The Washington times., 1911-03-27
FT5Sz- THE TIMES SOCIETY AND HOME PAGE -
THE TIMES DAILY SERIAL STORY
Milady of the MerCenarles
VANCE
BIZ LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE
Copyright. The Frank A. Nj

I posed to be modern and man-made,
| whereas the truth is that the Almighty
| originally contrived II, applying 1t TO
| the conscience of Adam sleeping-it is
| IN and about long before its owner
| can toss from his brain the coverings Of
| slumber. 1t dashes reStlcssly hither
and thither and yOn, minutely eXplor-
! ing the recesses Of its frail realm. to
raise wild alarums il aught there be
amiss Even as its voice is the last to
sound in our ears, so is II the first to
greet us when we waken.
And CurtiCe awOke with its trumpet
cry: Behold a f6olr' ringing upon
his tympanum. For the moment so real
seemed the sound, so surCharged with
scOrn the tone, that well-nigh could he
have believed himself auditor of a hu-
man voice. Consideration, however, as
he sat grasping the sides of his couch
and staring out into the Semi-darkness,
convinced him that it was but his inner,
better self which had spoken; and he
bowed his head, acknowledging the
justice of the indictment.
Behold a fool he repeated rue
fully.
A very sorry fool, indeed! His throat
ached with intoerable thirst: his
tongue. swollen, clave to the roof of his
parChod mouth; his eyes were heavy
and smarting, his brain dulled and
torpid, his system feverish.
Il am an ObjeCt-lesson, he admit
ted, bitterly Man, man, this will not
James
He sank back upon an elbow, in
wardly COntemplative, and deeply dis
gusted that he should have proven so
weak, so truly lacking In the mettle of
a man. He allowed that this should be
a punishment upon him, not alone for
an unintended indisCretion, but for an
other thing-a superfiuity OF Ego IN
his cosmos. OF late, he could not deny.
he had accorded himself appreciation,
had been unduly indulgent of his faults.
appreciative Of his virtues: he had, in
short, acquired an exaggerated opinion
OF his aCuteness-the which 1t is bad
for man to have about his person. He
had thought James Elwell Curtice a
pretty decent fellow, a likable character
of some strength-With human frail-
ties, to be sure, but eXcusable, mas
much as all flesh is heir to them. Now
conception of himself; and he proceed
ed 10 do so with thoroughness
After a space Of recrimnatiOn, he de-
Cided to dress and get a drink of water
"a large drink of cold water. Swing
ing himself TO sitting position on the
COUGHS adge, and thereby making a
red-hOt pendulum to swing within his
head and batter a the walls of his
skull, he found that he need not dress.
He had saved himself that trouble by
negleCting to disrObe before retiring. 1t
was the last straw; the cup of his deg
radiation was too full. He covered his
face with his hands and hated himself.
He arose unsteadily and looked about
for his washstand and shaving things.
but they were missing. He observed
that his room had shrunk. He began
hazly to understand; he had slept in
berth; what light there now was had ac-
cess by a portfolio. The floor, he had
observed, swayed jerkily, but he had
laid that optical Illusion. He stepped
to the headlight and opened 1t, looking
out. A gust of damp, salt air blew in:
I. 10, III Oh @nl Nha
sea And then he became aware of an
Intermittent heartrending below from
the deck above-the warning of the
automatic fog horn.
So. then, he concluded. he was aboard
the Grenada, as per schedule. bound for
AnahuaC: but for the life of him he
had no recollection of having shipped.
He Cudgeled his mind Vainly. II ap-
peared that he had eliminated a day of
his life, passing with one prodigious
jump from Yesterday TO tomorrow.
The saline tonic in the fresh air re-
vived his dropping spirits. Opening the
door, he emerged into a saloon which.
for an oCean-going steamship of the
Grenada s tonnage, seemed surprisingly
tiny. But that was small matter
beside the silver water-cooler, dew
gemmed, which he espied in a corner.
And he went for it with a will
AS Jimmy drew the third blessed
glass, the swinging doors parted and d
step sounded upon the cOmpanionway.
He turned, and the tumbler crashed to
the floor.
"Hendry," he thundered.
The captain started, and. seeing the
look in his eyes, hastened to put the
center table between himself and the
enraged man.
startled me, son. Calc'lated you'd sleep
the rest of the day, did"
His manner was soothing, as one who
plaCates an angry child.
"oh. you did," Curtice, slowly came
The captain evaded his eye. Yes"
he said, uneasily; ''you-seemed tired,
you know"
''Hendry." said Curtice with delibera-
ton, striving to grasp. the full extent
his fortunes. "Hendry, as you value
your life, | warn you to turn and land
me in New York by II this morning.
1T can't be did" said the captain.
firmly. ITS impossible son. It's 10
And how long out?'
Five hours.
Good Cod" Jimmy sank in chair
and covered his face with his hands.
You've ruined me. Hendry.'
This was a slight exaggeratien, but
it served to rouse the captains ire. He
swore forcefully.
"Ruined you, you whelp! What did
you try to do to me. then? You took
"a
my condition.
"Infirmity of age?" sneered Curtice,
himself in hot rage.
What of it? You tried to make me
break faith with my friends-me,
to worm from me their
secrets, which I was sworn to keep, sir!
me you'd have knocked their
nIans higher n a cooked hat-and all
for your dirty paper! And where would
the blame roost? On me, and we'll you
knew it,
The captain slammed his fist down
upon the table, and subsided, breathing
hard and muttering moodily Curtice'
holding his splitting head with both
hands, gloomed amazement at hlm
They were old friends; this was their
first difference: and he had never seen
the old man so wrought up-barr1ng,
of course. on the quarterback, where
hard words make swift the feet Of a
laggard crew.
We'll, we're quits. You've ruined
me-" he reiterated. obstinately. Il was
booked to leave the city this noon: my
job depended upon it. 1t can't be
You're booked for a longer trip
with me. son; and you ray as well
make up your mind to it,
Get out, will you?" cried Jimmy.
go away and let me alone, before I
lose my temper utterly"
IF YOU do" coolly responded the |
carratn, ''Ill put YOU in irons. son. I |
COmTT and this vessel and don't Won |