-M THE Is-
NE'ER-DO-WELL
A Romance of the Panama Canal
BY
REX SEACH
COmiOlfT. 1MO. 1011. BY IAIPHI BIOTHHM
nature hud snnped to a perpetual grin, I 'to r1& nole- MeSlae nlB for
curled hack hh tiipv worn intended his mer desire to prove himself a man.
mile lit ud the car. and he burst Into ! Kirk now 'elt a strong sense of loyalty
JdikI laughter.
lvhk found Unit the report of bit
grond fortune had spread far and wide,
fcu wus halted a score of times for cou
srrntuliitlons; operators at the various
stations yelled at him and waved their
Iinuds; ICuunvls wired "Hurrah!" at
Oatun. A certain respect was in these
greeting, too, for be had suddenly be
come a character.
As yet, however, he had not fully
considered wbnt this windfall meant
to him. Ills fimt thought had been
that be could now, discharge his debts,
jro back to New York and clear himself
Itefore the law. Yet the more be
thought of It the less eager he became
to return. Seven thousand five hun
dred dollars in gold to Kirk Anthony
of Pnnnmn. collector, was a substan
tial fortune. To Kirk Anthony of Al
bany, distributor, it was nothing.
f?upMje Jie went home and squared
lila account with tha police, what
would be do toon? Nothing, as naual.
Here, he was prevlng that the An
thouy breed was self supporting at
leiist. And there was another reason,
the weightiest of all. Long before he
liad readied the end of his run he real
ized that not 100 times the amount of
this capital prize would tempt him to
leave ranaiuu before be bad seen Chl
jniu. Chlqirlta was beginning to seem like
a dream. At times during the past
week he had begun to wonder If she
were not really a product of his own
Imagination. His fancy bad played
upon her so extravagantly that be
feared he would not know ber If ever
they came face to face.
This wus most unsatisfactory, and
lie rvpronched himself bitterly for the
Involuntary faithlessness that could al
low her Image to grow dim. He was
almost without hope of seeing her
again. And then, with the luconse
qiicni e of dreams and sprites, she ap
IM'.irod to hi in.
it was nut ft glimpse he had and a
tiiiitnllittiig flash of recognition from
tier eyes. It happened in the d'isk
during the confusion that accompanied
the arrival of No. 7 at Panama. It
lasted only a moment, and he lost
sight of her again In the crowd.
Hut there v. as no doubt that she had
re .'oguUed him, and nothing now could
prevent htm from continuing his
i :iii u. ,The trouble was that his pres
ent occupation allowed htm no oppor
tunity. He was tied to the railroad
except at night.
It wns perhaps two weeks later that
a serious shakeuii occurred In the otllce
' force, of which no one seemed to know
the cause. There was a mad scramble
for advancement all along the line. In I
which Kirk took no part. Rut unex
pectedly (tunnels summoned him to
his otllce.
"How would you like an Inside posi
tion.?" snld the master of transporta
tion, eyeing him keenly.
"So soon J"
"I said I'd advance you if you made
good." He pauned an instant, then said
deliberately, "When you get the hang
f things here you'll have a chance to
luy assistant."
Kirk opened his eye In amaiement
"Gee! That's great! But do you
uinm l can get away with ItT
-wot at once. It will take time, of
course, and you'll have to work like
the devil. Look here, Anthony, I'm
partly selfish In this, for 1 .believe
you're the sort I'm going to want with-
h nPIt j-t,ari The superintendent
iiss bad an offer from a big system In
U it;4 'Ul' K"'" to quit when
hts vacation coK;'! Jle Hes me and
he says I'll probably tep Into hts
shoes. Do you understand what that
weans? I'll need fellows I can count
on fellows who won't double cross me
to make a dollar for themselves, or
lulfe me when my back Is turned.
I've got to have an efficient, nolaeies
organisation. Otherwise we'll all go
under, for we ll be tuto politics up to
our necks. I think you're my sort, so
U you'll stick to me I'll help you and
for every step I take I'll drag you up
to the one who had recognized his
worth.
