THE Is
to- IWIMj rMTIM
NE'ER-DO-WELL
A Romance of the Panama Canal
BY
REX BEACH
COPVIIGrlT. 1W0. 1011. BY HAIPM ft BROTHeM
"L'un t of iii.iu. minnels tnlk too
much. HeN offer you something bet
ter tliiin that."
But Kirk wan ohiliimte. "I'd prefer
to xtiirt In h confidential adviser to
tin- canal commission, of course, hut
I'd lie a 'fniNt.' uml my father would
mi) "I told you no.' I must make good
for his sake, even If It'll only coiiutlng
curs or .licking pontage Htiimps He
ilili'n. It Isn't exactly the nquare thing
to tuke money for work that somebody
else does for you "
Mrs. Cortliimlt luugtied with a touch
of nriiioviiin ..
"I think a few weeks In cap and
bullous will cure you of this (jiilxotlc
sentiment Meanwhile I hiuhI admit It
In refreshing." She stared unseolngly
lit tho street lights for a moment. "Hut
see here. Kirk, don't the collectors live
111 Colon'"
"l don't know," be replied, startled
and fluttered by her first use of bis
given lot me
"I'll look It up tomorrow, you know
I-Mr. Cortliuidt and I will be In Pan
ama, and I (irefer to have you here.
You wee. we can do more for you." A
little Inter she broke Into a low liiugh
"It seems strange to go driving with a
conductor "
CHAPTER X.
A Night at Taboga.
KSI'ITK his great contentment
in Mrs. Cortlnndt's society
Kirk found himself wnltlng
with growing Impatience for
the duties to begin. Curiously
tills feeling was somehow con-
face Uirty.
The landing was thronged, and at
night of the newcomers, loiterers gnth
ered from all sides a pirate throng
shouting a dozen dialects and forcing
Kirk to buttle lustily for his lug
page Stepping Into a skiff, they were
rowed to a launch, and a few moments
later were gliding swiftly around the
long rock rib that g-iinrds the harbor,
a copper hued hnndlt at the wheel, a
Nubian giant at the engine and an evil
yellow faced desperado sprawling
upon the forward deck.
Even before they had come to anchor
at Taboga Island a dozen boatmen
were racing for them and crying for
their patronage. At the water's edge
they saw a tiny village nestled close
against the mountains. Its tiled roofs.
rust red and grown to moss. Its walls
faded by wind and weather to delicate
mauves and dove colors and greens
impossible to describe.
The launch, when it came to rest
seemed suspended In nlr. and beneath
D
Ills M
euou4 li
tcl with the thought of Edith her
self Why this nhnii4 . so he did not
trouble to !ii(iiire They had become
the best .if k-xkI trii nils, he told him
self, a consummation for which be had
devoutly wished. yt foe some Indefi
nable reason lie was dissatisfied.
lie decided that he needed exercise
1 1 1 . I determined to take a tramp
thri'ueli the country, but on the even
liiu elore i he day he had set for his
ev iir-hui hl inits ere upset by a
note from .Mrs. Cortlandt, which the
l it i u (landed him. It rail:
I'i'ir Kirk- Stephen fiaa srfsnKerl an
o'lt'orf fur all liner el us. a nit we are
niun:.:iK en you f.i t,. morrow. It wfll bo
r..t:v lr! picnic, with all the delight-
f"' 'i - -r. fnrta el Utah iift'tuni Vim u:-
ll l to klUOl Wilflti UU IM KOIIlIf tllltll W I
vll i..r ..u at 0. Faithfully nml iinntei-l-mi.-l;
,niu i'lHTII COItTLANOT.
The rc.-ip.ciit of this kind luvit.-itiou
los-e I if .i-itle. with n gesture of Imptt
tliMi. e. Tor the moment he ex pert
cu. e.f -i kiiel of boyish resentment at
havini; hi- intentions thwarted that
see;.. .1 oui ,,f proportion to the cause.
Hut the eui'itloii soou passed.
