The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-11-09


dered her to abstain from all eXertion
and excitement, was kneeling on the
floor of the saloon deftly bandaging
the wounds upon a mans head.
Admiration of her courage thrilled
in him. He remembered that his own
work was not done. A hoarse voice
was calling from behind a stateroom
door which was jammed so that it
could not be opened. Bartlett got mis-
fingers into a crevice and ripped the
! lock out through the woodwork. The
door swung open.
| The interior of that room, if it could
still be said to have an interior, was
an impossible ruin. The rear wall
was the gray sea fog, the berths had
fallen into the neither wreckage, the
| floor was shattered so that it looked
| like the debris of picket fence, but
1t held. And on that shivered floor,
clothed in pajamas supplemented by
pair of trousers and one shoe. stood
Curtis Boland, president of the r. and
r. National bank!
Bartlett extended a hand and drew
him to a securer footing. Except for
few bruises and scratches he was
unhurt.
"Ha, Mr.. Bartlett" said he cheerily,
80 you're my preserver. Where is
Miss Gilbert? Safe, trust"
Bartlett pointed across the saloon to
where Celia still knelt among the
wounded.
"God bless her, said Boland fer
vently. Il know her well by sight
her father and | are neighbors IN
Brooklyn-but I have never met the
young lady, so l kept alOof whcN |
saw you with her in the dining room
this evening. l expected to meet you
later in Boston, of course"
| The collision of the two vessels
seemed a small shock compared to his
collision with Curtis Boland. The
service he had rendered utterly debar-
red him from asking favors at the
! bank.
The floor did not sink under him
The nights calamities were at an end.
Water tight compartments kept the
vessel afoat. and she proceeded slow
ly under her own steam to New Lon
don, whence the passengers proceeded
by train to Boston.
Bartlett, Boland and Miss Gilbert
were companions on this journey, and
for large part of way the lady,
utterly exhausted, slept profoundly.
And one of the men watched beside
her with something akin to father
ly affection, the other with deeper ten
derness. He knew now why the eyes
that he had seen ten years before had
never faded from his memory.
Bartlett" said the banker, II for
get whether you are married"
"I am not" answered Bartlett. "A
year from today-whO knOwsr
There was long pause.
Bartlett, how are things going with
youT
every prospect pleases," responded
the young man.
The banker eyed him for some min
utes.
Perfectly convenient for you tC
meet that noteF
81 can meet it," answered Bartlett
and then he Strengthened up in his
seat. 81 can do many things tha
would have been hard yesterday.
have had a lesson in courage, in sell
forgetfulness and in the value of life
am worth a dozen OF the Johnny
Bartletts that have been walking thu
floor this last month, and one of tn,
proofs of 1t is that I'm not afraid 4
tell you that l have been walking tn,
floor. l am not afraid of anything o
anybody"
Another silence.
"Send me over a little money" salt
the banker, "as little as you please
Just enough to make showing. SEM
me the same kind of paper for tn
balance. Will that suitY'
~ should think so! But l don
ask
"You have asked nothing" said Be
land. "ThG proposition is mine"