When be told bis good newa to Mrs.
Cortlandt, ber surprise was so cleverly
simulated that he never dreamed that
she had been at great pains to bring
this thing about Not that Runnels
was Indisposed to act upon his own In
ftlatlve, but the circumstances that had
made his ar ion possible bad been due
to ber. It wns bard to help a man
against bis .vlll, but she profited by ex
perlence and took the line of least re
sistance.
The young man himself did not In
quire too closely Into the occasion of
his advancement, and Edith Cortlandt
was but little In his mind. He was
consumed with the thought of CblquI
ta. He hoped that his new work
would allow him more control of bis
time and perhaps put blm In the way
of learning her name. He could move
In better society now.
CHAPTER XIV.
Garavel and His Dughte.
UIESE were busy day for the
Cortlandta. They entertained
constantly, and the occasions
when they dined without
from one to a dozen guests became so
exceptional as to elicit remark around
the hotel. Most of their efforts were
devoted to certain Panamanians of the
Influential class, and In company With
one or more of these Cortlandt made
frequent trips to the various quarters
of the republic, sometimes absenting
himself for days at a time.
During these Intervals his wife as
sumed the direction of affairs and con
tinued to entertain or be entertained
Her energy and resource seemed Inex
haustible. Soon she became the social
dictator of the city, and the most ex
clusive circles, American and Pana
manian alike, allowed ber to assume
control,
The result was Just what had been
designed. Tourists and viitfng news
paper people spoke glowingly of the
amity between the two nations and
wondered at the absence of that Span
ish prejudice of which they had heard
so much. TlioBe who chanced to know
the deeper significance of It nil and
were aware of the smoldering resent
ment that lay In the Latin mind com
mented admiringly upon her work and
wondered what effect It would have
upon the coming election.
No one but the woman herself and
her husband really understood the tre
mendous difficulties of their task or
the vital Issues at stake. All who
fame Into contact with her recognized
iBe master mind directing the cam
paign and, consciously or unconscious
ly, relegated her husband to the background.
To the Latin Intellect this display of
ptfwer on the part of the woman was a
revelutiou. She knew the effect she
produced and made tho most of It.
Old Anihal Alfares was perhaps the
Inst fully to appreciate her. lie did,
however, learn In time that, while he
Could successfully match his craft
against that of the bus ha ml, the wife
read him unerringly. The result was
that he broke with tlieui openly.
When news of this ranched the mem
bers of the canal commission they
wore alarmed, and Colonel Jolaon felt
It-necessary to make known their
calamity if ne iiiui American hacking
an 1 failed. It would mean disaster."
"Co Mandt has be Mi working careful
ly, unil be has been in nil the seven
province. He admits thut it might l
done, nnd she Is certain. Of course it
will mean a light Alfarez won't give
up easily but if Gnravel should ho the
next president It would be a fine tiling
for both countries."
Over nt Panama the Cortlnndts were
looking for a house to lease. Affairs
had readied n point where It seemed
advisable to give ud their quarters at
the Tivoll and enter into closer cou
tact with the life of the Spanish city
Meanwhile they gave a ceremonious
little dinner, the one and only guest
being Andres Unravel, the bunker.
Of all the charming peoples of On
tral America there are perhaps none
more polished and well bred than the
upper class Panamanians. Of this
agreeable type Senor Garavel was an
admirable example, having sprung
from the finest Castllian stock, as
name running back through the pages
of history to the earliest conquests at
tested.
The present bearer of tho name was
of distinguished appearance. He was
swarthy of skin." his hair was snow
white, and he bad stern black eyes of
great Intelligence. He was courtly and
deliberate, evincing a pride that sprang
not only from good blood but from
good deeds. His poise was that of
man with heavy responsibilities, for
Andrea Garavel was a careful banker
and a rich one. He was widely trav
eled, well informed and an agreeable
talker.