Ttie next morning Kdltu appeared
upon the hotel porch. She was alone.
Where's Mr (Vrtiandtr he In
quired. "Oil. some men arrived last night
(rum I .u. us liv I 1'iMo and telephoned
that they must see hltn today on a
matter of importance. I shall have to
make up to you for his absence If I
sm able."
"Where Is to le tho scene of our
revel 'f"
"Taboga," she said, with eyes spar
kling. "You've never leen there, but
It's perfectly gorgeous. Please cull a
coach, uur boat Is waiting, and don't
sit on the lunch."
Kirk oUued. and they went clatter
ing dowu the deserted brick street
Kditb leaned buck, with a sigh
"I'm so glad to net away from that
hotel for a day. If you only knew it.
Kirk, you've oi.-.l.ed the political cal
culations of the I'auama Conservative
party."
"I didn't know I had ever even rock
ed the txutt."
"It runs hack to your affair with
liatluui."
!;eu::. ii.il t!it effect itr
"Kat'ier At any rate It gave in ei
cm f.r sett!! tMnjrs In motion
There had been some doubt aUmt the
ui: :ter for a Uu.g time, and I whs only
too gl.-ut to e . ! tuy Itiihience In the
rls'ht ! rectlou. ! -x tVs fs a pi -file to
iu rue limited t- .i nd. at. J I ere we are
tail ing I'oilti, .- We mustn't he so e
rlous. S .'l:oe! -i o-it. and It's vacation.
I want to ri-t.,,, ., ,, ,,, j,,,. n,j
Slowly He Picked Hia Way Ashore.
!t lay an entrancing sea garden Ou e
the engine had stopped its clatter a
sleepy, peaceful silence settled over
the harbor, unbroken by wheel or
whistle, for In Tnhoga no one works
and there are no vehicles.
"What a wonderful pbive!" exclaim
eil the young man' fervently. "Why.
it's like a dream It oinl he real!'
then, as tlie boatmen renewed their
begging, "I w icr which barge gen
tlein.-itt I'd hoM-T hire "
"Take the little boy. please" Kdliii
called to au urchin who was manfully
struggling with a pair of oars twice ln
own length, whereupon: the older bout
men began to shove off with main
scowls
"Our choice has offended these getiitn
bandits." Kirk observed as he helned
her to a scat "When shall we tel
the lad to bring n ofT?"
"Four o'clock." answered Mrs fort
landt- "I nrrangisl wtth tlie captain
to he ready at that hour. so. you sec
we have the whole day ahead of us.
Across the limpid shallows they gild
d. bravely propelled by their nine
year-old oarsman, but when the how
ui men- skin graicu upon the twttom There was no real
uiej were aim seine y arils from the I reserve- no sacriti
shore.
"Looks as if we'd have to wa.te,"
said Kirk, then called to one of the
nearby boatmen to lend the child a
hand. Hut -he I'ci'mv readied grut'.Jy In
nuii' unintelligible j -u
"t film to
gather l. i .li his ai ms Then for the
first time --li" f --It his strength as her
body leu lied to his. Siowiy he picked
his way asii.ire while she reclined In
his embrace, her arms about h!s neck,
her smooth cheek bnishic: liis. Wheu
he deposited her gently upon her feet
he saw her face had gone white and
that she was trembling
Mis own f.ne was glowing as he
wad l back to fetch the lunch basket
and his footgear. I'niler the circum
stances he had done the only natural,
the only slble thing, yet It had
quoerly perturbed them hnth.
The two visitors explored the village,
even to the ipiaint. tawdry chapel,
with its impossible blues and rusted
gilt, and noon found theni eager to in
vestigate the contents; of their lunch
basket. Taking a random path tip the
hHI. they came at last to a spring of
cool water, and here they spread their
nicul under a mango tree bent beneath
tons of fruit
The afternoon sped quickly. If at
times Kirk found his companion re
garding him with a strangely timid,
half defiant look, he refused to connect
It with the episode of their landing.
