Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-06-30
along the African shore, till they
reached Tangier.

| reached Iang1er.
vandraken was alone in his own
cabin the night after their arrival, be-
Ing temporarily weary of the forced
hilarity of his companions, when his
valet entered, looking rather flustered.
Beg pardon, sir, but there's party
climbed aboard from shore boat
who insists on seeing you, sir. and
don't like his looks. Dressed like one
OF them niggers ashore, he is, but
says he was at some college with you,
and If I don't bring him right in ne
says he'll throw me overheard; and
he's that violent I believe he'd dc
it,
Whats his name?" asked Van
draken.
He says it's Dashmore."
by CAD! I'll bet that's who 1t is.
That's just the way old Slap Dash
would come aboard. Show the gen.
tleman in, Hawkins"
/ The valet returned In a minute, and
announced, as formally as though It
was London reception: "Mr. Sley-
ton Dashmore.''
Vandraken rose to his feet and held
out his hand to what was, apparently,
a MISUNDERSTANDING Moor. why,
Slap Dash, old man, this beats cock
lighting! am glad to see you'll"
Dashmore put his hands behind his
burnouse
eff one-half what they are saying
about you is true, Vandraken,' he
said, sternly, 81 don't shake hands
with you. If the other half is true. it's
as much as / can do to keep from
killing you, for the honor of Har-
vard!"
] Vandraken flushed as red as his
pink complexion would allow, and
came step forward. "If that's the
way you feel about it," he said, an
grily, what the hi are you doing
on my yacht? And you're nice one
to talk about the honor of the college
you that get hoofed out of it,!
IF there was a white man about
who could do what's got to be done,
you can bet wouldn't be on board
this floating cess pool, even if l was
kicked out of Harvard! But three
ladies-and one is an American-have
been captured today by that unprin-
cipled scoundrel Muley Zidan, and
there's not warshlp in the harbor,
and if there was, the Mayhem has got
the Powers so tangled up they would
MT act, for fear of precipitating Eu-
ropean war. AS for the authorities,
the chances are they're in cahoots
with Muley; so it's got to be private
enterprise, this rescue. You can't
trust Muley Zidan in the matter Of
ransom. want to borrow some of
your crew and some arms. I figure it
out that, low as you have sunk, you
can't refuse
"I'll arrange all that, Mr.. Dash
more" answered Vandraker, coldly;
"but you've got another fight on your
hands first. You've said things to me
that take off no man! You wouldn't
take my hand! Well-there's my
fist" and he hit out straight from
the shoulder, blow which would
have landed very hard on the other
mans chin, if he had not parted it
scientifically.
Dasbmore was about two years
older than his adversary, very dark
and lean, with high cheek-bones, fat
PERCEPTIONS cheeks, and reckless eyes
He laughed delightedly when Van
draken struck at him.
why, that's not so bad he said,
keeping his guard up, but making no
attempt to hit back. 81 didn't think
you'd have it in you. after the life
you've been leading; but. come to
look at you, you appear to be as fresh
as a rose. Not bit as if YOU had
been wallowing like hog in sum
mer." He parted another furious
| blow. IF l have wronged you. Van
draken, am willing to apologize; but
there has been very ugly talk about
the life you have been leading. Pm
not a saint, au contraire, but there;
line somewhere, and you haven't
taken the trouble to deny having
crossed it. But now that | see you,
I am willing to believe you have been
slandered. If you are willing to say
that you haven't lived below the
standard we used to talk about-that
the fraternity has no need to be
ashamed of you-I'm man enough to
apologize. l didn't take a good look
ct you when ] came in"
Vandraken dropped his hands. He
! had no conscience to guide him, but
his brain took him back to the frata.-
nifty room at Harvard, and his oath of
initiation. He suddenly saw himself
not through the conscience he had got
rid of, but through the eyes of other
mems consciences; not straitlaced
men, but men whose opinion he val
ued
Il expect you're right, Dashmore, :"
he said, hoarsely. When you put it
that way, guess you We're right not
to want to shake hands with me:
but you don't know what it is to have
hundreds of millions and feel you
ought to be getting value out of them
If you judge me by ordinary stand
ards. | guess you are about right. But
! you can't know what the temptations
are to man who has nothing to do
but spend. I can't let all this money
pileup-it would smother me! Per-
haps it's the system which concen-
trates so much wealth in the hands
of one man you ought to go for, not
the man. have only lived in proper
ton to my millions-hardly that. Take
me in on this deal, and I'll show you
| haven't lost my manhood, anyhow"
Dashmore came up to him and held
out his hand
Heaven knows" he said, "I've got
only toe little right to Judge you. in
| Pa1tinNra thav would bo5 49,.