The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-29
THE NEAREST THING.

TUTP0 TUe UUdTLETS
graph conpany's station at Marenzoa'
the tropical sun was blazing down It
was called MaFenzoa, though as a mat
ter of fact a distance of three miles
separated it from the little Portuguese
town inland, from which the station
took its name.
In the aim light of the living room
were two young men one was
stretched full length on a. sofa; his eyes
were closed The other reclined in a
basket chair, his feet propped ZIP on a
stool A bottle of spirits stood on a
table close by. He stretched forward 2
tumblerfuI
shaking hand and poured out half a
Brickenden, the man on the sofa
opened his eyes. He shivefed signify
THANK heaven, I'm through with TINS
weeks 5lose..' he exclaimed. What
! 6rst-class a1l-around joy IS inter iittent
feVeri' Then his eyes fell on his COM
panion, who was in the act OF raising
his glass to his lips. Here go easy,
Stavvyt' he cried. That's the third
since lunch and it don't do in a sweet
lovable climate like this! You'll nave TO
stop it, old son, else-Well, 1t IS equlVa-
lent to going out by your own hand
that's air.
stavert gulped down half the brandy
He was a young man of about %, with
strikingly handsome features teVer
and hard drinking, however, had told
their tale and the eyes were sunken
and red trimmed, the cheeks followed,
the face haggard and worm
ticular drawback to going out by my
own hand at present. he remarked.
mo, I'm burned if there does." he added
thoughtfully.
Brickenden raised himself on the sofa
and looked across at his friend.
Il admit Marenzoa is a bit 'nervy at
times and about the worst Of the sta
tionsl" he said slowly. But 1t
ton, all by its sweet self" He paused
II suppose there are a few other things,
among them the usual thing. And the
bits didn't fit in nicely, eh?"
Stavert tossed down the remaining
brandy.
1T was impossible in any easer' he
said jerkily. Then he broke into
little story, have I, Brick? don't make
a habit of doing it, you know"
He got up from his seat shakily, and
leaned against the edge OF the table
Brickenden watched him from the cor
ner of his eye, but said Nothing.
TITS quite like q. two-penny novel
ette'' began Stavert. rolling a cigarette
meditatively- MY mother made a run IN
away match with poor devil OF an
artist. She was a woman of title and
belonged to a nOble family, who prompt
| ~ disowned her for daring to marry the
man she loved. She was absolutely cut
off. her name was never to be men
! toned again in the family The artist,
my father worked hard, and managed
| to keep her in modest but comfortable
/ circumstances. InGN 1ONSu OIiG
! and I don't think she ever regretted the
step she had taken" Stavert paused
| .sThen when was about fifteen, found
myself an orphan, with an odd hundred
| pounds to my name My great loea
! had been the navy, and a friend wrote
/ to, my uncle. who was a lord OF the al
| miralty. to know if he would help me
The dear gentleman replied that, as ne
| refused to recognize his sister, SO ne
rnt1st refuse to recognize her son. linen
some one suggested the U. T. q serN-
ice, and put me in the way OF gong
/ through the course.
about the impossible thing-the incident
which has caused you to adopt drinking
brandy neat as your fayor1te recrea-
Stavert wetted his dry lips.
AFTER putting in my five years al
Calcut Point, I went home had a
pretty good time knocking around n
the midst of it, I went to CoWes Tor the
regatta week. ran against some decent
people who invited me on their yacht
He paused. And there-I met her!
TT was my fathers case over again,
but without his means to carry it to an
issue She was clean above me IN sta
ton. She loved me, and | loved her. \
| the recollection. They he Jerked ms heau
back and laughed bitterly.
And as I Was getting &S month Tor
working a cable end in a foreign hole,
and not good for. anything else-good
u
| lust her what had to be, and went They
| appointed me to Marenzoa, and here I've
been for six months, cursing my luck! !
can't forget heri Every day, every hOur,
every minute she is in my thoughts! ]
| can't have her, never canl So that's
why I don't particularly care whether
I go out or nOti" he finished abruptly
Brickenden had risen from his seat,
and crushed wide straw hat on his
| head He made no comment on the
story. but merely glanced at his watch
My turn on; so long, old SOM! he
said iaconically, as he strolled away.
Outside, however, his expression
changed.
Poor old Stavvyl" he 1nurmured.
Hes jumpyi A little more drink, an
other touch of fever, a little more think.
ing about that girl, and he'll come one of
the nastiest kinds of choppers. L must
devote some attention to him."
Presently Rennick, the senior, poked
his head into the room in which Stavert
was sitting.
The Turbulent has just anchored off
the pointl" he announced. And I've
signaled 'em to come up. So well be
having a bit of spree tonight I'm off
to stir up that black-faced, loftus-eating
devil of a cooki'' And he vanished.
Another couple of hours and a batch
of the younger officers of H. NJ. S. Tur-
bulent invaded the quarters. They had
been there before, and their arrival was
always welcomed by the =. T. c. men.
As the night drew they gathered
around the tinkly station piano and
made merry over songs that were comic
in name and noisy in chorus.
Early in the evening Stavert had made
a discovery There was a newcomer, a
lieutenant who had lately Joined the
ship. The midshipman referred to him
as the ssOnorable 'Erbert." His proper
name was the Hon. Herbert Hay1esden,
and he was a grave-1ooking young man
with somewhat ponpouS manner. Sta
vert had been introduced, and though
they had never met before. he at once
recognized him. The 'Onorable 'Erbert
glanced curiously at him, they shook
hands rather stiff7y and turned away.
After this incident Stavert resumed his
drinking, and attempted. but with i'll
success, TO throw himself into the gaiety
of the evening. Presently he rose from