Promptly at 4 they came down the
drunken little main street and out
upon the beach. Hut no launch wag In
sight
Ilello: Where's our boat?" exclaim
ed Kirk.
"The captain told me he'd be readv
at 4. Perhaps he has run over to Tabo-
gullla or"- She hesitated with a trou
bled frown
"You told him tn wait?"
"Distinctly." Seeing nil idler In the
square above, she questioned hltn in
Spanish. "This man says tlie launch
left for Panama two hours ago. They
went on a Sunday spree He says they
came ashore and bought a lot of liquor.
and he heard them quarreling later."
That means we'll have to get an
other boat."
"I don't know where we shall find
one. .
Neither do I, but there must be
some sort of craft that plies back and
forth regularly."
"Only once or twice a week, I be
lleve. and It belongs to the sanitarium.
Perhaps we'd better wait awhile; our
men may come back."
At lust, as the sun was dipping Into a
bed of gold. Kirk broke out:
'Gee whizl We've got to do some
thing. Sir. Cortlaudt will be getting
worried."
"In all probability he won't know
anything about It until too late to come
for us He Is dining with those people
from liocus. and may not get back
to the Tivoll before midnight.''
"Nice tlx we're in:" remarked An
thony. "I'd like to lay hands on that
captain."
We may havetostay hereall night."
"Well, at least we have a haveu of
refuge. They'll take us In at the hos
pital "
"1 don't care to ask them. There's
some one up there I don't wish to see. I
That's why I didn't go near the place
today."
lie hiu.ghed to hide his embarrass
ment. "I'm w lering -what people
will sav."
Oh. you mustn't be troubled iiliout
that It isn't your fault, von know.
iinyhow. lieshlcs. people won't say
anything I'e.-au.-e they won't know
tnything client It if we stay away
from i bat sanitarium."
"It's ge'fins along toward dinner
time." he said, "so let's see wluit we
can I:: 1 In the wav ol fivd."
Tln-y ti.!..i.ed out iu:. the untight
d street an-1 began their sc i oh. but.
seen close at ham!, the cocking ar
raiigeineuts of Ta illicit proved i.i.t ml
all .-ac.ive. li:,; c c;. ;;. t.ay I, mi!,, I
a decent looking pi.i e. t lore tliev
were t iken i: and. after .1:1 mter-nl
nah'e watt. fun. I was et Is-f-Te to. on
HriK your iicik nan impatient at
this hysterical behavior, be seized her
by tlie arm.
"Oh. I'm so frightened!" she breath
ed, and he felt her tremble. She lifted
her white face, and her eye were
luminous in the gloom.
IJefore he realized what he was do
ing his arms had closed around her
and his lips had met hers. It may
have been the romance of the night,
the solitude, the intoxicating warmth
of her breath. At any rate, he lost hig
head and knew nothing save that she
was a woman and he a man. As for
her, she off ered no resistance, made no
sign beyond a startled sigh as their
Hps came together.
But. Impulsive as his action had
been, It was no more sudden than his
recoil. He released her and stepped
back, crying:
"Oh. my Ood! I I didn't mean that.
Forgive me. Please." She said noth
ing, and he stammered desperately
again: "You'll hate me now. of course,
but I don't know what ails me. I for-1
got myseir you everything. It was
unpnrdonnble, and I ought to be shot."
lie started off down the blind street.
his whole body cold with apprehension
and self disgust.
"Do you intend to leave me here In
the middle of this"
"No. no! Of course not. I'm rattled. :
that's all. I've Just got a cowardly :
desire to flee and butt my head against
the nearest wall. That's what I oughtj
to do. I don't know what possessed
me. 1 don't know what you'll think of
me."
AVe won't speak of It now. Try
to compose yourself and find our lodg
ing place."
