRAINS DAILY
including Shasta Limited the train of modern service with all
steel up-to-the-minute equipment.
The California and San Francisco Kxprss Trains with Standard
Tourist and Chair Cars and dining service that will please.
Call oa nearest S. P. Atftnt and 1st hia outline a trip, quote fares and
farnlsa Outing literature on California's famous resorts.
John M, Scott, general Passengtr Agent, Portland, Ore.
There
Should
be b.
Yictrola
Your Home
n
THE RED CROSS PHARMICY
V. J. Brown. Prepr
1
3f lm