"I am so disappointed that youi
daughter could not come," Edith told
him for the second time. "I'm afraid
she objects to oar American Informal
lty."
"No, no, my dear lady," eald fheii
guest. "She admires American cus
toms, as I do. We are progressive we
have traveled. In my borne. In my prl
vate life, perhaps, I am a Panama
nian, but In my business and In my con
tact with other people T am as they
are. It Is the same with my daughter.
She has bad a wide education for a
child. She has traveled, she speaks
Ave languages, and yet underneath It
ill she la a Garavel and hence a Pan
amanian. She Is all I hare, and my
life Is hers."
The meal progressed with only the
customary small talk to enliven It, but
as soon as the three had adjourned to
the Cortlandt suit the host of the even
ing proceeded to approach the subject
In his mind as directly as the circum
stances permitted. Through a series of
natiiral transitions the conversation
was brought around to politics, and
Garavel was adroitly sonnded But be
displayed little interest When at last
he consented to show his awareness ot
the suggestion so constantly held out
he spoke with deliberate Intention.
"General Alfnres Is my respected
friend," he said, with a quietness that
Intensified his meaning, "and I rejoice
that he will be the next president of
Panama.'
"You, of course, know that there la
opposition to him?"
"All rnnama knows that."
"General Alfarez does not seem to be
friend of the United States. May I
speak frankly?"
Garavel Inclined his white head with
out removing his Intense, dark eyes
from the speaker.
"Don Anibnl Alfarez can never be
president of Panama!"
The banker made no visible move
ment, yet the effect of this nosltive
declaration wus almost like that of
blow. After a pause he said:
"May I tell him you said so?"
"If you wish, but I do not think you
will."
The hearer let his eyes flit question
ingly to Mrs. Cortlandt's face to find
ber sini:!iiir at Mm.
Relieve me, dear lady, he snld, "1
suspected that there were grave rea
sons for this Interview, but as yet 1
am at sea. I am not a politician, yon
know. I shall have no voice In our po
litical affairs."
'Of course we know that, Senor
Garavel. and of course there are grave
reasons why we wished to talk with
yon. As Stephen has said. Genera)
Alfarex cannot be president"
"Madam." he said coldly, "Panama Is
republic. The voice of the people to
supreme."
"Down la your heart do you really
think so?" Fhe was still smiling at
him. "Nor The United States Is su-
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BEAVER HOI EC
I id ,
"ire r!" Thr two young
elaaped haitils h art!.. l;unDe
views upon the situation. Accordingly. I Preiue"
few night later the Cortlnndts dined 1 "Ah! That day will come, perhaps
at his handsome resilience on the 1 uaTe R,d eo. ' !k forward to It
heights above Culebra. After thlr re-' a ,he D" "Nation, but"
turn to l'anaiua the colonel. Id whom I Ths day has come."
was vested the supreme authority over I "Even go, Alfarex Is an honorable
his nation's Interests, acknowledged! man strong man and the wealthiest
that tils acquaintance with diplomacy
was as uothing as compared with
Edith Cortlandt's.
"She thinks Garavel is the proper
man." he said to Colonel Bland.
"Garavel la a banker. He'e Bot a
politician.''
Tha chief engineer laughed.
"All Spanish-Americana are politi
cians, colonel. They can't betp It"
"Would he accept T"
"It Is her buaihens to find out I bad
Biy doubts."
"But cw id he wi . It h a
man in our country.
"You are also a rich man, a man of
ability, said Cortlsndt. "Tour name la
second to uooe In all Central America.
There Is no one better
"Imposslbler exclaimed the banker,
la a strange TsJce. "IT No, no!"
"And why not? Hare you never had
political aRptratlonsT"
"Of coarse. All men have, dreams.
I was secretary of finance nnder Ama
rtnr. but the (iaravels have never .
ly been iuik men. Pontic bava
boe a ears u ear awejee. m
ieMilet
i:
9
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I'd
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