"Why, yes, of course. Ml see that
you're fixed up comfortably, and then
I'll get out"
"Oh, you mustn't leave me!" she
cried In a panic. "1 couldn't stay in
that awful place alone." She drew a
little nearer to him. ns If demanding
his protection. A wave of .tenderness
i'i'1 Cult U i.f ir.ai weight
about 140U ijuuntir, woiki
nint'le or rlouMe, t.ur choice
Jt'lrey l;c f"fS, 1 frpsli Jersey
sum. I iu.i til ui,e h ilt mile
soutii of .Moi.ujuiitli.
X. .Norton.
fCR SALE
About 2 lu d of lull blood
Duroc brood sows.
At Talmage pi ition on I. &
M. railroad. Ci'tiiesoyn.
Chus. J. Nh'iiu.ion.
' ' l VOU ' Vl, I I 'i i'
ousiiietfl cards "iinr
Monitor ollice w ,
a. ory ei vice
f- ..li.o
Continued on Page
For wet weather
dry clothes
ana
comfort
wear Towvr's
Fish Brand
REFLEX
SLICKER
It im nil jpn want, or
can get, ia a roagh
nd ready terrica coat.
Thoroughly waterproof
and Mrofig at vary point.
Satisfactloa Gumnwl
A. J. Tower Co. U3'ER
BOSTON brthufKl
Tower Canadian Jnrk.
Umitod.Toronto aiiCoWorrat AlfBBWv
-25
"Safety First" Our Motto
ON
SHASTA ROUTE TRAINS
OF THE
tV$r SJNSFt
I 0C-'lFN SHASTA 1 I
black henna and n iitiiit. freh. vvitrni
milk and a ivuuilnms assnrl nient of
fHitiiuiiiM- fr 1 1 . : s
III siate of tlielr equivocal situation.
Edith seemed fully to have regained
tier spirits Kveu tlie presiiect ot
H'iuliiig i lie niglit In this place ap
lnnnt!y did not disi.my tier l'liey
descended to the Kiptare again, stared
at all tlie n ay through open doors nnd
followed py a siiiidued murmur ot
comment Then tliej sat for a long
time watching the stars
As If in despair over their Impossible
predicament. Edith gave nay to i
spirit of reckless rivaeity. mid Kirk
with a tmin's somewhat exaggeruted
syniathy for a woinau'a sensitive fwl
ings. loyally strove to help her make
.ne nest or tilings in her own wav
ncesslen of her
e ef the feminine
j privilege of prompt anil complete with
1
The Kxposttion line-19 13
And now is the time to see California; to live outdoors and en
joy the sunshine, flowers and summer sports. It is u trip you
cannot aford to miss.
THREE FINE TRAINS DAILY
including Shasta Limited th train of modern service with !1
uteel up-to-the-minute equipment
The California and San rranelaco Express Trains w ith Standard
Tourist and Chair Cars and dining service that will please.
Call on nearest S. P. Agent and le him outline a trip, qu ,U tarea and
furnish Outing literature on Callfornla'a famous resorts.
Jorn M. Scott, Gensr?! Passenger Agent, Pcrtfnd, Crs.
ireeii. ir tie uaa struck a false n t
he knew that she would have turned
frigid in an lt:fmt
It wns on the'- return to the h.ui,.
I thit the clitn-;i came, leaving hi;.
course trwik
tctsf !i finv t-illitin l.rl.'hf at...l
ur"'J ' .uieiuion is spirttiM even (,v a drnnkeii hrawl within he pi. ke.1
n ,hls heavenly Isle. Well, tfcat s u:.i V,-r :rN and tied Into the dark-easy:-
Anthony untied his low shoes.! ness Kirk st .,-.::!. along thind her
in Ken tnem otr ana roll! up his trou
ers.
"He says he carries his pasengers I stnincclv shaken Their
ishore in his arms." Kdith translated , theni fct'st a tinv cantina
"IVruilt tne to help you." he aid
without etntm In n-
i At last she stepid out of breath, and
be overt.Hiti tier. J
I "Vou must n t run thMii,;h these dark i
' '" "" '-' -'- ' y "You-; 1
I iiere
i Should
be a
Victrola
lur Home
in
THE RED CROSS PHARMICY
V. J, Brown, Propr
4
H
n