Evening journal., 1904-07-02

was standing on the platform. led half
n dozen frantic men in the long thun-
der Of the "prek-kok-kckk kcx, COOK.
cos ex."
Around the edges OF The hall excited
girls. and chuperons themselves mo less
agitatcd, were standing up on chairs
and benches. splitting their gloves and
breaking their fans IN thcir enthusi-
asm. while every malc dancer on the
iloor-cnsigns ia their gold faced uni
forms and 'royers" IN starched and
immaculate shirt bosoms cheercd ana
cheered and struggled with one anoth-
or TO shake hands with n man whom
two of their number. old Yale grads.
with memories of athletic triumphs
yet i'm their miuds carried into that
ballroom, borne high upon their shoul-
ders.
And the hero OF the occasion. the
center of all this enthusiasm, thus car
ried as if in triumph into this assem-
bly, in evening dress, I'm white tulle
ana whittier kid, odorous of delicate
sachets and scarce pcrccptiblc per-
fumes, was figure unhandsome and
unkempt beyond description. His hair
was long and hanging over his eyes;
a thick, uncared for beard concealed
the mouth and chin. He was dressed
I'm Chinaman's blouse and jeans, the
latter thrust into slnshcd and tntterod
boots Tho tan and weather beatngs
of nearly half year OF The tropics
We're spread over his face, partly
healed scar disngured one temple and
chcckbonc; the hands, TO the very fin
ger nails, were gray with CRIME; the
jeans and blouse ANA boots were foul
ed with grease, with oil, with pitch
and an manner of the dirt of an un-
cared for ship And as the dancers Of
the cotillon pressed about and a hun
dred Kid gloved hands stretched to-
waId his own palms there fell from
Wilburs belt upon the waxed floor Of
the ballroom the knife he had so grim
ly used In the fight upon the beach
the ugly stains still blackening on the
haft
There was no more cotillon that
night They put him down at last, and
In half dozen sentences Wilbur told
them OF how he had been shanghaied-
told them OF Aagdalena bay. his for
tune in the amhergris and the fight
with the beachcombers.
"You people are going down there
for target practice, aren't youT he
said, turning 20 one Of the Monterey's
officers In the crowd about him. "Ycsl
Well, you'll find the coolies there, on
the beach, waiting for you. All but
one he added grimly
1--WE marooned six Of them. but the
seventh didn't need 10 be marooncd.
They tried TO plumber ms Of our boat.
but, by ~, we made It interesting for
'emw
81 say, steady. old mani" exclaimed
Nat Ridgeway. glancing nervously to-
ward the girls i'm the surrounding
group. "This isn't Magdalena bay,
you know
And for the FIRST time Wilbur felt a
genuine pang of disappointment and
regret as he realized chat it was not.
Half an hour later Ridgeway drew
him aside. Il say. Ross, let's get out
OF here. You can't stand here talking
all night. Jerry and you and l will go
up to my rooms. and we can talk there
in peace. I'll order up three quarts OF
iizz. and"
"Oh rot your fzzr' declared Wilbur.
"lf You love me, give me Christian to-
bacco."
AS they were going out Of the ball
room Wilbur caught sight of Josie
Herrick, and, breaking away from the
others, ran over TO her
"Ohw she cried breaihless. "To
think. and to think of your coming back
after an no ! don't realize It'll can't
1t viii take me until morning TO dni
ont that you've really come back.
just know now that I'm happier than
] ever was in my life before. Ohg
she cried, "do 7 need TO tell YOU how
glnd | am? It's just too splendid for
words! DO you know, | was thought
70 be the last person you had ever
spoken TO while alive. and the re-
porters and an oh. but we must have
such talk when an are quiet again!
And our dance-wc'vc never had our
dance. I've got your card yet Re
member the one you wrote for me at
the tea9 A facsimile Of it was publish
cd i'm an the papers. You are going to
be hero when you set back to san
Francisco oh. Ross Ross.' she cried.
the tears starting % her eyes You've
really come hack and ,oir nro inst .o
glad as ! am, aren't you glad that
you've come backbone back to mop
Later on. i'm Rideeways room. VIII
bur told his story again more in detail
10 ltidgcway and Jerry an hut one
portion of it, lie could not make un
his mind 20 speak to them these So
cicty Fellows. cluhmcn and city bred
of Moran. How he was going to order
his life henceforward- his life that he
felt 20 be void of interest without her
he did not know That was a question
for later consideration.
even give another cotlllon." ex
claimed Ridgeway. 'up I'm the city
give il for you, Ross. and you'n lead
len be the event of ihe scasonr
Wilbur uttered an exclamation of
contempt "I'vo done with that sort
OF foolery," he answered.
Nonsense, Why. think. wen have
It in your honor Every smart girl I'M
town viii come, and youll be the lion
or
"lou don't seem to understand
] cried kt-fiI,.,. ;..,,, 4fo-tl-. ..a., $3.50